Nothing and Google have recently launched their respective mid-range handsets, and we’re keen to see how they compare.
Ahead of our Nothing Phone 4a Pro review, we’ve compared its specs to the four-star Google Pixel 10a and noted what’s the difference between the mid-rangers.
Make sure you visit our Nothing Phone 4a vs Phone 4a Pro, as we’ve compared the two new Nothing handsets to help you decide which one is better suited for your needs. Otherwise, we’ve also compared the Pixel 10a to the Pixel 9a, to help you see what’s really new with Google’s affordable handset.
Not sold on either the Nothing Phone 4a Pro or Pixel 10a? We’ve rounded up the best mid-range phones and best cheap phones to help you find your next purchase.
Price and Availability
At the time of writing, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro will be available to pre-order from March 13th, with open sales starting from March 27th. The Pixel 10a, on the other hand, is available to buy now.
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Both the Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Pixel 10a have the same starting price of £499 / $499 for their respective 8+128GB handsets.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs Tensor G4
Controversially, the Pixel 10a is powered by Google’s 2025 Tensor G4 chip rather than the newer Tensor G5 alternative. While this may not sound that surprising, as many manufacturers tend to use older chips on their cheaper smartphones, Google usually did equip its entire flagship series with the same chip.
Even so, while we would have preferred the Pixel 10a to run on a newer chip, the handset can still comfortably handle most everyday tasks and even casual gaming without much worry. However, whether you really need the Pixel 10a when it’s so similar to the cheaper Pixel 9a is a different story.
Tensor G4 also enables the running of Google’s AI tools, from the genuinely brilliant photo-editing tools like Magic Editor to Live Translate and access to Gemini. The Nothing Phone 4a Pro also has Essential AI tools, which includes the likes of Essential Space, Essential Search and even the Essential Apps – giving you the ability to build your own apps directly on your home screen.
Nothing Phone 4a Pro has the signature Glyph Matrix
Arguably one of the most appealing reasons to choose the Nothing Phone 4a Pro is with its design. While sporting Nothing’s signature transparent design, the Phone 4a Pro also incorporates the Glyph Matrix which was first introduced with the Nothing Phone 3.
Although it looks similar, the Phone 4a Pro’s Glyph Matrix boasts a few improvements over its predecessor’s own, as its 137 mini-LEDs cover a 57% larger area and are 100% brighter too.
In comparison, the Pixel 10a looks pretty similar to most other smartphones. Although it comes in a choice of four colours, including an eye-catching Lavender and Berry, the handset sports the same flat edges and rounded corners as most of the best Android phones. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but just means it doesn’t stand out from the crowd quite as much as the Nothing Phone 4a Pro.
Nothing Phone 4a Pro has a periscope lens
The Pixel 10a retains the same 48MP main and 13MP ultrawide rear camera hardware as the Pixel 9a. While we’d have preferred to see an upgrade, considering the Pixel 9a has a spot on our best camera phones list, it’s understandable that Google didn’t think a change was necessary.
Overall we found the Pixel 10a to be an excellent snapper, with vibrant colours and impressive image processing technology to deliver consistently sharp and in-focus shots. While the Pixel 10a doesn’t sport a dedicated zoom lens, its main camera can double up as a digital zoom. It does a decent job up to around 5-7x zoom, but any further will look soft and over-processed.
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro instead has three rear lenses, including a dedicated 50MP 3.5 telephoto periscope lens that promises up to 140x zoom. Not only is this the longest ever zoom on a Nothing phone but, according to the brand, it’s an industry-leading capability in its class too. Of course, we’ll have to wait until we get our hands on the phone before verifying such claims.
Pixel 10a seven years of OS updates
When it comes to longevity and updates, Google is one of the most generous smartphone manufacturers. While the Nothing Phone 4a Pro is promised a measly three years of Android updates, the Pixel 10a promises seven years – taking the handset up to Android 23.
However, we should disclaim that the Nothing Phone 4a Pro is promised six years of security patches so although it’ll max out at Android 19, the phone will still be supported by Nothing.
Pixel 10a has an IP68 rating
Almost all of the best smartphones and even many of the best cheap phones have an IP68 rating, which means the handsets are dust-tight and can withstand submerging in water. While the Pixel 10a benefits from this rating, the Phone 4a Pro falls slightly short and is rated IP65 instead.
Even so, the Phone 4a Pro does benefit from 25cm submersion protection for 20 minutes too, so you can rest assured if you accidentally drop your phone in a bath or pool. Otherwise, its IP65 rating means the phone is dust-tight and can withstand “water projecting in jets”.
Early Verdict
As we haven’t reviewed the Nothing Phone 4a Pro yet, we’ll hold off from giving a conclusive verdict just yet.
Even so, with Google’s AI tools, an excellent camera set-up and the promise of seven years of updates, the Pixel 10a is a brilliant mid-range option – even if it is a carbon copy of last year’s Pixel 9a. On the other hand, if you want a phone that really stands out from the crowd, then you’d be hard pressed to do better than the Nothing Phone 4a Pro.
