A Refined Nothing… huh?!
Nothing has been on quite a journey. From its debut devices that drew as much skepticism as fascination, the brand has steadily refined its vision of what a smartphone should be. The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is perhaps the clearest expression of that vision yet. Priced at PhP 34,990 here in the Philippines, it sits in a segment where competition is fierce and expectations are high.
After spending a significant amount of time with this device, I can tell you that Nothing has done something genuinely impressive here. It is not perfect, but it is easily one of the most compelling mid-range smartphones you can buy right now.
Build and Design
Let me get straight to the point. Out of all the phones I have reviewed over the years, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro takes the crown when it comes to design. I have handled flagship devices from Samsung, Apple, and a whole roster of Chinese brands, and yet there is something about picking up this phone that feels distinctly different. It feels intentional. It feels considered.
The phone adopts a full metal unibody construction, which is a meaningful upgrade from the glass-backed approach used in previous generations. The result is a device that feels premium without being slippery, and solid without being heavy. At just 7.95mm thin and weighing 210g, it manages to balance a large form factor with genuine ergonomic comfort. The slim profile is honestly surprising given the display size and battery capacity packed inside.
The color options carry that signature Nothing aesthetic, and the transparent-inspired design language at the back continues to be a conversation starter. Nothing also made sure to add IP65 dust and water resistance, which is a welcome practical addition for daily use. This phone can handle a sudden rain shower or an accidental liquid spill without drama. Overall, the build quality sets a high standard for this price point and honestly challenges devices well above the PhP 34,990 asking price.
Display
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro comes with a 6.83-inch LTPS flexible AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. The panel delivers a 1.5K resolution of 2800 x 1260 pixels at 440 ppi, and the visual output is sharp and detailed across the board. Text looks crisp, images pop with depth, and watching video content feels genuinely enjoyable on this screen.
The 144Hz adaptive refresh rate ensures that everything from scrolling through your social feed to navigating menus feels smooth and responsive. Gaming also benefits significantly from the higher refresh rate, with motion looking considerably more fluid compared to standard 60Hz or 90Hz panels.
What truly stands out, though, is the brightness. The display peaks at an incredible 5,000 nits. For those of us living in a tropical country, outdoor visibility has always been a concern. With this panel, reading notifications, checking maps, or composing a message under direct sunlight is a non-issue. It also supports HDR10+ and Ultra HDR for compatible content, which means streaming services and photos will look noticeably richer and more vibrant.
Hardware
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, a 4nm chipset that brings meaningful improvements over previous generations. Nothing claims a 27 percent improvement in CPU performance and a 30 percent boost in GPU capability compared to the Phone 3a series. These are not just marketing numbers. You feel them in everyday use.
The phone is available in configurations of 8GB or 12GB of RAM, paired with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. For most users, even the base configuration will handle multitasking, gaming, and media consumption without any noticeable hiccups. The higher RAM variant is for those who like to keep a dozen apps running simultaneously while still expecting zero lag.
Connectivity is comprehensive as well. You get 5G support on dual Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and a full suite of satellite navigation systems. Rounding out the hardware package is an improved vapor chamber cooling system that helps sustain performance during extended gaming or heavy workloads.
Benchmark
Numbers tell their own story, and the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro holds its own very well in our benchmark suite. On the AnTuTu 3D Benchmark, the device scored 1,444,610. That places it notably ahead of the OPPO Reno13 Pro 5G at 1,131,872, the OPPO Reno14 5G at 1,376,224, and the TECNO Phantom V Flip2 at 730,668. It does trail behind the performance-focused POCO F7 Ultra at 2,404,574 and the HONOR 400 Pro at 1,848,014, which use more powerful flagship-tier chipsets.
On Geekbench 6, single-core performance came in at 1,352 while multi-core scored 4,274. These results are consistent with what the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is expected to deliver, and the multi-core figure in particular demonstrates that the phone can efficiently distribute tasks across its cores for sustained real-world performance.
For productivity workloads, the PCMark 3.0 test returned a score of 14,133. This is in the same ballpark as the HONOR 400 Pro at 14,440 and the TECNO Phantom V Flip2 at 14,397, proving that this phone is well-optimized for day-to-day tasks like document editing, web browsing, and photo management.
Finally, the 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme benchmark yielded a score of 2,083. This is above the TECNO Phantom V Flip2 at 1,120 and the realme 15 Pro 5G at 1,803, though devices like the HONOR 400 Pro at 4,459 and the POCO F7 Ultra at 5,722 are in a different league for GPU-intensive tasks. For casual to moderate gaming, this score is more than adequate for a great experience.
Software and Other Features
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro ships with Android 16 and Nothing OS 4.1. If you have never used a Nothing device before, the software experience is something that genuinely surprised me in a good way. Nothing OS is clean, fast, and visually cohesive. The dot-matrix typography, monochrome-leaning icon packs, and unique widget designs feel like they were built specifically for this hardware, because they were.
The software has further matured with this generation. Previous versions of Nothing OS had moments where it felt like an early work in progress with some rough edges here and there. That feeling is largely gone now. App animations are smoother, system settings are better organized, and the overall responsiveness of the interface is noticeably improved.
Nothing has also committed to three major Android updates for this device, which adds long-term value and peace of mind for buyers. The software can only get better moving forward, and that is an exciting prospect given where it already stands today.
Then there is the Glyph Matrix, which deserves its own spotlight. The rear lighting system has been significantly upgraded, now featuring up to 137 mini-LEDs with a dedicated Glyph Bar area of 63 mini-LED zones capable of reaching 3,500 nits of brightness. This makes it 40 percent brighter than the previous generation and far more visible even in outdoor settings.
What is genuinely exciting is that Nothing has made an SDK available for developers and the community. This means third-party apps and games can now integrate with the Glyph Matrix in creative ways, and the possibilities are truly endless. One specific implementation that I absolutely love is how the Glyph Matrix displays a silhouette of what the rear lens sees when you are framing a shot. It is a surprisingly fun and clever feature that transforms the back of the phone into a secondary viewfinder of sorts. Your subject can actually see a glowing outline of themselves in the LED grid while you line up the shot. It is the kind of feature that makes people smile, and those are the features worth talking about.
Essentials Space, while promising, is still a lackluster. I feel that Nothing can still beef up its features to make it a full-fledged AI space and not just a “smart” dump space, which you can later mine for extra information.
Camera
This is where the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro genuinely surprised me. Previous Nothing devices had cameras that were fine for casual use but rarely stood out in a competitive comparison. The Phone (4a) Pro completely changes that story, and I would describe the camera system here as a clear departure from mediocrity.
The main camera uses a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-700C sensor with an f/1.88 aperture and optical image stabilization. The combination of a Sony sensor and OIS means you get genuinely excellent low-light performance with minimal blur. Daytime shots are crisp, colors are accurate without being oversaturated, and dynamic range is handled thoughtfully. Nothing seems to have moved away from heavy-handed processing toward a more natural and realistic rendering style.
The second camera is a 50-megapixel JN5 periscope telephoto lens offering 3.5x optical zoom. Having a true periscope zoom at this price point is a major win. Portrait shots with subject separation look professional, and distant subjects retain detail well beyond what a crop-zoom would normally deliver.
Rounding out the rear setup is an 8-megapixel Sony IMX355 ultra-wide camera covering a 120-degree field of view. It is capable and consistent, though like most ultra-wide lenses at this tier, it is best used in good lighting conditions. For selfies, a 32-megapixel front camera with an 89-degree wide-angle lens makes group shots effortless.
Video recording goes up to 4K at 30fps with Dolby Vision HDR support. Creators who use their phone for quick content capture will appreciate the combination of stabilization, resolution, and HDR grading that this system delivers.
Audio
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro features a stereo speaker setup that delivers solid, balanced audio for media consumption. The soundstage is wider than what you typically get from a single downward-firing speaker, and both the earpiece and bottom speaker contribute meaningfully to the overall audio output. Highs are clear and mids are well-represented. Bass is present but not booming, which is expected from a phone of this form factor.
For YouTube videos, podcasts, and casual music listening, the speakers perform very well. Those who need critical audio quality will still want to pair the phone with wireless earbuds, but for a built-in setup, it gets the job done admirably.
Battery
Battery life on the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is genuinely impressive. The 5,080 mAh cell provides consistent all-day endurance even under heavy use involving gaming, camera sessions, and streaming. I was able to get through a full day without reaching for a charger, and on lighter days, pushing into a second day without charging is entirely achievable.
One concern I had going in was whether the new, much brighter Glyph Matrix would noticeably impact battery life. The answer is that it does not. The power draw of the LED system is remarkably low, and I did not observe any meaningful drop in screen-on time compared to leaving the lights off. The battery optimization throughout the OS is also very much on point. Background app management is handled efficiently, and overnight standby drain is minimal.
When you do need to recharge, the phone supports 50W wired fast charging via USB-C. It is not the fastest in the segment, but it is more than sufficient for topping up quickly between activities. There is no wireless charging at this price point, which is a minor limitation worth noting for those who rely on wireless pads.
Verdict
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is the most refined device the company has produced to date, and it shows in nearly every aspect of the experience. The design is the best I have seen in the mid-range segment. The Glyph Matrix has evolved into a genuinely exciting platform with a community-driven SDK. The cameras have taken a massive leap forward. The software is clean, cohesive, and only getting better. Battery life is solid. And the benchmark numbers confirm that performance is more than adequate for the price.
At PhP 34,990, the price is entirely acceptable for the functions, features, and overall experience you are getting in return. Yes, you can find phones with faster chips or higher wattage charging at a similar price. But few can offer this level of design character, camera quality, and software polish in one package. If you are looking for a phone that stands out from the crowd and continues to improve over time, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is a very easy recommendation.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
