Nothing Phone (3a) Lite vs Redmi Note 17 5G
It's close. Buy Nothing Phone (3a) Lite if you want better photos and more speed for games. Buy Redmi Note 17 5G if you want longer battery life and the longest software support.
The short answer
- CameraNothing Phone (3a) Lite. Takes the better photos: camera score 5 out of 10, against 4.
- BatteryRedmi Note 17 5G. Lasts longer on a charge: battery score 8 out of 10, against 7. It has a 8000 mAh battery.
- SpeedNothing Phone (3a) Lite. Faster for games and heavy apps: MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro, speed score 5 out of 10, against 3.
- UpdatesRedmi Note 17 5G. 4 years of updates promised.
- PriceIt's a tie
Overall it's close, so pick the one that wins on what matters most to you.
Side by side
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Redmi Note 17 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹27,999 | ₹27,999 |
| Launched | 27 November 2025 | 6 August 2026 |
| Software now | Nothing OS 4.1 (Android 16), launched with Nothing OS 3.5 (Android 15) | HyperOS 3 (Android 16) (same as launch) |
| Rating | 7.4/10 | 6.9/10 |
| Battery | 5000mAh battery lasts a full day (15 hours in GSMArena's test); 33W charging fills it in about 67 minutes. | 8000mAh battery easily lasts a full day with plenty left; 45W charging takes about 90 minutes. |
| Camera | Large 50MP main sensor takes good photos and 4K video, plus an 8MP wide-angle. | Just one 50MP camera on the back, decent in daylight but inconsistent at night, and no 4K video. |
| Speed | Dimensity 7300 Pro with 8GB RAM is smooth for daily use and fine for casual games. | Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is slower than last year's model; fine for daily apps, weak for games. |
| Catch | Smaller battery than rivals, a single speaker, and the price rose from about ₹20,999 to ₹27,999. | Slower chip than the Redmi Note 15, a single camera and a single speaker for ₹27,999. |
| Updates | 3 years | 4 years |
Full specifications (tap to open)
Every spec side by side
| Spec | Nothing Phone (3a) Lite | Redmi Note 17 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.77-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2392) AMOLED, 120Hz, 1300 nits HBM, 3000 nits peak, Panda Glass | 6.99-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2396) OLED, 120Hz, 1800 nits peak, Gorilla Glass 7i |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro (4nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 (SM4450-AF) |
| CPU | 4x Cortex-A78 @ 2.5GHz + 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz | Octa-core (cluster details not officially stated) |
| Graphics (GPU) | Mali-G615 MC2 | Adreno (model not officially stated) |
| AI chip (NPU) | MediaTek NPU (TOPS not officially stated) | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (TOPS not officially stated) |
| RAM and storage | 8GB RAM, 128GB (Not officially stated; microSDXC slot) | 6GB RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.2; microSDXC (shared SIM slot)) |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 8000 mAh |
| Charging | 33W wired (GSMArena measured max 27W draw), 5W reverse wired | 45W wired (PD 3.0), 22.5W reverse wired |
| Cameras | 50 MP main (1/1.57", f/1.9, 24mm, dual pixel PDAF) + 8 MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 120 degrees) + 2 MP macro; 16 MP selfie (f/2.5) | 50 MP main (1/2.76", f/1.8, PDAF), no ultrawide; 8 MP selfie (f/2.0) |
| Water and dust | IP54 | IP65 |
| Size and weight | 8.3mm thick, 199g | 8.4mm thick, 225g |
| Software | Nothing OS 3.5 (Android 15) at launch, Nothing OS 4.1 (Android 16) now | HyperOS 3 (Android 16) at launch, HyperOS 3 (Android 16) now |
| Updates | 3 years promised | 4 years promised |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | No |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C 2.0, no 3.5mm jack | 5G, no NFC, no 3.5mm jack (per Smartprix review); Wi-Fi and Bluetooth versions not officially stated |
| Modem | Integrated MediaTek 5G modem (model not officially stated) | Integrated Snapdragon 5G modem (model not officially stated) |
| Speakers and haptics | Single bottom-firing speaker (average loudness in GSMArena test); haptics not detailed | Single bottom-firing speaker; haptics not detailed |
| Screen flicker (PWM) | 2160Hz PWM; touch sampling not officially stated | 960Hz PWM; touch sampling not officially stated |
| Cooling | Not officially stated | Not officially stated |
| Colours | Black, White, Blue | Dark Night, Arctic Blue, Starlight Purple |
Where to buy
- Nothing Phone (3a) Lite₹27,999
- Redmi Note 17 5G₹27,999
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Waiting for a better price?See it here next time you open Tuvvo if any of these phones drops in price.
Common questions
- Which is better, Nothing Phone (3a) Lite or Redmi Note 17 5G?
- It's close. Buy Nothing Phone (3a) Lite if you want better photos and more speed for games. Buy Redmi Note 17 5G if you want longer battery life and the longest software support.
- Which has the better camera?
- Nothing Phone (3a) Lite takes the better photos.
- Which has the better battery life?
- Redmi Note 17 5G lasts longer on a charge.
- Which is faster for gaming?
- Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is faster for games and heavy apps.
- How much do they cost?
- Nothing Phone (3a) Lite costs ₹27,999, Redmi Note 17 5G costs ₹27,999.
- Which gets software updates for longer?
- Nothing Phone (3a) Lite: 3 years, now on Nothing OS 4.1 (Android 16). Redmi Note 17 5G: 4 years, now on HyperOS 3 (Android 16).