Nothing Phone 3 Is A Head-Turner, And People Are Turning Their Heads Away

Nothing Phone 3 broke cover earlier this week, only to receive sharp criticism that the company had perhaps never faced before. Its design is polarising to say the least, but in Carl Pei’s defence, design is subjective. For its most ambitious phone to date, Nothing is riding high on the design experiment and a specs bump, to enter the ultra-premium segment, currently dominated by Apple and Samsung. But Nothing’s foundation could crumble under the weight of its absurd pricing—especially for a phone that only loosely qualifies as a ‘true flagship’. If that happens, the brand may find itself defenceless in the premium battlefield.

The Nothing Phone 3 starts at ₹79,999 — a significant jump from Phone 2’s price of around ₹50,000. At this price, you can easily buy an iPhone 16, Google Pixel 9, or Samsung Galaxy S25. So why does Nothing think you will choose the Phone 3 instead? The brand is banking on the success of its previous products, including the superhit Nothing Phone 2 and CMF Phone 2 Pro.

But make no mistake; they are aimed at affordable segments where buyers are convinced to make a few compromises. These phones do not offer the fastest performance or professional-grade photography, and these choices are mostly offset by low prices. But this is not true in the Nothing Phone 3’s case.

The ₹79,999 is just absurd pricing for a price-sensitive market like India — Nothing’s biggest base in the world. And that is what shocks me because, like its Chinese counterparts, Nothing has understood the market dynamics, reflected in previous strategically-priced products.

Nothing touts that the Phone 3 is a “true flagship,” necessitating a price hike. But in what world is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 a flagship chip? Sure, it is a powerful chip that can easily sail through a flurry of apps and offer a fast performance throughout the day. However, it falls short of Qualcomm’s top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, which you can find in the Galaxy S25 for less price. Similarly, the iPhone 16’s A18 and Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 chip are better performers than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.

You may ask why it matters if the differences are narrow. True, Nothing’s processor choice for a flagship phone cannot be labelled wrong as long as you are not into resource-intensive gaming. A ₹79,999 phone should not be spared for lacking gaming prowess.

Again, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is still powerful, but it does not fit the definition of a flagship phone. Pei recently said people need to stop fixating on specifications, and even though he has a solid point, the Phone 3’s price nullifies his case. A Snapdragon 8s Gen 4-powered phone like the POCO F7 and iQOO Neo 10 costs between ₹50,000-₹55,000, and that is a great price for what these handsets bring to the table. Had Nothing Phone 3 brought more, it still had a chance to convince users to pay that premium. Sure, its design stands out — maybe too much, but will you pay as much as an iPhone for a new lighting system that borders the territory of being a gimmick? An iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy S25 not only offer superior chips, but also ecosystem perks, software polish, and long-term updates.

As someone who has appreciated Nothing’s bold endeavours and the conviction to reimagine smartphones, I am not impressed by the Phone 3. Even if I keep my reservations on the asymmetrical and disharmonious design aside, the hardware upgrade is too underwhelming to stand out and ask a premium price. Its uncommon design is a headturner by all means, but the Nothing Phone 3’s price will make people turn their heads away.

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