Design & Build — Weird but Wonderful
Let’s start with what made this phone controversial in the first place — that design.
When Nothing first revealed the Phone (3), the internet was divided. Some called it bold, others called it overcooked. But after using it for 20 days, I’ll say this — it’s one of those designs that grows on you. From the launch event in London itself, I love the design element.
In person, especially in the black variant, it looks clean, futuristic, and very premium. when ever I hold it, there is a feeling of a true flagship. It’s hefty, but that weight gives it a reassuring, solid feel in the hand.
I still find the flash placement and that off-center lens alignment to be pretty questionable design choices. However, the rest of the back, especially with that Glyph Matrix display, feels really refreshing. We’ve never encountered anything quite like this before, and I genuinely admire Nothing for taking that leap.
Glyph Matrix — More Gimmick Than Genius
Instead of the traditional Glyph Interface, the Nothing Phone (3) introduces a mini pixel display on the back called the Glyph Matrix.
It’s fun and versatile! You can use it for little notifications, pixel animations, and even a quirky “mirror selfie” mode that’s super pixelated.
Is it revolutionary? Not really.
It’s definitely fun to show off, but it feels more like a gimmick than something truly useful. Getting the touch-sensitive trigger on the back to work just right takes a bit of practice, and the whole interaction seems a bit rough around the edges. On the bright side, with Nothing’s open-source Playground platform, developers are already creating some cool widgets for it — so who knows, it might turn into something genuinely useful in the near future!
Display — Bright, Smooth, and Punchy
The Phone (3) packs a 6.6″ OLED 120 Hz (perfect size for me ) HDR10+ display with a peak brightness of 4500 nits.
It’s an absolute pleasure to scroll, watch content, or edit photos on. (It should be LTPO for the prize)
Colors pop, contrast is strong, and brightness outdoors is excellent — even under midday sun. The bezels are slightly thicker, but love the flat display.
Performance & Software — Clean, Fast, and Personal
Running on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, paired with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, this thing flies through everyday tasks. Whether it’s editing photos, multitasking, or managing social apps, it’s buttery smooth.
What really stands out though is Nothing OS 3.5 based on Android 15 (I have updated it to Nothing OS 4.0 beta version based on Android 16)
It’s definitely one of the cleanest and most satisfying Android skins available today—lightweight, minimalist, and visually appealing.
The new Nothing Playground, along with its community-created widgets, really takes customization up a notch. You can truly design your home screen to fit your workflow—it’s just right for creators who appreciate a clean yet functional setup.
Battery Life — Truly Excellent
With its 5150 mAh battery, 65 W wired, and 15 W wireless charging, the Phone (3) delivers seriously good backup.
I usually get about a day and a half of use out of my device, even with the camera, social media apps, and some light editing. The standby drain is pretty minimal, and it only takes less than an hour to charge from 0 to 100%.
Camera — Great Progress, but Not Perfect
Now the part that matters most to creators — the camera system.
Nothing has gone all-in with three 50 MP sensors:
•Main Wide (OIS)
•Ultra-Wide (no OIS)
•3× Telephoto (OIS)
plus a 50 MP front camera that’s surprisingly good.
Macro Photography
As a macro photography enthusiast myself, I’ve been impressed by how crisp and color-accurate macro shots look. The focusing distance is short, textures pop beautifully, and natural lighting produces great contrast. Also in camera app we can create camera presets so that use and share it for others.
Wide & Telephoto
It’s clear that there’s room for improvement here — the wide-angle lens still struggles with maintaining a consistent dynamic range and detail, especially in the corners. The telephoto lens performs reasonably well in daylight, but it gets to oversharpen and loses clarity when you go beyond 3× zoom.
Verdict — The Most Interesting Phone of 2025
After spending 20 days with the Nothing Phone (3), I’ve got some thoughts to share: This phone may not be flawless, but it definitely stands out in a sea of sameness. It takes bold steps in a market that’s been playing it too safe for far too long.
Pros:
• Excellent display & battery life
• Clean, smooth software with community widgets
• Premium design and build
• Fun, creative experience overall
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED
• Weak low-light & wide-angle performance
• Gimmicky Glyph Matrix
• Minor camera inconsistencies
For me, this isn’t just another gadget; it’s a creative companion that encourages me to see the world in new ways, to capture moments, and to express myself differently.
Thanks for having me in this community review program
@Deepanshu_Saini_
@Akis
@Carl
@Rob ⚡️
