The competition
The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is a solid phone price attractively at €249 for the 128GB version and €289 for the 256GB model.
The thing is that the CMF Phone 2 Pro is now cheaper at €220 and it’s basically the same device but with an added dedicated 50MP 2x telephoto camera and swappable back panels instead of a Glyph UI.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G is similarly priced, but it offers a higher-resolution Dolby Vision screen, stereo speakers, faster charging, and better water-resistance.
The same goes for the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion – a rugged and waterproofed handset with a better AMOLED, better camera quality, and faster charging.
The Galaxy A36 is another cheaper yet waterproofed smartphone with faster hardware, better cameras on both sides, and faster charging.
Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G • Motorola Edge 60 Fusion • Samsung Galaxy A36
Our verdict
Obviously, the launch price of the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is alright, but the phones released earlier this year have become cheaper and more attractive. And this happens quite often, which means if you like the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite, you could wait a couple of months to get it for less.
There is a lot to like about the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite – the unique design, the bright AMOLED, the good battery life, and especially – the blazing-fast and clean Nothing OS.
Sure, the camera quality is average, and so is the single speaker, but the rest of the feature package is on a very good level for an affordable mid-range phone. So, once the price settles a bit, it should become one of the best phones to get around the €200 mark.
Pros
Unique design, basic Glyph UI.
Bright AMOLED screen, 120Hz.
Good battery life.
Adequate performance, no throttling.
Outstanding Nothing OS.
Good videos from the main camera.
Cons
Basic IP54 rating.
1080p resolution screen.
Single speaker.
Mediocre photo quality.