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News

Graphics cards with SSD slots are becoming more popular, but I fail to understand why these products actually exist - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 17:14
  • Mounting SSDs on a GPU limits your ability to upgrade graphics and storage independently
  • Shared PCIe bandwidth creates more complications than benefits for most desktop system builders
  • Colorful iGame Ultra mid-range GPU is trying to do too much with too little justification

Colorful has revealed a curious hybrid product at Bilibili World 2025: a graphics card from its iGame Ultra series which features two M.2 SSD slots mounted directly onto the PCB.

The integration of storage and graphics processing may appear efficient for compact systems, but it raises questions about practicality and long-term value.

Colorful has not confirmed the GPU’s architecture, although observers believe it is based on Nvidia’s GB206 or GB207 silicon, possibly aligning with the RTX 5050 or 5060.

An integrated approach to graphics and storage

This configuration positions the card firmly in the mid-range category, far from what most would consider the best GPU tier.

The standout feature of this card is the presence of dual M.2 SSD slots on its backside, near the I/O bracket, allowing users to install drives without separate cabling.

These slots are supported by mounting points for heatsinks and are cooled by the same dual-fan system that manages the GPU itself.

By using PCIe bifurcation, the card splits a single x16 slot into eight lanes for graphics and four lanes each for the SSDs.

This setup aims to preserve bandwidth for both functions while reducing the need for additional expansion cards.

For builders working with limited motherboard M.2 slots or compact ITX cases, this could seem like a space-saving solution.

The cooling arrangement also suggests that SSD thermals will be actively managed under load - however, the benefits of this layout may not justify the compromises.

Attaching storage directly to a GPU introduces additional layers of complexity in system configuration, including BIOS support, lane sharing, and upgrade constraints.

Storage and graphics are typically upgraded on separate timelines, and combining them on a single board limits that flexibility.

Visually, the card adopts a clean, matte-white aesthetic that stands apart from the more common darker GPU designs.

While this may appeal to custom PC builders who prioritize appearance, the core performance considerations remain unchanged.

The SSD slots are unlikely to support the largest SSD capacities or deliver the best SSD speeds on the market, and the GPU itself, based on its probable architecture, is not aimed at top-tier performance.

This puts the product in a narrow use case, offering integration without delivering leadership in either category.

As of now, the company has not provided detailed specifications or pricing, and without this information, the card appears more experimental than practical.

This device is technically interesting, but it is not yet clear why such a product needs to exist beyond novelty.

For users who care about maximizing storage capacity, pursuing the best GPU performance, or building for future flexibility, this design may offer more limitations than advantages.

Via Guru3d

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You can now experience Disneyland’s biggest rides at home, thanks to Disney+ - and there's a Star Wars one I'm going to keep watching - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 18:36
  • You can celebrate Disneyland's 70th at home via Disney+
  • The streaming service has released 16 new Park POVs
  • You can ride Radiator Spring Racers, Rise of the Resistance, and countless other attractions in exceptional quality

Disney Parks around the world are a whole host of fun, but what if I told you that you could experience and ‘ride’ some of the best attractions at Disneyland right from the comfort of your home? Well, that’s a possibility now for a handful of the best attractions, including classics and more modern debuts, as there are full ride POVs on Disney+.

These pro-shot, excellently edited ride-alongs for some of the most popular attractions at the original Disney park dropped this week in honor of the 70th anniversary of Disneyland, the same day the Walt Disney animatronic made its official debut. It’s also a massive expansion as Disney dropped a ride-along for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance for May the 4th, just a few weeks back.

This is a much bigger drop, though, providing anyone with a Disney+ account a taste of Disneyland. 16 more ‘Parks POVs’ as the streamer puts it, have arrived, covering classics like Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain to Radiator Springs Racers and a walk-through of Cars land. The total of Park POVs is now at 17.

(Image credit: Disneyland)

Whether you’re someone who frequents the parks, doesn’t go that often, or are in the lead-up to a visit, these are all pretty great. And the quality also bests what we’ve had on YouTube for years – you have the best seat with a camera in a rig (likely) right in the front row, and it’s all edited well, even turning to view something as you might on the ride.

Disney shot all of these with either a Sony FX6, RED Raptor, or a Ronin 4D, and the decision was made based on the attraction or land that was captured. The Sony FX6 was great in low-light scenarios, likely Rise of the Resistance and Cars Land. Regardless of the camera, these were mixed and mastered at UHD quality with HDR and SDR, with audio either in 5.1 or 2.0.

Even though it’s not particularly brand new this drop, I’d start with Rise of the Resistance, whether or not you're a Star Wars fan. It’s a tour-de-force of an attraction that combines multiple ride systems and, let’s be clear, join the resistance. After that, you can roam around Galaxy’s Edge West – aka Batuu – and might just encounter a Stormtrooper or two.

(Image credit: Disney+)

All of these Parks POV are captured when the parks are empty as well, so you really get the feeling of a front row seat to the experience. After a trip into far, far away, I’d take a ride on Route 66 and check out Radiator Spring Racers – this is one of my favorite rides in all of Disney’s California Adventure.

You can see just how good the environment that Walt Disney Imagineering made, as the course really puts you into the film Cars – you can also stream that on one of the best streaming services, Disney+ – and after that, you can even mosey down the main boulevard of Radiator Springs and see the whole place come to life.

(Image credit: Disney+)

Also captured here with this drop of 16 Disneyland Park POVs are Pirates of the Caribbean – complete with an extra drop that Disney World doesn’t have – Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise with a skipper just for yourself, Indiana Jones Adventure, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and even a walk down Main Street U.S.A.

Here’s a full list of the Park POVs dropped for Disneyland’s 70th on Disney+:

  • 70th Celebration Nighttime Spectaculars
  • Avengers Campus
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Cars Land
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Hollywood Land
  • Indiana Jones Adventure
  • Incredicoaster
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Main Street, U.S.A.
  • Mickey's ToonTown
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Pixar Pal-A-Round
  • Radiator Springs Racers
  • Soarin' Around the World
  • Tiana's Bayou Adventure

I watched a good few of these already, and can share that they were a hit with my nieces as well. So, definitely fun for the whole family, and I especially like that it brings a bit of the Disney Parks into your home with excellent quality.

The super-cut of the new nighttime spectaculars, including 'Paint the Night' and 'It's Wondrous', is a really nice touch. You can read more about those and other elements of the 70th celebration for Disneyland here.

Let’s just hope there are more of these coming. I, for one, would love to see Guardians of the Galaxy, Tower of Terror, or Kilimanjaro Safaris from Disney World.

You can read more about Walt Disney - A Magical Life and our first thoughts on the new animatronic here. And if you're anything like me, here are eight new shows to watch soon on Hulu and Disney+.

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No More Juggling Multiple Clickers. I Finally Found a Universal Remote That Does It All - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 19:48
I reviewed the Sofabaton U2 and gave it a CNET Editors' Choice Award. Right now you can get it for 31% off, or get the step-up X1S model for a 22% discount.
The Best Cotton Sheets I've Used Are 20% Off Right Now - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 19:56
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UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 -- Everything to Know to Watch via Livestream - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 21:00
Much anticipated trilogy clash sees "The Diamond" looking to go out in style.
AI is tricking people into traveling to places that don't exist, and we all need to learn to avoid these scams - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 20:00

An unfortunate couple excitedly traveled for hours for a chance to take a mountaintop cable car called the Kuak Skyride. They’d seen it online, complete with smiling tourists gliding along and a TV journalist narrating the whole video.

However, when the couple arrived, there was nothing but a small town and confused locals unaware of what they were talking about. Turns out it was all an AI-generated video that they had believed was real. That story, detailed in a report by Fast Company, sounds like it would be unique, but I suspect it's something everyone will have to consider when perusing the internet for ideas of things to buy or places to visit.

A small logo in the corner of the video indicates the video was made with Veo 3, Google’s newest AI video engine, and it's hardly the only indicator that the video is made with AI. The appearance of the people and the structures all has that AI sheen of unreality to it. However, if you're not well-versed in deepfakes or looking for the signs, you might not have noticed, as it would seem silly to be suspicious of a well-made tourist video.

However, our new reality is that AI can now sell you not just a product, but a place – and that place might never have existed before. Slightly wrong spelling and suspicious URLs are practically quaint in comparison. It wasn’t even clear whether the video was malicious or just someone’s misguided attempt at content creation. It’s easy to roll your eyes and say, it would never happen to you. But we all have blind spots. And AI is getting really good at aiming for them.

This is obviously a much more problematic use of AI video than showing cats as Olympic divers. Still, the necessity of really paying attention to spot the clues of an AI creation is universal.

AI travel tricks

We’re past the visual age of trust. In the AI era, even seeing is just the beginning of the vetting process. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should abandon all travel plans. However, it does mean that the average person now needs a new kind of consumer savvy, calibrated not just for Nigerian princes and surprise crypto pitches, but for video illusions and AI travel influencers who can go places no human can follow.

And that's before considering real places with review sections flooded by AI-written, fake testimonials extolling places, almost certainly with AI-generated exaggerations of things to do that don't exist outside of their own hallucinations.

Dealing with it might mean having to be suspicious of things that look too good to be true. You might need to cross-check multiple sources to see if they all agree that something is real. Maybe a reverse image search or public social media post search would be necessary. And when it comes to images and videos, make sure they aren't too perfect. If no one is frowning or sneezing in a crowd shot, I'd be wary about its reality.

It's unfortunate. I don't like the idea of seeing a beautiful location in a video and doubting its reality instead of planning a trip there. But maybe that’s the price of living in a world where anyone can make realistic illusions of almost-real worlds. But you'll need to do more to ensure you're headed somewhere with a foundation that's more than just pixels and algorithms.

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Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 19 - Friday, July 18, 2025 - 22:18
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 19.
How to Watch Australia vs. British & Irish Lions From Anywhere: Stream 1st Test Rugby Union for Free - Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 03:00
Andy Farrell's Lions get their three-match series against the Wallabies underway in Brisbane.
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech new stories from Marshall's great new speaker to Fitbit's major outage - Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 03:00

We've had quite the week this week, so to help you catch up on all the latest tech news, we have this handy one-stop guide to the seven biggest stories of the past seven days.

From Elmo getting hacked to ChatGPT Agent arriving on the scene, we have your firmware update for it all.

And once you're up to speed, be sure to read our guide to the 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (July 18).

7. Marshall’s new Bluetooth speaker rocked our world

(Image credit: Future)

We’ve been testing the new Marshall Kilburn III, and our reviewer Harry Padoan had a lot of positive things to say.

“The Marshall Kilburn III plates up a delicious meal, composed of well-seasoned audio, meaty features and a beautiful presentation,” adding, “with a 50-hour battery life, you’ll barely ever need to charge it.”

Though he did also highlight some faults, which is why it was half a star off a perfect five-star score, namely that it’s pricier and maybe not as rugged as some might hope.

6. We watched Stranger Things Season 5…’s trailer

The first trailer for Stranger Things season 5 is finally here.

And if you’ve been worried about spoilers, series co-creator Ross Duffer shared that this first trailer “pulls from every episode except 7, but it’s mostly Volume One and just barely scratches the surface.”

Season 5 is being split into three parts, and this trailer is mostly taking clips from the first drop coming on November 26, so it shouldn’t give too much of the game away.

5. Fitbit went down with sync and login issues

(Image credit: Future)

Fitbit users were left high and dry this week, as a huge spike in Downdetector reports heralded a big outage for Fitbit's mobile app and web API, leaving Fitbit users unable to sync their devices. When the Fitbit Help Center steps were followed, users ended up locked out of their accounts.

Fortunately, Google soon resolved the issue and reached out to us to confirm that a fix was in progress. However, it's not worked for everyone: there is still what seems to be a relatively small percentage of users who are left high and dry, unable to effectively use their devices. S

ome of them have reached out to us via email, while others have taken to Reddit to voice their displeasure and warn other users. One poor Reddit poster has even seemingly lost all their data since 2018!

4. Elmo got hacked and taught us a lesson

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Twitter account for the lovable fuzzy red Muppet was hacked this week and proceeded to spew several deeply offensive posts onto the platform.

Arguments aside that those kinds of posts are maybe more at home on Elon Musk’s rendition of the social media platform than Elmo’s usual messages of love and hugs, the hack reminded us why two-factor authentication is so important.

It’s not a completely foolproof solution, but it can make it significantly less likely your account will get taken over.

3. ChatGPT Agent entered the game

(Image credit: OpenAI)

Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, has just announced the latest addition to ChatGPT. It’s called ChatGPT Agent, and it’s designed to perform tasks for you, no matter how complicated. If you can do it online, then ChatGPT Agent can get it done.

The entire concept is a unified agent that can handle the legwork, make informed decisions about which websites to use, and navigate the web independently. Think about things like planning a wedding, booking your car in for a service, making an app to solve a problem, or planning and booking a holiday. ChatGPT Agent can do it all, and you can even watch it work if you want to.

If you’re a Plus, Teams, or Pro user, then you can click ‘Agent’ right from the tools drop-down menu to use the new tool. The Agent uses its own virtual computer to perform its tasks, starting by setting up its desktop environment, and then proceeds to understand the prompt you’ve given it and gather the necessary information. It will sometimes ask for more information or a clarifying question.

2. We went bananas for Donkey Kong

(Image credit: Nintendo)

While interest at its announcement was somewhat tepid, it turns out Donkey Kong Bananza is the greatest Nintendo Switch 2 title to date, according to Dashiell Wood, one of our expert game reviewers.

That’s because the title “harnesses the powerful Nintendo Switch 2 hardware to offer a gigantic, open-ended world with dazzling destruction that lets you bash, smash, and crash through practically anything.”

1. Google set a date for its Pixel phone drop

(Image credit: Twelve South)

The eagerly anticipated Mage by Google product launch event will happen on August 20 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / 3am AEST, and it looks to be a product-packed event.

We're expecting not only the Pixel 10 phone line (so the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL), but a new Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which now has a tough act to follow given the 4.2mm-thick Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. At least they'll both be running Android 16.

A new, possibly redesigned, Pixel Watch 4 is also expected, but we don't have many details for no,w so we’ll have to wait a little longer to have an idea what Google has up its sleeve.

The Studio season 2: everything we know so far about the popular Apple TV+ show's return - Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 04:00
The Studio season 2: key information

- Officially renewed in May
- Filming reportedly due to begin in December
- No official trailer just yet
- Main cast all set to return
- Plot details kept firmly under wraps
- Hopes for more incredible guest star appearances

The Studio season 2 was officially renewed on Apple TV+ in May – before season 1 of the self-described 'workplace comedy' had even finished. No surprise given The Studio had 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics before the show was even released (now, a still incredible 93%).

And it easily made it onto our best Apple TV+ shows list, thanks to its fun, satirical look at the movie industry with a star-studded cast to boot. So, as Matt Remick and the team at Continental Studios are set to return for another series, we're more than ready to strap in for more. And I'm pretty hopeful it'll have a similarly incredible list of guest stars and cameos as season 1.

Here's everything we know about The Studio season 2 on Apple TV+ from release date prediction, trailer, expected cast, plot rumors and more.

Potential spoilers follow for The Studio season 1.

The Studio season 2 release date predicition

A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

A photo posted by on

The Studio season 2 was officially renewed on May 6. In an Instagram post by Apple TV, Seth, Ike and Chase Sui are seen discussing the return of the show with their 'winning formula', or as Seth puts it: "a structure that we 100% know works, so we're going to do it over and over again".

And, according to a post on the Film & Television Industry Alliance, season 2 is already in pre-production with a possible filming date of December 3. For season 1, they filmed in March 2024 and the show started streaming a year later. So, I'd say for my The Studio season 2 release date prediction, we're looking at late 2026.

The Studio season 2 trailer: is there one?

No The Studio season 2 trailer just yet, but filming may begin in December (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

There's no The Studio season 2 trailer yet, and I don't expect we'll see one until late 2026. The season 1 trailer dropped only a couple of weeks before the show dropped on Apple TV+.

So, considering what I've already mentioned about a potential release date, it's a while off yet. I'll be sure to update here as soon as one drops though.

The Studio season 2 predicted cast

Here's hoping The Studio season 2 cast will be full of more iconic guest stars (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Full spoilers follow for The Studio season 1.

Given how The Studio season 1 ended, I'd predict all of the main cast to return, as follows:

  • Seth Rogen as Matt Remick
  • Catherine O'Hara as Patty Leigh
  • Ike Barinholtz as Sal Saperstein
  • Chase Sui Wonders as Quinn Hackett
  • Kathryn Hahn as Maya Mason

The Studio became quickly well-known for its incredible roster of guest stars and cameos who appeared throughout season 1. These included Bryan Cranston, Zoë Kravitz, Martin Scorsese, Charlize Theron, Ben Stiller and so many more.

I actually can't list all of them because we'd be here all day, but I'm sure more seriously standout names will be making an appearance in season 2. Though, in conversation with Deadline, co-creators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg may have run out of people to ask. Rogen said: "We've called in all our favors many, many years ago. We got everyone who was only willing to do this stuff because we were friends with them".

And Goldberg added: "And that was by far the hardest part of the show, delivering those cameos. It was exhausting. Every single day at lunch during pre-production, we had to go and do a phone call with a different celebrity of some nature, or the filmmaker. And it was really draining".

The Studio season 2 potential plot synopsis and rumors

The Studio season 2 plot is being kept under wraps (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Major spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 through 4.

The Studio season 2 is in pre-production and I'm sure the plot will be kept firmly under wraps until it's available to stream on Apple TV+. But, Goldberg did tell Deadline there's one episode that's leftover from season 1: "We actually have on script that I assume will be in season 2, that's finished, called 'The Test Screening'. We worked on it for months because it required a very specific actor, and we almost got that actor, but then they were too busy, so we had to move on".

We also know from the season 1 finale that Continental Studios were at a bit of an impasse with Amazon trying to buy them out and Matt pitching at CinemaCon to stop the sale (and hopefully save their jobs).

And since CinemaCon has been done, there seems to be scope for even bigger. Speaking to The Direct, write Peter Huyck said: "I think one thing we want to do is the big international film festival. That would be a dream to do an episode set there".

Plus, considering the Kool-Aid movie was a big part of season 1, we might find out if all that hard work finally pays off – and hopefully we'll actually get to see it.

Luckily, from the success of season 1, the stories now seem to be coming to them: "This show has legs. It just keeps writing itself. Things keep happening. We're in an industry that is ever-evolving. Before, we sat with studio heads and heads of marketing to get their input to help us. Now people are just coming up to us, telling us stuff. So, the influx of stories is never ending".

And I'm sure The Studio season 2 will be full of these movie-centric stories crafted beautifully for Apple TV+ in the way Rogen and Goldberg know how.

Will The Studio get more seasons on Apple TV+?

Can we dream of more seasons of The Studio? (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Given The Studio season 2 is still revelling in its own renewal status, it's unlikely we'll hear about more seasons any time soon. Season 2 received its renewal before season 1 wrapped, so if I was to predict when we'd hear, I'd say when the show is back streaming on Apple TV+. I'll be sure to update here though, if and when news arrives.

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on Ted Lasso season 4, Foundation season 3, Presumed Innocent season 2, and Silo season 3.

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The Nothing Phone 3 might be the most distinctive smartphone of 2025 – but is it enough to lure in Apple and Samsung fans? - Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 06:00

If there’s one thing about Nothing’s entire philosophy as a company that rings completely true, it’s that modern tech looks boring. With focus applied to manufacturing efficiency and broad appeal, the most impressive aesthetics we can get from mainstream phones these days come down to a handful of colour options or an interesting camera bump, with clean-looking backsides to match equally sparse glass screens. The Nothing Phone 3 tries something quite different, mixing practical minimalism and an eye-catching design language into a solid flagship.

I’ve seen folks praise these phones for their focus on reserved user interfaces, while others applaud the unique aesthetics – looking more cassette-futurism than simply sci-fi – but both descriptions apply well across the company's family of products. With the Phone 3, Nothing wants to draw people in with a far-reaching design that is paradoxically both simple and extra with its most powerful device yet.

The exterior, adorned with plenty of plastic to invoke a faux see-through look, along with a pixelated ‘Glyph Matrix’ on the back that can run several animations with varying levels of practicality (and fun), feed into an extremely deliberate style completely unique to Nothing’s tech.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Conversely, the company’s Android version ‘Nothing OS’ goes for a bold monochrome look, completely foreign to any other consumer-oriented user interface. It shifts between New Roman-like fonts and dotted lettering, while the system is ultimately built around a focus on disconnecting from your tech. The ‘Essential Key’ below the standby button on the right side of the handset allows you to take quick voice memos and jot notes down to then access later in one unified ‘Nothing Space’ app, incentivising minimalism by treating the phone as more of a reminder box.

This approach is growing on me, but I’m not sure the Nothing Phone 3’s point of difference is compelling enough to pull me away from phones like the Google Pixel 9, the Samsung Galaxy S25, or even Nothing’s own Phone 3a Pro, which was released in March 2025.

To be clear, I don’t think the Phone 3 is a bad phone, but I do think it’s risky for a niche brand like Nothing to get in direct competition with the market-leading flagships, which outmaneuver it on spec and wider support. Nothing will surely have its fans with the Phone 3, but it also lacks the broad appeal of the phones it’s trying to compete with.

Nothing to see here

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The Nothing Phone 3 has such a divisive exterior aesthetic to it. The layout of the camera array seems kind of ridiculous. The lenses are positioned seemingly nonsensically, with the microphone and telephoto lenses positioned off-centre in the top left corner, and the wide and ultrawide lenses below it.

It’s only when taking in the rest of the exterior that it makes a little bit more sense, but even then you’d have to really want the Nothing Phone 3 to like this aesthetic. I adore it – it evokes an 80s-90s cassette futurism vibe that makes me think of the chunky computers from Starfield, Alien or 2001: A Space Odyssey. A red square on the back flashes as a video recording icon, while the lines and shapes are meant to evoke the imagery of the handset’s circuitry and internal parts. This approach to aesthetic maximalism is best exemplified by the Glyph Matrix, though.

This is a really weird feature for a smartphone. This small circle of large pixels can run through several features (interactive with the back button below the panel), such as displaying battery life, acting as a level, offering advice as an eight ball and functioning as a stopwatch. The most useful feature I’ve found is using the panel to view a pixelated depiction of yourself, allowing you to take selfies using your rear cameras. It’s a neat feature!

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Is any of this necessary? Nope, but that’s not the point. Nothing’s pretty explicit about wanting to make a ‘fun’ phone that’s as exciting as it is useful, and this third generation of the glyph matrix idea, evolving from simple flashing lights on previous handsets, hits the nail on the head. That said, I find the near-minimalist operating system to not gel as well with this design, and the user interface doesn’t have much of the flair it needs to truly be iconic.

I’ve tried really hard to commit to the operating system offered here. I’ve migrated my standard smartphone use over almost entirely to the Phone 3, applied the brand’s iconic ‘glass’ wallpaper filter, switched the icons to Nothing’s monochrome (as opposed to Android’s standard Material You coloring, which is also available) and have even taken advantage of the brand’s exceptional widgets.

Nothing’s approach to widgets is second to none. Having quick action buttons such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Airplane Mode and Hotspot accessible from the Home Screen without having to swipe the quick settings menu down is really cool. The same goes for all of the other widgets offered by Nothing – the company’s weather widgets look great, and the inbuilt media player widget is exactly what I’ve wanted from Google and Samsung for years.

But then the phone rubs up against the rest of Android – the stuff it has limited ability to change – and you start to see the cracks forming, with Android’s neutral design visible in some menus. But while this breaks the immersion, the thing limiting Nothing’s success more is its ambitious position in the market.

Nothing to it

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The Phone 3 is properly separate from the rest of the Nothing range, as it’s the only smartphone designed and priced to directly compete with flagship handsets offered by Apple, Samsung and Google – but it feels like we’re veering off course from what Nothing is actually trying to do in the smartphone market.

Make no mistake, the powerful camera set, Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor and gorgeous display put the Phone 3 well above Nothing’s previously released handsets in terms of quality and capability, but compared to other leading brands, the phone underperforms.

I’d argue the more premium price point and specs kind of diminish the whole point of a Nothing phone. Take the Essential Key, a multi-button for writing notes, recording voice memos, taking screenshots and launching the Nothing Space, where you can view all of these things. This tool doesn’t actually require much processing power to work smoothly, and indeed it fits quite well into the ecosystem of the considerably cheaper 3a and 3a Pro. It’s a good feature, but it doesn’t feel like the higher price point is doing much to improve it (though, as I wrote in my 3a Pro article, I would like the choice to remap the button).

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Conversely, the cameras absolutely need improvement, and I would have happily traded the more powerful processor for better photography. I’ve included reference images below of a car I’ll be reviewing soon, the Porsche Macan 4 electric, but know that there’s detail missing from the shots that I don’t believe would have been an issue had I captured the same images with the Google Pixel 9 or the iPhone 16.

Perhaps the Nothing Phone 3 is holding court until the arrival of an even better equipped Phone 3 Pro to take on the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra. For now, these cameras don’t really keep up.

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(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)Image 2 of 4

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(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

I’m taking a hard stance on the Nothing Phone 3 because, while I love what the London-based company is trying to do and am indeed swayed by the aesthetics, I believe this phone could have benefited from a slightly more competitive, or conservative, arrangement of features.

The cameras are fairly unimpressive and the processor, for its added performance, still doesn’t keep up as well as with more established rivals (and even cheaper handsets from mentioned rivals). It kind of feels like Nothing’s tied up – when your goals are minimalism and maximalism, how do you find the right fit?

A premium price makes the device more of an eyebrow-raiser to casual customers, but looking at Nothing’s focus on a healthier relationship with technology, the extra additions don’t feel substantiated, particularly for an inherently niche userbase that Nothing is restricted to by virtue of its divisive aesthetics.

Should you buy Nothing?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar )

Nothing has created an awesome handset with the Phone 3. One that truly challenges the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9 families. However, its strong commitment to niche aesthetics makes it exactly that – niche.

I’m among the folks that love this design approach – one that does accomplish the goal of make tech fun-looking – but as someone who needs broader utility from a flagship handset, I don’t think the Phone 3 is for me.

The Nothing Phone 3 will be a capable handset for those craving fast recharging speeds, great on-device processing performance, high framerate gameplay and even some casual photography. And, if you like the aesthetic, then you’ll be pleased to know that the Phone 3 is cheaper than all of its major competitors.

That being said, the underwhelming array of cameras certainly leaves something to be desired and, although it’s a fairly cost-effective handset, I would highly recommend waiting for it to go on sale.

Major phonemakers are likely not too worried about Nothing at the moment, but it's getting close to a perfectly balanced device here.

If you like the Nothing approach to handsets and want to save some money, I recommend reading our Nothing Phone 3a Pro review.

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Breaking up cybercrime gangs is helping save the planet, incredibly - Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 06:25
  • Group-IB Sustainability Report reveals a significant saving in emissions
  • Fighting cybercrime unsurprisingly helps cut emissions
  • This comes at a time when tech emissions are at an all time high

Fighting cybercrime and dismantling malicious networks is having a surprising effect on removing harmful emissions, new research has claimed.

Group IB-s Sustainability Report has revealed the organization’s work in dismantling cybercrime networks and removing criminal control over corrupted computers has caused 10k tCO₂e in emissions has been saved

This is the equivalent of a petrol-powered car travelling up to 52 million kilometres, or the carbon captured by 48,000 tree seedlings grown for ten years - or 22.4m kWh of needless electricity consumption.

Tech sustainability concerns

In 2024, Group-IB contributed to local and international law enforcement efforts and operations to dismantle 207,442 compromised computers and removed them from criminal control.

Alongside this, over $2.7 billion was prevented in social engineering losses, and 65 million potential victims were protected, as well as 1,221 criminals arrested.

This comes at a time where emissions are coming under significant scrutiny, as AI and data center developments have led to a serious increase in tech sector emissions, now accounting for 3% of global carbon output, which is predicted to rise to as much as 13% by 2030.

“Cybersecurity must safeguard more than data—it must safeguard our shared future,” said Anastasia Komissarova, Deputy CEO of Group-IB.

With the energy consumption from data centres now roughly equivalent to Japan’s total energy usage, and Google’s data centres alone having used over four billion gallons of water in 2021 alone - it’s easy to see why tech firms are so eager to prove any sustainability wins.

“We are refining our product architecture to cut energy use, powering offices with renewables, deploying AI only under strict ethical and privacy controls, and shaping a workplace where diverse talent can excel," Komissarova added.

"By making our progress public, we aim to prove that innovation, security and sustainability can advance together, and to raise the bar for the entire cybersecurity industry.”

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