Nothing Phone (4a) specifications and in-depth review

Nothing Phone (4a)

Manufacturer: Nothing

The Nothing Phone (4a) is a mid-range smartphone built around a 6.78″ OLED panel running at 120Hz with a touch sampling rate of 2500Hz and Always-On Display support. Running Android 16, the device ships with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, and its IP64-rated build offers a degree of resistance against dust and water ingress. The phone measures 163.9 × 77.5 × 8.5 mm and weighs 205 g, fitting a relatively large screen into a reasonably slim profile.

Under the hood, the Nothing Phone (4a) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 on a 4 nm process node, paired with an Adreno 710 GPU clocked at 1050 MHz and LPDDR5 memory running at 3200 MHz. The triple-camera system on the rear combines 50 MP and 50 MP sensors alongside an 8 MP unit, with optical image stabilization and 3.5x optical zoom, while the front hosts a 32 MP shooter. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 5G, and USB Type-C, and the 5080 mAh battery supports 50W wired fast charging, though wireless charging is not available.

Pros
  • The 6.78-inch OLED panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate, 453 ppi pixel density, HDR10+ support, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, making it well-suited for detailed visual content
  • 50W wired fast charging paired with a 5080 mAh battery provides a meaningful combination of capacity and charging speed
  • The triple rear camera system includes optical image stabilization, 3.5x optical zoom, phase-detection autofocus, and a broad set of manual controls covering exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance
  • Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 5G support, and dual-SIM capability cover a wide range of connectivity needs in a single device
  • The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 on a 4 nm node is paired with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage, offering a capable hardware foundation for everyday and demanding tasks
  • An IP64 rating provides reliable protection against dust and water splashing from any direction
Cons
  • Wireless charging is not supported, limiting charging flexibility
  • No 3.5 mm headphone jack is present, requiring an adapter or USB-C headphones for wired audio
  • The USB Type-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds, restricting wired data transfer rates
  • None of the high-quality Bluetooth audio codecs — including aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, or LDAC — are supported
  • A charger is not included in the box, so one must be sourced separately
  • There is no external memory slot, meaning storage cannot be expanded beyond the built-in 256GB
Who is this for?

This device is a solid fit for everyday smartphone users who want a large, visually capable screen for media consumption, given its 6.78-inch OLED panel with HDR10+ support, 120Hz refresh rate, and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Users who rely heavily on their phone throughout the day will appreciate the 5080 mAh battery paired with 50W fast charging, which balances endurance with the ability to recover charge quickly. The triple rear camera system with OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, and extensive manual controls makes it a reasonable choice for photography enthusiasts who want hands-on shooting flexibility without carrying dedicated hardware. The combination of 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and dual-SIM support also suits users who need versatile, modern connectivity on a daily basis.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who frequently use wired headphones will find the absence of a 3.5 mm audio jack a persistent inconvenience, and those who prioritize high-fidelity wireless audio will be disappointed by the lack of aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, or LDAC codec support. The device is not well-suited for users who need to transfer large files quickly over USB, as the Type-C port is capped at USB 2.0 speeds — a notable limitation for content creators moving high-resolution video. Anyone who requires the ability to expand storage will also find the device restricting, since there is no external memory slot and the built-in 256GB cannot be supplemented. Additionally, users operating in environments with a high risk of water immersion should look elsewhere, as the IP64 rating does not cover submersion.

Design:

water resistance Water resistant
weight 205 g
thickness 8.5 mm
width 77.5 mm
height 163.9 mm
volume 107.969125 cm³
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP64
has a rugged build
can be folded

The Nothing Phone (4a) has a conventional, non-folding form factor measuring 163.9 × 77.5 mm with a thickness of 8.5 mm and a total volume of roughly 107.97 cm³. It weighs 205 g and carries an IP64 rating, meaning it is protected against dust ingress and can withstand water splashing from any direction, though it is not rated for submersion. The build is not classified as rugged, so it lacks the reinforced construction found on purpose-built outdoor devices.

Display:

Display type OLED/AMOLED
screen size 6.78"
pixel density 453 ppi
resolution 1260 x 2800 px
refresh rate 120Hz
touch sampling rate 2500Hz
brightness (typical) 800 nits
has branded damage-resistant glass
supports HDR10
supports HDR10+
Always-On Display
supports Dolby Vision
contrast ratio 1000000:1
Has a secondary screen
has a touch screen

The Nothing Phone (4a) features a 6.78″ OLED/AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 1260 x 2800 px and a pixel density of 453 ppi, delivering a sharp and detailed image. The panel refreshes at 120Hz and supports a touch sampling rate of 2500Hz, while typical brightness sits at 800 nits alongside a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 — figures that are characteristic of OLED technology. It supports both HDR10 and HDR10+ content but does not support Dolby Vision, and the Always-On Display feature is available for at-a-glance information without fully waking the screen. The display does not use branded damage-resistant glass and there is no secondary screen on the device.

Performance:

internal storage 256GB
RAM 12GB
Chipset (SoC) name Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
GPU name Adreno 710
CPU speed 1 x 2.7 & 3 x 2.4 & 4 x 1.8 GHz
GPU clock speed 1050 MHz
Has integrated LTE
RAM speed 3200 MHz
semiconductor size 4 nm
Supports 64-bit
DirectX version DirectX 12
Has integrated graphics
OpenGL version 3.2
OpenGL ES version 3.2
Uses big.LITTLE technology
CPU threads 8 threads
Uses HMP
Has TrustZone
maximum memory bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
OpenCL version 2
maximum memory amount 16GB
uses multithreading
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 5W
DDR memory version 5
shading units 128
turbo clock speed 2.4GHz

The Nothing Phone (4a) is driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, a 4 nm octa-core SoC configured with one core at 2.7 GHz, three at 2.4 GHz, and four efficiency cores at 1.8 GHz, with a turbo clock of 2.4 GHz across 8 threads using big.LITTLE and HMP scheduling. It is paired with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM running at 3200 MHz — with a maximum supported memory amount of 16GB — and 256GB of internal storage, while memory bandwidth reaches up to 25.6 GB/s. Graphics are handled by the integrated Adreno 710 GPU clocked at 1050 MHz, supporting DirectX 12, OpenGL 3.2, OpenGL ES 3.2, and OpenCL 2.0 with 128 shading units. The chipset includes integrated LTE, TrustZone security, and multithreading support, and operates within a thermal design power of 5W.

Cameras:

megapixels (main camera) 50 & 50 & 8 MP
wide aperture (main camera) 1.9 & 2.9 & 2f
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
megapixels (front camera) 32MP
has built-in optical image stabilization
video recording (main camera) 2160 x 30 fps
Has a dual-tone LED flash
number of flash LEDs 1
has a BSI sensor
has a CMOS sensor
has continuous autofocus when recording movies
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
supports slow-motion video recording
has a built-in HDR mode
has manual exposure
has a flash
optical zoom 3.5x
has manual ISO
has a serial shot mode
has manual focus
pixel size (main camera) 1 & 0.64 & 1.12 µm
has a front camera
Has laser autofocus
Shoots 360° panorama
has manual white balance
shoots raw
has touch autofocus
has manual shutter speed
can create panoramas in-camera
wide aperture (front camera) 2.2f
Has timelapse function
Has a front-facing LED flash
has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) front camera
supports HDR10 recording
supports Dolby Vision recording
has a front-facing camera under the display
Has a RGB LED flash
has 3D photo/video recording capabilities

The Nothing Phone (4a) carries a triple-lens rear camera system with sensors rated at 50 MP (f/1.9, 1 µm pixels), 50 MP (f/2.9, 0.64 µm pixels), and 8 MP (f/2.0, 1.12 µm pixels), supported by optical image stabilization and 3.5x optical zoom. Autofocus is handled via phase-detection and touch AF, with continuous autofocus available during video recording, though laser autofocus is absent. The rear setup uses a CMOS sensor without back-illuminated technology, and a single LED flash is present — there is no dual-tone or RGB flash. Video capture reaches up to 2160p at 30 fps, with slow-motion recording and timelapse also supported, but HDR10 and Dolby Vision recording are not available. Manual controls cover exposure, ISO, focus, and white balance, while burst mode and in-camera panoramas are included; shooting in RAW format and manual shutter speed control are not supported. On the front, a single 32 MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture handles selfies, without a front flash, secondary lens, or under-display placement.

Operating system:

Android version Android 16
has clipboard warnings
has location privacy options
has camera/microphone privacy options
has Mail Privacy Protection
has theme customization
can block app tracking
blocks cross-site tracking
has on-device machine learning
has notification permissions
has media picker
Can play games while they download
has dark mode
has Wi-Fi password sharing
has battery health check
has an extra dim mode
has focus modes
has dynamic theming
can offload apps
Has customizable notifications
has Live Text
has full-page screenshots
supports split screen
gets direct OS updates
has PiP
Can be used as a PC
Has sharing intents
has a child lock
Supports widgets
Is free and open source
Has offline voice recognition
has voice commands
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
is a multi-user system
has Quick Start

The Nothing Phone (4a) runs Android 16, an open-source platform that supports multi-user profiles, split-screen multitasking, Picture-in-Picture, widgets, and the ability to play games while they are still downloading. Privacy tooling covers location controls, camera and microphone access management, clipboard warnings, and app tracking prevention, though cross-site tracking blocking and Mail Privacy Protection are not included. Personalization options extend to dynamic theming, theme customization, dark mode, and an extra dim mode, while notification permissions and customizable notifications give users granular control over alerts. The OS also includes Live Text, full-page screenshots, a media picker, battery health check, offline voice recognition, voice commands, device tracking, and the ability to offload apps to free up storage. OS updates are not delivered directly from the vendor, Wi-Fi password sharing and focus modes are absent, and the device cannot function as a PC.

Battery:

battery power 5080 mAh
has wireless charging
Supports fast charging
charging speed 50W
comes with a charger
has a removable battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

The Nothing Phone (4a) is equipped with a 5080 mAh rechargeable, non-removable battery that supports 50W wired fast charging, allowing for reasonably quick top-ups. A battery level indicator is present, keeping users informed of remaining charge at a glance. Wireless charging is not supported, and a charger is not included in the box.

Audio:

has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
has stereo speakers
has aptX
has LDAC
has aptX HD
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Lossless
Has a radio
number of microphones 2

The Nothing Phone (4a) features stereo speakers and a dual-microphone setup, but omits a 3.5 mm headphone jack, so wired audio requires an adapter or USB-C headphones. On the wireless audio side, none of the higher-quality Bluetooth codecs — aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, or LDAC — are supported. There is also no built-in radio tuner.

Connectivity & Features:

release date March 2026
has 5G support
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
SIM cards 2 SIM
Bluetooth version 5.4
has an external memory slot
Has USB Type-C
USB version 2
has NFC
download speed 2900 MBits/s
Has a fingerprint scanner
has emergency SOS via satellite
has crash detection
is DLNA-certified
has a gyroscope
supports ANT+
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has a compass
supports Wi-Fi
Has an infrared sensor
has an accelerometer
has a cellular module
Has a barometer
has an HDMI output
Uses 3D facial recognition
Has an iris scanner
Stylus included
supports Galileo
Has motion tracking
Has optical tracking
Has a built-in projector

The Nothing Phone (4a) supports 5G connectivity alongside dual-SIM operation and reaches download speeds of up to 2900 Mbits/s. Wi-Fi covers the 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4), 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), and 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) standards, and Bluetooth 5.4 is on board together with NFC for short-range communication. The USB Type-C port operates at USB 2.0 speeds, and there is no external memory slot or HDMI output. For navigation and positioning, the device includes GPS with Galileo support, a compass, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer, though a barometer is absent. Biometric authentication is handled by a fingerprint scanner, while 3D facial recognition and an iris scanner are not available. Safety-oriented features such as emergency SOS via satellite and crash detection are not present, and the device does not include an infrared sensor, ANT+ support, a heart rate monitor, a built-in projector, or a stylus.

Miscellaneous:

has a video light
Has sapphire glass display
Has a curved display
Has an e-paper display

The Nothing Phone (4a) includes a video light, which can be used to illuminate subjects during video recording. The display is flat rather than curved, does not use sapphire glass, and is not an e-paper panel.

Final Verdict

The Nothing Phone (4a) is a well-rounded mid-range smartphone that covers the essentials with enough technical depth to satisfy users who want more than a basic daily driver. Its 6.78-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and Always-On Display forms a strong centerpiece, complemented by a versatile triple rear camera system with optical stabilization and a healthy 5080 mAh battery backed by 50W fast charging. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 on a 4 nm process, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, keeps the hardware foundation firmly capable for the device's intended workload. Certain trade-offs — the absence of a headphone jack, USB 2.0 data speeds, no wireless charging, and no expandable storage — mean it is not a device for every user, but for those whose priorities align with screen quality, camera flexibility, and all-day battery reliability, the Nothing Phone (4a) delivers a coherent and capable package.

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