“Nothing Phone 3 Review: They Lied!”, prominent tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) takes a skeptical look at the newly launched Nothing Phone 3. Known for his thorough and honest device assessments, MKBHD explores if Nothing’s flagship contender truly delivers on its big promises.
1. Display & Design: Bright and Smooth
Stunning OLED panel: MKBHD praises the Phone 3’s super-bright OLED display with a high refresh rate. He notes how the screen achieves vivid colors, silky animations with up to 120 Hz, and impressive outdoor visibility .
Refined aesthetics: While still upholding Nothing’s signature transparent, minimalist design language, the Phone 3 steps up build quality—enhanced materials and subtle refinements give it a more premium look.
2. Battery & Charging: Claims vs Reality
Silicon carbon battery hype: Nothing markets the Phone 3 with a revolutionary “silicon carbon battery.” MKBHD digs into what that means in a real-world sense: does it boost longevity or charging speed?
Practical findings: Although he confirms reliable all-day battery life, the upsides don’t match Nothing’s bold pitch. Standard fast charging brick and cable—they don’t reinvent the wheel, but they work well enough.
3. Cameras: Triple 50 MP Array
Camera setup: The Phone 3 carries three 50 MP sensors—a wide, ultrawide, and telephoto combo. On paper, that’s flagship territory .
Results in real life: MKBHD tests photo quality in varied lighting. The wide camera is sharp and clean, but low-light shots can become noisy. The ultrawide is decent, though not stellar, and MKBHD notes that the 50 MP telephoto—while competent—isn’t mind-blowing.
4. Flagship Performance?
Processor & speed: The Phone 3 packs a high-end chipset capable of smooth navigation and daily multitasking. Still, in benchmarks and gaming, it lags slightly behind true flagship chips from rivals like Snapdragon 8 Gen-series and Apple’s A-series.
Flagship compromises: MKBHD emphasizes that while performance is solid, Nothing’s flagship claims don’t fully hold up under close scrutiny.
5. Verdict: Realistic Enthusiasm
Where it shines: The Nothing Phone 3 offers a unique design, a vibrant display, reliable performance, and a fresh take on Android experiences.
Where it falls short: Its battery and camera innovations are more incremental than groundbreaking, and it doesn’t break new ground in raw processing power.
Conclusion
MKBHD’s verdict is balanced: the Nothing Phone 3 is a compelling mid-tier phone with some premium touches—but it isn’t the revolutionary flagship it’s marketed as. If you appreciate its transparent design and smooth display and don’t mind some compromises in camera and chip performance, it’s a great choice. Just don’t expect anything that outclasses the top‐tier flagships of 2025.
TL;DR
Pros Cons
Bright 120 Hz OLED display No major leap in battery tech
Eye-catching transparent design Camera still trails competitors in low light
Flagship-level chipset on paper Falls short of true flagship performance.