The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite: what’s actually lighter?
After teasing it earlier this week, Carl Pei’s company made it official, and the first thing many of us probably wondered is – how much lighter can you make a phone that was already the stripped-down version of another phone? Because remember, the (3a) itself was already the more affordable take on the Phone (3).Anyway, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite packs a 6.77-inch AMOLED display that goes up to 3000 nits of brightness and supports a smooth 120Hz refresh rate – not bad at all for an entry-level model. The phone keeps the same aesthetic Nothing has become known for, and it comes in just two colors:
Phone (3a) Lite. | Image credit – Nothing
The build is a mix of high-grade tempered glass and precision-machined aluminum, which gives it a clean and more premium look. It’s got an IP54 rating, so it’s splash- and dust-resistant but not exactly waterproof – fair enough for the price point.On the back, you still get that Nothing signature, but this time it is a simple, single Glyph Light. You can customize it for different notifications or assign it to specific contacts, and it even doubles as a countdown timer when you are snapping photos.
Phone (3a) Lite has the signature Nothing look. | Image credit – Nothing
When it comes to cameras, Nothing kept things modest:
- 50 MP main camera
- 8 MP ultra-wide camera
- 2 MP macro camera
- 16 MP selfie camera
Pretty basic, but for an entry-level device, it should do the job just fine.
Under the hood, the phone runs on the Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G – not particularly exciting, but solid enough. Think something around the same level as Samsung’s Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A26 – maybe a tiny bit faster, but not by much.
You get 8 GB of RAM and a choice between 128 GB or 256 GB of storage, plus a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging support.
Looks familiar? That’s because it kind of is
Phone (3a) Lite (left) next to CMF Phone 2 Pro (right). | Collage by PhoneArena
If you’ve been keeping up with mobile tech lately, the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite might feel like déjà vu. That’s because it’s basically a remix of the CMF Phone 2 Pro – the one Nothing’s sub-brand launched earlier this year.
The main differences come down to aesthetics and branding. The Phone (3a) Lite gets the Glyph Light and the glass finish that make it feel a bit more premium. But when you look at the numbers, the CMF Phone 2 Pro still costs less — $280 for the 256 GB model – and that’s for double the storage compared to most of its competitors.
So, who is the Phone (3a) Lite actually for?
Now here’s where I’m a bit puzzled. The Phone (3a) Lite looks great –in my opinion – but who exactly is it meant for?
Because Nothing already sells the CMF Phone 2 Pro, which basically offers the same hardware for less money. And then there’s the Phone (3a), priced at $379 for the 12 GB + 256 GB version, which gets you a faster chip, better cameras, and quicker charging.
So yeah, the new Lite looks cool and brings that signature Nothing vibe, but in terms of value, it kind of sits in a strange spot. Unless you’re after the Nothing design specifically – the minimalism, the Glyph Light – the cheaper CMF model or the Phone (3a) just make more sense.
