Nothing Phone (3)

Review

I invite you to read a review of one of the most interesting smartphones of the year – the Nothing Phone (3). This is the brand's flagship model this year, intended to be closer to its flagships. But did it actually work out for the best? Listen.

Design and build

At first glance, it's hard not to notice the styling. It's unique, distinctive, and even strange. The smartphone stands out with a bold design that combines poetically scattered elements on the back panel, giving it a unique look and certainly unmistakable. Here you can see the white version. There are also other colours, but in my opinion, the white one looks the most impressive, as the imitation smartphone's innards are best visible through the transparent back. The panel itself is smooth, while the lenses protrude naturally. However, that's not the only surprise on the back panel. The device's rigidity is provided by a metal frame. The entire device is IP68-rated and truly premium.

Backlight and accessories

What has always distinguished Nothing smartphones has been the backlight interface. In the Nothing Phone (3), the LEDs have been replaced with a matrix display, which now features a touch-sensitive button on the back of the device. This button allows you to switch between the various functions on the screen. The display can show the clock, battery status, or even a simple game of spin the bottle. Importantly, it can also display notifications, which you can edit yourself to see who's calling, for example. The entire experience is based on a glyph interface, which visualizes notifications and interactions on the back panel. On the back, you'll also find a small red square – this is the recording indicator LED, which is one of the elements on the back of the case.

Buttons and Ergonomics

At the top of the phone, we only have the speaker outlet, while at the bottom: a second speaker, a microphone, a USB-C port, and a SIM card tray. There's no space for a microSD card. The manufacturer has placed an additional button on the side, called the Essential Key. The Essential Key was intended to act as a shortcut to various system functions, including Essential Space, a place for managing screenshots, voice memos, and recordings, with the option of using AI to organize them. The idea itself was good, but its execution wasn't. Theoretically, it would serve various functions, but in practice, it's only used for taking on-screen notes.

Worse still, the button protrudes further than the power button and is closer to the finger, making it easy to mistake it for the power button. It's also worth mentioning the universal strap, which allows quick access to tools and information from the home screen, significantly speeding up everyday phone use. This button also makes it difficult to place the phone in car mounts or tripods. Unfortunately, Nothing uses it in all of this year's models, and I must admit, I'm a staunch opponent of it. The fingerprint reader could be a bit higher, but it works great – fast and flawless. Of course, facial recognition is also present.

Screen

The display is a 6.7-inch AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 1.2K, protected by Gorilla Glass 7. The screen is very bright, supports HDR content, and provides high-quality images on the screen. It has narrow and symmetrical bezels, making it look impressive and performing well even on sunny days. The wide field of view on the screen allows you to capture more details when using the device. White balance adjustment options, a dark mode, and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz are available (with the option to limit it to 60 Hz). The Always-on Display is functional and allows for the placement of widgets, such as a flashlight button. Colours can be customized. In the default mode, they are vibrant, saturated, and pleasing to the eye.

Interface and Secondary Screen

One of the most distinctive elements of the Nothing Phone (3) is its user interface, which perfectly complements the secondary Glyph Matrix screen located on the rear panel. This circular screen not only catches the eye with its unique design, but above all, offers a range of practical features. Thanks to the Glyph Matrix interface, you can stay up-to-date with notifications, check the time, and even play simple games or display contact icons. Controlling this screen is done with a dedicated button, allowing for quick access to key functions without having to flip the phone over. The secondary screen also works great as a camera preview, making taking photos with the main camera much easier, especially in unusual shots.

Also worth mentioning is the Essential Search feature, which allows you to instantly search your smartphone's content – ​​from apps to contacts to files. Combined with Glyph Matrix, the Nothing Phone 3 interface becomes not only eye-catching but, above all, highly functional and intuitive in everyday use. This solution sets this model apart from other smartphones and makes using it simply a pleasure.

Software

The phone runs on pure Android 15 with slight visual improvements from Nothing. You won't find any junk apps here, which I really appreciate. There are large folders, useful widgets, and a neat, minimalist interface. The Android update policy is excellent: 5 system versions and a whopping 7 years of security patches, which is a significant improvement over previous models. The manufacturer releases updates regularly – on average once a week. It's worth noting that Google offers even longer support for its devices, which is important for users comparing smartphones.

Performance

At the heart of the device is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor (Qualcomm's second-highest processor), which, as a top-tier processor, provides excellent performance. Additionally, it features fast LPDDR5X memory and UFS 4.0. The Nothing Phone 3 is the brand's first true flagship, positioned as a top-tier smartphone. The new phone stands out for its performance and is aimed at demanding users. The benchmark scores are excellent – ​​over 2 million points in AnTuTu. The phone sometimes heats up in synthetic tests, but in everyday use or gaming, it's practically non-existent.

Battery and Charging

The 5150 mAh battery can be considered decent, though not record-breaking. With moderate use, the smartphone can last up to 3 days, with an average of about 2. Wired charging offers 65W fast charging – charging the phone to 50% in about 25 minutes, and a full charge takes an hour. Wireless charging at 15W is also available, allowing you to conveniently top up your device or accessories. The battery life on a single charge is satisfactory – the battery allows for comfortable use of the phone throughout the day, even with intensive use and frequent charging during daily activities.

Connectivity and sound

The stereo speakers sound good. Call quality is very good. All connectivity modules work flawlessly. The phone supports both two physical SIM cards and an eSIM.

Cameras

There are three 50 Mpix cameras on the back, and one 50 Mpix camera on the front. The main camera module is equipped with optical stabilization and a large sensor, which translates into high-quality photos in various lighting conditions. The ultra-wide-angle camera offers a wide field of view of 114 degrees, allowing you to capture a much larger area in a single photo.

Additionally, the periscope camera allows for 3x lossless zoom, significantly expanding photographic capabilities compared to previous models.

The biggest advantage of the photos is the naturalness of the colours. The phone doesn't overpower colours or artificially enhance them. All cameras offer similar colours and level of detail, although the main camera, of course, delivers the best results.

Comparing photos taken with different lenses, you can see differences in their quality – detail, sharpness, and dynamic range. It's also worth noting the camera app's features, which allow you to take high-quality selfies, record videos, and use additional photo modes. The only downside is the night photos. They're bright and detailed, but this loses their atmosphere – they look like evening instead of night.

Selfies are very good during the day and decent at night. Compared to other smartphones in this price range, the image quality is high, and the photographic capabilities of this model meet the standards of modern smartphones.

Video

Recording is done in 4K 60 fps, but switching between lenses only works at 30 fps. The smoothness of the recording and stabilization are very good, and the colours remain natural. The only problem is that it loses focus in very low light.

Summary

Is the Nothing Phone 3 a good smartphone? In my opinion – yes. Its biggest advantages include:

• unique design,
• clean and neat interface,
• functional Always-on Display,
• solid build quality,
• good performance,
• natural photos.

• an unfortunate extra button,
• average night photos,
• slightly higher price.

The Nothing Phone 3 costs 799 EUR for the basic version and 899 EUR for the 16/512 GB version. There's stiff competition at this price, but if you value originality and a minimalist approach, this phone might be the perfect choice for you.

The Nothing Phone 3 is a smartphone that definitely stands out from the competition. Its unique design, highlighted by the additional Glyph Matrix display on the back, makes it hard to ignore. This device not only looks great but also offers high performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor and modern components. The build quality is top-tier, and the materials used, such as Gorilla Glass Victus, ensure durability and elegance. In everyday use, the Nothing Phone 3 performs excellently – fast wired and wireless charging allows for comfortable use all day long, and the extensive camera setup, including a 50 MP main camera and a periscope telephoto lens, guarantees truly excellent photos in various conditions.