The Nothing Phone 3 has arrived, boldly claimed by the brand as its “first true flagship”—and priced to match at ₹79,999. But in India, a country that crowned the OnePlus 13 as the go-to premium Android device, this claim demands scrutiny. Carl Pei, the man behind both brands, now watches his two creations clash in a spec-for-spec duel. Is the Phone 3 a breakthrough or just a flashy rival that misses the value mark?
Design and Display: Flash vs Finesse
Nothing Phone 3 brings a bold, head-turning aesthetic with its upgraded Glyph Matrix, featuring 489 LEDs and playful new tools like Glyph Toys and a customizable Glyph Button. It’s made to impress. In contrast, the OnePlus 13 plays it sleek and minimal, with a vegan leather finish and a classic circular Hasselblad camera module—less playful, more professional.
When it comes to display, the OnePlus 13 dominates with a 6.82-inch 2K+ LTPO AMOLED panel, Dolby Vision support, and ceramic glass protection. The Nothing Phone 3’s 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED is no slouch, offering HDR10+ and 4500 nits brightness, but the resolution and premium touch favor OnePlus.
Power, Cameras & Pricing: Who Delivers More?
Under the hood, the OnePlus 13 wins on raw performance with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 Elite chip and up to 24GB RAM. The Nothing Phone 3, powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, leans more toward upper mid-range specs, making its ₹79,999 price tag hard to justify against OnePlus’ ₹69,999 base model.
On the camera front, both phones offer triple-lens setups with 50MP sensors, but the OnePlus 13’s Hasselblad tuning and proven Sony sensors offer better consistency on paper. Battery-wise, OnePlus also edges out with faster 100W charging and a larger 6000mAh cell versus Nothing’s 5500mAh battery with 65W charging.
In the end, while Nothing Phone 3 dazzles with innovation and style, the OnePlus 13 stands tall as the true flagship killer—better performance, sharper display, and a more justified price tag for Indian buyers.
Also Read: iPhone 17 Pro Max Tipped to Break Battery Barrier — First iPhone to Hit 5,000 mAh?
