Nothing Phone (4a) vs Nothing Phone (4a) Pro: Here’s what’s different

nothing phone 4a 4a pro

• Nothing Phone (4a) and 4a Pro launched with improved cameras
• Phone (4a) Pro offers faster refresh rate and better main sensor
• Both phones feature 5,400mAh battery with 50W wired charging

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Nothing has officially launched its latest mid-range contenders, the Nothing Phone (4a) and Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, in India and other global markets. These new smartphones promise a “major leap forward” from the company’s Phone (3a) series, with promised improvements in camera, battery life, and overall functionalities. However, since they are priced similarly, you might want to know how these two Nothing smartphones compare.

To help you decide, we’ve compared the Nothing Phone (4a) to the Phone (4a) Pro in key areas and highlighted the major differences between the two. Keep reading to know more.

Display and design

Both smartphones come with 1.5K resolution AMOLED displays with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection and HDR10+ support. However, the Phone (4a) Pro has a slightly larger 6.83-inch screen size compared to the 6.78-inch display size on the Nothing Phone (4a). The Pro also offers a faster 144Hz refresh rate, with the Phone (4a) coming with 120Hz support like its predecessor.

Both phones also come with unique rear designs. The Phone (4a) introduces a refined Glyph Bar that includes 63 mini-LEDs in seven square light zones, each of which is controlled for illumination of up to 3500 nits. The Glyph Bar can also double as a fill light with the LED flashlight, while retaining its purpose of lighting up notifications for certain alerts. Meanwhile, the Phone (4a) Pro is fitted with the Glyph Matrix rear circular display, which was first introduced with the Nothing Phone 3. Made up of 137 mini-LEDs, it now offers a 57% larger area to deliver sharper and more detailed notifications than before. The phone also has a metal unibody design.

Camera

Both phones feature a triple-camera setup and debut a periscope lens in the A-series for the first time. However, the Pro model uses a superior main sensor, a 50MP Sony LYT700C, while the standard (4a) uses a 50MP Samsung GN9 sensor. Further, these devices house a 50MP Samsung JN5 periscope lens with 3.5x optical zoom. However, the Pro supports up to 140x digital zoom, whereas the standard model is capped at 70x.

In terms of ultra-Wide & Selfie, both phones come with an 8MP ultra-wide and a 32MP front camera. In terms of video recording, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro supports 4K Ultra XDR video, while the standard 4a is capped at Full HD video recording.

Performance

Interestingly, the Nothing Phone (4a) and Phone 4a Pro come with Snapdragon 7 Gen chipsets, with neither sporting a flagship processor. The Phone (4a) runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, while the Phone 4a Pro is powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. According to the company, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 on the Phone (4a) Pro should deliver up to 27% faster CPU, 30% improved graphics and 65% stronger AI capabilities over the Phone 4a. Both phones have up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, a big upgrade over the UFS 2.2 storage type on the Phone (3a) series.

Battery

In terms of battery, both phones are identical, as they come with a 5,400 mAh unit with support for 50W wired charging. These devices don’t come with wireless charging support. However, the Phone (4a) Pro can be doubled up as a power bank to charge other devices, as it supports 7.5W reverse wired charging.

Verdict

Judging by their hardware differences, the Nothing Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro are exciting mid-range options for those looking for a reliable phone with minimal bloatware and respectable performance. They also offer unique, eye-catching designs. The Nothing Phone (4a) should be your ideal pick if you want a lightweight phone with a capable telephoto camera and decent performance under the Rs 35,000 price bracket.

However, for those who want an improved performance with better cameras and can slightly extend their budget at up to Rs 45,000, the Nothing Phone (4a) would be the recommended device. It also offers a faster 144Hz refresh rate and has a more premium metal unibody design, which improves its durability.