In a world the place so many telephones look virtually equivalent, Nothing is a breath of contemporary air. The British model continues to push the boundaries when it comes to {hardware} and software program, providing one thing we’ve by no means seen from mid-range telephones earlier than.
As somebody who reviewed final 12 months’s Cellphone (2a), I assumed I knew what Nothing was all about. However the brand new (3a) Professional has proved me flawed. This new £449 telephone is a standout mid-range handset in additional methods than one. At this worth, there actually is nothing else prefer it in the marketplace.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t essentially make it straightforward to advocate to everybody. In some instances, Nothing’s want to be completely different really counts in opposition to it.
Daring however cumbersome
Ever since Nothing began releasing telephones in 2022, the corporate has been identified for its distinctive designs.
The semi-transparent again and customisable ‘Glyph’ lights are issues we’ve grown accustomed to, and so they’re compelling causes to purchase a Nothing telephone. However the hefty digital camera bump isn’t.
The (3a) Professional’s round module protrudes notably from the again of the telephone, including considerably to the 8.39mm thickness. And at 211g, it’s a lot heavier than each the Cellphone (2a) and (2a) Plus from final 12 months.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Is it price it? That every one relies on how good the digital camera efficiency is. On paper, the mix of a 50Mp essential, 50Mp periscope (with 3x optical zoom), 8Mp ultrawide and 50Mp selfie lens is a transparent improve, however I haven’t had an opportunity to correctly check this but.
Can Nothing actually problem the Pixel 8a or upcoming Pixel 9a as the very best mid-range telephone digital camera? To justify the additional bulk, I feel it must.
Distinctive UI
Nothing can be daring relating to software program. Nothing OS has all the time had a really completely different feel and look to the model of Android you’ll discover on Pixel telephones, and Nothing OS 3.1 continues that divergence.
The monochrome icons and retro animations Nothing is thought for are nonetheless right here, however any of its widgets (there are masses to select from) can now be added to the lock display. Rearranging the Fast Settings menu is simpler than on every other telephone, whereas the Sensible App Drawer makes discovering apps way more simple.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Not one of the adjustments in Nothing OS 3.1 are groundbreaking, however they mix to create a genuinely distinctive expertise. Nevertheless, in case you’ve by no means used a Nothing telephone earlier than, there’s a big studying curve.
Nothing has additionally dedicated to 6 years of safety updates, although solely three main OS updates imply Android 18 will probably be its final.
An Important addition
For all of the software program tweaks, it’s a {hardware} change that caught my eye. As an alternative of following Apple’s lead by introducing a model of the Digital camera Management or Motion buttons, Nothing has added what it’s calling the ‘Important Key’ as a substitute.
In principle, it’ll work like a second mind of types, permitting you shortly seize audio, images, movies and screenshots as quickly as they arrive to thoughts. Speech will probably be transcribed and pictures analysed, earlier than the Important Area app makes use of AI to classify every little thing routinely.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t fairly work like that but. The ‘Early Entry’ model I’ve examined is proscribed to solely transcribed audio and screenshots, and it received’t do any computerized categorisation.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
So, the Important Key has a variety of thrilling potential. However you shouldn’t purchase a telephone primarily based on the promise of future updates.
Heaps extra to love
The excellent news is that there are many different compelling causes to purchase the Cellphone (3a) Professional.
Its Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset combines with 12GB of RAM to ship speedy efficiency. A 6.77-inch Full HD+ show is flagship-quality, providing OLED tech and a quick 120Hz refresh fee. Inside it is likely one of the greatest under-display fingerprint scanners I’ve tried.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Sturdiness seems to be a prime precedence, with a sturdy construct and IP64 water and mud resistance. And whereas I haven’t been capable of check this correctly but, a 5000mAh battery with 50W quick charging is first rate for a telephone at this worth. Nothing claims a full cost takes 56 minutes.
Speaking of worth, the Nothing Cellphone (3a) Professional prices £449 within the UK, placing it in direct competitors with Samsung’s new Galaxy A56 (£499) and the upcoming Pixel 9a. US pricing and availability are but to be confirmed.
Has Nothing completed sufficient to make the (3a) Professional a greater purchase than its extra established mid-range rivals? Time will inform, however the early indicators are promising.