Nothing Phone 4a Pro

01 / DESIGN & FEEL

A phone with something
of its own.

The aluminium body and circular rear light display give the Phone (4a) Pro a recognisable character. The interesting part is how those choices fit into an ordinary day.

Nothing calls the rear display the Glyph Matrix. It can show a clock, timers and notification patterns. If you leave your phone face down beside you, that gives the back a purpose beyond its appearance. If it usually stays in your pocket, the lights may matter much less.

Nothing lists a weight of 210g and a width of 76.62mm. Our advice: compare those figures with your current phone, then try a similar size with a case fitted. A roomy screen is welcome when reading; reaching its far corner with one thumb is a different question.

02 / SCREEN

More room for the things
you actually do.

At 6.83 inches, the screen gives films, photos and maps more room to breathe. It also gives you space to enlarge text without quite so much squeezing and scrolling. The AMOLED display brings rich colours and deep blacks to photos and darker film scenes, making watching something on the train more enjoyable.

Its refresh rate of up to 144Hz can make scrolling through a news feed or moving between screens feel smoother. Not every app uses that higher rate, so you won’t see the same difference everywhere. A large display also won’t make small text larger automatically—you can adjust text size to suit you.

The drawback is outdoor viewing. Our research highlighted reflections and inconsistent automatic brightness in independent testing. If you often read messages in sunshine, you may still find yourself tilting the phone or looking for a little shade.

03 / CAMERAS

The zoom is the detail
worth looking at.

The 3.5× optical zoom camera brings a subject closer in your photo without you having to move. That is handy for a detail on a building across the street, or a portrait when you want to give someone a little space. It gives you more freedom to frame a picture than simply stepping forwards and backwards.

Independent testing found good daytime zoom results, but also shutter delay with moving children and weaker results at extreme magnification. We would therefore look closely at action-photo samples before choosing this specifically for young children or pets.

04 / BATTERY & CHARGING

A promising companion
away from a socket.

The 5,080mAh battery is a promising fit for a day of messages, maps, music and watching something on your commute. The independent review we consulted reported strong endurance through work, travelling and gaming, which is encouraging if you would rather spend less of the day thinking about your next charging stop.

Charging at up to 50W gives you a way to top up during a break with a suitable plug, rather than always waiting until bedtime. Brightness, mobile signal and what you do on the phone will affect how long it lasts, so your experience may differ from the published results.

05 / EVERYDAY USE & SOFTWARE

Make it comfortable
for your kind of day.

With its Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor, the appeal is an everyday phone that feels quick when you need it. Our research points to responsive apps and multitasking: useful when you’re switching from a message to a map, checking a booking, then opening the camera. You don’t need to understand the chip name to appreciate less waiting between those little tasks.

Nothing’s Essential Space brings saved material and notes together, so an idea or reminder has somewhere to go when you want to return to it later. Full AI features require a Nothing account. It could be useful if you regularly save things and then forget where you put them.

Games are a separate consideration. A phone that is quick at everyday tasks won’t necessarily run every demanding game at its highest settings. If gaming is your main reason to upgrade, look for testing of the games you actually play.

06 / CHOOSING YOUR VERSION

128GB or 256GB?

Storage holds your apps, photos and downloads. Start with the space already used on your current phone, then allow room for the years you expect to keep the next one.

Nothing lists 8GB memory with 128GB storage, and 12GB memory with 256GB storage in its UK launch information. Memory helps running apps; it is separate from storage. The main buying link below is for the 128GB model; check the listing before paying.

07 / OUR VERDICT

Choose it for the screen,
the zoom and the character.

Our assessment is that the Phone (4a) Pro deserves a place on a shortlist for someone who enjoys photography and wants a spacious screen. The value comes from using those features regularly. A buyer who mainly wants calls, messages and a comfortable pocket fit has a different set of priorities.