Apple iPhone 16 vs Nothing Phone 3
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 16 and Nothing Phone 3 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. Both launched at roughly the same price ($799 vs $799), so cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor. The Nothing Phone 3 is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 16 stands out for a18 chip enables apple intelligence, while Nothing Phone 3 is praised for unique glyph interface design with customizable led patterns. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 16 if…
- →A18 chip enables Apple Intelligence
- →New Camera Control button
- →Compact and lightweight design
Buy the Nothing Phone 3 if…
- →Unique Glyph Interface design with customizable LED patterns
- →50 MP triple camera with 3x periscope telephoto
- →Clean Nothing OS with 5 years of Android upgrades
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 16
Pros
- A18 chip enables Apple Intelligence
- New Camera Control button
- Compact and lightweight design
- Improved 48 MP main camera
- Strong battery life for its size
Cons
- Still 60Hz display in 2024
- USB-C limited to USB 2.0 speeds
- No telephoto lens
- No always-on display
Nothing Phone 3
Pros
- Unique Glyph Interface design with customizable LED patterns
- 50 MP triple camera with 3x periscope telephoto
- Clean Nothing OS with 5 years of Android upgrades
- 65W fast charging and 15W wireless charging
- IP68 water and dust resistance
Cons
- 218g is on the heavier side
- USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.x
- Camera post-processing behind top flagships
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 | Nothing Phone 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 18 | Android 15, Nothing OS 3.5 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 170 g | 218 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm | 160.6 x 75.6 x 9.0 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 50 MP, f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.3", OIS, PDAF |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 50 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 4K@30/60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP, f/2.2, 114-degree |
| Telephoto | — | 50 MP, f/2.7, 3x optical zoom, periscope, OIS |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3561 mAh | 5150 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 65W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W wireless, 5W reverse |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.67 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | OLED, HDR10+ |
| Resolution | 2556 x 1179 | 1260 x 2800 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 4500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core (1x3.21 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x3.0 GHz A720 + 2x2.8 GHz A720 + 2x2.0 GHz A720) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Adreno 825 |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 (tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6.0 |
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Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in phones, see all Apple products or all Nothing products. View full details for the Apple iPhone 16 or the Nothing Phone 3.
