Nothing Phone A024 Black 512GB

The Nothing Phone (3) is a stylish unlocked Android phone with a unique Glyph Matrix design and solid performance from the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. It's priced like a flagship but scores below average overall, with a weak camera and mediocre display. Buy it for the design, not the specs.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a capable chip, no question. It handles demanding tasks without breaking a sweat, and with 16GB of RAM, app switching is smooth. Our performance score lands at the 50th percentile, which means it's dead average for this class of phone. That's not a knock, it's just reality. You won't feel like you're missing out on speed, but you're not getting best-in-class power either.

The battery is a 5150mAh cell, which sounds impressive on paper. Our battery score of 47 out of 100 puts it at the 64th percentile, so it's solidly middle of the pack. You'll get through a full day of normal use, but heavy users will want to keep a charger nearby. The display is where things get rough. A 6.7-inch panel scoring at the 14th percentile means it falls behind most phones in this price range. It's not terrible, but when you're paying flagship money, you expect flagship brightness and color accuracy.

Stacked against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Nothing Phone (3) loses on almost every metric that matters. Samsung's camera system is in a different league, the display is brighter and sharper, and the feature set is far more complete. The S26 Ultra is the safe choice if you want the best Android has to offer.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro is another tough competitor. Google's computational photography makes the Pixel's camera dramatically better than the Nothing Phone's 50MP main shooter, which scores at the 26th percentile. The Pixel also gets faster software updates and has a more polished overall experience. Where Nothing wins is personality. Neither Samsung nor Google offers anything like the Glyph Matrix, and for some buyers, that's worth the trade-off.

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is an interesting alternative if you want something unique but with better fundamentals. It's a foldable, so it's a different form factor entirely, but it delivers stronger performance and camera quality while still standing out from the crowd. The OnePlus 15 also undercuts the Nothing Phone on price while offering better specs in most areas.

Here's where the Nothing Phone (3) gets tricky. At CAD 1,100 to CAD 1,120, it's priced like a premium flagship. But our value score of 42.6 out of 100 tells you what you need to know. You're paying for the design and the novelty, not the specs. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google Pixel 10 Pro sit in similar price territory and offer significantly better cameras, displays, and feature sets. If you can find the Nothing Phone (3) on sale, like some buyers who snagged it for $699 USD, it becomes a much more compelling purchase. At full Canadian retail, it's a harder sell.

The Nothing Phone A024, better known as the Nothing Phone (3), is one of those devices that grabs attention before you even turn it on. The Glyph Matrix lighting on the back is genuinely fun, and the transparent design language makes it stand out in a sea of glass slabs. This is an unlocked Android phone with a 6.7-inch display, Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. In Canada, you're looking at around CAD 1,100 to CAD 1,120 for this configuration.

But here's the thing. The Nothing Phone (3) sits in a weird spot. It's priced like a flagship but our database shows it scoring 34.4 out of 100 overall, which puts it near the bottom of the pack for unlocked phones. The social proof is strong at the 82nd percentile, meaning people who buy it tend to love it. The actual performance metrics tell a different story.

So is the Nothing Phone (3) good? For the right person, absolutely. If you want a phone that looks unlike anything else and you're tired of the usual suspects, this thing delivers personality in spades. But if you're chasing camera quality, battery endurance, or raw value, there are better options out there.

Skip the Nothing Phone (3) if you care about camera quality, display performance, or getting the most features for your money. Mobile photographers will be frustrated by the below-average camera system, and anyone who watches a lot of video will notice the display's shortcomings. If you want a unique-looking phone but need better fundamentals, check out the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. If you just want the best Android experience for the price, the Pixel 10 Pro or OnePlus 15 are smarter choices.

Should you buy the Nothing Phone (3)? If you're drawn to the design and the Glyph Matrix, and you don't care about having the best camera or the brightest display, then yes. This phone has personality that no other device in this price range can match. The 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage mean it'll stay fast and roomy for years.

But if you're looking for the best phone for your money, this isn't it. The camera is a weak spot, the display underwhelms, and the feature set is thin. You're paying a premium for the aesthetic, and that's a choice only you can make. For most people, the Pixel 10 Pro or Galaxy S26 Ultra will be the smarter buy.