Nothing launched the Nothing Phone 3a Pro at a ₹30,000 price point, bringing a solid mix of features. While the phone offers some good specifications, there are certain areas where it falls short. This is where the OnePlus Nord 4 steps in, offering better overall specs in comparison.
In this blog, we will take an in-depth look at both smartphones, analyzing their performance, camera, storage, design, and unique features. By the end, we’ll reach a final conclusion which is the best smartphone under ₹30,000 and which one is worth your money.
Design
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro and the OnePlus Nord 4 take completely different approaches to design, catering to distinct user preferences. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro retains the brand’s signature transparent Glyph light aesthetic but with a hard plastic back instead of glass, making it more durable yet slightly less premium in feel. Unlike the Nothing Number Series, which features Glyph lights covering the entire back, the Nothing A Series, including the 3a Pro, limits the lights to the camera module area. Interestingly, the camera module design is unique, with one lens placed horizontally and the other vertically an uncommon layout that will spark mixed reactions among users.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord 4 follows a more traditional yet premium design with a full-metal body, setting it apart in the sub-₹30,000 segment. The phone features a metal back with a small glass portion, giving it a sleek and high-end feel. However, metal-bodied phones tend to heat up quickly but also cool down fast, which is a normal occurrence rather than a flaw. OnePlus has tackled the common signal reception issue in metal phones by incorporating plastic elements inside for better connectivity. Additionally, the iconic alert slider makes a return, improving the overall user experience. The camera setup is more conventional, with two vertically placed lenses, giving it a clean and polished look.
In terms of build quality, the OnePlus Nord 4’s metal construction feels sturdier and more premium, while the Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s hard plastic build ensures durability and a lighter weight. When it comes to water resistance, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is rated IP64, making it splash-resistant but not submersible, whereas the OnePlus Nord 4 carries an IP52 rating, offering protection against minor water splashes.
Overall, Nothing Phone 3a Pro appeals to those who love futuristic and unique aesthetics, while the OnePlus Nord 4 is for users who prefer a premium metal build with a more conventional but refined look.
Display
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED punch-hole display with a 120Hz refresh rate and thin bezels for an immersive experience. It boasts Panda Glass protection, HDR10+ support, 10-bit color depth, and a peak brightness of 3000 nits (1300 nits in High Brightness Mode), ensuring excellent outdoor visibility. It also includes an optical in-display fingerprint scanner.
The OnePlus Nord 4 comes with a 6.74-inch AMOLED punch-hole display with the same 120Hz refresh rate and ultra-thin bezels. However, it has a lower peak brightness of 2100 nits, making outdoor visibility slightly challenging. While it supports HDR for YouTube and Netflix, its claimed Aqua Touch feature (for wet-finger scrolling) doesn’t work effectively. Additionally, OnePlus hasn’t specified any display protection, raising durability concerns.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro offers better brightness, HDR10+ support, stronger protection (Panda Glass), and superior outdoor visibility, making it the better display overall.
Processor
Both the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and OnePlus Nord 4 are powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor, ensuring smooth performance for daily tasks and gaming. However, the key difference lies in storage and RAM technologies, which impact overall speed and efficiency.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro uses LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, which are decent but not the fastest in this price range. While it performs well for casual gaming and daily tasks, faster storage (UFS 3.1) would have been a better choice, especially when some competitors offer it at a similar price.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord 4 offers LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1/UFS 4.0 storage options, making it significantly faster in app loading, multitasking, and gaming performance. If you’re looking for long-term speed and efficiency, spending an extra ₹2,000 for UFS 4.0 is a smart investment. Additionally, Nord 4 handles high-end gaming better, allowing smooth 90Hz gameplay in BGMI and Call of Duty with minimal heating issues.
While both phones have the same processor, the OnePlus Nord 4 wins due to its faster RAM and storage options, making it the better choice for power users and gamers.
Both the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and OnePlus Nord 4 feature high-resolution camera setups, but their real-world performance is quite different. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro excels in color accuracy and dynamic range, making it a strong contender in the ₹30,000 segment. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Nord 4 struggles with inconsistent colors and weak low-light performance, making it less appealing for photography enthusiasts.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro easily wins in the camera department with better color accuracy, optical zoom, and superior low-light performance. The OnePlus Nord 4, despite having a 50 MP primary sensor, struggles with inconsistent color processing and lacks telephoto capabilities, making it less ideal for photography lovers.
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro comes with an exclusive Essential Button, adding extra functionality that OnePlus Nord 4 lacks.
Below is a comparison of the available storage options for the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and OnePlus Nord 4.
Nord 4 offers more storage for a lower price, making it a better value-for-money option.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro starts at a higher price, but it lacks the 16GB + 512GB variant.
Software
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro runs on Nothing OS 3.1, based on Android 15. While the OS had some initial bugs, Nothing has significantly improved its stability and performance over time. It delivers one of the best Android experiences after Samsung’s One UI. The phone also promises 3 years of major Android updates and 4 years of security patches, ensuring decent software support.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord 4 runs on Android 14 with OxygenOS, which now includes elements of ColorOS. This results in bloatware and unnecessary apps, some of which continue running in the background even after being uninstalled. However, OnePlus offers 4 years of Android updates and 6 years of security patches, making it a more future-proof option in terms of long-term software support.
Camera
Both the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and OnePlus Nord 4 feature high-resolution camera setups, but their real-world performance is quite different. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro excels in color accuracy and dynamic range, making it a strong contender in the ₹30,000 segment. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Nord 4 struggles with inconsistent colors and weak low-light performance, making it less appealing for photography enthusiasts.
| Feature | Nothing Phone 3a Pro | OnePlus Nord 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Rear Camera 1 | 50 MP, ƒ/1.9 (Wide), 24mm, OIS, 84.5° FOV | 50 MP, ƒ/1.8 (Wide), 25mm, 1/1.95″ Sensor |
| Rear Camera 2 | 50 MP, ƒ/2.0 (Telephoto), 2x Optical Zoom, PDAF | 8 MP, ƒ/2.2 (Ultra Wide), 112° FOV |
| Rear Camera 3 | 8 MP, ƒ/2.2 (Ultra Wide), 120° FOV | ❌ (No third camera) |
| Auto Focus | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Zoom | 2x Optical Zoom, 4x In-Sensor Zoom, 30x Ultra Zoom | No Optical Zoom |
| Video Recording | 4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60fps | 4K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 60fps |
| Front Camera | 32 MP, ƒ/2.2 (Wide), Punch Hole | 16 MP, ƒ/2.4 (Wide), Punch Hole |
| Front Video | 1080p @ 30fps FHD | 1080p @ 30fps FHD |
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro easily wins in the camera department with better color accuracy, optical zoom, and superior low-light performance. The OnePlus Nord 4, despite having a 50 MP primary sensor, struggles with inconsistent color processing and lacks telephoto capabilities, making it less ideal for photography lovers.
Unique Feature: Essential Button
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro comes with an exclusive Essential Button, adding extra functionality that OnePlus Nord 4 lacks.
| Feature | Nothing Phone 3a Pro | OnePlus Nord 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Button | Yes, captures screenshots and allows adding notes & audio before saving in the “Essential App” | ❌ No such feature |
This feature enhances productivity by making it easier to capture, annotate, and store screenshots efficiently, something that Nord 4 completely lacks.
Storage Variants and Pricing Comparison
Below is a comparison of the available storage options for the Nothing Phone 3a Pro and OnePlus Nord 4.
| Variant | Nothing Phone 3a Pro | OnePlus Nord 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 8GB + 128GB | ₹29,999 | ❌ Not Available |
| 8GB + 256GB | ₹31,999 | ₹26,000 |
| 16GB + 512GB | ❌ Not Available | ₹30,000 |
| Color Options | Black, Grey | Mercurial Silver, Obsidian Midnight, Oasis Green |
| Buy Link | Buy Here | Buy Here |
Nord 4 offers more storage for a lower price, making it a better value-for-money option.
Nothing Phone 3a Pro starts at a higher price, but it lacks the 16GB + 512GB variant.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
If you’re considering the Nothing Phone 3a vs. 3a Pro, the main difference lies in the camera. The 3a Pro may offer slightly better storage options and a few extra features, but overall, both deliver the same performance. Unless you are a professional photographer, the standard Nothing Phone 3a is a smarter choice.
When comparing Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs. OnePlus Nord 4, the Nord 4 takes the lead in overall performance. With a superior processor (Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3), faster UFS 4.0 storage, a premium metal build, and better gaming performance, it’s a powerhouse for those prioritizing speed and efficiency.
If you want a great camera, go for the Nothing Phone 3a Pro.
If you want a great camera and a unique design, go for the Nothing Phone 3a Pro.
If performance, gaming, and value for money matter, the OnePlus Nord 4 is the better choice.
Spending ₹2,000 extra for the UFS 4.0 variant of Nord 4 is a smart move for long-term performance. If you want a great camera, go for the Nothing Phone 3a Pro.
Thank You for Reading!!!!
