Prakhar Khanna / Android Authority
The Nothing Phone 3 is quirky and weird. It has riled up the Nothing lovers and haters alike. Social media forums indicate that a lot of people don’t like that camera layout, price, or have polarizing views on the Glyph Matrix. I might be on the less popular end for both. I liked the Nothing Phone 3’s odd design choices when I first saw it in person at the London launch event. I was taken aback by the price, sure. But I wanted to give it a try nonetheless.
I’ve now used the Nothing Phone 3 for a few days, and I like how it feels in my hand. I don’t mind the weird camera setup and quite love the rest of the design. I haven’t noticed its processor, for better or worse, and every time I flip it around, I pause for a second to look at that strange back layout. The Glyph Interface has been more fun than before, and the blinking red dot is a nice addition. It’s all part of the quirky design.
But you don’t buy a phone for its quirks. Most people look for the best value proposition in their new phone, and the Nothing Phone 3 isn’t for most people. It doesn’t have the “flagship” chipset, and I wouldn’t rate its cameras the best in the segment. But the Nothing Phone 3 has grown on me. At $799, it isn’t a good value proposition, but it won me over anyway.
What do you think of Nothing Phone 3's design? 50 votes I love it! 24 % It looks odd, but I'm ok with it 48 % What in the smartphone world is this? 28 %
Nothing’s strong suit becomes more important than ever
Prakhar Khanna / Android Authority
I love Nothing OS for its widgets and clean but customizable design. It isn’t the barebones Pixel-level clean or filled with customizations like Xiaomi’s HyperOS. Nothing OS is a mix of both of their best parts. And it is now more important than ever with the Phone 3’s polarizing design. I love the ability to add Quick Settings as one-tap widgets. For example, I have a QR code scanner for payments and a Wi-Fi toggle, which turns a three-step task into a single tap.
Nothing Phone 3 is ergonomic and comfortable to hold for a big phone.
I’ve grown used to the Nothing Phone 3 because there’s not much to complain about in the software or the in-hand feel. I don’t play mobile games, so I’m not concerned about the processor. And more so because I haven’t had any stutters or lags in day-to-day usage that might trigger me to look for a more capable phone. Add to it, the Essential Key (with Essential Space) is a nice way to quickly save story ideas when I’m reading something on Chrome. (The Essential Search’s speed needs improvement, though.)
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