Last year, Nothing took some steps to prove it’s something, but this year, they have checked most of the boxes and have finally become something worth considering! So let’s dive into the Nothing Phone (4a) review.
Disclosure: This unit was provided through the Nothing Community Review Program. All opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
In-box contents
Inside the fun-looking box, you get:
- Nothing Phone (4a)
- Nothing Cable (C-C) 100 cm
- Phone (4a) case
- Phone (4a) screen protector (pre-applied)
- SIM tray ejector tool
- Safety information and warranty card
Build and design
While I am a bit bummed that the Phone (4a) still has a glossy glass back, Nothing has improved the coating, and the back is less smudgy. The frame is a matte polycarbonate. The in-hand feel is pretty good, as the phone feels light. As usual, it has a killer design!
Cameras
While the camera hardware is one of the best in the segment (50MP Main+50MP 3.5x Periscope telephoto+8MP UW+32MP Selfie), the hardware is not being fully utilised due to:
- 7s Gen 4 ISP- A SEVERE limiting factor!
- The camera app optimisation is still not great.
Lemme explain about the optimisation of the camera app: while it is feature-loaded with the ability to use custom LUTs, the camera app becomes too heavy and makes the shutter speed slow. But the only thing that is good about it is that you can get social media-ready photos, and they look decent!
Performance and thermals
I am glad that Nothing is finally utilising UFS 3.1 storage speeds. While the RAM is still LPDDR4X, I don’t think that makes a huge difference with day-to-day use. The thermals are great too. Even if the phone gets hot, you won’t feel it due to a large VC!
While I wish the Phone (4a) shipped with 7 Gen 4 and the Phone (4a) Pro shipped with 8s Gen 3, we have to consider the fact that RAM pricing has inflated, and smaller companies like Nothing have to pay more compared to the bigger companies. Furthermore, these phones are camera-focused, unlike other phones in this price segment, which are performance-oriented. Here are some benchmarks:
Display
I have no major complaints about the display of Phone (4a). Lacking LTPO is totally ok for this price range. The screen gets plenty bright, has high PWM (2160Hz) for eye comfort, and 120Hz is smooth. My only nitpick is that the bezels are kinda thick. I have been told that the phone has symmetrical bezels, but they look a little off in the corners due to the large R-angle.
Battery and charging
I’ll put this first: I am a light user. I only use my phone for browsing, socialising (+doomscrolling), camera usage, photo editing and music. Despite the battery size being 5400 mAh, the SoC is efficient, so you can expect between 7 and 10 hours of SoT.
Coming to the charging speeds, the phone technically can do 50W with PPS chargers. Unfortunately, I do not have a PPS charger. I’ve been able to manage about 30W of charge at max, and the phone took between 1 h and 1 h 30m to fully charge.
Software
Despite being a vivo user, I absolutely ADORE close-to-AOSP skins. NothingOS feels minimal and lightweight with unique aesthetics among these iOS wannabe UI’s.
Price
Here are the pricing details in (INR):
- 8/128GB: ₹31,999
- 8/256GB: ₹34,999
- 12/256GB: ₹37,999
How does it feel in real-world usage? Nothing Phone (4a) Review
From my experience, the only thing I felt Phone (3a) lacked was that it wasn’t very good in real-world use. This has been fixed on the Phone (4a) by using MUCH faster UFS 3.1 storage. While the cameras are not that impressive right now, they have huge potential to improve due to the good hardware at the price. Some other things to note:
1. I recommend you buy the 8/256GB variant for ₹30,999 (inc. bank offer)
2. The haptics for the price range are good (has X-axis haptic motor)
3. There are no network issues. Calls also take place fine.
4. The dual speakers are nothing extraordinary, but they get the job done.
5. The free, clear case yellowed in a week. The pre-applied screen protector is a membrane. You definitely should change these for proper longevity.
6. I recommend buying a CMF 65W charger if you want to utilise the 50W charging speeds.
This phone is a decent option for ₹30,999. I wouldn’t pay more than that. Please buy the 8/256GB, 128GB is too low, and the 12GB variant is too expensive.
We hope you found this article helpful. Keep exploring GizmoGeek Hub for more tech news, stories, and reviews that will keep you informed about the latest trends and advancements in technology. We aim to provide detailed and unbiased reviews, thorough tutorials, and current news to help you enhance your tech knowledge and skills. Continue reading GizmoGeek Hub for more articles and reviews. Follow us on YouTube, X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Telegram Channel to stay updated on the newest news, announcements, and behind-the-scenes content.
Request – As a new site, we largely depend on ad revenue to support our operations. Please consider turning off any ad blockers you use when visiting our website. Viewing ads helps us continue delivering the high-quality content you enjoy. Your support is very important to us and helps keep GizmoGeek Hub running smoothly. We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support, and thank you for sticking with us!
