The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is official – and it’s giving “spot the difference” energy

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.

Software-wise, the Phone (3a) Lite runs Nothing OS 3.5 based on Android 15, right out of the box. Nothing also promises three years of Android updates and six years of security patches, which honestly isn’t bad for a phone in this price range.And speaking of price – the Phone (3a) Lite starts at £249 (around $329 when directly converted) for the 128 GB model and £279 (around $368 when directly converted) for the 256 GB version. For now, it is not available in the US, but I guess if you really want one, you can always import.

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.

Most of the hardware is nearly identical. The camera setup? Same. Display specs? Same. Chipset? Same again. Battery and storage options? You guessed it – also the same.

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 in the end, the Phone (3a) Lite should perform almost exactly like the CMF Phone 2 Pro, which means smooth everyday use, but nothing fancy.

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.