The Nothing Phone 3 marks a major leap for the company as it steps into true flagship territory. With a starting price of $799, this is Nothing’s most premium phone to date, positioned to compete directly with devices like the iPhone 16, Galaxy S25, and Pixel 9.
This also marks Nothing’s first official U.S. launch since the Phone 2 in 2023, signaling a new phase of global ambition. According to CEO Carl Pei, the company now feels ready to compete with products in that price level.
Refined design with dot-matrix flair
One of the most striking changes is the shift from the flashy Glyph Interface to a more understated dot-matrix LED display, now known as the Glyph Matrix. This compact display, located in one corner on the back of the phone, trades eye-catching animations for monochrome icons, emoji, and subtle notifications.
While it may feel less distinctive than previous designs, Pei insists the new system offers faster, more immediate feedback. You can assign visuals to contacts or apps — a clear attempt at making the tech more functional than decorative.
“The Glyph interface is not a gimmick,” Pei said during the keynote, before joking about using the new matrix to play spin the bottle — a moment that summed up Nothing’s quirky design language.
Glyph Toys and a growing ecosystem
The matrix isn’t just for alerts. Glyph Toys, a suite of playful features like spin the bottle, rock-paper-scissors, and a virtual magic eight ball, aim to inject fun into the smartphone experience. While some may find these additions gimmicky, Nothing argues that they’re part of an expandable ecosystem that invites community contributions.
Pei believes the “most exciting part” of the Glyph Matrix is its future potential, powered by fan creativity and the SDK.
“I think they might invent some novel use cases we haven’t even thought of yet,” he said, hinting at ongoing updates and user-generated features.
Practical tools with a retro edge
In addition to visual notifications and games, the Glyph Matrix can act as a stopwatch, weather display, timer, or battery indicator. There’s also a Glyph button embedded under the rear glass, allowing users to cycle through functions — though its single-button nature can take getting used to.
“It’s like a very, very small Gameboy camera (but worse),” a reviewer quipped after testing the photo-to-Glyph feature.
Interestingly, Asus ROG phones have had dot-matrix displays for years, making Nothing’s new approach feel less revolutionary to some. But the nostalgic execution — inspired by retro gadgets — still aligns with the brand’s design ethos.
Essential Key and smarter software
Nothing has also brought back the Essential Key, a customizable side button introduced on the 3A series — Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro. By default, it opens Essential Space, an AI-powered hub that can: – Organize screenshots – Deliver travel or event reminders – Transcribe and summarize meeting audio.
The Phone 3 also introduces a universal search bar capable of digging through contacts, files, and even answering factual questions — part of a broader AI-enhanced software vision running atop Android 15.
Thinner body, stronger build
This is Nothing’s thinnest phone ever, with an 18% slimmer profile than the Phone 2. The transparent back shows off a tidy, three-column layout that echoes the lines of the New York subway map.
It also boasts the company’s first IP68 rating, meaning full protection against water and dust — a notable improvement over previous models.
Pro-grade cameras across the board
The camera system includes three 50MP lenses on the back (main, ultrawide, periscope) and a 50MP selfie shooter. The periscope offers 3x optical and 60x digital zoom, doubling as a macro camera.
The main sensor has a wide f/1.68 aperture and supports 1.5x lossless zoom, while the ultrawide gives a 114-degree field of view. While Nothing’s image processing has historically lagged behind rivals, early impressions suggest faster performance and better low-light quality.
Imaging has typically been the weakest part of Nothing’s phone strategy, but each iteration it gets better.
Brighter and better display
The Phone 3 features a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a sharp 1.5K resolution. It reaches 1,600 nits in normal use and up to 4,500 nits for HDR content, making it easily readable outdoors and ideal for streaming.
Battery tech that’s built to last
A 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery powers the device, offering 65W wired and 15W wireless charging. The silicon-carbon cell enables more battery capacity without adding bulk — a key reason why the phone stays so slim.
While the Phone 3 doesn’t use the absolute top-tier processor (it runs on Snapdragon 8s Gen 4), the performance is still fluid and snappy, with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
Nothing Phone 3 vs. Nothing Phone 3a / 3a Pro
| Feature | Nothing Phone 3 | Nothing Phone 3a / 3a Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | July 15, 2025 (pre-orders from July 4) | March 2025 (announced March 4, released March 11) |
| Starting price | $799 (12GB/256GB), $899 (16GB/512GB) | $379 (3a), $459 (3a Pro) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| RAM / Storage options | 12GB / 256GB, 16GB / 512GB | 8GB / 128GB, 12GB / 256GB (3a Pro only) |
| Display | 6.67″ LTPO OLED, 1.5K resolution, 120Hz, up to 4500 nits brightness | 6.77″ AMOLED, 1080p, 120Hz, up to 3000 nits brightness |
| Design & Glyph | Transparent back, dot-matrix Glyph Matrix display | Transparent back, traditional Glyph LED strips |
| Water/dust resistance | IP68 certified | IP64 certified |
| Rear cameras | Triple 50MP (main, ultrawide, 3x periscope with macro mode) | 3a: dual 50MP (main + ultrawide), 3a Pro: adds 3x periscope lens |
| Front camera | 50MP | 3a: 32MP, 3a Pro: 50MP |
| Battery & charging | 5,150mAh silicon-carbon, 65W wired, 15W wireless charging | 5,000mAh standard Li-ion, 45W wired (no wireless charging) |
| OS & software | Android 15 + Nothing OS 3.5, 5 years Android + 7 years security updates | Android 15 + Nothing OS 3.1, 3 years Android + 6 years security |
| Unique features | Glyph Matrix games, Essential Key, Essential Space, IP68 | Essential Space, basic Glyphs, solid mid-range build |
At $799, the Nothing Phone 3 steps directly into the flagship arena, taking on industry giants like the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S25, and Google Pixel 9. While these phones offer tighter integration with their respective ecosystems—iOS, One UI, and Pixel-exclusive AI features—Nothing is betting on design flair, unique software touches, and a bold reimagining of smartphone interaction to stand out.
Final thoughts: A flagship with character
The Phone 3 is the boldest and most refined device from Nothing yet, balancing ambition with restraint. It plays it slightly safer in some design choices but stands out in a sea of identical flagships.
By embracing a mix of playfulness, practicality, and power, Nothing’s third-gen phone earns its place in the premium market — and proves that a flagship doesn’t need to take itself too seriously.
Where and when to buy the Nothing Phone 3 in the U.S.
The Nothing Phone 3 will be officially available starting July 15, 2025, with pre-orders launching on July 4 via the company’s website, nothing.tech. You can also preorder the 16+512GB model on Amazon for $799 — that’s $100 off and double the storage for the same price as the 12+256GB version. Ships July 15.
This marks Nothing’s first full-scale U.S. release since the Phone 2, with full support for T-Mobile and AT&T, and limited 5G compatibility on Verizon.
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