Nothing Phone (4a) Review: Nothing Compares on Price

The Nothing Phone (4a) offers more or less the same design as last year’s Nothing Phone (3a). The device still looks unique and interesting in a sea of ​​monochrome phones, especially at this price point. It’s a bit larger and heavier than some compact phones you can also get at this price, although that’s not necessarily a problem, and it means you get a larger screen.

The overall look is classic Nothing. It has a transparent back that exposes design elements underneath, giving it a sort of retro-modern vibe. To be clear, you don’t actually see the internals of the phone. What you see through the transparent back is part of the design itself, but it remains unique and interesting.

I like the look and feel of the phone. It’s quite different from the sea of ​​glass slabs, and Nothing’s design language continues to be one of the most recognizable in the industry. That said, after using the Phone (4a) Pro with its new metal build, the standard (4a) can’t help but feel a little cheap in comparison. The frame is plastic, and while it doesn’t look horrible, it’s clearly an area where Nothing is cutting costs.

The phone only has an IP64 rating, which means it will survive a few splashes and dust, but you won’t want to drop it in a pool. It’s good for the price, but it’s worth knowing and keeping in mind if you’re used to more durable phones that can survive being dropped in water. There’s an in-display fingerprint sensor on the front, which works as expected – it’s an optical sensor that worked fairly quickly in my use, but not as fast as some of the ultrasonic-equipped devices.

One area where nothing has been updated is the Glyph system. The new Glyph Bar replaces the LED strips of older Nothing phones with a simpler notification light that flashes differently depending on the type of notification. It’s less of a statement than the original Glyph interface, but it’s more practical.

Color options include white, black, blue and pink. I have the white model, which really highlights the transparent design. The volume and power buttons are on the right side of the phone, while the left side features Nothing’s Essential Key. I like where the button is placed: it’s high enough on the phone to be easy to reach, and it doesn’t press on it when you mount the device on a phone stand. We will come back to its real usefulness in a moment.