rewrite this title Nothing Phone 3: Bold new flagship or $799 mistake? Tell us what you think

Nothing launched the Phone 2 at just $599, and it quickly earned a spot as one of the best value flagships around. But things have changed since then. The new Nothing Phone 3 starts at $799, and with that price tag, Nothing is clearly announcing that it’s ready to go toe-to-toe with Samsung, Google, Apple, and the other big names in the premium smartphone space.

But here’s the thing: one of the biggest hardware choices Nothing has made for its “true flagship” isn’t exactly, well, “flagship.” The Phone 3 runs on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which isn’t a top-tier chip. Most premium phones right now are running the Snapdragon 8 Elite or MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400, both of which are strong performers. However, Nothing is betting that everything else the Phone 3 offers will convince you to look the other way.

Speaking of which, there’s a lot of other stuff to be happy about. You’re getting four 50MP cameras, the new Glyph Matrix system with interactive “Glyph Toys,” an IP68 rating, a 5,100mAh battery with 65W fast charging, and up to 16GB of RAM. There’s also Nothing OS 3.5 (still based on Android 15), which brings cool features like Smart Search. Last but not least, nothing promises up to seven years of software updates (5 OS + 7 security), which is honestly impressive, though still not at the flagship level.

Of course, Phone 3 still carries Nothing’s signature design language, which is unique and eye-catching. That’s not something you can say about many premium flagships. But even that design is not without a few compromises. For example, the Phone 3 uses Gorilla Glass 7i instead of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which you’ll find on phones like the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9. At $799, those small differences matter. The second you hit that price, you’re not just the “cool alternative brand” anymore, you’re in the same conversation as the Pixel 9, Galaxy S25, and even the iPhone 16. So is the Nothing Phone 3 up there? Is its price justified? Take our poll above and share your thoughts in the comments section.