Nothing Phone (3) Review: An Eye-catching and Playful Flagship for 2025
Nothing has always marched to the beat of its own (transparent) drum, and the new Phone (3) continues that tradition. It's the company's most ambitious smartphone yet: a $799 flagship aimed at standing out in a sea of slab phones, while subtly poking at Apple and Samsung’s dominance.
Does it have the raw specs to match the big dogs? Not quite, but it's close. And specs aren't the full story here — if you've ever smiled while lighting up a Glyph on the back of a Nothing phone, you already know that.
A phone back you'll actually want to look at
The Phone (3) looks nothing like its competitors. The transparent back, visible screws, and asymmetrical circuit-board-inspired design are fully retro-futurist. The new Glyph Matrix — a circular mini display nestled in the top right corner — replaces the old Glyph LED patterns from Phone (2) and gives the back of the phone a more animated, expressive personality.
You can use it for notifications, play games like Spin the Bottle or Magic 8-Ball, or even pixelate your own face for framing selfies using the rear cameras. Is it useful? Occasionally. Is it fun? Absolutely.
Still, some fans may miss the custom contact-based glyph ringtones from previous models. While the Glyph Matrix is quirky and delightful, it doesn't quite replicate the same level of functionality, at least not yet. But with an open SDK and developer tools on the way, the feature could mature into something more essential.
A refined, slightly quirky experience
Nothing's signature clean interface gets a few thoughtful tweaks this generation. Essential Search now acts as a handy AI-powered shortcut bar that can surface apps, contacts, and even web results without needing a separate assistant. It's subtle, smooth, and faster than asking Siri to do the same thing.
There's also a customizable Essential Key on the side of the phone that can launch a dedicated space for notes, screenshots, or AI voice recordings. Bonus: you can trigger transcription for meeting notes or voice memos right from the key, though getting those transcripts off the device is trickier than it should be.
Nothing's AI additions aren't headline-stealing, but they're functional and thoughtfully integrated. CEO Carl Pei says the goal isn't to add AI for buzzword's sake, but to make tools that genuinely help people create and communicate better. So far, the execution supports that philosophy and the ambition is promising.
Surprisingly solid performance
Under the hood, the Phone (3) runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 — not the most elite chip on the market, but more than enough for daily tasks, streaming, gaming, and multitasking. Pair that with 8–12 GB RAM and a large 5,150mAh battery, and you’re looking at an easy all-day phone with 35–40 hours of use on light-to-moderate days. It supports 65W wired and 15W wireless charging, though it’s still missing Qi2, so no MagSafe-style magnets just yet.
The 6.67-inch AMOLED display looks excellent — bright, colorful, and sharp, even if it's not the highest-end panel in its price class. It supports HDR on YouTube (though Netflix hasn't certified it for HDR just yet).
The cameras are more than decent
The triple-camera array packs three 50MP sensors — a main wide camera, a periscope-style 3x zoom, and an ultrawide — plus a 50MP selfie cam. It's a versatile setup that handles most scenarios with ease. You’ll get strong daylight shots with vibrant colors and good detail, but in low-light conditions, image processing sometimes stumbles. Expect blown-out highlights or overly dark shadows in tricky lighting.
That said, Nothing is clearly improving in this department. The macro mode on the zoom lens, better HDR handling, and improved software tuning all suggest a team pushing the boundaries of what it can do, even if it hasn't quite caught up to Samsung or Apple's best-in-class photo processing.
Heyup Verdict: Nothing Phone (3) earns the flagship title
Nothing Phone (3) isn't just another Android flagship, it's a statement piece. You're paying for the whole package: a unique design, clean software, clever new UI tricks, and a growing ecosystem of features that reward curiosity. It's fun, polished, and unlike anything else at the table.
