Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13 vs Galaxy S25: Which is the Best Android Flagship in 2025?

The Nothing Phone 3 recently made its debut in India and globally. However, unlike any Nothing handset before it, the Phone 3 debuted as the company's first 'true flagship', with a premium price tag.

However, this puts the Phone 3 up against premium opposition. In India, the Nothing Phone 3 will face stiff competition from the likes of the OnePlus 13 (Review) and the Galaxy S25. So how does the Nothing Phone 3 fare when pitted against the big boys; let's find out!

Nothing Phone 3 vs OnePlus 13 vs Galaxy S25: Comparison

Design & Build

While the Galaxy S25 and OnePlus 13 follow a more traditional design, the Nothing Phone 3 is anything but traditional with its unique back panel and Glyph Matrix Interface, which is now a small circular screen on the top right. Additionally, the Phone 3 also has a pressure sensitive button on the back that let's you control functions on the rear screen.

All three phones feature glass rear panels, although the Galaxy S25 uses tougher Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, while the OnePlus 13 also comes in a vegan leather option. All three phones also have metal frames and IP68 resistance to dust and water.

Finally, the OnePlus 13 uses Ceramic Shield glass protection on the front. On the flip side, the S25 and Phone 3 use Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Gorilla Glass 7i, respectively, the latter of which is utilized on mid-range smartphones. While the Nothing Phone 3 has always stood out in terms of design, the vegan leather finish option of the OnePlus 13 looks the most elegant and stylish of the trio.

Display

All three smartphones in this comparison feature 120Hz OLED displays, although a deeper look into the specifications reveals a few key differences. It is worth noting that the Galaxy S25 and OnePlus 13 use LTPO panels, while the Phone 3 settles for an LTPS screen. It is worth noting that this difference doesn't have an impact on display quality, just the adaptive refresh rate.

Moreover, the OnePlus 13 and Nothing Phone 3 can achieve a maximum outdoor brightness of 1,600 nits, although the Galaxy S25 is slightly lower. Finally, both the Phone 3 and OnePlus 13's displays can hit a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, while the Galaxy S25 maxes out at 2,600 nits. In terms of overall quality, the OnePlus 13's display stands out from the rest thanks to its Dolby Vision support and higher QHD+ resolution.

Performance

In terms of performance, both the Galaxy S25 and OnePlus 13 use the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, although in our testing the latter came out on top while gaming. Moreover, the size of the OnePlus 13 also offers more room for cooling. On the other hand, the Nothing Phone 3 uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, which sits just below the SD 8 Elite SoC.

While the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is capable of handling most demanding tasks with ease, it is often found on sub-35K smartphones, which is less than half the price of the Nothing Phone 3. On balance, the Phone 3 definitely compromises on performance.

Cameras

For optics, the Galaxy S25 features a triple-camera setup, including a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL (S5K) GN3 primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.8 aperture, a 12MP Sony IMX564 ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 10MP Samsung ISOCELL (S5K)3K1 telephoto shooter with OIS, an f/2.4 aperture, and 3x optical zoom. Up front, the Galaxy S25 opts for a 12MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

Moving on to the OnePlus 13, which comes with a 50MP Sony LYT-808 primary senor with an f/1.6 aperture and OIS support, a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5 ultrawide lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and a 50MP Sony LYT-600 periscope shooter with an f/2.65 aperture, OIS, and 3x optical zoom. Up front, the OnePlus 13 features a 32MP Sony IMX615 selfie camera.

Finally, the Nothing Phone 3 also opts for a triple-camera setup that includes a 50MP OV50H primary sensor with an f/1.68 aperture and OIS, a 50MP Samsung JN1 ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 50MP Samsung JN5 periscope lens with 3x optical zoom and an f/2.68 aperture. On the front, the Phone (3) gets a 50MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

While all three smartphones-Samsung Galaxy S25, OnePlus 13, and Nothing Phone (3)-feature a triple-camera setup, the OnePlus 13 clearly leads the pack in terms of raw camera hardware. It boasts three high-resolution 50MP sensors across the primary, ultrawide, and periscope cameras, leveraging Sony's premium LYT and IMX sensors for superior imaging capabilities. The 32MP front camera further adds to its well-rounded photography arsenal, making it the most versatile shooter of the trio.

That said, the Nothing Phone (3) deserves recognition for delivering an impressive setup in its own right. With three 50MP sensors, including a capable periscope lens and a high-resolution 50MP selfie camera, it punches well above its weight and continues Nothing's trend of surprising premium camera offerings.

Samsung's Galaxy S25, while slightly behind in hardware with a mix of Samsung and Sony sensors and lower overall megapixel counts, is expected to compensate with advanced computational photography. Samsung's image processing, especially in low light and dynamic range optimization, remains among the best in the industry.

Ultimately, for those prioritizing camera hardware above all else, the OnePlus 13 stands out as the clear winner in this comparison.

Battery

The OnePlus 13's 6,000 mAh cell gives it a clear advantage in this comparison. Moreover, OnePlus also uses the latest silicon carbon technology in their battery, which is slimmer and runs cooler than the batteries on traditional smartphones. The Nothing Phone 3 is not far behind with its 5,500 mAh cell, while the Galaxy S25 falls short of the mark with its 4,000 mAh battery capacity.

In terms of charging speed, OnePlus has an edge in terms of both wired and wireless charging support. Moreover, the OnePlus 13 also comes with a wired charging adapter in the box. While the Nothing Phone 3 also supports surprisingly fast wired charging, the same cannot be said about its wireless charging support, while the S25 charges relatively slow for a 2025 smartphone.

Software

While all three phones run the latest Android 15 operating system, they all feature their own unique software skins on top. While Samsung's OneUI is the most consistent in terms of update frequency and customization, Nothing OS offers a more minimalist approach with minimal bloatware. OxygenOS on the OnePlus 13 also offers a clean, yet customizable interface.

Additionally, all three phones come with a ton of AI features, although Nothing's Essential Key makes them a lot easier to access. OxygenOS is generally considered the best among the three due to its combination of smooth performance, extensive features, and a clean, bloatware-free user interface that closely resembles stock Android while offering more customization and useful tools than NothingOS.

While Samsung's OneUI stands out for its premium design, advanced features, and highly polished animations, especially in its latest versions, OxygenOS consistently delivers faster system speed and smoother multitasking. On the flip side, Samsung and Nothing offer better long-term software support than OnePlus.

Pricing

Nothing Phone 3 Price in India:

• 12GB/256GB @ Rs 79,999
• 16GB/512GB @ Rs 89,999

OnePlus 13 Price in India:

• 12GB/256GB @ Rs 69,999
• 16GB/512GB @ Rs 76,999

Samsung Galaxy S25 Price in India:

• 12GB/128GB @ Rs 74,999
• 12GB/256GB @ Rs 80,999
• 12GB/512GB @ Rs 92,999

Nothing Phone 3 vs Galaxy S25 vs OnePlus 13: Conclusion

OnePlus 13: The OnePlus 13 delivers a complete flagship experience with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, triple 50MP cameras, QHD+ LTPO display, and a 6,000mAh battery. It excels in performance, display quality, and fast charging. OxygenOS adds to the appeal with its clean yet feature-rich interface. Minor trade-offs include slightly shorter software support.

Nothing Phone 3: Nothing's boldest phone yet impresses with its unique Glyph Interface, standout design, and triple 50MP camera setup. It also features a sharp OLED display and good battery life. However, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip limits its flagship potential, and its premium pricing makes it less competitive against better-equipped rivals.

Samsung Galaxy S25: The Galaxy S25 is polished and reliable, with top-tier software (OneUI), excellent build quality, and refined computational photography. However, it lags behind in hardware specs, including battery capacity, charging speeds, and camera resolution, especially for the price.

Considering the balanced mix of cutting-edge hardware, efficient software, and competitive pricing, the OnePlus 13 stands out as the best overall choice among the three.