Nothing Phone (3) review: the first one that feels like a flagship · Doxlore

Nothing Phone (3) review: the first one that feels like a flagship

Posted 17h ago

Nothing finally built a proper flagship, the question is whether the design still justifies the switch.

Our score: 8 / 10

At a glance

Spec	Detail
Display	6.67-inch AMOLED, 120Hz
Chip	Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
Cameras	Triple 50MP including periscope
Rear display	Glyph Matrix dot-matrix
Rating	IP68
Price	From $799

The hardware finally matches the ambition

The Phone (3) is Nothing’s first device with a real flagship-class chip, a periscope telephoto and a proper IP68 rating. It is fast, the software is clean and quick, and the new Glyph Matrix rear dot display does more than the LED strips it replaces, notifications, timers, a caller ID, small widgets.

The price moved

At $799 it is no longer a bargain flagship, it is priced against the Pixel 11. The camera is good but not class-leading, and the novelty of the transparent aesthetic has faded as more Nothing devices ship. What remains is a genuinely nice phone with distinctive software.

The good and the bad

What works

Real flagship chip and a periscope camera
Glyph Matrix is more useful than the old strips
Nothing OS stays clean and fast
IP68

What doesn’t

$799 puts it against tougher competition
Camera is good, not great
The transparent look is less novel now

Who it’s for

Buy it if you love the aesthetic and the minimalist software, and you want it on flagship hardware.

Skip it if you are cross-shopping purely on camera and value.

Alternatives worth a look

Pixel 11, better camera and updates for the same money.
Nothing Phone (2a), the cheap one, if the design is what you are here for.

The verdict: Nothing’s best phone by a distance. Whether it is your phone depends on how much the design is worth to you.

Sources

0 comments

Nothing Phone (2a) review: flagship-adjacent design, mid-range price

Clean software, a distinctive look and a chip that punches above its weight, for around $350. Our score: 8 / 10 The Nothing experience, cheaply The Phone (2a) brought the Nothing aesthetic and Nothing OS to the mid-range, with a central camera island, a simplified Glyph and a 120Hz display. The Dimensity 7200 Pro is quick for the money and the software is refreshingly free of junk. What you give up No wireless charging, no telephoto, an IP54 rather than IP68 rating, and a plastic frame. For the price, none of that is a surprise. The good and the bad What works Fast for the price Clean, committed software Actually looks different from other cheap phones What doesn’t No wireless charging Only IP54 No telephoto Who it’s for Buy it if you want a stylish, clean mid-ranger and do not need flagship extras. Skip it if you want water resistance, wireless charging or a zoom lens. Alternatives worth a look Pixel 9a, better camera and updates, less character. The verdict: One of the easiest recommendations in its price band. Sources GSMArena specifications

17h agoRead discussion

ReviewsNothing Ear (2024)Nothing

Nothing Ear (2024) review: flagship features, mid-range price

LDAC, a ceramic driver and strong ANC for well under $150, the value pick in the category. Our score: 8.5 / 10 Specs that punch up The Nothing Ear brings a ceramic-diaphragm driver, LHDC and LDAC hi-res support and personalised ANC to a $149 price. It sounds clean and detailed, the ANC handles commutes well, and the transparent design still looks good years into the gimmick. Best on Android The full feature set (hi-res codecs, the ChatGPT integration, deep EQ) shows up on Android, especially a Nothing phone. On iPhone they are still good, just less special. The good and the bad What works Ceramic driver, genuinely good sound LDAC and LHDC hi-res support Strong ANC for the price Distinctive design What doesn’t Case is a fingerprint magnet Best features are Android-first Wind handling on calls is average Who it’s for Buy it if you are on Android and want a lot of earbud for around $150. Skip it if you are deep in Apple’s ecosystem, where AirPods integrate better. Alternatives worth a look AirPods Pro 2, for iPhone owners. Sony WF-1000XM5, better ANC, much pricier. The verdict: The default recommendation for Android users who do not want to spend AirPods money. Sources GSMArena specifications

17h agoRead discussion

ReviewsXiaomi 15 Ultra Xiaomi

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: the 200MP periscope is the whole pitch

The most capable zoom camera on any phone, in a package that is genuinely hard to buy in the West. Our score: 8.5 / 10 At a glance Spec Detail Main camera 50MP 1-inch type sensor Periscope 200MP, ~4.3x, lossless 2x-in-crop Colour Leica co-tuned Battery Around 5400 mAh, 90W wired For telephoto, nothing else is close The 200MP periscope resolves detail at distances where every other phone gives up, and because it is so high-resolution, the in-between focal lengths (2x, 3x) are crops with real detail rather than digital fudge. The 1-inch main sensor handles everything else with room to spare. The practical problems The camera island is enormous. HyperOS ships with bloat you will spend an evening removing. And official availability outside Asia and parts of Europe is poor, with band support to match, for many buyers this is an import, with all the caveats that carries. The good and the bad What works The best long-range phone camera on the market 1-inch main sensor Fast 90W charging What doesn’t Huge camera bump HyperOS bloat Limited Western availability and band support Who it’s for Buy it if telephoto photography is your priority and you can get one with the bands you need. Skip it if you want clean software and straightforward carrier support. Alternatives worth a look Vivo X200 Pro, a similar zoom-first phone that is easier to buy in Europe. Galaxy S26 Ultra, nearly as good at zoom, sold everywhere. The verdict: A zoom monster with a distribution problem. If you can live with the software and actually buy one, the camera delivers. Sources GSMArena specifications

17h agoRead discussion

ReviewsXiaomi 14 Ultra Xiaomi

Xiaomi 14 Ultra review: the variable aperture was not a gimmick

A genuine f/1.63-to-f/4.0 aperture on the main lens, plus a quad-Leica system, a camera phone for people who think in stops. Our score: 8.5 / 10 A mechanical aperture that earns its place The 14 Ultra’s headline is a physically variable aperture on the 1-inch main sensor: stop down to f/4.0 for landscape sharpness and sunstars, open up to f/1.63 for low light and shallow depth of field. It is not a marketing trick, it changes the images in ways software cannot fake. The rest of the camera keeps up The quad-Leica system covers ultrawide to 5x, and the optional Photography Kit grip with a physical shutter, zoom lever and extra battery turns it into something close to a compact camera. The good and the bad What works Genuinely useful variable aperture Complete quad-camera system Photography grip accessory is excellent What doesn’t Bulky HyperOS bloat Limited official Western sales Who it’s for Buy it if you want the most photographically thoughtful phone camera and you shoot manually. Skip it if you want point-and-shoot simplicity. Alternatives worth a look Xiaomi 15 Ultra, newer, longer zoom, no mechanical aperture on the periscope. The verdict: The enthusiast’s phone camera. If aperture control matters to you, you already want this. Sources GSMArena specifications

17h agoRead discussion

ReviewsVivo X200 Pro Vivo

Vivo X200 Pro review: the zoom phone for people who cannot import a Xiaomi

A 200MP periscope, a huge battery and Zeiss tuning, with broader availability than its closest rival. Our score: 8.5 / 10 A telephoto-first flagship you can actually buy The X200 Pro pairs a 200MP ~3.7x periscope with a large main sensor and a 6000 mAh battery. For long-range and low-light telephoto, plus astrophotography, it is right at the top of the class, and Vivo sells it more widely across Europe and Asia than Xiaomi manages with the equivalent Ultra. The caveats Funtouch OS is busy, US availability is effectively nil, and the phone is large and heavy. If those are not dealbreakers, the camera is superb. The good and the bad What works Outstanding periscope camera 6000 mAh battery Zeiss colour tuning Easier to buy than a Xiaomi 15 Ultra in Europe What doesn’t Funtouch OS bloat No US availability Big and heavy Who it’s for Buy it if you want a zoom-first flagship and live somewhere Vivo sells properly. Skip it if you want clean software or you are in the US. Alternatives worth a look Xiaomi 15 Ultra, comparable camera, harder to buy. Galaxy S26 Ultra, sold everywhere, nearly as good at zoom. The verdict: The practical choice for zoom obsessives outside the US. Sources GSMArena specifications

17h agoRead discussion

ReviewsTP-Link Archer BE800

TP-Link Archer BE800 review: Wi-Fi 7 without the enterprise price

Dual 10Gbps ports, real Wi-Fi 7 throughput, and a gimmicky-but-fun LED screen, for a lot less than the Netgear equivalent. Our score: 8.5 / 10 The Wi-Fi 7 features that matter The Archer BE800 delivers 320MHz channels, 4K-QAM and Multi-Link Operation, with two 10Gbps ports for multi-gig internet and fast NAS access. In practice it saturates a 2 to 5Gbps connection and holds strong throughput across a house. Value versus the competition It substantially undercuts Netgear’s Nighthawk BE flagship for similar real-world performance. The customisable dot-matrix front panel is pure novelty, and somehow that is fine. The good and the bad What works Dual 10Gbps ports Full Wi-Fi 7 feature set Strong whole-home throughput Much cheaper than Netgear’s equivalent What doesn’t Large and needs shelf space The LED screen is a gimmick App occasionally clunky Who it’s for Buy it if you have a multi-gig connection or a fast NAS and want Wi-Fi 7 without overspending. Skip it if you have a small home and a sub-gigabit connection, where a cheaper Wi-Fi 6 router is plenty. Alternatives worth a look Netgear Nighthawk RS700S, more expensive, similar performance. TP-Link Deco BE85, if you need mesh coverage instead. The verdict: The value pick for a single-unit Wi-Fi 7 router. Sources TP-Link

17h agoRead discussion

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Nothing Phone (3) review: the first one that feels like a flagship

At a glance

The hardware finally matches the ambition

The price moved

The good and the bad

Who it’s for

Alternatives worth a look

Sources

0 comments

Similar topics

Nothing Phone (2a) review: flagship-adjacent design, mid-range price

Nothing Ear (2024) review: flagship features, mid-range price

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: the 200MP periscope is the whole pitch

Xiaomi 14 Ultra review: the variable aperture was not a gimmick

Vivo X200 Pro review: the zoom phone for people who cannot import a Xiaomi

TP-Link Archer BE800 review: Wi-Fi 7 without the enterprise price

Similar topics

Nothing Phone (2a) review: flagship-adjacent design, mid-range price

Nothing Ear (2024) review: flagship features, mid-range price

Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: the 200MP periscope is the whole pitch

Xiaomi 14 Ultra review: the variable aperture was not a gimmick

Vivo X200 Pro review: the zoom phone for people who cannot import a Xiaomi

TP-Link Archer BE800 review: Wi-Fi 7 without the enterprise price