Carl Pei’s Nothing has built a reputation for hype, but with the launch of the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, it has found itself at the centre of yet another controversy. This time, fans are unhappy with the use of UFS 2.2 storage instead of the faster UFS 3.1, which is offered by competing smartphones like the iQOO Neo 10R and Poco X7 Pro in the same price range.
Storage speed plays a significant role in a phone’s overall performance, especially for file transfers, app installations, and loading heavy games. Naturally, users expected Nothing’s latest mid-range devices to include UFS 3.1, and when they didn’t, complaints started pouring in. Pei initially dismissed the backlash, telling users to “stop complaining”, but as criticism grew louder, Nothing issued a detailed explanation.
Nothing’s justification
In a post on its community forums, Nothing defended its choice, insisting that UFS 2.2 wasn’t about cost-cutting but about allocating resources where they matter most. The company argued that storage speed is just one factor in a phone’s performance, and RAM, CPU, and software optimisation play equally important roles.
According to Nothing, most users won’t notice a difference in daily tasks like messaging, browsing, and social media. The only time UFS 3.1 truly stands out is during large file transfers or game installs, which, the company claims, are not frequent tasks for the average user.
Can software optimisations make up for slower storage?
To back up its argument, Nothing shared read/write speed comparisons and highlighted the adaptive NTFS optimisation used in its phones, which helps manage files more efficiently. The company also pointed to its Smart Clean technology, which keeps performance smooth by removing unnecessary files and optimising app loading times.
For those worried about future-proofing, Nothing assured users that long-term performance depends more on software updates than storage speed. It promised that the Phone 3a series will continue performing reliably for years.
So, was this a smart decision or a compromise? If you frequently transfer large files or play heavy games, you may feel the impact. But for everyday users, Nothing believes the difference is negligible.
