Motorola Edge 70 vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Which Sub-Rs 30,000 phone is better?

Recently, Motorola introduced a high design device, Edge 70, which features premium design features of flagship slim phones to the competitive sub-Rs30,000 markets. Its Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset and profile of just 5.99mm put it compete with other competitors such as the Nothing Phone 3a Pro with Glyph LED interface and periscope camera. The Motorola Edge 70 price in India positions it aggressively in the premium sub-Rs 30,000 smartphone segment. This Motorola Edge 70 vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro comparison breaks down design, performance, cameras, and battery to find the better mid-range phone. Both devices aim to be the best smartphone under Rs 30,000, targeting power users and design-focused buyers. A closer discussion and comparison with the specs checked are given here to decide which mid-ranger takes the lead.

Design and build: Slim vs stylish

The feature of both phones is a flattened display and has a boxy frame, although the Motorola Edge 70 is the premier in quality construction. With a textured backside, Gorilla Glass 7i in the front, metal frame, MIL-STD-810H, and IP68/IP69 dust/water resistance, making it only 5.99mm thick and 159g, it is the most suitable to be durable and not bulky.  With its 5.99mm profile, the Motorola Edge 70 sets a new benchmark for slim smartphone design in its segment. Thickness: 211g and 8.4mm Nothing Phone 3a Pro is made of Panda Glass front cover, glass back, plastic frame and IP64 splash resistant, though it offers exceptional looks due to its transparent backside and customisable Glyph LEDs. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro specifications highlight its transparent design, Glyph LEDs, and periscope telephoto camera. 

Verdict: Edge 70 for build quality and slimness; Nothing for visual flair.

Motorola Edge 70 vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Display

The 120Hz refresh, 6.7-inch 1.5K (1220x2712) size pOLED panel of the Edge 70 has a higher resolution and enhances the viewing in daylight, featuring 120Hz and 4500 nits which is double the 500 nits of other phones, as well as an HDR10+ with a 94.6% screen-to-body ratio. The Nothing phone 3a pro has  6.77-inch FHD+ (1080x2392) also has 120Hz and 3000 nits HDR10+ maximum, but has lower resolution and thus is not as sharp. The 120Hz 1.5K pOLED display on the Motorola Edge 70 delivers sharper visuals and superior outdoor brightness. Few rivals match the Motorola Edge 70 as a 4500 nits brightness smartphone built for harsh Indian sunlight.

Verdict: Motorola's higher-res display wins for media consumption.

Performance: Motorola's chipset advantage

The Motorola Edge 70 is unquestionably the more powerful of the two phones since it boasts a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset with a max clock speed of up to 2.8GHz, faster LPDDR5X RAM and faster UFS 3.1 storage which reaches 12GB/512GB. Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 performance gives the Motorola Edge 70 a noticeable edge in gaming, multitasking, and future-proofing. Together, it provides benchmark scores of approximately 1.38 million on AnTuTu which is just slightly faster with more demanding workloads, whereas a purpose-built vapor chamber cooling system helps keep temperatures down during longer gaming sessions such as Genshin Impact or BGMI with higher settings. With slightly slower Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 with 2.5GHz and up to 12GB/256GB LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro performs worse on the slightly faster AnTuTu with a score of between 1.1-1.2 million, and with less sustained CPU/GPU capacities, which results in intermittent throttling during extended gaming or video editing.

Verdict: Motorola Edge 70 wins for smoother multitasking, gaming endurance, and future-proofing. With better thermals and sustained performance, the Edge 70 is a reliable gaming phone under Rs 30,000.

Motorola Edge 70 vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Cameras

The multiple-purpose functionality of that camera system is what stands out in Nothing Phone 3a Pro, a triple-rear lens with a primary 50MP Samsung GNJ (f/1.9, OIS) to capture sharp images during the day, 50MP periscope telephoto (Sony LYTIA 600, f/2.6, 3x optical zoom, OIS) to focus on details in portraits and distant objects, and 8MP ultrawide (Sony IMX355, f/2.2) Video at 4K30fps on main and selfie is solid, but second lenses are reduced to 1080p30fps, which restricts creative capability. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro stands out as a rare periscope camera phone in the mid-range category.

Motorola Edge 70 gets competitive on the video side with a sensor of 50MP main Samsung GNJ (f/1.7, OIS) providing a brighter experience in low-light photography, a 50MP versatile Samsung JNS ultrawide/macro (f/2.0), and a 50MP ultrawide selfie, all with a maximum recording of 4K 60fps to provide smoother and cinematic results in all lenses. It does not have any dedicated telephoto and has 2x digital zoom with powerful stabilisation.

Verdict: Nothing for telephoto reach; Motorola for video creators. Thanks to 4K 60fps video across all lenses, the Edge 70 is a strong contender for the best camera phone under 30000.

Battery and Charging: Balanced showdown

The 5000mAh silicon-carbon battery abides in a 5.99mm ultra-slim casing in Motorola Edge 70 and utilises the increased energy density to support remarkably long battery durations with no additional bulk, associated with lasting one day of heavy usage, including gaming and streaming content. It also has charging capabilities such as 68W wired charging up to 100 percent in a mere 45 minutes, as well as 15W wireless and 5W reverse wireless to charge accessories, making it convenient in charging any accessory in a quick and feasible manner. Its 68W wired and wireless support makes the Edge 70 a fast charging mid-range phone.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro has the same storage capacity, but it lags in charging speed, using 50W wired (100% in 56 minutes) and no wireless charge and no charger is included with the phone, which would be inconvenient when users require to be able to charge their phone quickly.

Verdict: Light advantage to Motorola in terms of wireless and speed.

Software: Clean experiences

Both Motorola Edge 70 and Nothing phone 3a Pro are clean with almost a stock Android experience, and their focus is fluidity rather than bloatwares; hence, it is distinct within Rs30K and below. The Edge 70 comes with Android 16 under one of the lightweight Hello interfaces signed by Motorola and a promise of 3 significant OS upgrades (to Android 19) and 4 years of security patches, which is a good commitment that ensures the delivery of timely updates without the need to introduce unnecessary modifications. Nothing Phone 3a Pro is powered by Nothing OS 4.0 based on Android 15/16 delivered 3 OS updates and stunning 6 years of security updates, and its no-frills system has special Glyph integrations and customizable widgets to provide a fresh but familiar look. Both phones deliver a clean Android experience, appealing to users who prefer minimal bloat and smooth performance. Both models rank among the best stock Android phones in India under Rs 30,000.

Verdict: Near tie—Motorola starts with the newer Android version for immediate benefits, while Nothing edges out on longer-term security support.

Conclusion: Motorola Edge 70 or Nothing Phone 3a Pro?

The Motorola Edge 70 is the unquestioned flawless all-rounder winner in the fiercely competitive 4500 nits sub-Rs30,000 smartphone segment. The Motorola Edge 70 price in India positions it aggressively in the premium sub-Rs 30,000 smartphone segment. Boasting the best build quality (Gorilla Glass 7i, metal frame, IP68/IP69), the sharpest 1.5K 120Hz display, and Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 refresh, the best 4K At 60fps video on all three cameras, and a versatile 68W it is the ideal product for users. Especially those who are in search of flagship-like slimness and balanced excellence without making concessions. The Motorola Edge 70 is one of the few IP68 IP69 smartphones available in this price range.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro (Rs28,000-Rs35,000) outperforms others in such niche features as its unique Glyph LED design, the multifunctional periscope telephoto to zoom, and the extended 6 years security warranty, but performs less what the chipset can accomplish, video capture on additional displays, charging, and general durability (IP64).  Both devices aim to be the best smartphone under Rs 30,000, targeting power users and design-focused buyers.

Choose Motorola Edge 70 for premium feel, performance, and video prowess; opt for Nothing Phone 3a Pro if unique style and telephoto are your priorities. In the Motorola Edge 70 vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro battle, Motorola emerges as the stronger all-rounder.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.