
Nothing Phone (3) is the weirdest flagship yet – and that's a good thing
The Glyph Matrix and the crazy camera layout
And yet, for all its eccentricity, the Phone (3) doesn't feel off-putting. In fact, after spending some time with it, I suspect the design will grow on future owners of the Nothing Phone (3) . Is the Nothing Phone (3) a real flagship or is it not a real flagship?
This is also the first time Nothing is officially calling one of its phones a flagship. That made me wonder if we'd finally see a proper, top-shelf chipset in a Nothing phone. And in a way, that's almost true: the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 powering this device is a cutting-edge 4nm chip whose performance lands roughly in the same ballpark as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It's not quite Snapdragon 8 Elite territory, but it's leaps ahead of the hardware inside the Phone (2). Nothing says it's about 2x faster than that model, and up to 5x faster than the Phone (3a) midranger.
I can't wait for us to put the Nothing Phone (3) through performance benchmarks, and hope that we won't see much deviation from the 8 Gen 3 performance this chip is supposed to deliver.
Nothing is a brand for the young, and if there's one thing young people do besides scrolling TikTok, that's taking pictures and video of themselves (probably to be used on TikTok). And so, Nothing has seriously upgraded the camera system on the Nothing Phone (3) – each of the four shooters on board is 50MP. Main 50MP shooter with a large 1/1.3' sensor and bright f/1.68 lens
Periscope zoom camera offering 70mm focal length, up to 60X AI super resolution zoom, and even 10cm macro shots
114-degree 50MP ultrawide
50MP front camera that can shoot 4K video It's the most ambitious imaging system Nothing has built so far, and it makes the Phone (3) feel like it's finally ready to compete beyond just design gimmicks and clean software.
The rest of the hardware seems equally polished. The bezels are just 1.87mm thin all around – an impressive 18% slimmer than the previous generation – wrapping around a 6.67-inch flexible AMOLED display. The panel delivers a sharp 1.5K resolution and peaks at an eye-searing 4,500 nits of max brightness – an improvement over the Phone (2). The biggest battery in a Nothing phone yet. Thank you, silicon-carbon!
Under the hood, there's the company's biggest battery yet: a 5,150mAh silicon-carbon cell. Charging is quicker too – 65W (vs 45W on the Phone (2)) will get you from empty to 50% in only 19 minutes.
Software has always been a big part of Nothing's pitch, and this time you get Nothing OS 3.5 on top of Android 15, with a commitment to 5 years of OS updates and 7 years of security patches. Nothing also teased that Android 16-based Nothing OS 4.0 is coming later down the line. From first glance, the software is typical Nothing – clean, uniquely customized, and smooth. Especially now that it has the 8s Gen 4, I'm hoping it'll simply fly, and for years to come! If the Nothing Phone (3) proves anything, it's that the company is done playing in the margins. This is Nothing's most confident and polished device yet – still weird, like that one kid who just won't fit in, still unapologetically different, but finally – genuinely flagship.
Nothing Phone (3) is available in black and white
And speaking of flagship... you know what I'm about to say, right? Yep, it's also the most expensive Nothing phone yet, starting at $799 for 256 GB storage, and going up to $899 for 512 GB storage. Oh well, I guess those flagship internals have a cost after all!
Now, for the other big question: when? Nothing Phone (3) pre-orders start on July 4, and the Phone (3) release date is on July 15. If there's one thing the Nothing Phone (3) makes clear, it's that the company isn't afraid to take risks. To be fair, that's what young companies do – take risks. But in an industry that so often feels stuck in a cycle of safe upgrades and predictable spec bumps, Nothing is trying hard to bring a sense of fun back into smartphones.
Whether you end up loving it or not (and I'd wager this is a design that one either loves or hates), you can't deny that Nothing is making the world of phones just a little less boring. Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


GSM Arena
44 minutes ago
- GSM Arena
Honor Magic V5 is official - even slimmer body, bigger battery and better camera
The Honor Magic V5 is official and it's the thinnest foldable! Honor skipped the V4 but didn't skimp on upgrades. Visually, the Magic V5 looks very similar to its predecessor, which is no bad thing. However, upon closer inspection, you can see that the frame is now flatter, supposedly for easier handling. While the V3 was already an impressive device, the Magic V5 brings improvements across the board. It is thinner, lighter, and better protected against the elements. Folded, the Magic V5 is only 8.8mm thick. It's down to 4.1mm/4.2mm unfolded depending on the color you pick and weighs just 217g/222g (Ivory White is the slimmer and lighter color, while Black, Dawn Gold, Reddish Brown hit the higher figures). While the Magic V3 had an IPX8 rating, the Magic V5 is IP58 and IP59 rated, improving on the water protection and adding dust resistance. The biggest upgrade, literally, is a 12% increase in battery capacity. The old 5,150mAh is now a 6,100mAh silicon-carbon power pack in China and 5,820mAh overseas. It boasts the same 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. The displays are nearly identical, specs-wise. The cover screen is a 6.43-inch 2376x1060px 120Hz LTPO OLED with a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. Inside is a 7.95-inch 2352x2172px 120Hz LTPO OLED with the same peak brightness. The cover screen is protected by Honor's Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield, while the folding one is Honor's Super Armored Inner Screen. Honor Magic V5 Let's talk cameras. There's a 50MP f/1.6 wide-angle camera, a new 50MP f/2.0 ultrawide (up from a 40MP unit), and a new 70mm f/2.5 telephoto with a 64MP 1/2.0-inch sensor (up from 1/2.51-inch). For selfies, there are two 20MP f/2.2 cameras on each display. The Honor Magic V5 packs the very latest Snapdragon 8 Elite and ships in three configurations - 12/256GB, 16/512GB, and 16GB/1TB - and in four colors - Ivory White, Black, Dawn Gold, and Reddish Brown. Prices are CNY 8,999 ($1,255/€1,070/£923/INR 107,500), CNY 9,999 ($1,400/€1,186/£1,025/INR 119,500), and CNY 10,999 ($1,535/€1,300/£1,128/INR 131,400), respectively.


Phone Arena
an hour ago
- Phone Arena
Nothing OS 4.0 is coming fast and it could finally unlock the Phone (3)'s weirdest feature
Nothing has confirmed that Nothing OS 4.0, its Android 16-based software update, will arrive before the end of Q3 202. That likely means we'll see it land on the newly announced Nothing Phone (3) within just a couple of months. The announcement came quietly, in the background of the company's latest product launch, but it's a surprisingly big deal: this is one of the fastest major OS rollouts Nothing has ever attempted. For reference, Android 15 didn't start reaching Nothing phones until the very end of last year. So, what's the rush? Well, it might just have something to do with Nothing's most ambitious phone yet. We recently got our hands on the Nothing Phone (3), and to call it different would be putting it mildly. With its new Glyph Matrix display, four 50 MP cameras, a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, and the company's boldest hardware design to date, this is the weirdest flagship we've seen all year, and that's not a bad thing. But to match all that innovation, Nothing OS 4.0 has to bring more than just minor refinements. The Phone (3) ships with Nothing OS 3.5 atop Android 15 , and it's already impressively clean and responsive. However, expectations are high that OS 4.0 will layer in more polish, AI smarts, and support for the Glyph Matrix API — possibly allowing developers to experiment with mini-games, tools, and glanceable widgets on the phone's quirky rear display. According to Nothing, the Q3 release timeline refers specifically to Android 16 for the Phone (3). That said, if past update rollouts are anything to go by, the Phone (1) and Phone (2) shouldn't be far behind. Last year's Android 15 update reached all supported models within a few weeks of its start. The broader Android 16 update from Google includes improvements to performance, security, and background app management — and we expect Nothing OS 4.0 to build on that foundation with the brand's signature mix of minimalist visuals and whimsical UX tweaks. With a $799 price tag and a design that dares to be different, the Nothing Phone (3) is a statement piece. But it also marks a shift in Nothing's identity — this is the first time the company is calling one of its phones a flagship, and it needs the software to prove it. Rolling out Android 16 earlier than expected isn't just about bragging rights. It's about showing that Nothing is ready to compete head-to-head with bigger players like Samsung and Google, not just on looks but on long-term support and polish. Nothing OS 4.0 is expected to arrive before the end of September, and we'll be keeping a close eye on what it brings. If Nothing wants to continue making the world of smartphones feel fun again, this next update will need to be as confident and unapologetically different as the Phone (3) itself. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer


Phone Arena
an hour ago
- Phone Arena
Fork ahead: the Xiaomi 16 Ultra might have another, super-premium edition
Is the smartphone world sick already of Pro, Pro Max, Ultra and such pompous monikers? Probably not, since there might be two versions of the Xiaomi 16 Ultra – and no, this isn't a China-exclusive and a global variant of the same phone. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena The latest rumor draws light on an upcoming Xiaomi phone, listed as P1S on the GSMA certification database – a global registry used to verify mobile device model numbers, network compatibility, and regulatory approvals before products are launched or sold internationally. You know, strictly administrative stuff (at the end of the day, it's useful, since it does provide us with information like this very rumor).So, the listed Xiaomi P1S device sports both global (25128PNA1G) and Chinese (25128PNA1C) versions. This points to the possibility of a more advanced or specialized variant, aimed at higher-end than that, the P1S is expected to run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, consistent with the rest of the Xiaomi 16 series. Additional features may include refined camera technology, exclusive design elements, and improved thermal performance. The China-exclusive version of the P1S will most likely feature Xiaomi's proprietary XRING O1 processor, which the company has previously indicated would remain exclusive to domestic devices. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena Could it be that the new model will be referred to as the Xiaomi 16 Pro Max? Personally, I doubt it – that's too close to the naming convention of Apple and the iPhone. The final naming remains uncertain; it might be the Xiaomi 16 Ultra Max or Xiaomi 16S Ultra, it would be less surprising if it's something down that line. The presence of separate global and Chinese identifiers further supports the likelihood of an international speculation within the industry suggests the P1S may feature notable upgrades over the standard Ultra, such as improvements in camera hardware, a larger battery, or the use of distinct materials. These enhancements would position it as a premium option within the series, likely intended for advanced users or professionals. Now, camera-focused flagships are my weakness, hence, the Xiaomi 16 Ultra is one of the phones that I keep an eye out for – even if its premiere is nowhere near at the present moment. Usually, the vanilla Xiaomi flagship (like the Xiaomi 15) is unveiled in the fall, while the Ultra model materializes at a point in Q1 of the following year. Such was the case with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra – its China-exclusive version arrived at the end of February 2025, while the model for global markets was unveiled on March 2 at the usual MWC (Mobile World Congress) held annually in Barcelona. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena So, a better camera on the Xiaomi P1S device? I'm drooling over that idea, but if I have to be realistic about it, I doubt it (until further leaks corroborate it). The Ultra will undoubtedly pack top-shelf camera hardware, so maybe the mysterious P1S flagship could rely on extra premium materials? Or, indeed, an even larger battery. Previous rumors whisper that the vanilla Xiaomi 16 – mind you, a "compact" flagship, not a plus-sized model – could squeeze in a mind-blowing 6,800mAh battery with 100W fast charging support. How much bigger than that could the P1S go? In theory, there's plenty of room and silicon-carbon batteries – the very technology that's been widely adopted by Far East brands like Xiaomi and other Samsung, Apple rivals – could hit 9,000mAh capacity. The future is bright, ladies and gentlemen! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer