An Android Smartphone for Design-Fans
With the Nothing Phone 3, the British manufacturer launched its most ambitious smartphone yet. After years of announcements and interim models such as the Phone 3a (read review), the new model clearly positions itself in the premium segment for the very first time by sporting a unique design and high-end features.
New rear display instead of LED strips
Instead of the familiar Glyph LEDs, Nothing opted for a so-called Glyph Matrix — a round pixel display on the back of the Phone 3. It displays notifications, offers simple games such as rock, paper, scissors, and can be used by third-party developers to program their own functions. The transparent back is retained.
The 6.67-inch AMOLED display offers a 1.5K resolution, up to 4,500 nits of brightness, and symmetrical bezels — a detail that only a few other manufacturers, such as Apple, have implemented, underlining Nothing’s design ambitions.
Such attention to detail is also evident in the software. Nothing OS 3.5 powers the device, which remains visually close to stock Android, but adds its own fonts, widgets, and other personalization options. The absence of pre-installed advertising apps is a positive feature. Nothing promises five years of Android updates and seven years of security patches, having always kept to its promises in the past.
Features: What’s inside the Nothing Phone 3
Inside the Nothing Phone 3 lies the new Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 — a chip that ranks between the 8 Elite and the 8 Gen 3 from last year in terms of performance and is supposed to be more energy-efficient. At a time when over 99% of all users do not utilize the full performance of current flagship processors, this seems like the right choice. Especially as the built-in 8s Gen 4 is anything but slow, scoring approximately 2 million points in the AnTuTu benchmark.
Camera equipment includes three sensors, each with a resolution of 50 megapixels: a main camera, an ultra-wide angle lens with a 114-degree field of vision, and a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Digital magnification can go up to 60x. The front camera also features a 50-megapixel resolution.
The battery features a capacity of 5,150 mAh and can be fully charged in 54 minutes using a cable. Wireless charging is also possible, albeit at a slower pace of 15 watts. The chassis is protected against dust and water, as specified by the IP68 standard.
Price & availability
The Nothing Phone 3 starts at $799 with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of memory. The variant with 16+512 GB costs $899. Pre-orders are available from July 4 at selected retailers. A storage upgrade is available for free until it launches on July 15.