Nothing Phone (1) is a powerful, good-looking mid-range Android phone. So how does it compare to Apple’s equivalent, the iPhone SE?
Nothing founder Carl Pei went head-to-head with Apple when it launched the first Nothing Phone, claiming that it and other tech giants are no longer innovating, and that Phone (1) is unique and unlike anything we’ve seen before. So, let’s put this claim to the test.
In this comparison, we compare Nothing Phone (1) to the iPhone SE 3. They’re nearly the same price; we’ll compare the two devices based on their build, cameras, memory, battery, performance, and display. Let’s have a look!
Dimensions and build quality
Without phone (1): 159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3 mm; 193.5 g; IP53 dust and water resistant
iPhone SE 3: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm; 144 g; IP67 dust and water resistant
iPhone SE 3 is smaller, thinner and lighter than Nothing Phone (1). The former has the same design as the iPhone 8, which means it has curved edges, an aluminum frame, huge bezels, and weaker glass protection. But at least you get an excellent IP67 dust and water resistance rating.
The fan-favorite Glyph interface LED on the back looks cool, but isn’t necessary from a purely functional standpoint. Neither device has an audio jack.
processor
No phone (1): Snapdragon 778G+ 5G; 6nm manufacturing; Adrenaline 642L GPU
iPhone SE 3: Apple A15 Bionic; 5nm manufacturing; Apple 4-core GPU
In terms of performance, the 5nm A15 Bionic chip on the iPhone SE 3 handily beats the 6nm Snapdragon 778+ chip on the Nothing Phone (1). For reference, the former scores over 700K on AnTuTu (v9), while the latter scores around 530K on the same benchmark.
Nothing Phone (1) won’t give you the same functionality, although it’s not a weak chip by any means. The Snapdragon 778G+ is well known among Android enthusiasts for its stable performance, high energy efficiency, and virtually no throttling.
camera
No phone (1): 50MP f/1.9 main resolution, 4K video with OIS, PDAF, and 30fps; 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (114-degree FoV); Front: 16MP f/2.5, 1080p video, 30fps.
iPhone SE 3: 12MP f/1.8 main, 4K video with OIS, PDAF, and 60fps; front: 7MP f/2.2, 1080p video, 120fps
Both phones feature optical image stabilization for crisp photos.
exhibit
no phone(1): 6.55-inch; organic light-emitting diode; 120Hz refresh rate; HDR10+ support; 1080 x 2400 resolution; 20:9 aspect ratio; 402 PPI; 500 nits brightness (1200 nits peak); Gorilla Glass 5; 85.8% screen-to-body ratio
iPhone SE 3: 4.7 inches; Retina IPS LCD; 60Hz refresh rate; 750 x 1334 resolution; 16:9 aspect ratio; 326 PPI; 625 nits brightness; 65.4% screen-to-body ratio
If we compare the displays, Nothing Phone (1) is the clear winner. It has a 6.55-inch adaptive 120Hz FHD OLED display with HDR10+ color and 1200 nits of peak brightness. It also has uniform bezels we’ve never seen on even the best mid-range Android phones.
RAM and storage
No phone (1): 8/12GB RAM; 128GB/256GB storage
iPhone SE 3: 4GB RAM; 64GB/128GB/256GB storage
You probably already know that iPhones are more efficient at RAM management, so don’t need it like Android phones. While this is true, the 4GB RAM you get on the iPhone SE 3 will still be lower than the 8GB RAM you get on the Nothing Phone (1).
Software excellence can only mask hardware flaws for so long. Multitasking would be easier on the Nothing Phone (1); that phone also has 128GB of storage on the base model, but the iPhone SE 3 starts at 64GB, and the 128GB version costs $479.
Battery
No phone (1): 4500mAh battery; 33W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging; 5W reverse wireless charging
iPhone SE 3: 2018mAh battery; 20W fast wired charging; 7.5W Qi wireless charging
Similar to the last point, iPhones consume less battery than Android phones, but the 2018mAh battery you get on the iPhone SE 3 will drain quickly, despite its efficiency, especially when you’re gaming. Thankfully, you get fast 20W wired and 7.5W wireless charging support.
In comparison, the 4500mAh battery on the Nothing Phone (1) lasts significantly longer and supports faster 33W wired and 15W wireless charging, as well as 5W reverse wireless charging.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Phone battery