Nothing Phone (3) reviewed: bold design with solid performance

Reviewers Liked

• Competitive starting price
• Unique design with Glyph Matrix on back
• Excellent build quality with IP68 rating
• Bright and sharp OLED display with HDR10+ support
• Nothing OS looks and works great
• Good performance

Reviewers Didn't Like

• Lower-spec chipset
• Limited 'Glyph Matrix' screen (for now)
• Only average battery life and charging speeds for the price point
• Cameras have noticeable shutter lag
• No LTPO tech or IP69

70

The Nothing Phone (3) is an ambitious step forward for the brand—its first true "flagship" smartphone, packed with bold design decisions and capable hardware. It sports the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, 12/16GB RAM, 256GB/512GB storage, a sharp 1.5K AMOLED display, an upgraded triple 50MP camera array, and the new Glyph Matrix, which replaces the original Glyph Interface with more functionality and flair. Design-wise, it’s divisive. The periscope lens awkwardly placed on the rear may irk some, but others will appreciate it as a quirky Nothing hallmark. Performance is smooth and responsive, battery life is solid, and the 65W charging is fast—if you have the right charger.

By HowToGeek on July 17, 2025

80

The Phone 3 is a good but not great Android from Nothing. It is more interesting than rivals, but you have to actively want something different for it to make sense as you can easily get better-performing and longer-lasting handsets at about this price.

By TheGuardian on July 16, 2025

80

The Nothing Phone (3) is the most exciting flagship phone in years, if you can even call a £799/$799 handset a flagship. However, unless you love the wacky design, the identically priced Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25 are better long-term choices for most people.

By TechAdvisor on July 16, 2025

84

Perhaps the Phone (3)'s biggest obstacle is its price. At $799, it goes head-to-head with some seriously capable alternatives that offer better battery life, longer update support, or more refined camera performance. The Phone (3) isn't the obvious best buy in its class - but it is the most distinctive, and for some, that's more than enough.

By GSMArena on July 15, 2025

70

Nothing's first attempt at a "true flagship", the Phone (3) succeeds at being very unique, but misses the mark in other areas. With a bold aesthetic, an incredible battery life, a stunning display, and solid performance, it's a respectable device that will certainly carry you through your day-to-day life, but its flagship price and some mid-range hardware make it a hard sell in the current market.

By PocketTactics on July 15, 2025

85

Overall, Nothing delivers what it promises with Phone (3). The British company’s new smartphone is truly unlike any other, and it’s not boring either. It delivers solid performance wrapped up in genuinely different features.

By LBTechReviews on July 14, 2025

70

The Nothing Phone (3) is more flagship than ever, but at this price, it faces very tough competition.

By BGR on July 14, 2025

68

I'd say if you are curious about the brand, a Nothing Phone (3a) Pro may be a better point to tip your toes into, for less money. But if you are looking for a solid phone with good specs, and one that's not "just like the other ones" — yes, the Nothing Phone (3) is pretty good!

By PhoneArena on July 10, 2025

70

That sums up the Phone (3) pretty well. It hits the right notes of what you want and expect in a phone, and then goes above and beyond in style and aesthetics. It's finally available in the US without the need for a weird beta program, and it should be compatible with all the major carriers.

By Wired on July 08, 2025

70

The Phone 3 is nothing short of the brand's best device. The design is all grown up, but you still get the quintessential Nothing ethos with bold styling and a new Glyph Matrix LED at the back. It has symmetric bezels at the front, a decent-sized battery (in India), and 65W charging. Nothing OS 3.5 is easily one of the best software interfaces around, and you get plenty of unique additions. The cameras are much better than previous years as well. However, they don't measure up to Chinese rivals, the hardware is distinctly second-best, it isn't launching with Android 16, and the phone just isn't worth the $799 asking price.

By AndroidCentral on July 08, 2025