The Nothing Phone (4a) arrives in France from 369 euros for the 8 GB/128 GB version, which places it directly against the Google Pixel 10a (549 euros) and the Samsung Galaxy A56, with a significant Price advantage. It benefits from a 3.5x periscopic telephoto lens taken from the high-end Phone (3), a new Glyph Bar, an improved AMOLED screen and NothingOS 4.1 based on Android 16. On paper it’s attractive, so let’s see together what this year’s edition gives.
Discover the Nothing Phone (4a) at the best price here
Technical characteristics of the Nothing Phone (4a)
| Nothing Phone (4a) | Nothing Phone (3a) | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | AMOLED 6,78″ LTPS, 2720×1224, 120 Hz, 4500 nits HDR | AMOLED 6,77″, 1080×2392, 120 Hz, 3000 nits |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
| RAM / Stockage | 8 Go / 128 Go ou 8 Go / 256 Go ou 12 Go / 256 Go | 8 Go / 128 Go ou 12 Go / 256 Go |
| Photo sensors | 50 MP f/1.88 (Samsung GN9, OIS) + 50 MP f/2.88 periscopic 3.5x (OIS) + 8 MP f/2.2 ultra wide-angle (Sony IMX355) | 50MP + 50MP 2x + 8MP |
| Front camera | 32MP f/2.2 | 32 MP |
| Battery | 5080 mAh, 50 W wired | 5000 mAh, 50 W wired |
| OS | Android 16 / NothingOS 4.1 | Android 15 / NothingOS 3.0 |
| Résistance | IP64, Gorilla Glass 7i | IP54, Panda Glass |
| Dimensions / Weight | 164 X 77,6 x 8,6 mm, 204,5 g | 163,5 x 77,5 x 8,35 mm, 201,5 g |
| Colors | Black, white, blue, pink | Black, white, gray |
| Introductory price | 369 € (8/128 Go) / 419 € (8/256 Go) / 449 € (12/256 Go) | 349 € (8/128 Go) / 399 € (12/256 Go) |
In the box we find the smartphone, a USB-C cable, a SIM card extraction tool and a transparent silicone protective case. The latter is welcome, we will come back to it.
Design and handling: recognizable among thousands, but a bit too big for my taste
No need to beat around the bush: the Nothing Phone (4a) is one of the most distinctive smartphones on the market at this price. The transparent glass back reveals the stylized interior mechanics, the visible screws and the decorative plates in white/gray tones depending on the color. It’s “Nothing” in all its splendor, immediately recognizable, and still just as effective in contrasting with the homogeneous grayness of the market.. The new blue and pink colors, with their tinted glass, bring an extra touch of personality.
The real design novelty of this generation is la Glyph Bar. Gone are the three LED bars distributed around the Phone’s photo block (3a): make way for a rectangular vertical bar. It’s more readable, brighter and above all more functional. Each notification, each call, each recharge can be assigned a unique light sequence, customizable by contact or by application. The red LED always lights up when recording video. It’s gimmicky, yes, but it’s the kind of gimmick that you end up sincerely appreciating.
The rest of the design is unsurprising compared to the Phone (3a): flat edges, polycarbonate chassis which does not give the impression of cheap plastic, glass back and screen. The IP64 certification is a slight improvement over the IP54 of the predecessor, and Nothing claims to have tested the phone submerged to 25cm depth for 20 minutes. That’s less than an IP68, but enough to survive a slight drop.
A good surprise to note, the smartphone arrives with a screen protector pre-installed out of the box. The included case, in transparent silicone, is also welcomeespecially since it seems quite necessary. The glass back inspires little confidence in terms of strength when the phone is used naked.
The handling, however, is a small reservation to make. At 164 mm in height and 77.6 mm in width, the Phone (4a) is a large phone, difficult to use entirely with one hand. Fortunately, the volume and power keys fall perfectly under the fingers, with frankly pleasant tactile feedback. The Essential Key, moved to the left compared to the Phone (3a) where it blended in with the other buttons, is finally easily identifiable.
The fingerprint reader under the screen is fast and reliable, average for what is available on current mid-range smartphones.
Screen: an AMOLED panel that does honor to the range
The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with 2720 x 1224 pixel resolution (450 ppi) is a nice progression compared to that of the Phone (3a). The pixel density is sufficient for texts and images to appear sharp and precise in the vast majority of situations. The adaptive refresh rate between 30 and 120 Hz (thanks to LTPS technology) allows the system to dynamically adjust the fluidity depending on the content, without consuming unnecessary battery power.
The maximum brightness announced outdoors is claimed to be 1600 nits. In practice, readability in direct sunlight is quite satisfactory, without reaching the peaks of flagships. The colorimetry is expressive by default with Alive mode, with well-saturated reds and greens. Standard mode offers a more natural rendering for those who prefer precision to expressiveness. The blacks are very deep, the contrast is excellent, and the viewing angles are impeccable. A nice panel for watching series or films on the go.
The display supports HDR content and displays 10-bit color depth, which represents a billion colors on the screen. This kind of detail is rarely found at this price and deserves to be highlighted.
Cameras: an ambitious telephoto lens, nuances to bring
This is probably the most significant evolution of the Phone (4a) compared to its predecessor. The 50 megapixel periscopic telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom is borrowed directly from the Nothing Phone (3), the brand’s top of the range. It uses an architecture that is more compact and more energy efficient than traditional periscopic modules. At this price, offering a true periscopic zoom with optical stabilization is quite remarkable.
The main sensor is a 50-megapixel Samsung GN9 (f/1.88) and offers optical and electronic stabilization. The ultra-wide-angle is an 8-megapixel Sony IMX355. The front sensor goes up to 32 megapixels.
In practice, and during our outdoor daytime tests, the telephoto lens delivers clean shots with a good level of detail and natural bokeh on foreground subjects. The stabilization is proving effective. The 7x “lossless” crop zoom in the 50 MP sensor also works well in bright light, with acceptable sharpness. The main sensor does not disappoint either: the colors are warm, the dynamic range correct, the contrast management honest for the price range.
An important point to note for those who want to use the full 50 megapixel resolution: this mode is only accessible in 4:3 aspect ratio, which can seem restrictive. Cannot zoom when this mode is activated.
At night, on the other hand, the Phone (4a) shows its limits. The processing of long exposures is slower than on the most advanced competitors in the segment, which can produce blurry photos if the subject moves (or if the photographer lacks stability). Bright light sources are frequently overexposed, and the color balance can be thrown off by artificial lighting. The 8 megapixel ultra-wide-angle is clearly the weak link in the photo chain. As soon as the light fades, it’s best to forget about it.
Software: NothingOS 4.1, still as neat
NothingOS 4.1, based on Android 16, remains one of the best-designed Android overlays on the market. The graphic consistency is impeccable, whether you choose the brand’s emblematic monochrome theme (very readable depending on taste) or a more traditional display.. The customization of widgets is very advanced, and it will soon be possible to create your own via the Essential Playground platform, still in early access.
The Essential Key, repositioned on the left edge, gives access to the Essential Space: a sort of personal logbook powered by AI, which automatically organizes screenshots, web links and voice notes into thematic collections. The flip-to-record function (long press on the Essential Key when the phone is placed face down) triggers an audio recording, the automatic transcription of which is then carried out by the AI. The Glyph Bar indicates the voice volume while recording. It’s well thought out, even if the transcription is not yet perfect.
Nothing promises three years of major Android updates and six years of security patches. This is rather limited compared to the seven years guaranteed by Google on its Pixels.
Performance: solid, without revolution
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 is an evolution of Gen 3 which powered the Phone (3a), with a performance gain of around 10 to 15%. It’s a versatile mid-range chip that seamlessly handles web browsing with many tabs open, productivity apps, social media, and video streaming.
Demanding games like Genshin Impact or Fortnite will require lowering graphics settings to achieve decent fluidity, but for casual gamers, the Phone (4a) copes without problem. Thermal management is good, without excessive heating even during prolonged gaming sessions.
The RAM memory offered in 8 or 12 GB allows multitasking management without notable latency, and the UFS 3.1 storage ensures very good application loading times.
Autonomy: comfortable, without being exceptional
The 5080 mAh battery is the largest ever in a phone in the range (a) at Nothing. In fact, the increase compared to the Phone (3a) is minimal, around 80 mAh. This does not fundamentally change the situation, but the result is still a full day guaranteed for almost all uses, and sometimes two days with moderate use and energy saving modes activated.
Discover the Nothing Phone (4a) at the best price here
The 50W wired charging is one of the fastest in this price range, allowing you to go from 1% to 50% in less than 25 minutes. Wireless charging is absent, which is regrettable, but consistent with the price positioning.
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