Nokia G42 5G vs Nothing Phone 3
The Verdict
The Nokia G42 5G and Nothing Phone 3 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Nokia G42 5G is the cheaper of the two at $249 versus $799, a difference of about $550. The Nothing Phone 3 is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Nokia G42 5G stands out for three years of os updates and three years of security patches, 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 Nokia G42 5G if…
- →Three years of OS updates and three years of security patches
- →Repairability-focused design with easily replaceable parts
- →100% recycled plastic back for environmental sustainability
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
Nokia G42 5G
Pros
- Three years of OS updates and three years of security patches
- Repairability-focused design with easily replaceable parts
- 100% recycled plastic back for environmental sustainability
- 5G connectivity at a budget $249 price
- 5000 mAh battery provides multi-day endurance
Cons
- HD+ resolution is pixelated on the 6.56-inch screen
- Snapdragon 480+ is underpowered for demanding tasks
- 2 MP macro and depth cameras are useless
- Only 20W charging is very slow for the 5000 mAh battery
- 8 MP front camera produces soft selfies
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 | Nokia G42 5G | Nothing Phone 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 13 | Android 15, Nothing OS 3.5 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 193 g | 218 g |
| Material | 100% recycled plastic back, repairable design | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus back |
| IP rating | IP52 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 164.6 x 75.8 x 8.5 mm | 160.6 x 75.6 x 9.0 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, PDAF | 50 MP, f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.3", OIS, PDAF |
| Depth | 2 MP, f/2.4 | — |
| Front camera | 8 MP, f/2.0 | 50 MP, f/2.2 |
| Macro | 2 MP, f/2.4 | — |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps |
| Telephoto | — | 50 MP, f/2.7, 3x optical zoom, periscope, OIS |
| Ultrawide | — | 50 MP, f/2.2, 114-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB / 6 GB | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5150 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 65W wired |
| Wireless charging | No | 15W wireless, 5W reverse |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.56 inches | 6.67 inches |
| Type | IPS LCD | OLED, HDR10+ |
| Resolution | 1612 x 720 | 1260 x 2800 |
| Refresh rate | 90Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 450 | 4500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz + 6x1.9 GHz) | Octa-core (1x3.21 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x3.0 GHz A720 + 2x2.8 GHz A720 + 2x2.0 GHz A720) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 825 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 7 (tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 6.0 |
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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 Nokia products or all Nothing products. View full details for the Nokia G42 5G or the Nothing Phone 3.