I was skeptical about the Nothing Phone 3, but after a month of testing, I finally get what it's all about

Date:
Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:37:37 +0000

Description:
The Nothing Phone 3 matches Samsung and Apple flagships in price, but has its own novel appeal.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Nothing Phone 3 two-minute review

After several years of standing at the edge of the pool and occasionally dipping its toes in, British phone maker Nothing has finally decided to jump into the cold lido that is the premium smartphone market. Perhaps it took those no running signs too literally, because while the Nothing Phone 3 is
one of the best Android phones I've tested recently, it hasnt made enough of
a splash to truly threaten its big-name rivals.

The Nothing Phone (3), as its officially called excuse the odd bracketing, but if you're new to the brand, the company is a grammatical law unto itself marks an ascension from the mid-range Phone 1 and Phone 2 . It's now priced akin to the Samsung Galaxy S25 and iPhone 17 , and shall be judged accordingly.

In many ways, this is a phone that meets or even exceeds any expectations
that such comparisons may evoke. Its quartet of 50MP cameras gives the big-name phones some needed pointers in hardware, especially with its far-reaching periscope lens. The battery is bigger than what Apple or Samsung use in their similarly priced mobiles, and the Phone 3's charging speed likewise outstrips the competition (as long as you don't treat mid-range Android phones from non-Samsung companies as 'the competition', because you can spend less and get more from certain lesser-known devices).

I also like some of the software touches Nothing has brought to its fork of Android. The icons of apps you download will automatically be converted into Nothing's house style, which, on my sample, worked more often than it didn't and maintained a consistency to the Phone 3's design that's rare among smartphones these days.

What I'm about to write next will upset Nothing fans, but it's something that struck me repeatedly through weeks of testing the Phone 3: it's the most
novel and Nothing touches to the phone's software that might put people off.

Take, for example, the design. Nothing likes a unique, blocky design for its phones, but unique isn't the same as good. The Phone 3 is also a fair bit heavier than the average handset and feels ungainly to hold.

The extra side button that Nothing has added to the edge of the mobile is useful in certain situations, as it lets you take a screenshot with one tap. However, it's poorly placed I kept mistaking it for the power button and doesn't do as much as I would've liked. I was longing for it to double as a camera app shutter button, like on the Sony Xperia 1 VII , but no cigar.

As I've already alluded to, I can also see many people finding the software
as divisive as the phones design, although with Nothing OS, you get out as much as you put in (i.e, if you dont like its look, you can change a lot
about it), which can't be said for every Android fork.

Going into this review, with knowledge of the price in mind, I imagined that the Phone 3 would be a Samsung Galaxy S25 and iPhone 17 rival that would pale in comparison to two of the most popular devices out there. And having used the handset for four weeks, I dont imagine itll challenge those heavyweights in terms of sales.

But at the same time, I do understand the appeal of the Nothing Phone 3. Its slick, but unafraid of its rough edges; not attempting to be the everyone phone but trying to do something different. And you've got to respect that. Nothing Phone 3 review: price and availability (Image credit: Future)
Released in July 2025 12GB / 256GB: $799 / 799 / AU$1,509 16GB / 512GB: $899
/ 899 / AU$1,689

The Nothing Phone 3 was released in July 2025 in two variations. You can pick up the Phone 3 with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and thatll cost you $799 /
799 / AU$1,509, or theres a model with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, and that sells for $899 / 899 / AU$1,689.

Thats a fairly premium price, and a marked step up from the $599 / 579 / AU$1,049 asking price of the Nothing Phone 2, but the brand is pushing this
as its first "true flagship", and so the bump makes sense.

For context, the 256GB model of the iPhone 17 costs $799 / 799 / AU$1,399,
and the Samsung Galaxy S25s lowest-storage variant starts at the same price everywhere except Australia (where it isnt on sale). Admittedly, for the latter, thats a 128GB model, but you get the picture this is the premium price to aim for.

If that price increase is too much for you to stomach, you should consider
all of the Phone 3's budget siblings, which are already out: there's the
Phone 3a, Phone 3a Pro, and Phone 3a Lite. Nothing Phone 3 review: specs Nothing Phone 3 specs

Dimensions:

160.6 x 75.6 x 9mm

Weight:

218g

Screen:

6.67-inch FHD (1260 x 2800) 120Hz AMOLED

Chipset:

Snapdragon 8s Gen 4

RAM:

12/16GB

Storage:

256/512GB

OS:

Android 15, Nothing OS 4

Primary camera:

50MP, f/1.7

Ultra-wide camera:

50MP f/2.2 114-degree

Periscope camera:

50MP, f/2.7, 3x zoom

Front camera:

50MP, f/2.2

Audio:

Stereo speakers

Battery:

5,150mAh

Charging:

65W wired, 15W wireless, 7.5W reverse

Colors:

White, black Nothing Phone 3 review: design (Image credit: Future) Chunky (9mm) and heavy (218g) Unique twists: Glyph Matrix and Essential Key Blocky design

Its been a while since Ive used a phone that felt quite as chunky as the Nothing Phone 3. Partly, this is down to the 218g heft, putting it in a
weight class above many of its premium rivals (it matches the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, despite being smaller in most regards), but partly its the sheer blocky design of the thing.

Im no thin-phone evangelist, but at 9mm thick, the Phone 3 is at the other
end of the spectrum from the likes of the iPhone Air. Its 160.6mm tall and 75.6mm wide, so its big, but its not Ultra or Pro Max big. But in some ineffable way, it still feels chunkier than its bigger rivals. This is
clearly a phone thats been designed meticulously, yet in a lot of ways it feels poorly thought-out.

Like its predecessors, the Nothing Phone 3 has a robot-like, mechanical-looking back, which is ostensibly see-through so you can see some screws, but not any of the real internals. The two horizontal camera lenses stick out quite far, though the higher, periscope one doesnt; the orderly
part of me hated how slightly offset this camera was. I see the whole aesthetic of the Phone 3 being quite divisive, but if you know enough about the brand to be reading this review, youve already decided whether you like
it or not.

A new feature for the Phone 3 is the Glyph Matrix, which is an upgrade on the Glyph interface that past Nothing phones had (which were basically just light strips). The Matrix lets you display information like a stopwatch or the battery level, and there are a few games too, like Spin the Bottle and Rock, Paper, Scissors. You can scroll through the options or select them by
pressing or holding the white circle midway down the body below it. Many of the Matrix functions that Nothing touts on its website, like photo previews
or a torch mode, were not readily available on the phone I tested (at least via the Glyph menu, or anywhere else I checked).

So, the Glyph Matrix is an interesting feature with a few neat use cases, but there werent enough useful features to make it a core part of my user experience, and due to the nature of pressing the touch button, I found it easier just to flip over my phone to see the time or battery percentage.

Another feature worth flagging is the Essential Key button, which Nothing has spitefully put exactly where a power button would be on any other handset.
Due to this placement, I was constantly accidentally pressing it when I
wanted the phone to power up or down; hopefully, experience would eventually teach me not to do this, but it was endlessly frustrating.

The buttons actual function is fine: press it for a screenshot or hold it for a video, both of which you can caption with a written or voice memo, before theyre sent over to the Essential Space. More on that later.

Above the Essential Key is the power button, with the two positioned close enough to each other that, at first glance, you could think they were both part of the volume rocker. The latter is on the left edge of the phone, positioned high enough that I couldnt reach volume up with my fingers, but could get to volume down.

Due to it being 2025, theres no 3.5mm headphone jack, so the USB-C port on
the bottom edge serves instead. The other important thing to note is the phone's IP68 protection, meaning its sealed up from dust and water resistant up to depths of 1.5 meters for up to half an hour. Design score: 3.5 / 5 Nothing Phone 3 review: display (Image credit: Future) 6.67 inches, 2800 x 1260 resolution 120Hz refresh rate, 4500 nits max brightness Protected with Gorilla Glass 7i

Nothings apparently still not decided on the perfect screen size. After bumping up the inch count from Phone 1 to 2, its now dropped it ever so slightly on the 3; youre now looking at a 6.67-inch panel, though one with a higher pixel count. Thats 1260 x 2800, for an FHD display.

The screen supports a billion colors with a 10-bit color depth, and its noticeable when youre watching supported content on streaming services or online.

Some more specs: like many premium phones, the refresh rate is 120Hz, with a lower touch sampling rate than previous models at 1,000Hz, but thats not a spec most people notice. The peak brightness is a glorious 4500 nits, and if the sun had come out once during my testing period, Im sure I wouldve reaped the benefits of this particular spec.

The screens made from Corning Gorilla Glass 7I, which is designed to offer mid-range and budget phones added toughness. Bearing in mind the aforementioned IP68 rating, the handset seems very hardy. Display score: 4 /
5 Nothing Phone 3 review: software Here are the apps pre-installed on the
Edge 70 (although I can excuse Ecosia, since that's the one I picked as my browser on load-up). (Image credit: Future) Android 15 with Nothing OS 4 atop Five guaranteed updates; one already here Unique look and many bespoke features

When the Nothing Phone 3 launched, it ran Android 15, but by the time I
tested it, the rollout to Android 16 had commenced. That's the first of the five major software updates promised to the phone, taking it to Android 20 if Google keeps its numbering system consistent.

Of course, you've seen pictures of the phone, so you know it doesn't run
stock Android. Layered atop Googles software is the company's fork: Nothing
OS 4. This is quite a dramatic change versus Android proper, bringing a new look and extra features.

Design-wise, there's obviously the retro-inspired blocky look, which isn't mandatory but which I opted for. I was impressed by how the system converted app icons for all my downloads into the house style, which kept a consistency across the board that I haven't seen before in forks like this. Admittedly,
it stumbled a few times the NYT Puzzles app lost basically its entire logo, and several of Nothings own apps have near-identical logos to one another
but it shows admirable commitment to a look.

There are also a few novel features that are unique to Nothing OS, or are at least rare among other brands. Essential Space is a repository of your screenshots, notes, and memos, with organization tools to create collections. The Recorder app has extra features to focus on voices or environmental sounds, and the Essential Key has a shortcut to quickly begin recording. And, of course, theres the Glyph Matrix and everything that comes with it.

Nothing OS has some AI tools, like integration with ChatGPT and a wallpaper generation tool, but thankfully, these are optional and turned off by
default.

Theres some degree of customization in Nothing OS, as you can change the
color scheme, add widgets, and create shortcuts, but youre not getting as
much versatility as in most other Android forks. You can change the icon shapes between Nothings versions and the standard Android model, and theres also a storefront to buy alternatives, although, for the most part, these
cost money. Software score: 4 / 5 Nothing Phone 3 review: cameras (Image credit: Future) 50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP periscope lenses 50MP front-facing Testing is a work in progress; more samples to come

Nothing has decked the Phone 3 out with a camera array that's easy to remember: 50MP, 50MP, and 50MP. One of those is the main snapper, another has an ultra-wide lens with a 114-degree field of view, and the other has a periscope lens for 3x optical zoom.

I'm particularly glad to see the periscope camera, as lenses like this add a certain 'oomph' to a camera array. Not only is it useful for long-range
shots, but it also improves the natural bokeh of Portrait photos and the close-up detail of Macro mode.

The selfie camera is you guessed it another 50MP snapper, f/2.2. That marks a megapixel increase over the Phone 2, although both use pixel-binning. I found selfies a little washed-out, and in Portrait mode, the artificial bokeh kept fuzzing out parts of my hair. (Image credit: Future)

My initial impressions of the Nothing Phone 3's camera are rather positive. Its trio of cameras gives you versatility in your shooting, and the Night
Mode detail was great. Autofocus was quick, and some of the extra tweaks,
like modifiable bokeh, added nice touches.

Nothing's focus seems to be on fine-tuning the standard camera modes rather than adding brand-new ones, though, which seems at odds with its mode of operations in other areas of the device. But I don't mind if I have access to a periscope camera.

You can see some initial camera samples from my time with the Nothing Phone 3 below, but I'm still playing around with it. In the coming days, I'll add
more camera samples as well as some fleshed-out thoughts on the phone's photographic performance. I just need to get around to using the three
cameras that aren't the zoom one... Camera score: 4 / 5 Nothing Phone 3
camera samples Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: Future) Image 2 of 6 (Image
credit: Future) Image 3 of 6 (Image credit: Future) Image 4 of 6 (Image credit: Future) Image 5 of 6 (Image credit: Future) Image 6 of 6 (Image credit: Future) Nothing Phone 3 review: performance and audio (Image credit: Future) Top-end Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset 12GB or 16GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB Storage Stereo speakers or Bluetooth 6.0

Nothing hasnt given the Phone 3 the very best chipset available, but one so close that youd only know the difference by looking at its specs sheet. This is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 from Qualcomm, with that little s denoting that this is a step behind the top option (which was the Snapdragon 8 Elite at the time of release, though the Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 has since debuted in newer Android phones like the OnePlus 15 ).

At the top end of chipsets, though, the performance differences are so minuscule that this really doesnt matter. When I put the Phone 3 through the Geekbench 6 benchmark tests, the average multi-core score was 6847, and as of the 2025 generation of flagships, any score around 6,500 is the realm of the giants.

I tested the phone on a number of popular mobile titles, and I could always crank the games graphics to the max and still enjoy a cracking time. At certain times, including during benchmarking and in certain games, I did notice the phone heat up a fair amount, so be warned if youre planning on gaming all day.

Depending on which phone you opt for, youll get 12GB or 16GB RAM, and I
tested a model with the latter. For most people, 12GB is enough, though power users or people buying phones for specific high-intensity use cases might prefer 16GB. The same goes for the storage capacity, which is 256GB or 512GB I know the former would be enough for me, but if youre using the handset for work or photography, maybe youll want to stretch.

Audio-wise, Nothing has never released a phone with a headphone jack to my knowledge. Instead, you can use a USB-C adaptor, connect headphones through Bluetooth 6.0 or, if youre home alone and not bothering anyone by using them, the stereo loudspeakers which sound just the same as on every other smartphone. Performance score: 4.5 / 5 Nothing Phone 3 review: battery life (Image credit: Future) 5,150mAh battery 65W wired charging 15W wireless powering, 7.5W reverse

The Nothing Phone 3 has a 5,150mAh battery Im told the Indian model has an extra 350mAh on top of that, but the rest of us get slightly less which is slightly smaller than many of its contemporary flagships but does beat
Samsung and Apples price-for-price alternatives.

Thats a solid battery capacity, and it facilitates full-day phone use; I dont imagine many people will need to charge the Phone 3 mid-way through the working day.

I wouldnt rely on the phone for a second day of use, though, with the big screen, powerful processor, and Glyph lights all demanding juice.

Youve got the full hat-trick of charging options here. Theres 65W wired, 15W wireless, and 7.5W reverse wireless (thats when you use your phone as a wireless charging mat for other devices). None of those speeds is the best in the biz, but in whats becoming a refrain for this section they trump the respective charging speeds of the Galaxy 25 and iPhone 17. Battery score: 3.5 / 5 Nothing Phone 3 review: value (Image credit: Future)

The problem with Nothings jump into the big leagues is that the brands existing fans, who know the company for mid-range mobiles, might feel a
little left in the lurch.

Specifically, fans who are used to the usual Nothing value proposition might not feel that the increased price demanded by the Phone 3 is matched by its spec improvements. Case in point, you can get faster charging, a more premium design, and a bigger battery on much cheaper Android phones.

In short, youre getting what you pay for, but thats not the Nothing way you usually get a little more. Value score: 3.5 / 5 Should you buy the Nothing Phone 3? Nothing Phone 3 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Fans of the brand will be disappointed, but you're getting what you pay for.

3.5 / 5

Design

It'll be divisive in the same way that past Nothing phones have been, but there are some unique touches.

3.5 / 5

Display

It's a good-looking panel that's well-protected and very bright.

4 / 5

Software

Whether you love or hate the look, you've got to admit Nothing has created
the most consistent piece of phone software since stock Android.

4 / 5

Camera

Solid hardware with a focus on refining the basics of the smartphone camera experience.

4 / 5

Performance

A powerful chipset is accompanied by lots of RAM and storage.

4 / 5

Battery

It's a decently-sized battery, with a fine charging speed, but there's
nothing to write home about.

3.5 / 5 Buy it if...

You like the Nothing aesthetic
If the design of the Phone 3 and its software speaks to you, then you should pick it up right away. Outside of other Nothing phones, no other handsets compare, visually speaking.

You need lots of processing power
The combination of the Qualcomm chipset and loads of RAM makes the Phone 3 a surprisingly capable gaming phone.

You take frequent screenshots
If you're always snapping your phone screen and sharing it with people, the Essential Key is going to prove incredibly handy. Don't buy it if...

You want a slender smartphone
The Nothing Phone 3 is not a light phone. You really feel it when it's in
your hand.

You don't want to spend too much
As the most expensive phone from the brand, this isn't the Nothing phone for people who don't want to spend too much. Nothing Phone 3 review: Also
consider

I keep comparing the Nothing Phone 3 to two particular rivals, so let's take
a proper look at them as well as the Phone 3's predecessor.

Nothing Phone 2
The Phone 2 has some scaled-back specs versus the Phone 3, and it misses a
few of its unique features. But it's cheaper.

Read our full Nothing Phone 2 review

Samsung Galaxy S25
This handset starts for the same price, but that gets you less storage. Samsung's premium mobile may be a bit boring, but it's powerful and has
decent cameras.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 review

iPhone 17
Another same-priced phone, this is the option for people who want to use iOS. It's a powerful and long-lasting handset, but with no zoom camera.

Read our full iPhone 17 review

Nothing Phone 3

Nothing Phone 2

Samsung Galaxy S25

iPhone 17

Starting price (at launch):

$799 / 799 / AU$1,509

$599 / 579 / AU$1,049

$799 / 799 / AU$1,399

$799 / 799 / AU$1,399

Dimensions:

160.6 x 75.6 x 9mm

161.2 x 76.4 x 8.6mm

146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2mm

149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm

Weight:

218g

201.2

162g

177g

OS (at launch):

Nothing OS 4, Android 15

Nothing OS 2, Android 13

OneUI 7, Android 15

iOS 26

Screen Size:

6.67-inch

6.7-inch

6.2-inch

6.3-inch

Resolution:

2800 x 1260

2412 x 1080

2340 x 1080

2622 x 1206

CPU:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

A19 Bionic

RAM:

12GB / 16GB

8GB / 12GB

12GB

Unconfirmed

Storage (from):

256GB / 512GB

128GB / 256GB / 512GB

128GB / 256GB / 512GB

256GB / 512GB

Battery:

5,150mAh

4,700mAh

4,000mAh

Unconfirmed

Rear Cameras:

50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP periscope

50MP main, 50MP ultrawide

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto

48MP main, 48MP ultra-wide

Front camera:

50MP

32MP

12MP

18MP How I tested the Nothing Phone 3 (Image credit: Future) Review test period = 3 weeks Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback Tools used = Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFXBench, native Android stats

I used the Nothing Phone 3 for four weeks before writing this review, and continued additional testing during the writing process.

During said process, I used the Nothing Phone 3 as my main smartphone. This meant it was my tool for taking photos, scrolling social media, gaming, and working. Before and after this testing, I also conducted benchmarks, as well as standardized battery and charging tests.

I've been testing smartphones for TechRadar for nearly seven years now, so I have copious amounts of experience in experimenting with gadgets and
assessing whether they're right for the general consumer.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2025



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