Design has long been an area where Nothing offers something unique – and while that still holds true, the Nothing Phone (4b) is the most discreet Nothing Phone design yet. In fact, the phone is much closer to a typical panel phone than the Nothing Phones we’ve seen in the past.
There are still a few unique elements to the Nothing Phone (4b) design, but again, they’re much more subtle. There’s a small circular indentation on the bottom left of the rear panel, but perhaps the most prominent is the quad LED glyph in the camera module, which, although it’s just a straight line, can show you things like volume levels and integrate with some third-party apps.
It is, however, a fairly large phone. At 164.4 x 78.2 x 8.6 mm and 210 grams, it is slightly larger and wider than the Phone (4a). The phone fits well in the hand, with no creaking or flexing when you turn it. There’s no claim that the chassis is 20% more resistant to bending than the old Phone (3a) Lite, and while I didn’t attempt to bend it in half, there’s nothing about the construction to suggest fragility.
As mentioned, Glyph’s interface has been redesigned and is now called Glyph Bar. It’s simpler than what you’ll find on older Nothing phones. Instead of the elaborate light patterns of previous models, there’s a vertical light bar with discrete LED elements for notifications, timers and charging status. I’ve been going back and forth on the Glyph system: it’s a really useful ambient notification tool if you set it up, and a new thing if you don’t.
Durability is okay, but it could be better. The phone is IP64 rated, so it is dust-proof and splash-proof. There’s also no claim that it can survive 10 inches of submersion for up to 20 minutes, but that doesn’t match the official rating, so I wouldn’t take it as a promise – you’ll want to try not to submerge it. It’s not IP68, so you shouldn’t take it swimming.
The rest of the design is pretty standard. There’s a power button and volume rocker on the right side with a USB-C port at the bottom. The left side, however, has the essential key to Nothing. You may or may not use it.
You can get the phone in black, white and blue options. There is also an exclusive offline RCB edition in India. Regardless of the color, it’s still a distinctive looking phone – it’s just a lot less distinctive from previous Nothing Phone models.
