The Nothing Phone 3 has officially been announced, marking Nothing's first foray into the true flagship smartphone arena. After spending some quality time with an early access unit, here are my initial thoughts on this highly anticipated device.

Design and Build Quality

Nothing has always been about standing out, and the Phone 3 is no exception. The transparent back returns, offering a glimpse into the phone's inner workings, but with a twist. The most noticeable change is the "Glyph Matrix," which replaces the familiar Glyph Interface. Instead of the bright LEDs of its predecessors, the Phone 3 features a micro-LED screen in the top right corner. This new design aims to reduce user screen time by displaying app alerts, contact notifications, and real-time progress indicators on the back of the phone.

The Glyph Matrix also introduces "Glyph Toys," essentially mini-apps that function as widgets. The micro-LED can act as a digital clock, stopwatch, or battery indicator, and even allows for simple games like Spin the Bottle. Nothing is releasing a public SDK to allow users to create their own widgets and games for the Glyph Matrix.

The phone feels great in hand, with flat aluminum sides, curved corners, and a glass sandwich design. It's a bit thicker and heavier than I expected, but the weight distribution feels balanced. The Phone 3 also boasts IP68 dust and water resistance for added durability.

Display

The Phone 3 sports a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution (2800x1260) and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The display is sharp, vibrant, and incredibly bright, reaching up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness. This makes it the brightest and sharpest screen Nothing has shipped on a phone to date. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i on the front.

Performance

Under the hood, the Phone 3 is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 system-on-a-chip. This processor offers a significant performance boost compared to the Phone 2, with Nothing claiming a 36% increase in CPU performance and an 88% increase in GPU performance. The phone comes in two memory configurations: 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, or 16GB of RAM with 512GB of storage.

In my brief time with the device, the Phone 3 felt incredibly snappy and responsive. Apps launched quickly, and multitasking was smooth. While I didn't have a chance to do any intensive gaming, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 should be more than capable of handling demanding tasks.

Cameras

The Phone 3 features a versatile camera system with four 50MP sensors. On the rear, there's a main camera, a periscope telephoto lens (with 3x optical zoom), and an ultrawide lens. The front-facing camera also boasts a 50MP sensor. All four cameras are capable of shooting 4K video at 60FPS. The main and periscope cameras also feature optical image stabilization (OIS).

Nothing is touting its new TrueLens Engine 4, which promises faster photo processing, improved HDR performance, and better low-light performance. While I need more time to fully evaluate the camera system, my initial impressions are positive. The camera app is fast and responsive, and the images I've captured so far are detailed and vibrant.

Software and Battery

The Phone 3 runs Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.5 out of the box. Nothing is promising five years of platform updates and seven years of security patches. Nothing OS 3.5 includes a few new features, such as "Flip to Record," a shortcut that starts recording and transcribing audio when you flip the phone face down. It also features Essential Space, which acts as a notes app with nifty AI features. A new Smart Search feature can open apps, Google, or AI search depending on what you type in.

The Phone 3 is powered by a 5,150mAh battery that supports 65W wired and 15W wireless charging. Nothing claims the battery can provide up to 80 hours of uptime, and can be fully charged in under an hour with the right power adapter.

Pricing and Availability

Pre-orders for the Nothing Phone 3 open on July 4th, with global availability to follow on July 15th. In the US, the 12GB model will cost $799, while the 16GB variant will set you back $899. The Phone 3 will be available through Amazon and Nothing's website. It comes in Black and White color variants.

Early Verdict

The Nothing Phone 3 is shaping up to be a compelling device that blends unique design with flagship-level performance. The Glyph Matrix is an innovative feature that adds both style and functionality, and the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor should provide plenty of power for demanding tasks. While the $799 price tag puts it in direct competition with established flagships, the Phone 3 offers a fresh and distinctive take on the smartphone experience. I'm excited to spend more time with the Phone 3 and put it through its paces to see if it can truly compete with the best Android phones on the market.