A Fresh Take in a Sea of Similarity
In a smartphone market crowded with lookalikes, the Nothing Phone 3 offers a much-needed visual shakeup. It’s bold, eccentric, and unapologetically different — almost rebellious in its approach. With a price tag of $799, Nothing is no longer playing in the budget-friendly playground. This is their declaration of intent: they want a seat at the flagship table.
But the million-dollar question remains: does it deserve to sit there?
This review explores the full picture — from performance to battery life, software polish to camera quality, and the unmistakable design language that makes Nothing a cult favorite. It’s a story of compromise, creativity, and calculated ambition.
Design & Build: More Than Just Looks
Nothing has made its mark on smartphone design — not just by being different, but by owning that difference. The Phone 3 continues this tradition with its transparent back and a new standout feature: the Glyph Matrix.
Replacing the previous generation’s LED glyph lights is a new 489-pixel mini display in the upper rear corner. It serves as a notification indicator, mini-widget system, and even a playful interaction panel for things like Rock-Paper-Scissors, countdown timers, and more. Sure, some features are gimmicky, but others — like caller ID glyphs — genuinely improve usability.
The device feels rock-solid. At 200g, the weight distribution is excellent, thanks to a precision-engineered aluminum frame and glass sandwich body. One major achievement: no visible camera bump. Nothing accomplished this by cutting a physical hole through the phone’s motherboard to allow the telephoto lens to lie flush. It’s brilliant engineering hidden in plain sight.
Materials:
- Front: Gorilla Glass 7i
- Frame: Brushed Aluminum
- Rear: Layered transparent glass
It’s safe to say the Phone 3 isn’t just “pretty different.” It’s functionally different, and it pulls it off well.
Display: Vivid and Almost Perfect
The 6.67-inch AMOLED display is one of the Phone 3’s crown jewels. It’s sharp, colorful, smooth, and bright enough to beat direct sunlight. With a resolution of 2400 x 1080, it’s more than sufficient for daily use and media consumption.
Specifications:
- Dynamic Refresh Rate: 30–120Hz (LTPS)
- Touch Sampling Rate: 1000Hz
- Peak Brightness: 4500 nits (HDR mode)
- Color: 10-bit panel with HDR10+ support
While it doesn’t use LTPO (which offers more efficient 1Hz–120Hz adjustment), the battery capacity makes up for it — more on that soon.
Minor nitpick: Gorilla Glass 7i isn’t as tough as Victus 2, so a screen protector is recommended.
Performance: Almost There, but Not Quite
The Phone 3 runs on the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 — a powerful chip that offers a major leap from previous Nothing models but doesn’t quite hit flagship heights.
Real-World Specs:
- CPU: 40% faster than Nothing Phone 2
- GPU: 90% more powerful
- RAM: 12GB LPDDR5X (Base) / 16GB (Max)
- Storage: 256GB / 512GB UFS 4.0
Daily tasks, multitasking, app switching, and most games run like butter. Even demanding titles like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile perform well, though not quite as flawlessly as on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Where it falls short is future-proofing. Flagships like the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9 pack stronger CPUs that will likely age better over 2–3 years.
Battery Life: The Unsung Hero
Here’s where the Phone 3 impresses the most.
Equipped with a 5500mAh silicon-carbon battery, this phone sips power like a budget device but performs like a beast.
Battery Features:
- Wired Charging: 65W (USB-C PD)
- Wireless Charging: 15W
- Reverse Wireless Charging: Yes
- Reverse Wired Charging: Yes
Average Use Time:
- Screen-on Time: 8–10 hours
- Standby: Extremely efficient
- Charging Time (0–100%): ~40 minutes
The silicon-carbon chemistry allows for faster charging, lower heat generation, and better long-term health than lithium-ion.
Cameras: Strong, but Slightly Soft
Let’s talk optics. The Phone 3 comes with a triple 50MP setup:
- Main Sensor (1/1.3″ large sensor)
- Ultra-Wide
- Telephoto with Macro Support
Daylight shots are excellent: vibrant, accurate, and sharp. But during testing, some photos showed soft focus, especially when zooming or shooting moving objects. Likely causes? Autofocus tuning and large sensor depth-of-field limitations.
Night Mode:
- Good exposure and noise handling
- Color retention is strong
- Slight softness persists
Video:
- 4K @ 60fps (Main + Ultra-Wide)
- Good stabilization
- Lacks cinematic grading features
Selfie Camera:
- 32MP shooter
- Sharp and flattering
- Wide field of view
📸 Real-World Verdict:
- Comparable to Pixel 9? Not quite.
- Better than mid-range? Absolutely.
- With software updates? Could improve.
Glyph Matrix: Gimmick or Genius?
When Nothing replaced the iconic glyph lights with a mini LED matrix, the internet was divided. Here’s the breakdown.
What it does well:
- Icon-based notifications
- Caller ID lights
- Custom glyphs for apps and contacts
- “Essential Notifications” mode
What feels gimmicky:
- Rock-Paper-Scissors
- Magic 8-Ball
- Timer (not synced to system clock)
Developer Support: The open API means potential future uses — maybe Spotify album art or calendar alerts — could make it truly useful.
Software: Clean, Custom, Controlled
The Phone 3 runs Nothing OS 3.5, with Android 14 at its core and a promised upgrade to 4.0.
UI Highlights:
- Universal search bar (with Gemini AI integration)
- Minimal preinstalled apps
- Custom widget packs
- Resizeable quick toggles
- Clean animations
It offers the fluidity of Pixel UI with more personality — without the clutter of One UI or MIUI.
Privacy:
- No data farming
- No unnecessary permissions
- No ads
And with 5 years of software updates, you’re well supported — though Samsung’s 7-year pledge sets a new bar.
Audio, Connectivity & Call Quality
Stereo speakers are clear and loud but lack deep bass. Bluetooth 5.4 is solid, and Wi-Fi 6 support means fast wireless data.
Call quality is excellent, with smart noise isolation and clear mics on both ends.
5G Bands:
- Sub-6GHz supported
- mmWave not available (in most models)
- eSIM + nano-SIM
Compatibility & Accessories
Does it work with MagSafe? Not directly, but accessories with alignment rings work for Qi-compatible wireless charging.
Car charging? Yes, supports wireless pads and fast wired PD chargers.
Cases and screen protectors? A growing market exists on Amazon and third-party sites.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Nothing Phone 3 | Galaxy S25 | Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Google Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256 / 512GB | 128 / 256GB | 128 / 256GB |
| Battery | 5500mAh | 4800mAh | 5050mAh |
| Charging | 65W + wireless | 45W + wireless | 30W + wireless |
| Display | AMOLED, 120Hz | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz | OLED, 120Hz |
| OS Updates | 5 years | 7 years | 7 years |
| Camera Quality | B+ (Triple 50MP) | A (Triple Lens) | A- (Smart AI) |
| Price | $799 | $799 | $799 |
When Should You Buy the Phone 3?
Get it if you:
✅ Want a phone that looks truly unique
✅ Appreciate clean software
✅ Prioritize battery life
✅ Want fast charging and reverse charging
✅ Enjoy a balance of features and performance
Skip it if you:
❌ Need the best processor available
❌ Demand top-tier photography
❌ Expect LTPO display efficiency
❌ Prefer wireless DeX or ecosystem features
Final Verdict
So, is the Nothing Phone 3 a real flagship?
Yes… with conditions.
It’s the best phone Nothing has ever made. It’s clever, bold, and full of character. It delivers a smooth user experience, fantastic battery life, and a unique identity in a sea of lookalikes.
But in pure spec terms, it isn’t the most powerful. It doesn’t have the best camera. It doesn’t have the best screen tech. Yet, it doesn’t need to — because it offers something else: character.
It’s not a crab like the rest. It’s a lobster.
