In a sea of similar-looking phones, unconventional device maker Nothing has bucked the trend, releasing a line of quirky-looking handsets equipped with interesting features and very competitive pricing that’s helped them stand out from the crowd. After focusing on more affordable devices since it debuted its first Android handset in 2022, the London-based company this year stepped into the flagship category with the Nothing Phone (3), which arguably has an even more radical design than its budget siblings.
Nothing has called the Phone (3) its first ‘true’ flagship, something which is reflected in its starting price of AU$1,509 – a fair bit more expensive than the roughly AU$750 to AU$1,000 prices of its previous budget and mid-range models. This Black Friday, however, the Phone (3)’s received its first major discount – and it’s one that brings it closer in price to those mid-rangers Nothing is known for.
The Phone (3)’s starting price of AU$1,509 was quite a jump from the Phone (2)’s launch price of AU$1,049, placing the device firmly in the premium category and joining the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S series, the mainline Google Pixels and iPhones, and other flagship models.
For the most part, reviewers have agreed that the Phone (3)’s increased price was warranted – it has a new 50MP telephoto lens and the selfie camera has been upgraded to 50MP versus the Phone (2)’s.
Other upgrades from the Phone (2) include a 9.6% bigger 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery with speedy 65W fast charging, IP68 dust and water-resistance rating (he Phone (2) has an IP54 rating), and the tougher Gorilla Glass 7i/Victus front and back.
What ultimately makes it a little less competitive to other flagships is its mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, which is resoundingly outperformed by the top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite that can be found in some competitors. That said, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is no slouch, and the recently released Nothing OS 4.0 has introduced some optimisations in performance and more efficient battery consumption that help keep the Phone (3) feeling fast and fluid.
The most notable physical change from the prior Nothing Phones is the Glyph Matrix, which replaced the linear Glyph lights from previous models. The interactive screen at the device’s back right corner can display various content like notifications, a stopwatch/timer, battery indicator, solar clock, games, and even a pixelated viewfinder for the selfie camera.
While the Phone (3)’s more midrange Snapdragon chip has made the Phone (3) a little tricky to outright recommend at full price, this sizeable discount does make it more appealing, especially given the other upgrades and unique features it has. If you’re looking for a phone with a bit more personality and character, the Nothing Phone (3) is hard to beat at this price.
