Where most mid-range devices look and feel the same, Nothing is once again trying to make things interesting. The company has officially unveiled the Nothing Phone (4a) and Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, two new upper-midrange phones that bring the brand’s signature design language, upgraded performance, and most notably periscope zoom cameras to a price tier that rarely gets them.
And that last point matters more than it might seem.
Powerful, But Boring
The mid-range smartphone category has improved dramatically in raw performance. Devices like the Google Pixel10a or Samsung Galaxy A55 offer strong processors and capable cameras.
But design innovation? That’s been rare.
Most phones in the $300–$500 segment follow the same formula: standard glass slabs, modest camera systems, and incremental upgrades. The result is a market that feels safe and often dull.
Nothing’s strategy has been clear since day one: break that pattern.
A New Twist
The regular Phone (4a) continues the company’s recognizable aesthetic with a semi-transparent design and the Glyph lighting system, now redesigned as a Glyph Bar made up of hundreds of mini-LEDs.
These LEDs aren’t just cosmetic. They serve as visual alerts for notifications, timers, charging progress, and even app-specific signals, something that remains unique in the smartphone world.
The Phone (4a) Pro, however, takes a slightly different direction. Instead of the fully transparent look, it introduces a more premium metal unibody design paired with a Glyph Matrix panel, allowing more avanced lighting patterns and customization.
It’s a subtle shift, but it suggests the brand is experimenting with a more mature aesthetic while keeping its signature visual identity intact.
Performance
Under the hood, the new phones step up their hardware:
- Phone (4a): Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
- Phone (4a) Pro: Snapdragon 7 Gen 4
- Up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage
That places them firmly in the same performance class as devices like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and OnePlus Nord 3.
Displays are also competitive. Both models feature 1.5K AMOLED panels, with the Pro pushing refresh rates up to 144Hz and brightness levels reaching 5000 nits numbers that rival some flagship phones.
Periscope Zoom in the Mid-Range
Perhaps the biggest headline feature is the periscope telephoto camera.
Both devices include:
- 50MP main camera
- 50MP periscope telephoto with 3.5× optical zoom
- 8MP ultra-wide
- 32MP front camera
Periscope zoom lenses are typically reserved for flagship models like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Bringing that technology to a mid-range phone could make the 4a series especially attractive for photography enthusiasts who don’t want to spend flagship money.
Battery, Software, and Longevity
Battery life is handled by a roughly 5,000–5,400mAh cell with 50W wired fast charging.
On the software side, the phones run Nothing OS 4.1 based on Android 16, with a clean interface and minimal bloat, a key selling point for the brand.
Equally important is the long support promise:
- 3 years of Android updates
- 6 years of security patches
That level of longevity is increasingly becoming a deciding factor for buyers who want their devices to last several years.
Pricing
Nothing is positioning the devices squarely in the mid-range segment:
- Phone (4a): €349
- Phone (4a) Pro: €479
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