The Most Underrated Deal of 2026!

TL;DR

Key insights

The Nothing Phone 3 is now a compelling deal at 40,000 INR due to significant software improvements and a 50% price drop.

• Initial criticisms regarding HDR, camera inconsistency, and heating have been largely resolved through software updates.
• The phone offers strong performance with Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, 12GB RAM, and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage, competitive at its current price.
• While not perfect, the phone has evolved into a well-rounded device, making it a strong contender in the mid-range market.

Design and software experience have been key strengths, enhanced by updates.

• The unique dot matrix display and glyph interface continue to be conversation starters, adding to the phone's distinctiveness.
• Nothing OS has become more polished, fixing bugs like HDR issues in videos and widget crashes, and now offers features like voice-to-text transcription.
• The commitment to 5 years of OS and 7 years of security updates ensures long-term usability.

Camera and display performance have seen notable improvements, though some limitations remain.

• Daylight and low-light camera performance is now excellent, with improved sharpness at 6x zoom and fantastic portrait shots.
• Video recording is capped at 4K 60fps, which is good but not class-leading for the price.
• The lack of HDR playback on Netflix remains a drawback, especially considering the price point.

Battery life is a mixed bag, but charging speeds are adequate.

• Despite a 5500 mAh battery, real-world battery life is described as 'dicey' and slightly less than expected.
• The phone supports 65W wired charging and reverse wireless charging.
• Competitors like the OnePlus 13R offer potentially better battery life at a similar price.

Key moments

• 00:00Introduction to the Nothing Phone 3's current deal at 40,000 INR (50% off launch price), highlighting its specs and addressing initial criticisms.
• 01:03Discussion on the phone's unique design, which, despite mixed initial opinions, serves as a conversation starter due to its dot matrix display and glyph interface.
• 01:49Review of the phone's performance, noting that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, 12GB RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage are now justified for the price, with significant improvements in gaming stability and reduced heating after software updates.
• 03:31Focus on the software experience, detailing how Nothing OS 4.1 has become more polished, fixing bugs like HDR issues and widget crashes, and offering features like app cloning and an essential voice-to-text tool.
• 05:11Evaluation of the camera system, highlighting improvements in daylight and low-light performance, sharper 6x zoom, and excellent portrait shots after software updates.
• 06:23Discussion of the display and battery life; while the display is decent, the lack of Netflix HDR is a drawback, and battery life is considered 'dicey' despite a 5500 mAh capacity.
• 08:10Conclusion that the Nothing Phone 3 is now a strong all-rounder at 40,000 INR, recommending it over other options due to its balanced performance, improved software, and camera, especially considering it's Nothing's flagship offering.