Nothing Phone (3) Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

OnePlus Founder's New Venture: Nothing's Phone (3)

Carl Pei, formerly at the helm of electronics manufacturer OnePlus, successfully transitioned the brand from a niche provider of affordable phones for tech enthusiasts to a competitor producing flagship devices rivaling those of Samsung and Apple. He is now implementing a comparable strategy with Nothing, a hardware startup backed by venture capital, which recently unveiled its most ambitious product, the Phone (3).

Priced at $799, the Phone (3) is designed to directly compete with offerings from industry leaders Samsung and Apple.

Differentiating Through Design and Software

While OnePlus initially gained traction by delivering exceptional value through specifications and user experience, Nothing has prioritized design and software as key differentiators. The company is known for creating visually striking devices featuring a distinctive transparent aesthetic.

As noted by Brian Heater, a former colleague at TechCrunch, the Nothing Phone (1) was remarkably stylish, and the Phone (2) proved to be a capable midrange device while retaining its unique appeal.

A Divisive Design: The Phone (3)

The Phone (3) maintains the transparent design philosophy but has elicited varied reactions regarding its overall aesthetic.

The rear of the phone incorporates numerous asymmetric elements, most notably in the arrangement of the camera module. Online responses have been polarized, with some appreciating its departure from conventional designs, while others have expressed disapproval.

The Evolution of Glyph Technology

Nothing has discontinued the prominent glyph LED arrangement featured in previous Phone models. This system allowed devices to stand out through customizable illumination patterns for incoming calls or messages.

Over time, the company expanded the glyph’s customization options, enabling users to assign unique patterns to individual contacts and even released a Software Development Kit (SDK) for developers, though adoption remained limited.

Introducing Glyph Matrix

The Phone (3) replaces the traditional glyph LEDs with Glyph Matrix, a circular secondary screen located in the upper right-hand corner. This screen displays additional information.

It can show essential details like the time and battery level when activated by a button on the phone’s back.

The device also includes playful mini-applications such as spin the bottle, a stopwatch, and a rendition of rock, paper, and scissors, intended primarily as a novelty feature.

Utility of the Second Screen

The concept of a secondary screen on a mobile device is not novel, but it doesn’t fundamentally address the issue of needing to unlock the phone to view message content.

While users can assign an emoji to a contact for notification purposes, this only indicates the presence of a message, not its content, necessitating the phone’s activation. The Glyph Matrix is visually interesting, but its practical utility remains limited at present.

The company is actively encouraging developers to create applications for the Glyph Matrix, which could potentially enhance its functionality if widespread adoption occurs.

Hardware and Camera Specifications

A Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor powers the device, fabricated using a 4-nanometer process. This represents a slight reduction in processing power compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite found in models like the Galaxy S25, OnePlus 13, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

However, for typical daily operations, this difference is unlikely to be significantly noticeable.

Display Features

The phone incorporates a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen boasting a 1.5K resolution. Protection is provided by Gorilla Glass 7i, rather than the more robust Gorilla Glass Victus.

The display delivers vibrant colors and excellent brightness. Support for HDR content is available for YouTube, although Netflix has not yet authorized HDR playback on this device.

Camera System Details

The Phone (3) is equipped with a triple 50-megapixel camera arrangement, each serving a distinct photographic function.

• The primary camera utilizes a 1/1.3-inch sensor, 20% larger than that of the Phone (2), and features a f/1.68 aperture.
• A periscope telephoto lens enables 3x optical zoom, 6x in-sensor zoom, and up to 60x digital zoom, enhanced by AI Super Res Zoom.
• The ultra-wide lens captures a 114-degree field of view.

A 50-megapixel front-facing camera with a f/2.2 aperture is also included for selfies.

Camera Performance Analysis

While Nothing positions this phone as its “true flagship,” achieving the camera quality of established leaders like iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones requires sustained development and refinement.

The Phone (3) captures commendable photographs, but improvements are needed in color accuracy to align with other flagship devices.

In suboptimal lighting conditions, the phone sometimes produces images with overly dark shadows and excessively bright highlights.

Battery and Charging

An international version of the phone features a 5150 mAh battery, providing sufficient power for a full day of moderate to intensive use.

Charging options include 65W wired charging and 15W wireless charging capabilities.

AI Capabilities in Nothing Phones

With the launch of the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro, a customizable hardware key, known as the Essential Key, was introduced. This key is now available on the latest flagship model and provides access to the Essential Space application. Within this app, users are able to save screenshots accompanied by notes.

Notably, the functionality currently does not allow for the saving of notes independently.

Alongside this, the company is unveiling Essential Search. This feature functions as both a device and web search tool, powered by AI.

Users can locate files and events by entering relevant keywords. Alternatively, complex questions, such as “Who won Wimbledon in 2024?” can be posed. Activating the AI button then retrieves web results utilizing Google’s Gemini models.

This approach mirrors Apple’s integration of ChatGPT with Siri, enabling web searches for specific inquiries.

A meeting note transcriber is also included, capable of recording meetings and providing summaries of key discussion points. This feature is initiated by holding the Essential Key and rotating the device.

A double-press of the Essential Key allows for the recording of short voice memos with accompanying transcriptions. However, access to these recordings and transcripts is limited to the Nothing phone itself, requiring explicit export for external use.

During a discussion with TechCrunch, CEO Pei emphasized that the smartphone represents the optimal platform for AI distribution. The company’s objective is to develop AI features that are genuinely beneficial to users.

He stated, “Our focus must be on creating AI features that offer real utility to end-users, rather than simply branding our phones as ‘Nothing AI Phones’ with superficial image generation capabilities.”

Pei continued, “We are exploring how to effectively harness this new technology to empower individuals, not to compete with or displace them. The goal is to enhance people’s abilities and foster creativity.”

While this aspiration is commendable, Nothing’s current feature set, which also incorporates an AI-driven wallpaper generator, aligns with offerings from other smartphone manufacturers.

Nothing’s Market Approach

Nothing is distributing its phone via its own website and Amazon within the United States. For customers in Canada, a partnership with Best Buy has been established.

Priced at $799, the device is positioned as a direct competitor to models like the Samsung Galaxy S25, Google Pixel 9, and the iPhone 16. The phone is primarily targeting consumers who purchase unlocked devices and seek alternatives to the dominant brands of Samsung, Apple, and Google, as it won’t be available through carrier bundles.

Pricing Strategy in India

The situation differs significantly in India, Nothing’s largest market, where the phone’s starting price is ₹79,999. Despite offering discounts and trade-in programs, the pricing is comparable to, or even exceeds, that of the iPhone 16 and the Galaxy 25, contingent on the retailer.

Early responses on social media platforms indicate that consumers perceive the price as elevated, potentially affecting the company’s sales performance.

Competitive Landscape

Nothing has proactively taken on the challenge of competing with industry leaders Samsung and Apple. However, currently, the phone functions more effectively as a viable, more affordable option rather than a head-to-head competitor.

The device offers a compelling alternative for those seeking premium features without the premium price tag of established brands.