Nothing Phone (3): The $799 Disappointment We Saw Coming
5 years of hype ends with a flagship that can't compete with Apple & Samsung
🔥 The Harsh Truth: Nothing's first flagship phone arrives 5 years late to the $799 battle royale - and brings prototype-grade design, a gimmicky "Glyph Matrix," and performance that gets destroyed by the Galaxy S25. Here's why even die-hard fans should think twice.
The Great Design Letdown
Nothing's transparent aesthetic used to feel fresh. But the Phone (3)? It looks like an unfinished prototype someone left in the rain.
❌ What Went Wrong
- The "spotty" back: Half-exposed NFC coils and misaligned components
- Cheaper glass: Gorilla Glass 7i vs. Victus 2 on competitors
- Unfinished energy: Like they rushed it out the door
✅ The Lone Bright Spot
- Recording indicator light: Actually useful for privacy
- IP68 rating: Finally flagship-grade water resistance
- Aluminum frame: Matches premium competitors
Glyph Matrix: Solution Looking For A Problem
Nothing replaced their iconic light strips with a 489-LED "Matrix" - basically a tiny, monochrome second screen. After testing it for days, we're baffled.
When your most practical feature (selfie preview) has been done better for years, and you're charging $799 for games of "spin the bottle" on a postage-stamp screen... something's wrong.
The Performance Compromise
Nothing chose the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 instead of the elite-tier chip. The result? Samsung mows it down:
- 30-40% slower than Galaxy S25 in benchmarks
- Zero advanced cooling for sustained performance
- LTPS display (30Hz min) vs LTPO (1Hz) - worse battery efficiency
"If you play Genshin Impact or use intensive apps, the Phone (3) stutters while the S25 laughs. This isn't flagship performance - it's premium mid-range pretending."
The Battery Savior?
With a massive 5,150mAh battery, this might be its one advantage:
- Outlasts iPhone 16 (3,500mAh) easily
- Beats base Galaxy S25 (4,000mAh) by hours
- 65W charging destroys Samsung's 25W
Software: The Only True Win
Nothing OS remains beautifully minimal:
✅ What Works
- Bloatware-free Android (unlike Samsung)
- Essential Search: Quick answers without app-hopping
- 5 years OS + 7 years security updates
❌ What Doesn't
- Essential Space: Confusing task manager
- Half-baked AI: Gemini integration feels tacked on
- Less customizable than Samsung's One UI
Cameras: Surprisingly Competent
The quad 50MP setup is shockingly good for the price:
- Ultrawide holds detail better than Galaxy S25
- 3x telephoto beats Samsung's sensor size
- 10cm macro focus (improved from 15cm)
- AI Super Res zoom beyond 30x
Irony alert: The best feature (selfie preview) requires the gimmicky Glyph Matrix.
▶️ Watch The Review
The Brutal Verdict
Nothing Phone (3) isn't bad - it's just not flagship material. At $799, you expect to beat the competition, not make excuses. The Glyph Matrix feels like a downgrade, the design is messy, and the performance can't touch Samsung. Only buy if battery life is your #1 priority and you hate bloatware.