Nothing Phone 3 Review: They Lied!

Summary

The Nothing Phone 3 aims to challenge flagship phones with its unique design and software-focused experience. While it boasts an impressive OLED display, fast performance, and excellent battery life, its specs fall short of high-end competitors. The camera system, though good, doesn’t quite match the top players, and the Glyph Matrix lights add a fun but gimmicky touch. However, Nothing OS stands out for its smooth performance, customization options, and clean Android experience. Priced at $799, the Nothing Phone 3 is a great choice for those who value design and software over raw hardware specs.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Nothing Phone 3 has a unique and unconventional design, which some people may find odd, but others might appreciate its distinctiveness.
• 😀 The Glyph Matrix on the back of the phone offers useful notifications, but many of its other features, like the pressure-sensitive area and games, are seen as gimmicks.
• 😀 The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, which offers good performance but is not quite as powerful as flagship chips like the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
• 😀 The 6.67-inch AMOLED display is bright, smooth, and sharp, but the Gorilla Glass 7i protection and the LTPS refresh rate are slightly below flagship standards.
• 😀 The phone’s 5100mAh battery (technically 5500mAh) offers excellent battery life, lasting up to two days with typical use, and supports 65W fast charging.
• 😀 The camera setup includes three 50MP sensors, but image quality is sometimes soft, particularly with autofocus and the main sensor. The telephoto lens is useful but smaller than usual.
• 😀 The phone is priced at $799, which is on par with high-end flagship phones but lacks the performance or camera quality to match competitors like the iPhone 16 or Pixel 9.
• 😀 Nothing OS 3.5 (soon to be 4.0) provides a clean, aesthetically modified Android experience with smooth performance and some useful features like universal search and customizable quick settings.
• 😀 While the software is highly praised, Nothing promises five years of updates, which is solid but not as long as what competitors like Samsung offer.
• 😀 The phone targets users who prioritize design, software experience, and unique features over raw specs or camera performance, positioning it as a more niche flagship option.

Q & A

What is the Nothing Phone 3's design like, and why is it considered controversial?

The Nothing Phone 3 has a unique design that some find striking, while others find it odd. The design features layered glass and a small display with LED pixels, known as the Glyph Matrix, at the back of the phone. This display serves functional purposes, like showing notifications, but also has gimmicky features, such as pressure-sensitive areas that trigger animations or games like Rock, Paper, Scissors.

What does the term 'flagship' mean in the context of the Nothing Phone 3, and does it truly qualify as one?

The Nothing Phone 3 is marketed as a flagship, but the script argues that it doesn't fully live up to the expectations of a high-end flagship phone. While it offers some high-end features, it uses cost-saving strategies like slightly lower-tier chips and materials, such as Gorilla Glass 7i instead of the more durable Gorilla Glass Victus, which prevents it from fully competing with devices from bigger brands like Samsung and Apple.

How does the Nothing Phone 3 compare to other flagship phones in terms of performance?

The Nothing Phone 3 uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, which is an improvement over previous Nothing phones but not as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip found in other flagship phones. It performs well for everyday tasks, but in more demanding scenarios like gaming or intensive tasks, it lags behind flagship competitors, such as those from Samsung and Apple.

What are some of the standout features of the Nothing Phone 3's display?

The Nothing Phone 3 features a large 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz, 1600 nits brightness outdoors, and 4,500 nits peak brightness with HDR. It's sharp, vivid, and smooth. However, the glass protecting the display is Gorilla Glass 7i, which is considered mid-range compared to the more premium Gorilla Glass Victus used in other flagships.

How does the camera system on the Nothing Phone 3 perform compared to other flagship phones?

The Nothing Phone 3's camera system includes a triple 50-megapixel setup, which is a significant improvement over past Nothing phones. However, the camera still falls short of the performance seen in the latest flagship phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 or iPhone 16. The main sensor can sometimes produce soft images, especially in normal shots, and the telephoto lens, while useful, also has some soft spots in its performance.

What unique features does the Nothing Phone 3 offer in terms of battery life?

The Nothing Phone 3 has an impressive 5100-5500mAh battery that charges at 65W and supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. It offers two-day battery life on standby and performs well, even without the most efficient chip. The phone’s battery life is a standout feature compared to other devices in its price range.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Glyph Matrix on the Nothing Phone 3?

The Glyph Matrix is a small LED display on the back of the Nothing Phone 3 that serves to show notifications. It allows you to recognize important notifications, such as calls or messages from specific people, when the phone is face down. However, its other features, like pressure-sensitive areas triggering games or timers, feel more gimmicky and have limited practical use.

What makes the software experience on the Nothing Phone 3 unique?

The Nothing Phone 3 runs on Nothing OS 3.5 (soon to be updated to 4.0), a tastefully modified version of Android. It features smooth performance, a clean aesthetic, and a variety of useful functions. Notably, the phone includes a universal search box, which can pull up AI-generated answers for questions, and the software is designed to be highly responsive, making it feel more premium than the specs would suggest.

What are some of the potential drawbacks of the Nothing Phone 3 when it comes to durability?

While the Nothing Phone 3 has some high-end components, there are concerns about durability. The phone uses Gorilla Glass 7i, which is less durable than the Gorilla Glass Victus found in many flagship phones. Additionally, the phone’s design lacks a significant camera bump, but this was achieved by using smaller parts, making the telephoto camera physically smaller than those in cheaper models.

How does the pricing of the Nothing Phone 3 compare to other flagship phones?

The Nothing Phone 3 is priced at $799, which places it in competition with flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25, Pixel 9, and iPhone 16. While it offers some premium features, such as a large display and solid battery life, its cost-saving strategies, like the use of mid-range components, make it less competitive in terms of raw performance compared to those more established flagship phones.