🎬 Nothing Phone (3) Review
​Brief intro:
​Hi I’m Brad, I’m the man behind Something from Nothing, an Instagram page sharing photography taken with mobile phones and plenty of Nothing-related content, all attempting to showcase what Nothing can do. As part of another wave of the Nothing Community review program, I’ve been sent the Nothing Phone (3) to test and give feedback on. This is not a paid review, and all I’ve been asked for is honest, constructive feedback. I’ve been sold on the original idea from Nothings inception “Make tech fun again” and I truly hope this is the first thing considered with anything they do moving forward. I’ve been a phone 1, 2 and 3a user, as well as using Ear products from Ear (1) through to Ear 3, so I believe I have good scope of the ecosystem and what’s working and what isnt.
​🔨 Build and Design
​Let’s dive into the hardware. The Phone (3) maintains that unique Nothing design language but it is a noticeable change from the previous Phone (1) and (2). Nothing has evolved the design with the Glyph Matrix, but continued to opt for a clear glass back and front with a recycled aluminium frame, giving it a premium, solid, and comfortable feel in the hand. I was initially unsure about the slightly less than symmetrical look of the camera set up, but honestly, once it’s in your hand, it grows on you fast.
​💻 Software
Moving on to the software experience—this is where Nothing truly shines. We’re running Nothing OS 4.0 on top of Android 16. The operating system is clean, fast, and incredibly well-thought-out. I personally prefer the monochrome icon theme, an option that Nothing OS provides. It helps me cut down on visual distractions and search only for what I need. That focus is made even easier with Essential Search running straight off the home screen, helping you hone in on exactly what you’re looking for with minimal fuss. It’s a clean experience that gets out of the way when you need it to.
​🔑 Essential Key
​When the concept of Essential Space was first released, some other tech reviewers suggested it was half-baked. I think now, it is far from it—I use it daily. Currently, it’s perfect for quickly saving and categorising voice notes or screenshots. Essential Space has had many updates and it is continuing to get better. If there are dates in whatever you’re saving, it’ll even add it straight to your calendar. While useful, this feature can be a little overzealous and add things too easily. Maybe recognising a calendar add and asking if you want to add it each time might be the way to go for future updates?
In the box, a quality phone case, always welcome as I never use phones without one. Apart from that you get the usual accessories, sim ejector, USB C to C cable, pre installed screen protector, manuals but also ​
✨ Glyph Matrix
​Alongside the 3 excellent cameras on the back, is the Glyph Matrix m Making technology fun again is a huge part of the Nothing brand, and the Glyph Matrix is the welcome, quirky, extra function this phone provides. We’re seeing a range of Nothing and community-developed mini apps here for both fun and function. These community designs are available through the Nothing app alongside the Nothing Playground via a web browser. I truly hope that Nothing continues to expand and blend the lines between their own and their community-created content. This reminds me of how the Pebble app gallery developed and continued long after the company stopped. And on that note, I’m crossing my fingers that this energy extends into community Nothing Watch apps—Please!"
​📸 Camera
​For me, the Nothing Phone (3) camera is simply the best phone camera I’ve used. I was already a big fan of the cameras on the Phone (1) and (2), but they often struggled at night and could sometimes produce a softer image. The Phone (3a) blew me away, but the Phone (3) delivers all-around consistent photos, offering excellent distance and close-up shots. This is enhanced massively by the Community-developed Camera presets, which, again, you can download from the Nothing Playground. I truly hope they integrate these directly into the camera moving forward, similar to the Glyph Matrix application settings.
​🔋 Battery Life
​Finally, let’s talk power. Battery life is astounding. The Nothing Phone (3) is packed with a large 5,150 mAh Silicon-Carbon battery, and from my testing, you’re getting well over a day’s use with even heavy usage. Much like the rest of the phone, it just works without needing to think about it. I see a noticeable difference on this front compared to my Nothing 3a.
TO CONCLUDE
In Summary, I’ve had no issues with this phone, battery life is excellent, camera quality is second to none taking amazing photos without having to do much to them after. Compared to my daily phone the 3a phone 3 is a little bit narrower and feels great in the hand, No issues, its powerful and a great all around phone with plenty of fun and customisable things to play with. I’ve had extensive use of phone 1, 2 and 3a, I can see why nothing are calling this their first true flagship. POWER in battery, POWER in performance, FUN, FUNCTIONAL and FUNDAMENTALLY pretty damn good.
Video review can be found on my Instagram page (REELS) here: www.instagram.com/sfnothing_photos.
