Nothing Phone (4a) Pro review - the iPhone 17e rival is already here

Verdict

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is an impressive Android rival to the new iPhone 17e, with a great display, easy-to-use software, and reliable battery life. It's a little disappointing on the processor front compared to some other midrange options, and its camera isn't capable of the zoom magic we've seen from Honor and Xiaomi, but it's still another winner from Nothing.

Pros

• Premium aluminum unibody design
• Excellent 144Hz AMOLED display with high brightness
• Clean, fast, and minimal OS
• Strong all-day battery life with fast charging
• All-rounder performance for gaming

Cons

• Chipset lags behind similarly priced competitors
• Camera quality drops off at high zoom levels
• Only a minor improvement in water resistance

For the last year, I've used the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro as my primary handset. Before jumping back to Android, I comfortably coasted on the last two iPhone iterations. I switch between Android and iOS every few years, usually returning to Apple after the disappointment of the Huawei P30 Pro. It's easy to settle into the Apple ecosystem, but I still crave something different. That's exactly what Nothing continues to deliver with its mid-range and flagship devices, and the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro shows why it might be time to shake up your next phone purchase.

Before launching its latest Android devices, Nothing founder Carl Pei clarified the company's approach to refreshing its products. Rather than releasing devices annually for the sake of it, he prefers to hold off on a potential Nothing Phone (4) flagship until the company can deliver meaningful innovation. "Just because the rest of the industry does things a certain way doesn't mean we're going to do it the same way," Pei says in Nothing's January presentation. With that in mind, the new (4a) series reflects Nothing's vision to push its mid-range phones as close to flagship quality as possible.

In my Nothing Phone (3a) Pro review, I felt Nothing was getting closer to competing with more expensive phones on the market. It's an excellent handset, one I've used every day since launch last year. I've taken it to Oasis at Heaton Park, Gamescom 2025, and through the chaos of British public transport. But when I unboxed the (4a) Pro, I could already tell things were different. That's clear from the first touch, but is it good enough to stand alongside some of the best gaming phones?

Price and Availability

Like its predecessor, the Pro model in the (4a) line costs a bit more. At launch, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro costs $499/£499 for the 128GB (8GB RAM) model, while the 256GB (12GB RAM) version comes in at $599/£549. By comparison, the 128GB option already undercuts Apple's upcoming iPhone 17e, the company's refreshed budget model, which costs $599/£599. There are trade-offs in specs, but make no mistake, the (4a) Pro holds its own; we'll get into that below.

In the United Kingdom, you can buy the (4a) Pro directly from Nothing's website, Amazon UK, and Very. To celebrate the launch, Amazon UK offers an exclusive deal through April 5, 2026, bundling a free set of Nothing Ear (3) earbuds with purchases.

Networks like O2 and EE will likely carry it later, just like previous Nothing devices. In the United States, the (4a) Pro launches exclusively on Amazon, with a wider rollout planned in phases over the coming months.

Specs

Here are the specifications for the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro:

Performance and gaming

Nothing doesn't market its phones as gaming devices. With the upgraded Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset, the (4a) Pro delivers solid all-around performance. You won't get the frame rates or graphical stability of the REDMAGIC 11 Pro, though. If you're willing to dial back fidelity, you can still run demanding free mobile games like Destiny Rising. NetEase's Destiny spin-off pushes the hardware, so visuals take a hit, but it holds a steady 30fps.

Meanwhile, FPS games like Rainbow Six Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile run smoothly. Ubisoft's tactical shooter shines brightest, requiring minimal tweaks to perform well. The (4a) Pro also runs cooler during longer sessions, though it absorbs noticeable heat while charging. Overall, it handles most new mobile games well, but it doesn't outperform slightly pricier options like the Poco F8 Ultra.

I would've liked to see Nothing push for a more powerful chipset. With the Poco F8 Pro offering a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 at $579/£549, I expected more ambition here. Still, the upgrade improves everyday performance. Android 16 lets you optimize apps manually or automatically after updates, and everything from YouTube to Instagram to Facebook opens quickly. If gaming isn't your priority, the (4a) Pro feels fast and responsive.

Features and software

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro runs Android 16 with Nothing OS 4.0, upgradable to Nothing OS 4.2 via the Settings menu. Compared to skins like REDMAGIC OS 11 or Nebula AI OS, Nothing OS leans heavily into minimalism. It prioritizes a clean, distraction-free experience focused on productivity and accessibility.

In daily use, Nothing OS sticks to its low-key aesthetic, muted colors, simple wallpapers, and an uncluttered layout. If you want more flair, customization options are plentiful. You can swap icon packs via the Google Play Store and personalize your home and lock screens. New lock screen widgets add flexibility, while depth blur and clock styles echo some iPhone-style polish.

Essential Space returns, but I still struggle to find real value in it. It summarizes notes, photos, and screenshots, and you can now toggle it using a button on the left side of the device. That placement feels far more ergonomic than before. I don't use it much, but if you regularly brainstorm ideas, it might help. I'm begging Nothing to let users remap the Essential Space button for other purposes.

What I do like is Essential Notifications and how they integrate with the Glyph. Borrowing the Glyph Matrix from the Nothing Phone (3), this LED system handles notifications without needing to flip your phone. You can assign custom icons, like a smiley face for WhatsApp chats or a house symbol for smart doorbell alerts. While charging, a quick shake shows battery status. It can also display progress indicators for apps like Uber.

I'd like deeper integration with music apps, since that currently relies on third-party solutions. Still, the Glyph Matrix stands out; it reinforces Nothing's design philosophy in a market full of generic-looking phones.

Design

The biggest shift from the (3a) Pro comes in the design. Nothing drops the transparent casing that showcases internal components. Part of me misses that signature look, but the trade-off pays off. The (4a) Pro uses an aluminum unibody and a slimmer 7.95mm profile, down from 8.4mm. That reduction makes it feel lighter, sleeker, and easier to handle. The camera bump also sits flatter, so it no longer catches on pockets.

This is Nothing's first all-metal smartphone. It reminds me of the mid-2009 MacBook Pro, premium with a hint of nostalgia. At this price point, a full metal build is rare. You usually only see it on devices like the OnePlus Nord 4 or Google Pixel 9 Pro.

It does pick up fingerprints, but scratch resistance holds up well so far. Thankfully, Nothing now includes a rubber case in the box. There's still no charger, but you do get another USB-C cable.

Display

The AMOLED display returns, now with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1.5K resolution, Gorilla Glass 7i, and a peak brightness of 5000 nits. This is Nothing's brightest screen yet, and it shows. Scrolling feels incredibly smooth, and even simple interactions look great.

Colors and contrast are excellent, making YouTube and Netflix viewing a pleasure. However, the upgrade from IP64 to IP65 water resistance feels underwhelming, especially given the redesigned chassis. If Nothing wants to compete with the best Samsung phones or best Google phones, it needs to improve here.

Fingerprint detection, an issue on the (3a) Pro, is much better now. Even with the pre-installed screen protector, it's fast and reliable.

Cameras

Nothing claims the (4a) Pro offers the world's first 140x zoom on a smartphone. Technically, it does, but don't expect miracles. Heavy AI upscaling helps produce usable results, but quality drops significantly at extreme zoom levels.

The camera system still delivers strong versatility, with focal lengths ranging from 15mm to 160mm. The widest shots lack some clarity, but the 24mm to 80mm range performs consistently well. Processing stays relatively natural compared to competitors, only becoming aggressive beyond 100mm zoom.

You can shoot in RAW if you want more editing flexibility, though it will eat into storage. The front camera drops to 32MP from 50MP, but selfie quality remains solid across both standard and portrait shots. Video-wise, I dig that the Glyph Matrix is accompanied by a red light, indicating you're recording. It's a nice nod to camcorders of old.

There's still no 4K 60fps support, but we can go up to 4K 30fps. I'm a firm 1080p 60fps user, as I find it good enough for recording snippets from concerts, for example. The 32MP selfie camera offers 1080p 60fps, too, which you can see me put into action over at the Pocket Tactics TikTok.

Battery

The (4a) Pro bumps capacity slightly to 5,080mAh. It's not a huge increase, but Nothing phones already excel in battery life. This one easily lasts a full day with moderate use, often finishing with 35 to 45 percent remaining.

Heavier use, like extended TikTok sessions, drains it faster, but not dramatically. It supports 50W charging, reaching full capacity in just over an hour, with around 50 percent in 20 minutes. Charging slows slightly when using accessories like the Backbone Pro controller, but it's not a major issue.

Should you buy the Nothing Phone (4a)?

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro nails what Nothing set out to do. It pushes mid-range hardware closer to flagship territory without losing its identity. Performance is reliable, the display is genuinely excellent, and the refined design gives the phone a premium feel that matches its ambition. It doesn't dominate any single category, but it stays consistently strong across the board, which is arguably more important at this price.

That said, it plays things a little too safe in key areas. The chipset could be more ambitious, the camera system leans heavily on software at the extremes, and its IP rating still lags behind top-tier rivals. Even so, the overall package feels polished and different enough to stand out. If you want something that breaks away from the usual Apple and Samsung cycle without sacrificing quality, this is an easy recommendation as a long-time Nothing user.

Alternatives

If you're still not bothered about the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, check out these suggestions for alternatives below:

Poco F8 Ultra

It's fair to say that Xiaomi's take on Android here leans more toward performance and features than minimalism. You get a huge display, a versatile triple 50MP camera setup, and extremely fast charging that can take the battery to full in under an hour. If raw power and specs matter more to you than a clean UI or unique design, the Poco F8 Ultra is a seriously compelling alternative.

Nothing Phone (3a) Pro

If you're looking to save money without sacrificing too much, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is well worth considering. It delivers reliable performance with its Snapdragon 7 series chipset, a clean and fast version of Android, and a distinctive design that stands out from the crowd. You won't get flagship-level gaming power, but for everyday use and most mobile titles, it holds up very well.