Nothing Phone (3) Review

Nothing Phone (3): The Third Time’s the Charm

In a market saturated with iterative slabs of glass and metal, Nothing has always been a breath of fresh, transparent air. The Phone (1) was a bold statement, and the Phone (2) was a confident refinement. Now, with the Nothing Phone (3), the company isn’t just knocking on the door of the flagship club; it’s kicking it down. This device represents the culmination of Nothing’s vision, merging its distinct design philosophy with the raw power needed to challenge the industry’s titans. It’s no longer just an alternative—it’s a contender.

Design and a Brighter Glyph

At first glance, the Phone (3) is unmistakably Nothing. The transparent back, the meticulous placement of internal components, and the iconic Glyph Interface are all present. However, the refinement is immediately palpable. The frame is now a bead-blasted titanium, feeling both lighter and more rigid in the hand than its aluminum predecessor. The edges are subtly contoured, making the device significantly more comfortable to hold for extended periods. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back now curves ever so slightly at the edges, meeting the frame with near-perfect tolerance.

The real evolution is in the Glyph Interface. It’s now segmented into more zones, offering finer-grained control and more detailed animations. More importantly, Nothing has deepened its third-party integration. The Glyph now acts as a persistent progress bar for Uber rides, a countdown timer for food deliveries, and can be customized via an improved “Glyph Composer 2.0” that feels less like a novelty and more like a creative tool. While it may not convert skeptics who see it as a gimmick, for those invested in the Nothing ecosystem, the Glyph has finally become genuinely useful.

Flagship Power Meets Uncluttered Software

This is the year Nothing went all-in on performance. Powering the Phone (3) is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the same silicon found in top-tier flagships from Samsung and others. Paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the performance is, in a word, flawless. Apps open instantaneously, multitasking is effortless, and graphically demanding games run on the highest settings without a single stutter. The phone remains remarkably cool under load, a testament to its revamped vapor chamber cooling system.

This raw power is harnessed beautifully by Nothing OS 3.0. The software remains defiantly clean, fast, and free of bloat. The signature dot-matrix aesthetic is more cohesive, and the monochrome icon pack now applies seamlessly to a wider range of apps. Nothing has also sprinkled in some thoughtful AI features that focus on utility rather than novelty, such as AI-summarized notifications and a clever “Smart Glyph” that subtly pulses differently based on the priority of an incoming message. It’s a masterclass in adding features without adding clutter.

A Camera That Finally Competes

Historically, the camera has been Nothing’s Achilles’ heel. With the Phone (3), they’ve mounted a serious comeback. The main sensor is a new 50MP Sony LYT-808, a significant step up that captures brilliant detail and excellent dynamic range in good light. Colors are natural and vibrant, thanks to a completely overhauled image processing pipeline.

The biggest news, however, is the addition of a dedicated 50MP 3x optical telephoto lens. This isn’t just a digital crop; it’s a proper zoom lens that delivers sharp, detailed images from a distance, finally giving Nothing the versatility its predecessors lacked. While the image processing can still occasionally crush shadows in challenging low-light scenes compared to a Pixel, the gap has narrowed dramatically. For the vast majority of users, this camera system is more than capable—it’s genuinely great.

The Verdict

The Nothing Phone (3) is the device the company has been building towards. It successfully marries its unique, design-forward identity with the uncompromised performance of a true flagship. The upgraded cameras, premium build, and more functional Glyph Interface address nearly every major criticism of past models. While its camera processing isn’t quite best-in-class and the Glyph may not be for everyone, its value proposition is undeniable.

Starting at $799, it undercuts its direct competitors by several hundred dollars without making any significant sacrifices. The Nothing Phone (3) is for the tech enthusiast tired of the status quo, the design aficionado who craves personality, and anyone who wants a top-tier Android experience without the four-figure price tag. It is, without a doubt, Nothing’s finest work yet.

Where to Buy:

Check it out on Amazon