Nothing launches Phone 3: The new face of 'affordable' flagships

Android Authority

01-07-2025

Earlier this year, we saw Nothing take high-quality telephoto photography to the midrange space with the Phone 3a Pro and its periscope zoom. Change like that is the name of the game for Nothing in 2025, as the company reconsiders some past approaches to hardware, software, and even sales of its smartphones. And while some of the changes surrounding the Nothing Phone 3 have been more controversial than others, they ultimately come together to give us one curiously compelling package.
Today in London, Nothing formally announced the Phone 3, and we've got the full details on what it offers, what you can expect, and how to get your hands on one.
Nothing Phone 3 release date, price, and availability Nothing Phone 3 12GB RAM + 256GB ROM: $799 / €799 / £799
$799 / €799 / £799 Nothing Phone 3 16GB RAM + 512GB ROM: $899 / €899 / £899
Nothing has not been shy about the Phone 3's existence in the weeks and months leading up to today, teasing both the smartphone itself as well as the company's plans for today's July 1 launch event.
For the Phone 3, Nothing is making a global sales push, releasing its hardware in markets around the world — and that fully includes the US this time. Pre-orders for the Phone 3 will open a little later this week, scheduled for July 4.
Following that pre-order period, regular retail availability of the Nothing Phone 3 is set to commence on July 15.
The Nothing Phone 3 pushes prices firmly into flagship territory, starting $200 higher than the Phone 2.
Wherever you decide to pick your Nothing Phone 3 up, you should have your choice of the hardware in either its black or white colorway.
Nothing Phone 3
Nothing Phone 3
MSRP: $799.99
Nothing's first 'true flagship.'
The Phone 3 is a stylish reinvention of Nothing's Android phone series, now with flagship specs, including a large silicon-carbon battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, and a periscope zoom lens with macro photography support.
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Nothing Phone 3 specs
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
A smartphone is a heck of a lot more than just the components that go into it, and for a style-first handset like the Phone 3, that's as true as ever. But even that said, Nothing has delivered a ton of easy-to-appreciate upgrades with this year's hardware, from new camera packages to higher-speed charging. Here's how it all comes together:
Nothing Phone 3
Display
6.67-inch AMOLED, 1260 x 2800 resolution
120Hz adaptive refresh rate
HDR10+
Processor
Snapdragon 8S Gen 4
RAM
12 or 16GB
Storage
256 or 512GB
Power
5,150mAh silicon-carbide
65W wired charging
15W wireless charging
Cameras
Rear:
- 50MP main
f/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor, OIS & EIS, AF
- 50MP 3x zoom periscope
f/2.68, 1/2.75-inch sensor, OIS & EIS, AF
-50MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 114-degree FoV
1/2.76-inch sensor
Front:
- 50MP
f/2.2, 1/2.76-inch sensor
Video
Rear:
4K at 60fps
1080p at 60fps
1080p at 240fps (Slo-Mo)
Front:
1080p at 60fps
Audio
Dual stereo speakers
Dual mics
No 3.5mm jack
Connectivity
5G
Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 6.0
NFC support
SIM
Dual nano-SIM tray
Security
Optical under-display fingerprint sensor
5 years of OS updates
7 years of security updates
Durability/Materials
IP68
Gorilla Glass 7i front
Gorilla Glass Victus back
Software
Android 15
Nothing OS 3.5
Dimensions and weight
160.6 x 75.59 x 8.99mm
218g
Colors
White, Black
Extras
Glyph Matrix
Glyph Button
Essential Key
Nothing Phone 3: Features
If you've used a Nothing smartphone before, the core experience here isn't going to shake you any, even as we see familiar faces like the Glyph interface evolve into something all-new. Let's take a look at what highlights you can expect across the handset's major systems.
Camera
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
As we already noted, Nothing got the ball rolling on camera upgrades earlier this year with the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, and the latter's periscope zoom lens makes its triumphant return on the Phone 3. Now, not only do you have your choice of the 50MP main cam and the 50MP ultra-wide, but you can get up to 3x optical zoom out of the new 50MP periscope option — and even crop in on the sensor for an effective 6x zoom.
Nothing touts its 'Ultra XDR video' tech for dual-exposure range, and that operates up to a smooth 60fps. We also hear about some upgrades for slow-mo video, now able to capture FHD footage as fast as 240fps.
This 50MP-everywhere routine extends around to the Phone 3's front-facer. Megapixels aren't everything, granted, but it's reassuring knowing that there are plenty of them around no matter which of the phone's many camera options we choose.
Performance
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
The Phone 3 is no stranger to controversy, but maybe the most eyebrow-raising decision Nothing made here was its choice of SoC. To refresh your memory, the Nothing Phone 1 ran a Snapdragon 778G Plus that we didn't love, but the Phone 2 raised the bar considerably with its Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. But this year with the Phone 3, Nothing is clearly backing down from that flagship-chip dalliance and is returning to more upper-mid-range territory with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
We've run some recent benchmarks on other Snapdragon 8s Gen 4-powered hardware, and the results there don't have us expecting performance that really holds a candle to major 2025 Android flagships — or even last year's models, if we're being honest. That said, we did see some promising results in terms of long-term stability, so if you're interested in a phone that needn't be blazingly fast so long as it's nice and reliable, Nothing's choice here might make sense for you.
Still, we'll want to put this whole hardware package through its paces before we let another device's benchmark results color our expectations for the Phone 3 and Nothing's choice of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
Screen quality and size
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Screens on Nothing phones have generally been pretty impressive, and it doesn't look like the manufacturer is interested in losing that reputation with the Phone 3. Its 6.67-inch flexible AMOLED panel is just about the same size we had last time around, although now at an ever-so-slightly higher resolution, resulting in what should be a noticeably sharper image.
The real upgrades this year might be the ones we're seeing for screen brightness, hitting 1,600 nits outdoors, compared to 1,000 for the Phone 2. We're also looking forward to experiencing some of its high-speed tricks, like smooth 1,000 Hz input sampling, and 2,160 Hz PWM dimming for flicker-free brightness adjustments.
Design, colors, and build quality
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Our other big controversy this year is maybe the Phone 3's most personal, as Nothing has radically reimagined its approach to its flagship handset's design. The Phone 1 and Phone 2 were clearly siblings, and placing them side-by-side, you might easily confuse one for the other. And while the Phone 3 is unmistakably a Nothing creation, its wild rear-panel layout makes it a device that breaks new ground.
That involves the new Glyph Matrix replacing the old Glyph interface — which we'll look at closer in just a moment — as well as the off-kilter approach to camera layout that Nothing is embracing. We've already heard a lot of mixed opinions on this choice, and while we'll absolutely concede that it's not for everyone, there's definitely a distinct appeal to it.
This generation, Nothing bumps ingress protection up to a robust IP68 rating, while also covering the phone front and back with Gorilla Glass — 7i guarding the screen, and Victus on the rear.
Battery and charging speed
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Capacity-wise, the Phone 3 doesn't tread too far from the Phone 2's 4,700mAh, conservatively pushing things up to 5,150mAh. The cooler news is that Nothing's using a silicon-carbon anode to increase energy density.
We also see some boosts to battery performance, with the Phone 3 increasing its fast-charging support to handle 65W input. The company says that's sufficient to get a dead phone to 50% in under twenty minutes, or hit full charge in less than an hour.
On the wireless front, the Phone 3 supports 15W wireless charging, as well as reverse charging to top up your accessories (or share a little battery with a friend in a pinch).
Glyph Matrix
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Instead of the expansive Glyph lights stretching across the backs of the Phone 1 and Phone 2, with the Phone 3 Nothing reimagined the entire Glyph system. The Glyph Matrix is a disc composed of 489 LEDs that effectively form a tiny secondary rear screen. And while it's a world removed from the sort of full-color actual rear display Xiaomi did with the Mi Ultra 11, the Glyph Matrix can still pull off some very cool-sounding tricks.
The Nothing Phone 3's Glyph Matrix makes its best case for the utility of a feature-packed rear display.
Nothing share a whole list of abilities the Matrix display can pull off, from the basic clock you see here, to showing battery percentage, displaying volume levels during video recording, or even letting you play Magic 8 Ball. And with a dedicated Glyph Button, you can quickly cycle through those options. Nothing's releasing an SDK for Glyph Matrix, so hopefully we'll also be seeing some solid third-party support further down the line.
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Software and updates
The Nothing Phone 3 ships with Nothing OS 3.5, itself based on Android 15. With Android 16 as fresh out of the oven as it still is, we can hardly fault the company for going with 15 out-of-the-box.
Looking forward, you've got a nice, long life of future software releases to enjoy. Nothing promises five years of OS updates, with security patches extending another two year beyond that. If you're still carrying around the Nothing Phone 3 in seven years, it should be just as secure and reliable as it is on day one.
FAQ
Does the Nothing Phone 3 have a microSD card slot?
No, this is is 2025. That's not really a thing anymore. But you have your choice of up to 512GB internal storage.
Is the Nothing Phone 3 waterproof?
With an IP68 ingress rating, the Phone 3 should survive a dunk in a few feet of water, no problem.
Does the Nothing Phone 3 have a headphone jack?
No, again, this is 2025. You'll have to use your Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C adapter, like on literally every other phone.
Can you use wireless charging with the Nothing Phone 3?
Yup, you can wirelessly charge at 15W, or if you're in a hurry wired support goes as high as 65W.
Does the Nothing Phone 3 have a charger in the box?
No, it does not, and if you want to take advantage of its 65W fast-charging support, you'll need to track down a compatible charger of your own.
Is the Nothing Phone 3 a 5G phone?
Yes. According to Nothing, the Phone 3 supports 5G NR bands(GL): n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78 – SA/NSA
How many SIM cards does the Nothing Phone 3 support?
The Phone 3 has a dual nano-SIM tray, and supports an eSIM.