Nothing launched its latest flagship, the Nothing Phone 3, in India on July 1, 2025, and its price has shocked everyone – starting at ₹79,999! A brand that was earlier known for ₹30,000-40,000 phones, now suddenly has a phone for ₹80,000?
What is going on? Let’s talk about the specs, design, and pricing strategy of this phone and see if it is really overpriced or is Nothing having a bigger game plan.
Nothing Phone 3: What do we call the specs?
First, let’s see what you get in this ₹80,000 phone:
Chipset:
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor. It is powerful, but not the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is expected in flagships in this price range. It is solid for gaming and multitasking, but falls short of the premium price tag.
Display:
6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness. This is a great screen for smooth scrolling and vibrant colours. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 7i on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the back, which is good for durability.
Camera:
50MP triple camera setup with a periscope telephoto lens (3x optical zoom) and OIS support. But the sensors here are from OmniVision and not top-tier Sony sensors, which is a bit disappointing at this price point. There is a 32MP selfie camera on the front.
Battery:
5500mAh battery with 50W wired and 20W wireless charging. It offers solid battery life, but 50W charging seems a bit slow at this price range.
Design:
Flat metal frame, IP68 dust and water resistance, and a new Glyph Matrix design that replaces the iconic Glyph lighting. It has 489 small LEDs which are used for notifications and progress bars.
Software:
Nothing OS 3.5 based on Android 15, with 5 years of Android updates and 7 years of security patches. This is a big plus point for long-term support.
Is this phone worth ₹80,000?
Now let’s talk about the real question – should Nothing Phone 3 be this expensive? When Nothing Phone 1 was launched for ₹32,000 and Phone 2 for ₹44,999, a sudden jump to ₹79,999 (12GB+256GB) and ₹89,999 (16GB+512GB) is shocking.
People on social media are angry about its pricing, and some are even saying that for this price you can get Samsung Galaxy S25 or OnePlus 13!
What’s the problem?
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is good, but at this price you get chipsets like Snapdragon 8 Elite or MediaTek Dimensity 9400. The use of OmniVision sensors in the camera seems a bit low. Charging speed is also stuck at 50W, while competitors offer 100W+.
What’s good?
Display, battery life, and long-term software updates are strong points of this phone. Glyph Matrix is a unique feature, and the clean, bloatware-free experience of Nothing OS is also appreciated.
Nothing’s Strategy: Premium or Overconfident?
Nothing CEO Carl Pei has said that this is their “first true flagship”, but why the price of ₹80,000? Here’s how:
Premium Branding:
Nothing is trying to make itself a lifestyle brand, like Apple did 10 years ago. They don’t want their phone to compete with Xiaomi or Realme in the budget segment. So they kept the price high to create a premium image. Read more about the strategy.
Global Focus:
Nothing is now focused on markets like Europe, USA, and Japan, where ₹80,000 ($799-$899) seems competitive. In India, this price seems a bit high as flagships from OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Samsung offer more in this range.
Limited Sales:
Nothing is probably knowingly selling limited units to maintain exclusivity. This is a risky move, but if it works, Nothing could become an aspirational brand.
But in India, where value-for-money is king, will people accept this price? People on social media are saying that if it were priced at ₹50,000-55,000, this phone would have been a hit.
Is this phone for you?
If you want a phone with a unique design, clean software, and long-term updates, the Nothing Phone 3 is an interesting option. But at ₹80,000, it seems a bit overpriced when compared to the OnePlus 13 or iQOO 13. This phone is for those who like the brand and aesthetic vibe of Nothing and are willing to pay a slightly premium price.
Pre-orders have started on Flipkart, and launch offers include a ₹5,000 discount. Visit our site for latest tech updates. Let us know in the comments, do you think this phone is worth ₹ 80,000 or overpriced?
