Nothing Phone 4a review: anything but nothing for a mid-range phone

The Nothing Phone 4a impresses with a promising (zoom) camera and a bright future. However, in a business context, it might not quite hit the mark.

Nothing recently launched two models as part of its latest a-series, including the Nothing Phone 4a. This model inherits many features from its predecessor, the Nothing Phone 3a, but improves on almost every front. The suggested retail price remains the same: starting at 349 euros including VAT.

In addition to an improved camera, the signature Glyph Bar has also been given a makeover. Furthermore, Nothing is adding more color to its collection, with choices including white, black, blue, and pink.

The Nothing Phone 4a takes small steps forward compared to its predecessor, but (once again) misses the turn-off to the business landscape.

Protected screen

At first glance, the display does not disappoint. The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen has a 120 Hz refresh rate and offers high brightness. We measured a peak brightness of 2,500 nits.

The screen is well-protected against scratches with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. This is essential if you want to make optimal use of the Glyph Bar, which involves placing your phone face down. The device is not fully waterproof; the IP64 rating indicates the phone can withstand being submerged at a depth of 25 cm for a maximum of twenty minutes.

Light strip

The Nothing Phone 4a features a Glyph Bar on the back with 63 mini-LEDs divided into six square light zones. This differs from the Phone 3a, where three luminous strips surround the camera island.

The Phone 4a’s light strip can be customized in the Glyph Interface. You can determine which light pattern corresponds to which notification, even in combination with specific sounds. The LED lighting is clearly visible even in sunlight, and you can adjust the brightness via the settings.

The brand does this intentionally to reduce screen distraction. It is an original approach, but if you set up too many different light shows, you still end up staring at the light strip for a long time to decipher which notification is intended.

Nothing OS 4.1

The software is just as unique as the look of Nothing devices. The Nothing Phone 4a runs on Nothing OS 4.1, based on Android 16. For those new to this software, it may take some getting used to. The design is very minimalist yet exudes a sense of calm. It is a matter of taste, but we quite like the aesthetic. What we appreciate even more is the absence of bloatware.

Promising (zoom) camera

The Nothing Phone 4a is equipped with a promising camera system for a mid-range model. The system consists of a 50 MP periscope lens, a 50 MP main sensor, a Sony ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 32 MP wide-angle selfie camera.

Unfortunately, the ultra-wide-angle lens falls short, producing unclear and blurry photos. On the other hand, the Phone 4a is a true zoom champion. We can capture the smallest details in the distance with up to 70x digital zoom and 3.5x optical zoom. Even the most zoomed-in images are sharp with realistic colors. Impressive!

For photography enthusiasts, Nothing offers a nice extra. There are a series of presets designed by experts and plenty of settings to make your photos look even more professional. Additionally, the AI Photo Eraser allows you to easily remove unwanted objects, such as pedestrians in the background.

Performance

CPU

The Phone 3a came with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s. For the new series, Nothing has put a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 under the hood. This processor ensures a smooth-running device without hiccups, though it cannot be called a powerhouse. Light gaming is possible.

Benchmarks show that the Nothing Phone 4a only slightly outperforms the Nothing Phone 3a, with the difference being negligible. All other devices perform significantly better.

GPU

A similar trend is seen with the GPU. The Adreno 810 is designed to provide adequate and good performance, but nothing more. The benchmarks show very similar results to the Adreno 710 found in the Nothing Phone 3a.

Battery

The Nothing Phone 4a has decent endurance thanks to its 5,080 mAh battery. We can easily get through more than a day, even after intensive use. Furthermore, the smartphone has a high lifespan of 1,400 charging cycles before the battery begins to degrade, meaning it is designed to last.

When the battery is under constant load, it continues to perform well on average. However, the OnePlus 15R stands head and shoulders above the rest, though it is known as the battery champion with a 7,400 mAh battery on board.

Charging

The device takes 21 minutes to reach 50 percent and 39 minutes to charge up to 80 percent. In this regard, the Phone 4a performs slightly better than its predecessor, the Phone 3a, although that battery was also a bit smaller (5,000 mAh). Compared to other models, the Nothing Phone 4a scores average. For instance, the Motorola edge 70 is a true charging champion in this comparison.

Wireless charging is not possible with the Nothing Phone 4a, but that is not unusual in the mid-range segment. Fast charging is supported at 50 W, and there is no charger included in the box.

Missing the business target

Nothing is very generous with the number of years of updates for a mid-range phone. The brand offers three years of Android updates and six years of security updates. Although the model performs slightly better than its predecessor in some areas, we still miss a business-oriented approach.

Though Nothing itself doesn't seem to want to emphasize that. In addition to black and white, the models have now been dipped in pink and blue paint pots to appeal to an "even broader target audience."

All in all, the Nothing Phone 4a remains a good mid-range device with decent performance, an excellent (zoom) camera for photography enthusiasts, and plenty of future-proofing thanks to its Ecolabel A and the number of updates.

Tested: Nothing Phone 4a, 12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, Ecolabel A