A Fresh Look at the Nothing Phone 3: Is It Worth the Hype?
The smartphone world is crowded, but a UK-based company is making waves with its unique approach. Nothing Technologies is trying to stand out in a tough market by focusing on design and targeting regions beyond the US. The Nothing Phone 3 is their latest attempt, now available in the US.
Design and Features
The Phone 3 isn't packed with top-tier specs, but it can compete with brands like OnePlus and Google. Its standout feature is the funky design, including:
- A transparent back
- A small dot matrix screen
- A custom Android skin
However, it doesn't bring anything groundbreaking to the table.
Display
From the front, the Phone 3 looks quite ordinary. The bezels are slim and even, surrounding a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED screen with a sharp 1260 x 2800 resolution. The screen is incredibly bright, reaching 4,500 nits, which is brighter than many competitors. It's easy to read outdoors, but the touch sensitivity can be a bit too responsive, leading to accidental touches.
Performance and Storage
The Phone 3 comes with:
- A Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip
- Up to 16GB of RAM
- Up to 512GB of storage
Camera
It has a triple 50MP camera setup, including:
- A primary lens
- An ultrawide lens
- A telephoto lens
Plus, a 50MP selfie camera.
Software and Battery
The software is Android 15, with five years of updates promised. The battery is 5,150 mAh, supporting:
- 65W wired charging
- 15W wireless charging
Biometrics
Like many phones, the Phone 3 has an optical fingerprint sensor under the display. It's fast and accurate but placed a bit too low. It's also very bright in the dark, which can be disruptive. Other brands offer faster and less intrusive ultrasonic sensors.