Nothing Phone (3) impressions: A week with the software, cameras, and battery life

Ben Schoon | Jul 8 2025 - 6:00 am PT

The Nothing Phone (3) is a device that was always going to come with mixed reactions. But after spending a week with it, I’m a pretty big fan. Why? Because, regardless of what the marketing says, it gets the fundamentals absolutely right,

To address the elephant in the room, let’s start with the design.

Nothing Phone (3), truly, looks like nothing else on the market. I still can’t decide if that’s for better or for worse, but the design is indeed growing on me with time. I immediately felt that it looked better in person than it did in initial leaks, but time continues to improve the look further. I’ve gotten a handful of “what is that” reactions from people seeing me using the device, so it draws attention, but it certainly doesn’t have a universally-hated like you would have expected based on some fan and critic reactions ahead of the launch.

The hardware itself has proven somewhat of a mixed bag. The heft of Nothing Phone (3) – 217g – is noticeable each time I’m using the device. Even with my usual daily driver being the heavier Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Nothing’s device doesn’t feel quite as well balanced, so it just feels heavy. The same comparison can be made with Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is similarly arguably-too-heavy for its size, but I think Google just balances the weight better. That said, the hardware feels good. The matte metal frame feels far more premium than any other Nothing Phone, and the glass back is a refreshingly grippy in the hand. I’ve been going caseless thus far (mostly because the included case is cheap) and have yet to have a single instance of feeling like the phone is going to fall out of my hand.

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The only hardware complaint I really have is the Essential Key, which feels too much like a power button and a volume rocker at the same time, making me constantly pretty it by accident or pick up the phone upside down. And Essential Space, while still a good idea, doesn’t offer enough functionality to make that worthwhile.

In day-to-day use, the whole package is snappy and smooth. Nothing’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 selection delivers a powerful-enough chip in the realm of Google Tensor. Sure, it’s not as powerful as a “true flagship,” but it’s more than enough to make for a fast and smooth experience. The display, despite being FHD+, is also excellent both indoors and in the bright, dead-of-summer days I’ve been using it in. The device has also been running very cool in that heat, presumably thanks in part to that chip.

Nothing OS continues to be one of my favorite Android experiences, too. The OS is smooth and snappy as mentioned, but also well-designed and stable. The whole experience feels much like a Pixel, but with a few Nothing bits and pieces added on. There are also just some elements of pure delight, too, such as the screen light-up animation that matches its origin to where you tap the display.

And the experience easily lasts all day, too. Nothing Phone (3) has proved easy to use through a full day, with battery life that beats out any Pixel I’ve used, and even beats that of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. I’m going to bed each night with plenty left in the tank. On some of my heaviest days, where the device was used almost solely on 5G, flipping through messages, email, and videos all day long, I was surprised to find myself ending the device as high as 45%. For the 5,150 mAh battery inside, that’s simply great.

I’ve also been happy with the cameras thus far. Nothing has had a mixed history in this department, but the quartet of 50MP sensors have all been solid so far. In the low-light of Nothing’s launch event, they still captured good photos, and the processing in broad daylight is true-to-life and not overly aggressive.

In short, it’s a good camera!

Finally, let’s talk Glyph Matrix, the one aspect of this device I’m not really sold on.

Nothing’s replacement for its backside lights has yet to prove itself to me. The small display definitely has more utility than Glyph lights ever did, but it’s also super easy to forget about, and the utility that is there today is still quite limited. The only truly handy bit is the “Glphy Mirror” selfie camera that lets you frame a shot from the rear camera more easily. It’s a great idea, though one that I wish just kicked in when I open the camera, rather than requiring flipping through my “Glyph Toys” to access.

In a recent interview, Nothing said that Phone (3) will help you to “be more human” by doing things such as putting Glyph Matrix on the back of the device. Frankly, I think that’s nonsense. Glyph Matrix is a neat idea, but I’ve not yet found its “killer app,” and I don’t think Nothing has either. Only time will tell, but right now I’m leaning on the side of “gimmick with a dash of utility” despite Carl Pei insisting it’s exactly the opposite.

That’s what has stood out to me in a week with Nothing Phone (3). In short, I think this is a really good device on the whole, but I haven’t had enough time to form a full verdict in regards to the pricing. I say this all now because, frankly, I’m unsure where you can expect our Nothing Phone (3) review amid the imminent chaos that is Samsung’s new foldables, smartwatches, and other launches that will follow closely behind. I’ll likely be swapping out the Phone (3) for Samsung’s new Fold 7 in the near future, but I will say that I already know I’m going to be very eager to circle back to Phone (3).

Is there anything you want to know about the Nothing Phone (3)? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Nothing Phone (3) pre-orders are open now.