I’ve not had many points with efficiency. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 inside feels snappy nearly all over the place. Within the digicam app, you might even see some stutters or shutter lag, and that is the one space the place I felt that this telephone was geared up with a midrange processor. In all different respects, it feels simply as highly effective as a flagship, although intensive video games like Genshin Impression might not supply the very best graphics constancy.
I am glad to see Nothing stuff 256 GB of storage in right here—it is excessive time telephone producers began making this the default. Nothing has additionally beefed up the software program replace coverage with three Android OS updates and 6 years of safety updates, which is respectable, although Samsung is promising 6 years whole for each on its new Galaxy A collection telephones. Nothing will argue that Samsung is a megacorp whereas it’s a lowly startup. Truthful. I am simply glad to see these corporations rising software program assist yearly.
My solely complaints are the dearth of an IP68 ranking and wi-fi charging. Motorola simply debuted its funds Moto G Energy of 2025 a number of weeks in the past, and it sports activities an IP68 ranking for the primary time, to not point out it may wirelessly cost. The IP64 ranking on the Nothing telephones means they are going to be positive within the rain, however you may’t submerge them underwater, so watch out across the pool. It is arduous to ding the corporate too harshly for wi-fi charging because it’s nonetheless not too widespread on sub-$500 telephones, however that definitely appears to be altering. One thing to think about for the Telephone (4a).
The Glyph lights stay on the again. I nonetheless like these LEDs—they’ll mild as much as music, notifications, present the remaining time left on a timer, and extra. Do I discover them tremendously helpful? No, however they are a enjoyable contact that add a little bit of levity. It is a dialog starter.
Considerate AI Touches
There’s a new button on the Telephone (3a) collection: the Important Key. (Of no relation to the notorious Important Telephone.) Faucet it as soon as, and it’ll seize your display screen and allow you to add a voice or textual content notice to it. This shall be analyzed within the Important Area app by way of synthetic intelligence, extracting any helpful info out of the screenshot. It is much like Google’s Pixel Screenshots app, besides you may infuse your notes. You may as well press and maintain the button to document a voice notice—these are analyzed and saved as recollections, so you may come again to them later. If it detects you needed to behave on one thing, it’s going to generate a process. A double-tap of the button opens the Important Area app.
In comparison with how each different smartphone maker appears to be shoving the identical generic AI options down our throats—AI transcribing! Writing instruments! Summaries!—Nothing’s strategy right here is at the very least totally different. Initially, it took me a while to start out utilizing the function. I ended up unintentionally urgent the button a number of too many instances as a result of it is near the ability button (a textured button would’ve been sensible). However now I am slowly beginning to press it down and document a fast voice notice of one thing I wish to keep in mind or accomplish in a while.
These recollections are transcribed, summarized, with duties created on my behalf if that is what I needed. I can even play my audio clip and listen to myself immediately. That is paired with an Important Area widget, which is essential in reminding me about these duties and recollections.
That is Nothing’s first actual AI rodeo, and I had some qualms concerning the safety and privateness of all these private notes I am creating, so listed below are some solutions: Nothing says many of the knowledge in Important Area is saved in your gadget, just like the audio knowledge that is transformed to textual content. For the textual content and screenshot processing, this knowledge is shipped to Nothing’s servers (in France for international customers, India for Indian customers) and subsequently deleted. Another knowledge can also be uploaded to “enhance processing accuracy,” like time, time zone, and placement knowledge, although this is not saved. Nothing says this knowledge is just not used for promoting and isn’t shared with third events “past the scope of the service request.” That final bit refers back to the third-party corporations Nothing works with to allow Nothing AI’s performance, although the corporate declined to share precisely who its companions are.