The Nothing Phone (3) is one of the most polarizing and controversial phones launched in recent years. With the internet having mixed opinions about the device, “Nothing” is going right for the British brand. As Carl Pei said, “not for everyone, perfect for someone,” but we think it’s good for no one. That being said, here are 8 reasons why you should stay away from Nothing’s “true flagship” and invest your hard-earned money elsewhere.
8 Reasons Not To Buy Nothing Phone (3)
1. Weird Design With Gimmicky Glyph Matrix
Let’s admit it, the Nothing Phone (3) certainly won’t win any awards in the design department. It has a rather weird design that would certainly trigger people’s OCD. With no symmetry and a lack of Glyph LEDs, it’s a rather dull phone. Even the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro seems like a better-designed product in hindsight.
When Nothing first teased the Glyph Matrix, many hoped for a massive dot matrix pattern on the back just like the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro. It turned out to be another gimmick with no practical use case. Nothing knows this, and has appropriately called it Glyph Toys. While some features, such as checking the time or battery, can be useful, others are just straight-up gimmicks.
What’s rather funny is the fact that Nothing claims that Phone (3) took two years to develop due to the design changes. For a company that takes pride in its product due to its unique design, the Phone (3) certainly isn’t the one.
2. Display Downgraded to LTPS From LTPO
A “true flagship” offers a great display with all the bells and whistles. But Nothing doesn’t seems to believe in this philosophy, and it’s apparent in the display department. You do get a similar 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel as the Phone (2). However, there’s a noticeable downgrade as Nothing has opted for an LTPS panel instead of LTPO. What does this mean?
Also Read:
- Nothing Phone 3 Glyph Matrix: 13 Ways to Use It But Will You
- Nothing Headphone (1) Specs Leaked: Is it Really Worth it?
Well, the display can only operate at 30Hz/60Hz/90Hz/120Hz, compared to LTPO panels, which can go anywhere from 1Hz to 120Hz. To make matters worse, there’s no Dolby Vision support, which you usually find in phones in this segment. And what’s rather funny is the fact that Nothing has used Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the back panel but Gorilla Glass 7i on the front. This means you get better protection on the back of the phone rather than the screen, which is the part that you will be using the most. I can still operate my phone with a broken back but can I operate the same phone with a broken front screen?
3. No Snapdragon 8 Elite
For a phone that costs $799, you would expect the latest flagship processor? Not with the Nothing Phone (3) since it’s a “true flagship”. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which offers slightly better performance than last year’s 8 Gen 3. This means you are paying current-gen flagship prices for last year’s chip. This is the same chip you will find in mid-range phones like the Poco F7 for less than half the price.
And if you believe that software optimization can make up for the lack of performance, well, you are wrong. There’s a major gap between the 8 Gen 4 and the 8 Elite, one that cannot be fixed with mere optimization. Here’s a benchmark of the two chipsets for comparison:
| Benchmark | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu | 2.8 million | 2 million |
| Geekbench (Single core/Multi-Core) | 3155/9723 | 2154/6880 |
| 3D Mark Wildlife | 83.3 per cent | 73 per cent |
4. Android 15 With Fewer Updates Than Competition
The Nothing Phone (3) ships with Android 15 out of the box instead of the latest Android 16. While the company promises 5 years of OS updates, you are effectively getting 4 since Android 16 is already available. This is less than what competitors like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 9 with 7 years of OS updates offer.
5. Smaller Battery In The US And No Charger
The Nothing Phone (3) has a 5,500mAh battery in India. While Nothing has opted for the latest Silicon Carbon tech, the battery capacity isn’t as huge as many were hoping for. Sadly, global users will get a trimmed-down version with a 5,150mAh battery. This means you will pay a similar price only to get a lower capacity battery. And to make things a part of the “true flagship” experience, you get a no-charger in the box. You will need to purchase a 65W GaN charger from CMF to make the most out of it.
6. USB-C 2.0 Port And an Optical Fingerprint Sensor
Another compromise is the USB-C 2.0 port. This will result in slower transfer speeds compared to USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on newer phones. Nothing seems to like the USB C 2.0 ports so much that they have been a constant feature since the Phone (1). And if you are wondering about the speed difference, well, USB 2.0 has a max speed of 480 Mbps compared to a whopping 10 Gbps on 3.2 Gen 2. This should result in slower file transfer speeds. The Phone (3) also has an outdated optical fingerprint sensor instead of an ultrasonic one.
7. Downgraded Camera Sensor
Even if you manage to live with the long list of disappointments, cameras are one area where you will have to make some sacrifices. You get a 50MP triple camera setup on the back with a telephoto lens for the first time.
The sensors used are:
- 50MP primary- Omnivision OV50H (Release date: Jan 3, 2023)
- 50 MP periscope- Samsung JN5 with 3x optical, 50x digital (Release Date: June 27, 2024)
- 50 MP ultrawide- Samsung JN1 (Release Date: June 10, 2025)
Compared to the Phone (3), the (3a) has a periscope telephoto zoom Sony LYT-600 sensor with 3x optical zoom. Nothing has opted for older camera sensors, and it has to rely on optimization to tune the camera output. But it will be nowhere close to the flagship phones available in the segment.
Nothing seems to know this since they only spent 2 minutes on the Phone (3)’s camera during their presentation.
8. Bad Pricing And Not Fully Compatible With Verizon
Last but not least is the Phone (3)’s pricing. It starts at $799, which puts it in serious competition with flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S25, OnePlus 13, and the iPhone 16. This is the price for the base variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Furthermore, the 12GB+512GB variant retails for $899, so for $100 more, you can get the Galaxy S25 Plus. If you are Verizon, you need to be aware that the Phone (3) has limited support on Verizon. Moreover, there are no carrier deals, so you will need to purchase it unlocked.
Nothing Has Changed
Nothing is a design company that focuses more on the mobile’s case and packaging than on what goes inside it. Given these major compromises across the board, the Nothing Phone (3) is a tough phone to recommend. As Carl Pei said, “not for everyone, perfect for someone”. That someone seems to be the Nothing community, fans, and employees. It’s a tough sell at the current price given the specifications and competition. However, if the Phone (3) is available during a deal or gets a massive price cut in the future, then it’s certainly worth checking out.
