Trying to stand out in a crowd can take some effort - but sometimes the quirkiest of features can be the ticket to success.
Nothing, the UK smartphone maker, regales us once again with its latest device, the Nothing Phone (3), along with their first over-ear audio device, the Nothing Headphones (1).
Oddball design
As always, Nothing's strategy is to stand out a lot, and they've seemingly pushed their goal to the next level.
From the Phone (2), the Phone (3)'s display is technically smaller at 6.67 inches (16.9cm) - but effectively on par with the former's 6.7 inches. Where it compensates for this infinitesimally smaller screen is with a higher resolution, allowing animations run more fluidly, and a significantly brighter display, ideal for the under-the-sun desert conditions.
The Phone (3)'s see-through rear is, well, nothing new, but what's really quirky is its camera layout: while other devices stick with linear or geometrically typical layouts, Nothing has decided to spread them out in its own unique way. The wide and ultra-wide lenses are placed side-by-side and the telephoto lens is far to the left towards the top of phone's back. That arrangement somewhat mimics the layout of icons on Nothing's own website.
To borrow words from the late food critic Anthony Bourdain (from a Jollibee review), "it makes no goddamn sense at all, but we love it".
Its entry model is now 256GB - the 128GB version has been removed - and a new 512GB option has been added. However, Nothing has raised prices; while costlier on paper, on a per-GB basis, you are getting more value.
Slimness is a growing topic in smartphones (thanks to Samsung and, hopefully, Apple soon enough), but the Nothing Phone (3) is anything but slim. At a generous 8.99mm - practically double the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and even more than the Galaxy Z Fold7, it feels chunky in your hand.
Meanwhile, making a return is the Essential Key, that little button right below the power key, debuted on the Phone (3a), and activates Essential Space, Nothing's own generative artificial intelligence games.
The drill remains the same: press once to take a screenshot, long press to start a voice recording and double-press to open Essential Space.
It organises your screenshots, generates personalised suggestions, summaries or action points, and works in addition to the ability to add notes on your images.
What happened to the glyphs?
Well, they're gone, so you won't see those dancing LEDs anymore. Instead, Nothing has replaced them with what it now calls the Glyph Matrix, a circle on the back top-right corner that is bigger than the cameras and adds even more flair to the already funky lens layout.
You can actually do more with this condensed glyph space. If those glyphs were just lights blinking and shrinking before, the Glyph Matrix now actually displays information, including a stopwatch, the clock, and battery indicator, as well as a spin-the-bottle and rock-paper-scissors feature now called Glyph Toys. You can cycle through them using a touch-sensitive button quite a distance below it.
Now we've criticised Nothing's glyphs in the past, calling them a novelty rather than something genuinely useful. But they have done it right this time, and we're curious how much more they can expand this interface in the future, potentially morphing into a second screen.
Oddly enough, despite its bigger battery – we have the 5150mAh version in the UAE, while the Indian market gets 5500mAh – our test results showed similar battery performance to the Phone (2). It lasted a day and a half, and our one-hour YouTube-at-full-brightness run shaved 6 per cent off it.
You also get three cameras now, all of which have 50MP sensors. The results were decent, apart from some expected grainy spots in very low-light conditions.
Our final take: It's a hit or miss? The Nothing Phone (3) doesn't have the best specifications, but, oddly enough, we find that its oddball design may be its "come on, let's check it out" factor. You have to appreciate bold, unapologetic approaches to devices like these.
Headphone (1): An even better oddity
We have grown used to receiving surprises from Nothing's design choices – and they made sure to continue to surprise with their first-ever audio device, the Headphone (1).
Talk about staying true to your identity: Nothing decided to take a slab from the Phone (2a) and use it as the shell of the device's earcups, complete with glass encasing to mimic its signature see-through smartphone rear panels.
It's another quirky design – and refer back to our Bourdain quote for our actual thoughts on it, because we love it.
The right earcup houses all the controls and inputs: on/off switch, USB-C and 3.5mm ports at the bottom, roller and paddle on the rear, and something simply called the Button on the top-right corner of the cup.
The Bluetooth pairing button is tucked away inside on the lower-right corner, where the cushion is.
The roller controls volume, plays and pauses what you're hearing, and toggles active noise cancelling and transparency modes; the paddle skips and scrubs (fast-forwards and rewinds) tracks, and the button allows you to switch between media sources and trigger the AI assistant.
Some notes on these controls: we think the roller and paddle may be slightly out of reach for some users, and we'd argue it would have been better if they were raised slightly. The button also seems too far to reach comfortably, and might have been better placed on the opposite end of the earcup alongside the other controls.
Also, by default – and considering its placement – rolling the roller up should raise the volume and down should decrease it; however, on the Headphone (1), it's reversed, which took us a while to get used to.
To get more out of the device, head on to the Nothing app, where you can select from noise-cancellation and spatial-audio preferences, choose an equaliser setting, and customise button controls ... except for the volume roller. Great.
As for the sound quality, we're giving it a very good rating, and are very satisfied with music, calls, and even games. However, cranking it up to the highest volume produces scattered sound. But mind you, it's unlikely you'd set it this high, and it's loud enough to be used as a speaker when off your ears.
In terms of design and durability, Nothing has described it as "built to last". We're giving it props for its comfortable feel, but we're very concerned about the glass casing of its earcups, as a serious bump could shatter it. Also, we think the cup cushions are too thin – they collect sweat, especially in very hot weather – and we're keen to find out how long they will last. Maybe woven cushions like those on the Apple AirPods Max would have been better.
The Nothing Headphones (1) represent a great first attempt from the company. And – as with the case of the Phone (3) – we encourage them to never lose their quirkiness. Always good to have fresh options – because it's either that, or nothing.
