Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs Realme 14 Pro Plus vs Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Best Camera System in the Segment?

Nothing recently launched two new mid-range smartphones in India. The Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro offer compelling specifications for their prices, although our focus today is on the latter, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is one of only three smartphones under Rs 30,000 to offer a dedicated telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The others being the Motorola Edge 50 Pro and Realme 14 Pro+.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs Realme 14 Pro Plus vs Motorola Edge 50 | Comparison

Design and Build

All three smartphones feature unique designs. The Realme 14 Pro+ boasts a quad-curved panel, while the Phone 3a Pro opts for a flat display and the Edge 50 Pro features a curved screen. The Pearl White Realme 14 Pro+ model features a colour changing back panel when the temperature drops below a certain level.

Moreover, the Edge 50 Pro features a vegan leather back panel option. However, none of them stand out more than the Phone 3a Pro, which boasts a unique back panel with Nothing's proprietary Glyph Interface, complete with LED lights. All three phones also feature unique camera islands, although the Phone 3a Pro has a unique Essential Key, which is a gateway to Essential Space (read more).

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro features the most unique design of the three smartphones. Additionally, it is also the toughest, using glass protection on the front and back as well as an aluminium frame (100% recycled). The Edge 50 Pro and Realme 14 Pro+ both feature plastic backs, although the former gets a metal frame, while the latter opts for a plastic frame. Finally, both Realme and Motorola smartphones feature flagship-grade water resistance.

Display

While all three phones feature OLED displays, the Realme 14 Pro+ and Edge 50 Pro feature higher resolutions. Moreover, the Edge 50 Pro also comes with a higher refresh rate, although it is unlikely to make a major difference in real-world scenarios. While the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro features the highest peak brightness, the maximum brightness is around 1,200 to 1,300 nits on all three phones. Finally, HDR10+ is only supported on the Phone 3a Pro and Edge 50 Pro.

Performance

While the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip on the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is faster than the SD 7s Gen 3 SoC on the Phone 3a Pro and Realme 14 Pro+, real-world testing shows a minor performance bump, unnoticeable while gaming.

However, the top-end variant of the Edge 50 Pro with 12GB of RAM is currently available under Rs 30,000 in India, ensuring it offers the best price to performance of three devices. It is worth noting that we are yet to test all three devices, so this comparison is based on their specifications and past experiences.

Cameras

For optics, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro feature a triple-camera setup with a 50MP OmniVision OV50E primary sensor with an f/1.4 aperture and OIS. The main camera is accompanied by a 13MP SK Hynix HI1336 ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 10MP Samsung S5K3K1 telephoto unit with OIS and 3x optical zoom. Up front, the Edge 50 Pro opts for a 50MP Samsung JNS selfie camera with autofocus.

The Realme 14 Pro+ also boasts a triple-camera setup with a 50MP Sony IMX896 primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.8 aperture. The main camera is paired with a 50MP Sony IMX882 periscope shooter with OIS, an f/2.7 aperture, and 3x optical zoom and an 8MP ultrawide shooter with an f/2.2 aperture. Up front, the Realme 14 Pro+ 5G opts for a 32MP Sony selfie shooter.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro also features three cameras, including a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and OIS, an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 50MP periscope lens (based on Sony LYTIA 600 sensor) with OIS and an f/2.55 aperture. Up front, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro opts for a 50MP selfie camera that uses a Samsung sensor and an f/2.2 aperture.

• The Realme 14 Pro+ stands out with its dual 50MP rear sensors, including a periscope telephoto lens, making it ideal for zoom photography. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro excels in low-light performance with its wide f/1.4 aperture and autofocus selfie camera.
• Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro's cameras offer the versatility of the Realme 14 Pro Plus's rear cameras, while offering superior selfie camera performance. Overall, Realme and Nothing are the best for zoom camera performance, while Motorola is better for night shots. However, the Phone 3a Pro is the most versatile of the three devices.

Battery

The Realme 14 Pro+ has the largest battery of the three phones. It is also the only one to use silicon carbon battery technology for better performance in the long run. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a sizeable battery, while the Edge 50 Pro's has a small battery for its size.

But despite its smaller battery, the Moto Edge 50 Pro offers the fastest charging support on its top-end models. Additionally, the Edge 50 Pro also offers wireless fast charging support. The Realme 14 Pro+ and Nothing Phone 3a Pro feature wired fast charging support, although the latter doesn't come with an adapter in the box.

Software

Motorola and Nothing's software are clean and bloat-free, offering a near-stock Android experience, although Realme UI 6.0 does come with its fair share of bloatware. All three phones come with a wide array of AI features. Additionally, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro also features the best software support. If we had to choose between one of the three for the software experience alone, it would have to be the Phone 3a Pro.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs Realme 14 Pro Plus vs Motorola Edge 50 | Conclusion

Each of these smartphones brings something unique to the table. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro impresses with its superior low-light photography, fastest charging speeds, and wireless charging support, making it a great option for those who prioritize photography and convenience. Meanwhile, the Realme 14 Pro+ stands out with its dual 50MP rear cameras, including a periscope lens, ensuring excellent zoom performance. It also offers the largest battery with silicon carbon technology, improving longevity.

However, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro emerges as the most well-rounded option. It combines a premium and durable design, the versatility of a periscope camera, and a high-resolution selfie shooter. Additionally, its clean software experience, extended software support, and the unique Glyph Interface make it the most distinctive and future-proof choice. While all three phones cater to different needs, the Phone 3a Pro strikes the best balance of design, performance, camera versatility, and long-term value.