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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Nothing Phone 3 review: A bold bet on price, but is it a genuine flagship?
Nothing Phone 3 review: The UK-based smartphone brand, Nothing, has gained much popularity in the mid-range market with smartphones like Nothing Phone 2, Nothing Phone 3a models, and others. However, after two years, the brand has finally launched a flagship league phone, the Nothing Phone 3, powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip in the Indian market. While the smartphone itself comes with some promising features, its bold pricing of Rs. 79,999 and an unusual asymmetrical design put it in a confusing situation for the buyers. Is Nothing Phone 3 with Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 a great buy at Rs. 79999? Check the review to know.(Aishwarya Panda-HT) With the launch, Nothing Phone 3 has entered a league where it competes with powerful smartphones like the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S25, OnePlus 13, and others at a similar price range. However, one difference you may notice is a 'non-flagship' chipset that powers the Phone 3. Well, as per Nothing CEO Carl Pei, the Indian market is obsessed with flagship chipsets like Snapdragon 8 Elite, and that the company emphasises more on factors like camera, Nothing OS, battery, and other crucial factors along with promising performance. Well, we can say that Nothing Phone 3, with a huge price tag, is a risky bet in the Indian market. But I have been using the device for the past 2 weeks, and I have some great deals to talk about. The Nothing Phone 3 comes with a clean and clutter-free user experience with NothingOS 3.5, a promising camera performance, never-ending battery life, and, of course, the new Glyph Matrix, which everyone has been talking about. Therefore, without further ado, let's get into the detailed review and see if Nothing's first 'true flagship' is worth the hype or not. Nothing Phone 3 design: An asymmetrical design that grows Nothing Phone 3 features a transparent back with the new Glyph Matrix(Aishwarya Panda-HT) The Nothing Phone 3 design has created much discussion in the tech industry. While people on social media have shown disagreement with the asymmetrical camera placement, I actually seem to like the design. With Phone 3, Nothing has made some intentional moves with the design, especially with the oddly placed periscope lens, but in real life, it does not look back. In my opinion, Nothing wants people to talk about its device, and this one single move is surely doing that. The Nothing Phone 3 design maintains the brand identity with a transparent glass design, and the insides are divided into three portions, which are smartly designed. Apart from the triple camera setup, we can see the new Glyph Matrix that replaces the iconic Glyph Interface for the Nothing Phone. As of now, I have mixed feelings about the new addition, but we will get back to it later in the review. Other new things you'll notice are the presence of the Essential key, similar to the Nothing Phone 3a Pro model, and the new square-shaped red recording light, which gives an indication of activated video recording. Well, it's quite a cool touch. The smartphone retains a boxy build with an aluminium frame, flat display, and curved edges. It measures 9 mm in thickness and weighs 218 grams, which is heavier and unusually thick, but it does not feel comfortable. The smartphone looks and feels quite premium and sturdy, which you should also expect from a smartphone priced Rs.80000. The Nothing Phone 3 offers an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, but I'm not so sure about the Gorilla Glass 7i protection in the display. Overall, the Nothing Phone 3 has a captivating and debatable design, but it surely looks attractive in person. Just as I said for Nothing Headphone 1, I would say for Phone 3 as well, that getting a real-life design experience from a retail store before giving a judgment, because it will surely change your mind. Nothing Phone 3: Glyph Matrix Nothing Phone 3 Glyph Interface.(Aishwarya Panda.) This Nothing killed its iconic Glyphic Interface, which included strips like LED listing, and was customisable for notification, live activities like cab status, delivery, and others. Now, the Nothing Phone 3 features a Glyph Matrix, which is a disc made up of 489 individually firing LEDs. It has a monochromatic display which provides essential information at a glance. This new addition aims to reduce interaction with the main screen by providing information like Caller ID and contact-based notifications, and different patterns for app notifications. Users can also assign custom icons in a dot-based system to specific contacts or apps. In my opinion, this is quite a fun addition, but again, I did not seem to interact with Glyph Matrix much unless the device was kept near me, with the rear panel facing me. To make the Glyph Matrix fun and intuitive, Nothing has also included Glyph toys like Spin the Bottle, Magic 8 Ball, and the rock, paper, and scissors game. Additionally, the Matrix also became a Digital Clock, Battery Indicator, Stopwatch, and the hyped Glyph Mirror. Users can easily switch between games and modes with the new Glyph Button, which also has haptic feedback. But, it required a very hard press to activate the button, making it harder to access the Glyph features. Additionally, these toys and features seem intuitive at first, but I do not see myself relying on them often or even playing with the Glyph toys. For me, it was more of a gimmick than a value addition, but Nothing also seems to have great plans for Glyph Matrix, which I'm quite curious about. Nothing Phone 3 display: A multimedia companion Nothing Phone 3 features a 6.67-inch flexible AMOLED display(Aishwarya Panda-HT) The Nothing Phone 3 features a 6.67-inch flexible AMOLED display that offers 1260 x 2800 pixels of resolution, 460 ppi pixel density, and support for HDR10+. Talking about the viewing experience, the Phone 3 surely is a multimedia companion as it provides crisp and dynamic visuals. It is a treat for OTT viewers due to Widevine L1 support, so you can stream content in HD. Additionally, gaming visuals are also promising and vibrant, making your overall viewing experience enjoyable. But it does fall short of competitors like Samsung and Apple, as they provide a slightly better display experience. The Phone 3 offers up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, providing smooth scrolling and navigation. It is quite responsive, and animations are also promising while playing games. Additionally, the smartphone claims to offer 4500nits peak brightness, offering adequate visibility outdoors or in direct sunlight conditions. During my time of usage, I mostly kept the brightness at 60% during the day, which is enough to get you going. However, the higher brightness does strain the eyes, especially when you're indoors. Nothing Phone 3 camera: Worth a click Nothing Phone 3 features a 50MP triple camera setup.(Aishwarya Panda-HT) The Nothing Phone 3 comes with a triple camera setup that includes a 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP periscope lens with 3x optical zoom. For a Rs. 80000 smartphone, the offerings look quite promising on paper, but the performance plays a key role. Images captured on the Phone 3 reveal crisp and incredible details in daylight. It beautifully captures accurate colours, where skin tones appear natural, the reds are accurate, and there is no major oversaturation. Coming to the low-light performance, I found the camera average, if not the best, in the segment. The night mode brings out a grainy effect, especially when a person is standing in front of the camera, but it can be fixed with upcoming updates. During low light conditions, the colours appear washed out and inaccurate. However, in well-lit conditions, the Nothing Phone 3 manages to capture crisp images. Nothing Phone 3 camera sample Nothing Phone 3 camera sample Nothing Phone 3 camera sample Nothing Phone 3 camera sample Nothing Phone 3 camera sample Nothing Phone 3 camera sample Another thing which bothered me about the smartphone was its portrait mode. The camera takes a few seconds to detect and lock focus on the subject. It gives an artificial background blur effect after processing, and the edge detection is not very accurate. The Nothong Phone 3 also features a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and well, I would just say that it was not very pleasing. Now, if we have a look at the new 50MP periscope lens, the Nothing Phone 3 is surely a beast. It captures distant objects within the 3x zoom beautifully, without blurring the scene. However, anything beyond 3x becomes a pixelated mess. Overall, the colours are bright, the details are crisp, and it meets expectations. But is it the best on the market? Well, I have seen better. Nothing Phone 3 performance and software: Everyday beast Nothing Phone 3 is powered by Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC.(Aishwarya Panda-HT) One of the most debatable concerns about the Nothing Phone 3 was its processor. Well, the smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which is not a flagship processor, but it surely is a reliable one. During my time of usage, Nothing Phone 3 provided smooth multitasking, extended gaming, and day-to-day performance. Since I am a heavy smartphone user, I juggle a lot between social media apps, browsers, and video editing tools, all while running OTT in a floating view, and I did not experience any stutter or lag. The smartphone is quick with actions and runs smoothly even with extended hours of usage. I also ran a few graphic-intensive games like BGMI and Genshin Impact on the device, and provided a stable performance. Even during extended hours with higher graphics settings, I did not experience any stutter or frame drops. However, after a continuous 45-minute gaming session, you will notice the device heating up, but it does not overheat, thanks to the VC cooling system. While the performance was smooth on Phone 3, it should be noted that several other brands are offering the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4-powered smartphone at under Rs. 50000, and in my opinion, the Rs. 79999 price tag is not justifiable, since it is not a flagship chipset. Coming to the software front, the Nothing Phone 3 runs on Nothing OS 3.5 based on Android 15, which is one of the best I have experienced so far. Since it was my first time using a Nothing-branded smartphone, I quite liked the clean and clutter-free user experience. The Dot Engine design, first-party app interface, and app icon are too intuitive and easy to navigate. One of the major inclusions of the Phone 3 was the Essential Space and the Essential Key, which provide a quick shortcut for users to capture and store screenshots, voice recordings, and photos. While I did not see myself using the feature often, but it still adds a great and unique touch to the device. Overall, Nothing Phone 3 is a reliable device in terms of powerful performance and a clutter-free software experience. While the smartphone is not big on AI-powered features in comparison to competitors, it offers other seamless features like Essential Search, Gemini AI support, and more to get you going. Nothing Phone 3 battery: A major upgrade Nothing Phone 3 is backed by a 5500mAh battery(Aishwarya Panda-HT) The Nothing Phone 3 is backed by a 5500mAh battery in India, which is a massive upgrade from its predecessor. The smartphone offers more than 24 hours of battery life, despite heavy usage. My day-to-day usage with gaming, OTT, social, and browsing complies a screen time of about 8 hours, and I was still left with about 30 to 25 percent at the end of the day, which is quite impressive. The smartphone supports 65W fast charging, and with my 80W charging adapter, the device took about an hour to go from 1 to 100%, which is quick in my opinion. This is a noticeable upgrade, which will be welcomed by the customers. Nothing Phone 3 review: Verdict Now, is the Nothing Phone 3 worth paying Rs. 79999 in India? Well, the smartphone offers a great battery life, a clean user experience, promising camera performance, and a powerful performance despite missing out on the flagship chipset. The smartphone handles multitasking, gaming, and heavy-duty tasks seamlessly, and users will surely not miss having a processor like the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Nothing Phone 3's design also stands out from the crowd and gives a premium look and feel, but the Glyph Matrix is a pass for me. However, with a price tag as high as Rs. 80000, this puts the smartphone in a tough spot, and I will hesitate to suggest the device to buyers. There are plenty of better options available in the market at the given price or even less, which will offer similar or better performance to the Nothing Phone 3. Apart from the high pricing, the Nothing Phone 3 is a reliable device in all aspects.
India Today
2 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Carl Pei says Nothing wants people to use their phones less after launching Rs 79,999 Phone 3
Carl Pei, the co-founder of Nothing, says the company doesn't want people glued to their phones all the time — an interesting take, especially as the brand has just launched its most expensive device yet. Speaking to Bloomberg after the launch of the Nothing Phone 3, Pei explained that smartphones were originally made to boost creativity and productivity, not to encourage endless scrolling. 'It was a bicycle for the mind,' he said, referring to how smartphones were once meant to be useful tools, just like the personal computer. But over time, people have got used to picking up their phones and getting distracted. Pei admits he does this himself, saying, 'Sometimes when I have to respond to an important message, I just happen to go into my social media and scroll a bit afterwards.'advertisementThe new Phone 3, priced from Rs 79,999, is Nothing's biggest move yet into the premium space. It's being marketed as a flagship product — one that aims to compete directly with top-end offerings from Apple and Samsung. But while the phone comes with all the bells and whistles — including a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, a 6.67-inch OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, and triple 50-megapixel rear cameras — Pei insists the goal is not to make users more dependent on their phones, but to help them 'stay in focus.' He says the idea is to keep users connected to important things without having to constantly check their approach to design still plays a big role. The Phone 3 keeps the company's signature transparent back, now updated with a new 'Glyph Matrix' made up of hundreds of programmable micro LEDs. This is meant to help users manage notifications in a more subtle, less distracting way. There's also a glowing red light that comes on when the camera is recording, and a new round button to control Glyph functions. Pei also touched on how AI fits into their plans. While Nothing isn't focused on building its own language models, it's exploring smart ways to apply AI on the phone. 'We want to be able to really understand the users to then automate the smartphone use as much as possible,' he Phone 3 runs on Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.5, and includes AI tools like Essential Space and universal phone search. Pei says most Nothing phones are now made in India, and the Phone 3 is even being exported from India to the a growing user base and revenue expected to hit $1 billion this year, Pei says the company is in talks for more funding — but has 'nothing to announce' at the moment.- Ends
GSM Arena
2 days ago
- GSM Arena
Weekly poll results: the Nothing Phone (3) is a major misstep for the company
Peter, 13 July 2025 Some people hate the looks, others hate the price – there was very little love shown for the Nothing Phone (3) in last week's poll. The design is certainly divisive and is a major misstep from a company that is so laser-focused on innovative design. Nothing also got overly ambitious with the pricing – the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and non-LTPO display on an $800/£800/€800/₹80,000 phone attracted a lot of criticism in the comments. And those aren't the only non-flagship features either. Plus, the small 5,150mAh battery feels like a waste of Si/C tech. It's not so bad in the US market where there are relatively few competing brands, but in Europe and especially in Asia, the Phone (3) is going to be a tough sell with these specs at this price. The price will fall, eventually, but the same goes for alternative models. While Nothing is a fairly new brand, Carl Pei is a veteran of the industry and was at OnePlus as the company navigated the change from cheap 'flagship killer' to more expensive (but still competitively priced) flagships. But now he and his team need to go back to the drawing board. Nothing Phone (3) 5G 256GB 12GB RAM $ 799.00 $ 799.00 512GB 16GB RAM £ 799.00
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Nothing Phone (3) review: A flagship smartphone for hipsters and geeks
In tech, one of the fundamental ways to become dominant is to make consumers submit to your vision and choose to live within that world. That's why companies like Apple and Nintendo remain so successful, despite releasing several not-so-well-received products over the years. It's not just one product that makes you popular, it's how people believe in the brand and become fans of it. I see a similar pattern with Carl Pei–led Nothing, which is seeking the kind of validation that made Apple and Nintendo household names – not by following a tried-and-tested formula, but by offering a distinctive take on everyday tech products. Its Phone (3), perhaps its first true high-end flagship, may tick all the boxes of what a premium smartphone should be, but at its core, it's a doorway to something more playful. It's an unusual experience, and sometimes it may or may not make sense, especially with the new Glyph Matrix interface. But that's exactly what Nothing wants to be: a company known for doing the unexpected and embracing the strange. In fact, if I am honest, it feels refreshing and welcoming. And it's okay if the Nothing Phone (3) isn't the most spec-heavy smartphone – it has Nothing's own quirkiness through and through. But this time, the ambitions are grand and so is the sticker price. The real question is: does the Phone (3), as baffling and fascinating as it might be, make sense to you? What: Nothing Phone (3)| Price: Rs 80,000 Pick any Nothing device, and there's a distinct dystopian aesthetic to it. I am glad the company is comfortable with its design choices and isn't afraid to express itself. The Phone (3) follows the same path though this time everything feels more polished. The see-through transparent glass back gives the device that signature Nothing feel. The back features a grid pattern, showcasing three printed circuit boards, along with visible screws, circles, and cutouts that give off the vibe of a tech product, not just another smartphone. The cameras, meanwhile, have a rather unusual layout. The three sensors are positioned within specific squares in a separated arrangement: two are lined up next to each other, while the third sits in a corner of the phone, not really aligned with anything else. It feels absolutely wild every time I see the Phone (3). There's something undeniably charming about the Phone (3), with its retro-chic aesthetic. The hipster-friendly, old-school design may be polarising to some, but I kind of enjoy the goofiness and the disturbingly weird vibe at the same time. And honestly, that's okay, as long as you are the right audience for it. The Phone (3) looks beautiful and feels great in the hand. I love holding it in a way I haven't since the iPhone X. It comes in black and white, and the white version, which I have for review, reminds me of the original iPod. The device features an aluminum and glass sandwich design and weighs 218 grams. The Phone (3) also supports the standard IP68 water and dust resistance. For me, the most eye-catching feature of the Phone (3) is a small dot-matrix screen on the top-right corner of the device that powers the Glyph Matrix interface; and it's a nifty experience. At times, it feels a bit gimmicky, but there's a certain thrill to it. And because it's a physical hardware feature (reminding me of the crank on the Playdate console), the interaction feels natural. With the Phone (3), Nothing has done away with the signature 'Glyph' LED strips on the back, the ones that used to light up in complex patterns for notifications, calls, timers, and charging, a staple of its earlier smartphones. In their place is the new Glyph Matrix interface. The idea remains the same: to notify users about things like messages and calls. But this time, since it's a real display, it's more functional. However, unlike many others who have tried (and failed) to integrate secondary displays, Nothing opted for a dot-matrix screen, the kind you often see on buses and at airports displaying important information. The matrix is made up of 489 LEDs and can display monochromatic images. Well, the Glyph Matrix showcases Glyph 'Toys,' as Nothing calls them. Right now, there are a handful of Glyph Toys. Some are simple widgets, like a battery level indicator or a stopwatch. But my favourites are still the games, like Spin the Bottle, Rock, Paper, Scissors, and the Magic 8 Ball. One Glyph Toy that felt silly but fun to me is the one that lets you take photos and turn them into Glyph patterns. It reminded me of how Nintendo made a camera for the Game Boy that let you take photos and convert them into monochrome images. I am hoping to see more Glyph Toys in the future, as Nothing is making it easy to make your own Glyph Toys via an SDK. I think the idea of a dot-matrix display is really fun, even if it may feel a bit silly at times. But that's exactly what makes the Phone (3) stand out from other smartphones. I also liked how you interact with the matrix through the Glyph button, which is built into the rear of the Phone (3). It's a single button that, when pressed, activates the Glyph Matrix, allowing you to cycle through different Toys, with a long press used to activate them. The interaction is simple and intuitive, though I do wish there was some form of tactile feedback. In the Settings menu, you can customise the Glyph Matrix to your liking. A standout feature of the dot-matrix display is how neatly it handles notifications. You can choose to be notified about specific alerts from select apps and even set custom display artwork to appear on the Glyph Matrix, making it easier to recognise what the notification is about at a glance. I also like this notification approach because I don't have to open the phone every time a notification comes in. It's a better way to avoid the madness and anxiety that constant notifications can cause, especially when you don't want to be glued to your phone. The Phone (3) has a 6.7-inch screen size; it's a large, fast OLED display that supports a 120Hz refresh rate and reaches up to 1600 nits at maximum brightness, peaking at 4,500 nits with compatible HDR content, which looks really good. The Phone (3) is powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, which is fast but not quite flagship-grade. Nothing is very clear that it's not chasing the spec game with the Phone (3), and I think that makes sense, the longevity of the chip matters most, especially since smartphones these days receive software updates for years. In my time testing the Phone (3), the device felt snappy, and apps opened quickly with no noticeable lag. My review unit is a premium unit with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage. The battery life is great: the Phone (3) ships with a 5,150 mAh battery that lasts about two days between charges, even with a mix of 5G and Wi-Fi usage. A compatible 65W wired charger is supported. There's also 15W wireless charging, if you care about it. The Phone (3) runs Nothing's version of Android 15, which offers a relatively clean, fast, and unique experience, thanks to subtle design touches based around dot-matrix art. The design language Nothing has used for the user interface is interesting, and the wide range of customisation options makes the interaction a lot more fun. I particularly enjoyed the monochrome, distraction-free themes. As for updates, Nothing's software policy still doesn't match the likes of Google Pixel devices or Samsung Galaxy smartphones, but it's getting close, with the company promising five Android OS upgrades and 7 years of security updates. A major software addition to the Phone (3) is Nothing's Essential Space app, which leans heavily on AI. The app essentially collects and analyses various screenshots, text, and voice notes. A dedicated button on the side of the phone captures what's on screen, while pressing and holding it records a quick voice note to go along with it. The app then analyses the content to generate summaries, transcriptions, and possible actions such as reminders or to-do lists. Right now, the app is fairly basic, to say the least. Some features, like AI summaries, are hit-or-miss, but others, like Essential Search, show great potential. The Phone (3) has three cameras on the back: a 50MP main camera with an f/1.68 aperture, a 50MP ultra-wide camera with a 114-degree field of view, and a 50MP periscope lens offering up to 3x optical zoom, 6x digital zoom, and 60x AI Super Res Zoom. This will also serve as a macro camera, allowing for clearer close-up shots. The front-facing camera is also 50MP. Photos taken with the Phone (3)'s main camera look good, delivering fine detail and solid dynamic range. I think it performs well in most situations, though low-light performance isn't its strong suit. The ultrawide camera is reasonably good, while the 3x zoom camera is arguably the best of the three. I wouldn't say the Phone (3) beats the top smartphone cameras on the market, but it's remarkably good, especially the 3x zoom, which lets you get incredibly close to subjects while capturing plenty of detail. It's a great option if you enjoy taking macro-style shots. The Phone (3) has more power than I know what to do with. That's the premise Nothing is going for with its first and most expensive smartphone. It's right there, but not quite in the same league as the highest-end options from Apple, Samsung, or Google. In fact, it's the opposite, and that's refreshing. It's a smartphone that goes back to the basics, while still offering a sense of premiumness. The Phone (3) is a forward-looking device, and I admire it for its design and the unique dot-matrix display. At the same time, it's a fascinating puzzle… one that takes some time to figure out. On the surface, Nothing's new high-end smartphone feels deeply nostalgic, rooted in the idea of building a legacy in the way Apple and Nintendo have done. There's a far more interesting device hidden in here, an experience that, at its best, has a sense of humour, if you can understand and relate to it. Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin. Email: ... Read More
GSM Arena
3 days ago
- GSM Arena
Weekly poll results: the Nothing Phone (3) is a major misstep for the company
Some people hate the looks, others hate the price – there was very little love shown for the Nothing Phone (3) in last week's poll. The design is certainly divisive and is a major misstep from a company that is so laser-focused on innovative design. Nothing also got overly ambitious with the pricing – the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and non-LTPO display on an $800/£800/€800/₹80,000 phone attracted a lot of criticism in the comments. And those aren't the only non-flagship features either. Plus, the small 5,150mAh battery feels like a waste of Si/C tech. It's not so bad in the US market where there are relatively few competing brands, but in Europe and especially in Asia, the Phone (3) is going to be a tough sell with these specs at this price. The price will fall, eventually, but the same goes for alternative models. While Nothing is a fairly new brand, Carl Pei is a veteran of the industry and was at OnePlus as the company navigated the change from cheap 'flagship killer' to more expensive (but still competitively priced) flagships. But now he and his team need to go back to the drawing board. Nothing Phone (3) 5G
