Nothing · Reviewed by Marques Brownlee · Published 2026-03-19
Based on a review by Marques Brownlee (accessed 2026-03-19).
Based on this review alone: buy it if you care about competitively priced, especially the 4a at €349 — just accept cameras are perfectly average, producing serviceable but often hdr-y and noisy photos.
The reviewer concludes that both the Nothing Phone 4A and 4A Pro are good phones, and the best-looking Nothing phones to date. While the 4A Pro offers some slight upgrades, the standard 4A is ultimately recommended as the most competitively priced and offers the best value.
This review covers the Nothing Phone 4A and 4A Pro, examining their design, software experience, camera capabilities, and overall value. The reviewer discusses Nothing's strategic decision to focus on mid-range devices rather than high-end flagships. It compares key features between the two models and against market competitors.
The Nothing Phone 4A and 4A Pro are highly recommended budget alternatives, primarily for their unique design and smooth software experience. The 4A's competitive €349 price point and the 4A Pro's premium aluminum unibody and refined Glyph display stand out, though both models feature perfectly average cameras that can produce noisy and overly HDR-y photos. If you prioritize distinctive aesthetics, a responsive Android experience, and don't need top-tier camera performance or extensive AI features, these phones are a strong contender. However, if flagship-level photography or a consistently high refresh rate is crucial, you should explore other options.
reviewer_claimstrong
reviewer_claimstrong
reviewer_claimstrong
comparison_claimmoderate
reviewer_claimmoderate
reviewer_claimstrong
reviewer_claimmoderate
comparison_claimstrong
reviewer_claimstrong
specification_claimneutralt=00:08–00:32
The Nothing Phone 4A is priced at €349 in Europe, while the 4A Pro starts at $499 US. The reviewer emphasizes the 4A is the most competitively priced model.
visual_inspectionpositivet=00:27–01:00
The reviewer states the 4A and 4A Pro are the 'two best-looking Nothing phones of all time.' He details the 4A's design, including matte blue sides, a semi-transparent back, and classic Nothing dotted text and textures.
specification_claimneutralt=00:34–00:40
The 4A is noted to run on a Snapdragon 7S Gen 4 processor, feature triple cameras, a high refresh rate OLED display, and a 5,000-plus mAh battery.
reviewer_claimpositivet=01:07–01:46
Nothing OS 4.1 on Android 16 is praised for its smoothness, responsiveness, and refined animations. The reviewer highlights updated UFS 3.1 storage for faster app opening and extensive home screen customization, including community-driven widgets from the 'Playground' store.
hands_on_demopositivet=01:54–02:12
The 4A's Glyph Interface features seven LED dots, with a red one indicating video recording. It functions as a volume indicator, a progress bar for notifications like Uber or Google Calendar, and a glyph timer.
reviewer_claimneutralt=02:13–02:26
The 4A's hardware is described as 'just fine' for its price, incorporating plastic and recycled materials. It features Gorilla Glass 7i on the front and is rated IP64 for dust and splash resistance.
visual_inspectionmixedt=02:29–02:50
The 4A Pro has a more premium unibody aluminum body, which feels nicer but is highly prone to fingerprints and difficult to clean. It's equipped with a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset and features thinner display bezels for a slightly larger screen in a smaller footprint.
hands_on_demopositivet=02:54–03:32
The 4A Pro's Glyph Interface is an advanced, customizable pixel-dot display that can show entire images or specific app icons for notifications (e.g., Slack, a heart for messages), promoting face-down phone use.
reviewer_claimneutralt=03:32–03:49
Neither Nothing phone offers extensive AI features. Their 'intelligence toolkit' is minimal, including an AI wallpaper generator, custom ChatGPT widgets, and the essential space shortcut.
expert_opinionneutralt=03:50–04:39
The reviewer theorizes that Nothing is intentionally not making a high-end flagship phone this year due to the competitive challenges faced by a smaller company in sourcing expensive, high-end components and dealing with rising RAM prices.
reviewer_claimpositivet=05:01–05:09
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 in the 4A Pro, combined with refined animations and quicker UFS 3.1 storage, provides a smooth experience. The reviewer believes most users would be 'hard-pressed to tell the difference' from a flagship without playing high-end games or running benchmarks.
measurement_testnegativet=05:14–05:22
Despite the 4A Pro having a higher peak brightness spec of 5,000 nits compared to the 4A's 4,500 nits, the reviewer observed 'not much of a difference' holding them side by side.
specification_claimnegativet=05:22–05:57
Neither the 4A nor 4A Pro supports wireless charging. The 4A Pro's advertised 144Hz refresh rate is rarely achieved in practice, consistently staying at 120Hz. Its IP65 rating offers only a theoretical, not practical, advantage over the 4A's IP64 for water resistance.
reviewer_claimmixedt=05:58–06:33
Both phones have 'perfectly average' triple cameras (8MP ultrawide, 50MP main, 3.5x telephoto). Photos are serviceable but can be 'HDR-y' and noisy. Neither ultrawide lens can shoot 4K video, and the Pro's 140x ultra zoom is just digital crop with no significant benefit.
reviewer_claimnegativet=06:33–06:40
The reviewer concludes the 4A Pro is 'less of a Pro version' and 'more of a slightly up-badged, up-featured version of the same thing for 150 bucks more.' He ultimately states the 4A 'is where it's at' for value.
The 4A Pro features a unibody aluminum body, a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor (vs. 7S Gen 4 in 4A), and a more advanced customizable pixel-dot Glyph display. However, the reviewer found many of the Pro's spec upgrades, like brightness and refresh rate, don't translate to a noticeable real-world difference, and both lack wireless charging, leading him to recommend the standard 4A for its competitive price and overall value.
Nothing OS 4.1, running on Android 16, is praised for its exceptional smoothness, responsiveness, and refined animations. It includes faster app loading due to UFS 3.1 storage and unique home screen customization features, including a community-driven widget store, making the user experience enjoyable even without a top-tier chip.
Both Nothing Phone 4A and 4A Pro feature triple cameras (8MP ultrawide, 50MP main, 3.5x telephoto) which the reviewer rates as 'perfectly average.' Photos are serviceable but can be overly HDR-y or noisy. Neither ultrawide lens supports 4K video, and the Pro's 140x zoom is merely digital cropping with no significant benefit.
The 4A Pro, featuring a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset, along with Nothing's refined software animations and fast UFS 3.1 storage, provides a smooth and responsive experience that most users would find hard to distinguish from a flagship phone in daily use, unless running demanding games or benchmarks.
The Glyph Interface utilizes LED lights on the phone's back to provide visual cues for various functions, such as volume levels, progress bars for calendar or ride-share notifications, and a video recording indicator. The 4A Pro's version is an enhanced, customizable pixel-dot display capable of showing entire images or app icons, encouraging users to leave the phone face down.
Neither the Nothing Phone 4A nor 4A Pro include a wide array of AI features. Their 'intelligence toolkit' is minimal, comprising an AI wallpaper generator, custom ChatGPT widgets, and a dedicated essential space shortcut, indicating a lack of emphasis on extensive AI functionalities.
The reviewer explains Nothing's theory that the company is intentionally avoiding a flagship phone this year due to the inherent difficulties a smaller company faces in competitively sourcing expensive, high-end components like advanced processors and large amounts of RAM. This strategy allows them to focus on strong mid-range offerings like the 4A and 4A Pro.
75/100 source quality
Marques Brownlee reviews the new Nothing Phone 4A and 4A Pro, positioning them as compelling budget and mid-range options. He praises their aesthetic design, the smooth and customizable Nothing OS, and the unique functionality of the Glyph Interface on the back. While acknowledging the cameras are only average and some of the "Pro" upgrades offer minimal real-world benefit, he supports Nothing's strategy to focus on strong mid-range phones. Ultimately, the 4A is highlighted as the standout value choice.
Full transcript is not redistributed here to respect the original creator’s rights.
This page converts Marques Brownlee's review of the Nothing Nothing Phone 4A and 4A Pro into structured evidence — timestamped claims, pros & cons, and buyer questions. It is not the original review and does not replace watching or reading the full source.
Brand relationship disclosed as: gifted