Summary
Nothing’s phones aren’t the most premium, and yet they punch above their weight. They’re playing by a different set of rules, and I wish others did the same.
Nothing Isn’t Charging $1000 for Its Phones
Nothing’s phones come in two price tiers. There’s the company’s flagship model, the mainline Nothing Phone series. Then there’s the lower-cost line, the Nothing Phone “a” series. The company’s Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro are part of the latter line, with the regular Nothing Phone (3) expected later this year.
The company’s flagship may be the best it has to offer, but the phone still comes for significantly less than $1000. TheNothing Phone (2)currently retails for $700, less than the Samsung Galaxy S25 and not far from half the price of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It’s a premium phone, but it’s far from the top of the market.
This is a space that Google Pixel phones used to occupy, back when a Pixel was a great way to get high-end specs without spending Apple or Samsung dollars. Now only thePixel 8asits in the price range of a Nothing phone. Most other high-end phones, be they specialty gaming phones like theASUS ROG Phone 9or the latest Xperia phone from Sony, surprisingly cost more than Apple and Samsung.
Outside the US, there is more competition among premium midrange phones. In the States, what Nothing’s doing actually feels novel. We need more good phones in this price range.
Each Brand Doesn’t Need to Compete at Every Price
Not only doesn’t Nothing race toward the top. The company isn’t racing to the bottom, either. Just like the how Nothing Phone (2) is several hundred dollars under a grand, the Nothing Phone (3a)’s $380 price tag means that while it’s a more affordable phone, it’s not a cheap one. This is almost twice the price of something likethe $200 Galaxy A16 5G.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G
The Galaxy A16 5G is a no-frills budget phone with a vibrant OLED display, refined software, and a respectable 5,000mAh battery. It will also get six major Android OS updates.
Nothing has made its home in the middle of the market. This sets it apart from Motorola. I loved my Moto Edge+ 2023, the company’s last flagship to release in the US, which I oftenconnected to a lapdock. It was every bit as powerful as more expensive phones and cost as much as a Nothing Phone. Yet when most people think of Motorola, they think of the cheaper Moto G, unless they’re talking about foldables.
Even Samsung, whose most premium phones cost more than Apple’s, has a mixed reputation. Some people grew up with a low-end Galaxy Tab and have thought of Galaxy devices as inferior ever since.
Pick Your Lane and Stay in It
By contrast, Nothing isn’t trying to build a phone for everyone. If you want the absolute best hardware available in a phone, well, there’s nothing to see here. If you’re looking for the best price, you can also move along.
Nothing is a phone that competes less on specs and more on style. It’s for people who want a phone that looks different from all the rest. These are phones with transparent backs and flashing lights. They come with a distinct, black and white interface—app icons included. These are the kind of things you can do when you’re not afraid to put some customers off, because these are the kind of things that absolutely do put some customers off.
Are these the devices you buy if you need to head into work with a suit and tie? Will pulling one out on a first date convince someone that you’re mature. This isn’t the phone for anyone who prefers their devices to be subtle, in any sense of the word.
These are fun, quirky phones for people who don’t mind if other people know that they have a funky phone. If you want a phone like this, there’s nothing else to pick from other than Nothing.
With Clear Focus Comes a Compelling Product
My phone, a Galaxy Z Fold 6, has a sticker price that is over five times the price of the Nothing Phone (3a) and four times that of the (3a) Pro (no,I did not spend that much on my phone). It’s not often that I look at a phone this much cheaper than my own with actual envy. But I do. Part of me really wants this phone.
Nothing’s clear focus isn’t just present in its hardware and its theming. Notice how the company isn’t boasting about AI-powered chatbots, image generation, or its ability to write your email. It’s a phone that does regular phone stuff but is cute about it. That’s more than enough for many of us.
Will I buy a Nothing Phone? I can’t. My specific usecases meanI’m currently locked into Samsung hardware. But if I were back in college or just starting out again with a much more restricted budget, I could see this topping my list. In a sea of same-y phones, there’s nothing quite like it.
