The Nothing Phone (3) debuted in July as the brand’s first true ‘flagship’. Priced at Rs 79,999, it immediately drew criticism for omitting a top-tier chipset, despite its premium tag. Nothing defended the move, saying the phone wasn’t aimed at a market like India, as most criticism came from Indian users, where the brand enjoys strong popularity.
Now, hardly three months later, Nothing is rolling out a massive Rs 45,000 discount on the Phone (3), bringing the price down to Rs 34,999, which is likely the lowest you’ll ever see it. The catch? The offer is exclusive to existing Phone (1) and Phone (2) users.
How does the offer work?
This is basically an upgrade offer for the Nothing Phone (3) and not a flat discount on its price. Anyone who has a Phone (1) or Phone (2) can exchange their device and get the Phone (3) for Rs 34,999 only. The 12GB + 256GB variant is available at Rs 34,999, and the 16GB + 512GB variant at Rs 44,999. The offer isn’t live yet and is expected to work during the upcoming Flipkart Big Billion Days sale from September 23rd. You will have to enter the IMEI number of your eligible Nothing device to access the discount code through nothing.tech or Flipkart.
Why does this deal make sense?
If we simply talk about the discount, then that might seem like reason enough to purchase the phone since the price is going down by Rs 45,000, and that too on a new phone. But the catch here is that it’s only available as an upgrade offer, and not for other regular buyers. So if you’re a Phone (1) or Phone (2) user, there isn’t a better time to upgrade to the latest Phone (3). It makes more sense for Phone (1) users, especially, as the device will not get OS upgrades anymore, including Android 16. Security updates will continue through 2026, but beyond that, there won’t be any support. Even the Phone (2) will get Android 16 as the last major OS update, while security updates will continue through 2027.
What does the Nothing Phone (3) have to offer?
The Nothing Phone (3) (review) features a 6.67-inch AMOLED LTPS display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. It delivers vibrant colours, sharp visuals, and impressive outdoor brightness at 4,500 nits, all packed within slim bezels and a comfortably large screen. Its design is somewhat unconventional even for a Nothing phone with an asymmetrical camera setup. You still get a unique look with the Phone (3) and redesigned Glyph LED lights, now in a circular display with some quirky features.
The Nothing Phone (3) sports a versatile setup with a 50MP main camera (OIS), a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical and 6x lossless zoom (OIS), a 50MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 50MP selfie camera, all capable of 4K video at 60fps. The main sensor delivers impressive shots, though sharpness and detail take a hit when you zoom in. Daylight images are bright and vibrant, but high-contrast scenes often see blown-out shadows. The 3x telephoto macro works well for still subjects, but struggles with movement. Beyond 3x, image quality drops sharply, with 6x and higher producing soft, grainy results. Low-light photos are usable with enough ambient light, though zoom again highlights the lack of clarity.
If we compare the Nothing Phone (3) with a flagship equivalent, such as the iPhone 16, the former falls short in key areas. However, at its effective offer price of Rs 34,999, the Phone (3) easily matches up with rivals in the same segment.
Nothing’s chipset choice for the Phone (3) was quite disappointing, as the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is found in phones under Rs 40,000. That said, the 8s Gen 4 is a great chipset in itself, but at this price point, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is what anyone would expect. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 manages to perform impressively on benchmarks, even topping the iPhone 16, but understandably falling behind 8 Elite phones. But you’re still getting a phone that offers smooth and lag-free daily usage with consistent frame rates around 60fps and excellent thermal efficiency while gaming.
Nothing’s software is another area where the Phone (3) shines, as you’re getting one of the cleanest custom skins available. You get several customisations, but with a minimal look. While you may not get a suite of AI features like what Samsung or Apple offers, you do get the AI-powered app, Essential Space, that intelligently stores and organises screenshots, voice memo recordings, and other content through the dedicated Essential Key. What’s more? Nothing is providing five major OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. So you’re sorted for a long time.
Nothing Phone (3)’s 5,500mAh battery easily lasted for two days with typical usage, and the 65W fast charging should get you a full charge in around an hour. For its original flagship price, this setup is great among rivals like the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25. However, at its sale price, you can get phones like the POCO F7 and Realme GT 7 with 7,000mAh batteries and up to 120W fast charging. You’re still getting a pretty good battery life with the Phone (3), so unless you’re someone who’s extensively using the phone, you should be fine.
Final thoughts
The Nothing Phone (3) isn’t a perfect flagship. Its cameras struggle in some areas, and the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 feels underwhelming for its original Rs 79,999 tag. But at the current discounted price of Rs 34,999, the story changes.
You still get a premium 6.67-inch AMOLED LTPS panel with 120Hz refresh rate, a versatile triple-50MP camera setup with 4K60fps recording, smooth day-to-day performance with efficient thermals, clean and minimal software, and a 5,500mAh battery that lasts two days, along with 65W fast charging.
For users of the Phone (1) or Phone (2), the Phone (3) is now a sensible upgrade as it refines the design, adds telephoto zoom, doubles down on battery life, and keeps the Nothing software experience intact. Right now, Phone (3) delivers a strong all-round package in the premium-mid segment, where it easily makes sense.
