The Not anything Telephone 2a used to be some of the memorable smartphones of 2024. It introduced a quick show, giant battery and persona, concerned with simply $349. For a follow-up, Not anything will have merely refreshed the 2a and the outcome would have most probably been price recommending. However the corporate did not do this. As an alternative, it made up our minds to replace the 2a and unencumber a completely new handset along it.That new software, the Telephone 3a Professional, has one thing you do not in finding on many midrange smartphones: a periscope telephoto digital camera. If you’ll are living with some added weight and a quite foolish design, the 3a Professional gives a just about flagship digital camera enjoy for $459. As for the 3a, it’s a really perfect software by itself, and a wise choice when you’ve got even much less to spend on a brand new telephone.
Not anything/Engadget In the event you’re ok with Not anything’s restricted US guaranty, the Telephone 3a is a smart finances software. It gives a really perfect display screen, amusing design and an incredibly nice digital camera package deal for the associated fee. ProsFun designLarge 120Hz AMOLED screenClean however customizable Android skinConsLimited US warrantyNo wi-fi chargingTinny audio system$379 at Not anything
Not anything/EngadgetProvided you’re ok with Not anything’s restricted guaranty in the USA, the 3a Professional is a smart midrange software. It gives a colourful display screen, amusing design and a really perfect telephoto digital camera. ProsLarge 120Hz AMOLED displayGreat, flexible camerasClean however customizable Android skinConsLimited US warrantyNo wi-fi chargingMassive digital camera bump$459 at NothingCarrier compatibility
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThere are a few vital main points I want to point out ahead of I am getting too some distance into this overview. In the USA, Not anything is promoting the 3a and 3a Professional via a “beta” program the place the corporate handiest gives 14 days of after-sale strengthen. If there is something flawed along with your new telephone and it is out of doors the extraordinarily quick go back duration, it’s worthwhile to simply be out of good fortune. That is break free Not anything’s device strengthen coverage, which guarantees 3 years of Android upgrades and 6 years of safety patches for the 3a and 3a Professional, along with “corrective and capability updates.”Moreover, the telephones do not strengthen all of AT&T, T-Cellular and Verizon’s 5G bands. You’ll get elementary connectivity, however mmWave speeds are off the desk. Finally, Not anything notes AT&T and Verizon shoppers will want to touch their service to sign up their new telephone’s IMEI for 5G get admission to. I point out this stuff in advance as a result of I feel the 3a and 3a Professional are nice telephones worthy of your attention, but it surely’s additionally comprehensible if Not anything’s restricted buyer and service strengthen put you off.Design
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThe 3a and 3a Professional do not really feel like two sub-$500 handsets, and a large a part of that could be a new glass backing. In comparison to my iPhone 12, the 3a and 3a Professional really feel very Apple-like of their building. I particularly just like the coating Not anything used for the outer casing of the 2 telephones, which makes the body really feel find it irresistible’s made out of ceramic. Each are giant handsets, and the feel made for a protected grip anytime I took one in all them out of my pocket. Not anything has additionally added higher waterproofing, with each the 3a and 3a Professional providing IP64-certified coverage towards moisture and dirt. That is up from the IP54 ranking at the 2a. In the event you spend a large number of time round water, a number of different midrange telephones include higher coverage, together with the brand new $499 Pixel 9a.Any other new characteristic is a button referred to as the Very important Key. On each telephones, it is situated at the proper facet, proper beneath the ability button. I’m going to have extra to mention on what it does later, however for now I’m going to point out it feels much less cast than the entire different buttons at the two telephones. It is a disgrace as a result of the whole thing else is so well-made.The Telephone 3a is to be had in 3 colours (black, white and blue) and the 3a Professional in two (grey and black). Sadly, you’ll’t purchase the blue 3a in North The united states, in a different way I might get one for myself. Just about 3 years after the discharge of the Telephone 1, Not anything’s gadgets proceed to have distinctive designs, despite the fact that I consider some other folks is probably not delighted in regards to the glance of the 3a Professional.
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetI imply, have a look at it. The 3a Professional is a modern day Lumia 1020, and is certain to draw perplexed seems to be. Now not handiest does the digital camera housing make an already thick telephone thicker, however the additional {hardware} makes the 3a Professional an entire 10 grams heavier than the 3a. And at 201 grams, the 3a already feels really extensive.It is exhausting to peer in footage however there is a hole between backside of the 3a Professional’s digital camera module and the highest of the again casing. Within the little while I have had the telephone, it has already began accumulating mud and particles there. The outer ring of the module additionally has a end that does not fit with any of the opposite fabrics used at the telephone. In the end, it feels just like the 3a Professional sacrifices one of the 3a’s cool issue for digital camera efficiency. That tradeoff is in the end price it and its design grew on me, however I would not pass judgement on you in case you discovered the 3a Professional an excessive amount of.Show
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThe 3a and 3a Professional have the similar show. At 6.77 inches, it gives quite extra actual property than the 2a’s 6.7-inch display screen. This time round, Not anything has additionally long gone with Panda Glass to offer protection to the AMOLED panel from scratches. On paper, that is a downgrade from the Gorilla Glass Not anything used for the 2a and what you’ll be able to in finding at the Pixel 9a and Galaxy S24 FE, however wanting carrying out a drop take a look at, it’s exhausting for me to mention if there is any distinction in sturdiness.What I will be able to say is the show seems to be nice. It is nonetheless an FHD panel with a variable refresh price that is going as much as 120Hz. Alternatively, it gives progressed visibility in direct daylight having the ability to hit a top brightness of one,300 nits routinely. I by no means struggled to peer the display screen, even on a sunny day once I wore polarized glasses.For the associated fee, Not anything picked the easiest display screen. It is speedy, colourful and, due to a brand new 480Hz sampling price, extremely responsive. One facet of the show that can annoy some is that Not anything went with an optical in-display fingerprint sensor as a substitute of ultrasonic. Ultrasonic sensors have a tendency to be quicker and extra correct, however in addition they price extra to make, so they are normally handiest discovered on flagship gadgets just like the Galaxy S25. Do not let that scare you clear of the 3a and 3a Professional despite the fact that. Out of doors of a little bit of pokiness all the way through setup, I have not had any problems with the fingerprint sensor.Cameras
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThe cameras at the 3a and 3a Professional are your complete package deal. Beginning with the 3a, Not anything has made a couple of tweaks. For a primary digital camera, you continue to get a 50-megapixel Samsung GN9 sensor paired with an f/1.88 lens and optical symbol stabilization (OIS). As an alternative of the 50MP ultrawide digital camera at the 2a, the 3a has an 8MP sensor from Sony and a quite wider 120-degree box of view. Maximum significantly, the telephone now comes with a 50-megapixel telephoto digital camera with 2x optical zoom.Whilst extra producers are starting to come with telephoto cameras with their midrange telephones, it is nonetheless now not a characteristic you in finding on each and every software. For $379, the 3a’s telephoto has no proper being as just right as it’s, and I used to be repeatedly stunned through the element within the photographs I took. Throughout all the package deal, Not anything has in reality pleasant symbol processing. The distinction that the device provides to footage could be an excessive amount of for some, but it surely in a different way does a really perfect task of manufacturing heat and alluring herbal colours. Like a large number of telephones in its value vary, the 3a’s cameras can combat in low mild or when it has to take care of harsh daylight.1 / 16Nothing Telephone 3a Professional digital camera samplesA nice Pyrenees sits at the pavement.
One idiosyncrasy of Not anything’s symbol processing is that footage will ceaselessly glance unusable ahead of you press the shutter. For instance, shiny scenes will steadily have blown out highlights. Alternatively, as soon as the telephone has had a 2d to use HDR, those self same pictures will ceaselessly end up nice. I didn’t know this once I first began the usage of the telephone, so occasionally I gave up on a shot ahead of taking it. That is true of the 3a Professional too, so stay that during thoughts if you make a decision to shop for one in all them.As for the 3a Professional, it gives a close to flagship enjoy and the spotlight is the telephone’s periscope digital camera. It has a 50MP Sony sensor with an f/2.55 lens and integrated OIS. The telephoto provides a 3x optical zoom, however you’ll additionally push it to 6x with a lossless crop. Both means, the pictures produced through this lens can glance sharp and detailed, so long as the topic you might be seeking to shoot is slightly nonetheless.As you’ll see from the pattern gallery, one of the cats I attempted to {photograph} round my community got here out a little bit blurry. That is since the 3a Professional tried to break out with the usage of a slightly gradual shutter velocity. Alternatively, for much less difficult scenes, the periscope digital camera constantly felt like dishonest, and I needed to stay reminding myself it is a telephone that prices lower than $500.The telephoto additionally has a macro mode, permitting it to concentrate on topics as shut as 5.9 inches away. It may be tough to pass judgement on how shut you want to be to the topic, but if I used to be ready to nail center of attention, the 3a Professional produced detailed photographs.
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThe primary digital camera at the 3a Professional is in a similar fashion nice. Like at the 3a, you get a 50MP sensor with an f/1.88 lens. Alternatively, it comes with a unique Samsung sensor that has dual-pixel autofocus, which is helping the 3a Professional lock in quicker and extra as it should be. Right here, Not anything’s symbol processing is going a protracted technique to ship footage that glance delightful. Colours are colourful with out being overbaked and there is simply sufficient element to meet any individual who is in search of it.I did not take too many selfies. The 3a Professional has a slight edge in that division due to a better answer 50MP sensor, however the 3a is not any slouch both with its 32MP sensor. Neither telephone has a front-facing digital camera with autofocus, however that’s ceaselessly the primary characteristic producers minimize to make a extra inexpensive software.1 / 15Nothing Telephone 3a digital camera samplesIn the USA, the 3a Professional has no counterpart. There are telephones just like the Motorola Edge 50 Professional that supply a really perfect telephoto at a similar value, however it is not bought in North The united states. If a digital camera with achieve is vital to you, the 3a Professional’s closest stateside competitor is the Galaxy S24 FE, but it surely usually prices $650. And for this reason, I feel it is well-worth taking into account over twin rear digital camera telephones just like the Pixel 9a.Efficiency
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetOn most sensible of up to date digital camera {hardware}, the 3a and 3a Professional characteristic a brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. Relative to the 2a’s MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Professional, Not anything says the brand new Snapdragon SoC has a 33 % quicker CPU and 11 % quicker GPU. After I ran the 3a Professional via Geekbench 6, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 earned a single-core rating of one,115 and a multicore rating of three,082. For context, the Dimensity processor scored 1,123 and a couple of,603 when my colleague Sam Rutherford reviewed the 2a remaining 12 months. For any other level of comparability, the Exynos 2400e within the Galaxy S24 FE simply beats each the Qualcomm and MediaTek chips with ratings of two,140 and six,690, respectively.I do know that’s a large number of numbers all of sudden, however I put them in advance to set expectancies: bring to mind the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 extra as the cheap chip than a flagship one. For on a regular basis use, I discovered it used to be greater than sufficient for my wishes. With 12GB of RAM, the 3a and 3a Professional be offering a number of headroom for scrolling via social media, multi-tasking and AI programs like Gemini.Alternatively, the telephones are much less splendid for gaming. After I attempted to play video games like Diablo Immortal and League of Legends: Wild Rift, I discovered it used to be conceivable to run them at 60 frames in keeping with 2d, however the 3a and 3a Professional would sometimes drop frames and I could not play both sport with all their graphics settings maxed out.Battery
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetLike the 2a, the 3a and 3a Professional characteristic a 5,000mAh battery. Looping a YouTube video till the battery died, the 3a went 19 and a part hours on a unmarried fee. If you wish to spend an afternoon gaming, the 3a Professional is just right for roughly 8 hours ahead of it wishes charging. For extra moderate use involving a mixture of social media use and internet surfing, I used to be ready to get on the subject of 14 hours of display screen time.As soon as the battery is empty, the 3a and 3a Professional strengthen 50W speedy charging, up from 45W at the 2a. Neither telephone comes with an influence adapter throughout the field, and Not anything did not supply me with one for trying out, however the corporate claims the 3a and 3a Professional can cross from 0 to one hundred pc battery in lower than an hour the usage of its new charger. Most of the people most probably have a 20W energy adapter mendacity round, and in response to my observations, you’ll be expecting to fee the telephones from 10 % to complete in about an hour and a part.In case your finances lets in for it, it is certainly price spending additional to shop for Not anything’s new charger since few telephones on this value vary be offering charging as speedy because the 3a and 3a Professional. The tradeoff is neither the 3a or 3a Professional strengthen wi-fi charging, however in case you question me, I might take quicker stressed charging over Qi compatibility each and every time.Instrument
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThe 3a and 3a Professional arrive with Android 15 and the most recent model of Not anything OS out of the field. As I discussed at the beginning, Not anything has promised to strengthen those telephones with 3 years of Android updates, so if you purchase one now, you’ll be expecting to get no less than Android 18 ahead of you may want to imagine upgrading telephones. Google and Samsung be offering longer strengthen, however relative to the remainder of the Android ecosystem, Not anything’s coverage is beautiful just right.This used to be my first time the usage of Not anything OS and I’ve to mention I am a large fan. Not anything hasn’t long gone overboard customizing inventory Android, and there is in reality no bloatware to talk of. Each the gadget and fast settings menus most commonly persist with the structure established through Google, so navigating the interface is straightforward. One great contact is that Not anything contains its personal monochromatic icon pack, with many fashionable third-party apps lined. There are 18 customized widgets that come same old with Not anything OS they usually all glance nice.The only main new device characteristic incorporated with the 3a and 3a Professional is tied to the Very important Key I discussed. A unmarried faucet of the button means that you can take a screenshot, which you’ll instantly annotate. In the event you lengthy press as a substitute, the 3a and 3a Professional will get started recording a voice memo. After all, a double faucet opens the Very important House, the brand new app the place all of the ones screenshots and notes are saved. An set of rules will routinely transcribe any voice memos and do its highest to categorize all of your clippings into classes, despite the fact that you’ll additionally create your individual. Not anything plans to do extra with Very important House one day, however for now it is restricted in its capability, and you’ll’t rebind the Very important Key to do one thing else if you do not in finding the app useful.In case you are the kind of one that makes use of Apple Notes religiously, I will be able to see the Very important Key and Very important House being an effective way to stay your virtual existence tidy. I discovered it much less helpful, most commonly as a result of I have by no means been a lot of a notetaker. I can say I do suppose it is a good suggestion, and, with a little bit extra iteration, Not anything may just create one thing that feels, properly, extra very important.Wrap-up
Igor Bonifacic for EngadgetThe Not anything Telephone 3a and 3a Professional be offering super worth for $379 and $459. It is in reality exhausting to criticize Not anything for any of the part alternatives, and if you are keen to take a possibility at the corporate’s restricted US guaranty and wish one thing distinctive, those are the telephones to shop for.For everybody else, it is more secure to shop for one thing just like the Pixel 9a or Galaxy S24 FE without delay out of your service. You will not have to fret about calling your service about your telephone, and you’ll be able to get an extended one-year guaranty. Moreover, each Google and Samsung be offering as much as seven years of device strengthen with their newest gadgets.
