Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Which is the 'one true flagship' in India?

Carl Pei and co. have just announced the Nothing Phone 3, hailing it as the 'first true flagship' from the UK-based smartphone brand. Priced at ₹79,999 in India, this is the first time that a Nothing smartphone is going toe-to-toe with premium smartphones in the country. But can it compete with the original 'flagship killer' of the Indian smartphone market, i.e. the OnePlus 13?  

Carl Pei was also the brains behind that identity of OnePlus devices. So, how does the new Nothing Phone 3 compete with the OnePlus 13? Let's find out in this comparison. 

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Design

Nothing has always focused heavily on its visual aesthetics, and the Phone 3 is no different. Gone are the standard Glyph LEDs on the back, which are now upgraded with a Glyph Matrix that includes 489 LEDs and a new Glyph Button, supporting app shortcuts, visual alerts, and playful “Glyph Toys” like Rock-Paper-Scissors, Magic 8 Ball and more.

OnePlus 13, on the other hand, is like a traditional flagship. While it does come with a vegan leather option, it pales in comparison to the bells and whistles of the Nothing Phone 3. There aren't any flashy LEDs or toys on the back. It has a circular camera module with a Hasselblad logo next to it and the OnePlus logo in the middle. 

Overall, if you want a head-turner design, Nothing Phone 3 is the obvious choice. 

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Display

Nothing Phone 3 comes with a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 30-120Hz refresh rate. It is HDR10+ certified with up to 4500 nits peak brightness. It also has Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection. 

OnePlus 13 features a larger 6.82-inch 2K+ LTPO AMOLED display. It has a 1-120Hz refresh rate, and can go all the way up to 4500 nits peak brightness. The panel is also Dolby Vision certified and has Crystal Shield super ceramic glass protection. 

OnePlus 13 seemingly looks like the premium offering in terms of display quality. 

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Performance

While Nothing is calling it a true flagship, the phone doesn't come with the usual flagship specs. The Nothing Phone 3 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, something we also see in smartphones like iQOO Neo 10 and Poco F7, both of which are priced at ₹31,999, much lower than the Nothing Phone 3. Besides this, the Nothing Phone 3 comes in 12GB and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM options.

OnePlus 13 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is the latest flagship SoC from Qualcomm, and more in line with other flagship Android devices from the likes of Samsung, iQOO and others. It also supports up to 24GB LPDDR5X RAM. 

In terms of raw power, it is clear that the OnePlus 13 has an upper hand.

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Battery

Nothing Phone 3 ships with a 5500mAh silicon-carbon battery, with support for 65W fast wired charging and 15W wireless charging. It also has 5W reverse wireless charging.

OnePlus 13 has a larger 6000mAh battery, which also charges faster at 100W. The phone also has 50W wireless charging. 

Once again, the OnePlus 13 comes out on top with a larger battery and faster charging speed. 

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Camera

Nothing Phone 3 sports a triple camera setup in a rather odd-looking shape, with a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.3″ OV50H sensor, another 50MP 114-degree ultra-wide camera with 1/2.76″ JN1 sensor, and a third 50MP 1/2.75″ JN5 3x periscope telephoto. It also has a 50MP front camera for selfies, which can also record videos at 4K 60fps. 

OnePlus 13 also comes with a triple rear camera in a more traditional-looking shape. It has a 50MP rear camera with 1/1.4″ Sony LYT-808 sensor, a second 50MP 114-degree ultra-wide camera with 1/1.27″ Samsung JN1 sensor, and a 50MP 1/1.95″ LYT600 periscope telephoto camera. The front camera is only a 32MP Sony IMX615 sensor. 

While Nothing Phone 3 features a larger primary sensor, OnePlus has used a more tried-and-tested Sony LYT-808 that's very capable. Moreover, the OnePlus 13 also features Hasselblad tuning, giving it that extra edge on paper compared to the Nothing Phone 3. 

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13: Price

Nothing Phone 3 is priced at ₹79,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model and the 16GB + 512GB model costs ₹89,999. However, the starting price can come down to ₹62,999 and ₹72,999 with bank offers and exchange offers.

OnePlus 13 costs ₹69,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model, ₹76,999 for the 16GB + 512GB model, and the top-end 24GB + 1TB (Black Eclipse only) model costs ₹89,999.

Since its launch, Nothing Phone 3 has been heavily criticised for being overpriced, especially in a price-sensitive market like India. While the offers do bring the price down, it still lacks the value-for-money feeling that most Indians crave. In terms of the spec-sheet alone, it feels like the OnePlus 13 is a clear winner, especially at a much lower price. 

Only time will tell whether the Nothing Phone 3 appeals to the Indian smartphone buyer.