iQOO Neo 10R vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: How these mid-range rivals compare

Here, we put the newly released iQOO Neo 10R and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro in a head-to-head comparasion. Read on.

The iQOO Neo 10R and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro are two of the latest mid-range smartphones to have launched in the Indian market in March. Both phones have their unique advantages, and most importantly, both are priced quite similarly, and that could confuse many buyers as to which phone to buy. That being said, both are quite different phones, and here, let us tell you what differences you can expect.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs iQOO Neo 10R: Performance

iQOO Neo 10R (left), Nothing Phone 3a Pro (right). (Shaurya Sharma/HT)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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When it comes to performance, both phones pack different Snapdragon chipsets, with the iQOO Neo 10R offering the superior Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 compared to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 in the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. Both phones also support up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

When it comes to sheer performance, the iQOO Neo 10R is certainly ahead because it is, after all, a performance-centric smartphone. On Geekbench scores from our testing, the iQOO Neo 10R certainly has the upper hand. We got a Geekbench multi-core score of 5,353 points, while the Nothing Phone 3a Pro scored 3,396 points. In the single-core benchmark, the Neo 10R scored 1,876 points, while the Nothing Phone 3a Pro managed 1,182 points.

Coming to the battery, the iQOO Neo 10R features a 6,400mAh battery and supports 80W fast charging, whereas the Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a 5,000mAh battery and supports 50W wired charging. While the battery capacities differ, in real-world performance, we noticed that both phones last mostly the same amount of time. You can expect to end the day with around 30 to 35 percent remaining on both phones. That said, the iQOO Neo 10R does have a slight five to ten percent advantage.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs iQOO Neo 10R: Camera

For selfies, the iQOO Neo 10R has a 32MP selfie shooter, which can also shoot 4K 60fps video, while the Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a 50MP front-facing camera that supports 4K video recording.

That being said, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro certainly has the more versatile camera system, thanks to the 3x telephoto lens, which can even shoot 6x images, and macro shots. We think, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro with this extra lens, and features like being able to import custom LUTs, and even share your own, gives it a clear advantage in the camera department.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs iQOO Neo 10R: Software And More

Coming to the software experience, both phones are packing their respective UIs on top of Android 15. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro gets the fan-favourite Nothing OS 3.1, and it is guaranteed to receive up to three major Android upgrades. Funtouch OS 15, based on Android 15 and featured on the iQOO Neo 10R, looks different, feels different, and ultimately, you will have to choose for yourself which one looks best to you. Both are quite feature-packed, and you can’t go wrong with either, but the Nothing Phone 3a Pro definitely has the simpler, easier-to-use experience.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs iQOO Neo 10R: Display And Design

Coming to the display, the iQOO Neo 10R features a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with support for a 144Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits of peak brightness. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a slightly smaller 6.77-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits of peak brightness.

In terms of build, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a glass back and a plastic frame, while the iQOO Neo 10R has a plastic frame as well as a plastic back. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has IP64 dust and water resistance, while the iQOO Neo 10R is rated IP65. Both phones also look and feel quite different in hand, with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro sporting the iconic Glyph lighting interface, while the iQOO Neo 10R offers a simpler design, inspired by the iQOO 13, the company’s flagship.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro vs iQOO Neo 10R: Price In India

The iQOO Neo 10R starts at ₹24,999 for the base 8GB + 128GB model, and goes up to ₹30,999 for the top-end variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. On the other hand, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro starts at a higher price point of ₹29,999 for the base model and goes up to ₹33,999 for the top-end variant.