Nothing Phone (4b) Pre-Order Starts: Competing with Galaxy A57 and Realme 16 Pro+

Earlier this week, Nothing unveiled the Nothing Phone (4b), marking its first entry into the (b) series of smartphones. Positioned as a mid-range device, it rivals the (a) series models, although the Nothing Phone (4a) boasts superior features.

The Nothing Phone (4b) is equipped with a 6.77-inch 1080p+ OLED display, powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, and features a 5,200mAh battery with 33W charging capabilities (the Indian variant will come with a larger 6,000mAh battery). The device carries a 50MP main camera paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera, lacking a telephoto lens, a feature that was present on the CMF Phone 2 Pro (the CMF Phone 3 Pro has been canceled). The (4b) is currently available for pre-order and will commence shipping next week.

The Nothing Phone (4a) retails for €390 for the 8/256GB model. However, it is advisable to spend an additional €13 for an extra 4GB of RAM. The (4a) features faster UFS 3.1 storage compared to the UFS 2.2 found in the (4b), as well as double the storage capacity.

Furthermore, the (4a) is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset (an overclocked variant of the 6 Gen 4) and sports a sharper 6.78-inch OLED display (1224p+ compared to 1080p+). The 50MP main camera also benefits from a larger sensor (1/1.57”) and is accompanied by a 50MP periscope lens with 3.5x optical zoom. Although the battery capacity is slightly smaller at 5,080mAh, the difference is marginal.

The original Nothing Phone (3) remains the brand's first flagship offering, with no new flagship planned for release this year. This model is powered by the more robust Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip and features even faster UFS 4.0 storage, a larger 50MP main sensor (1/1.3”), a similar 50MP 3x periscope, and a 50MP ultra-wide camera (in contrast to the 8MP ultra-wide in the (4b) and (4a)). The selfie camera in the (3) also outperforms its successors with a 50MP sensor compared to 32MP in the (4a) and 16MP in the (4b). European versions boast a battery capacity of 5,150mAh.

Shifting focus to alternatives, the Samsung Galaxy A57 matches the price of the Phone (4b), offering twice the OS updates (6 years vs. 3 years) and a premium 6.9mm aluminum frame (compared to the 8.6mm plastic frame of the (4b)) with an IP68 rating (vs. IP64). Although the battery capacity is smaller at 5,000mAh, the Galaxy A57 is noticeably lighter at 179g compared to 210g for the (4b).

Realme's 16 Pro+ is priced higher but offers significant advantages, including the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset (not to be confused with the 7s Gen 4). The device features a remarkable 200MP main camera (1/1.56” sensor) alongside a 50MP 3.5x periscope lens. Additionally, it boasts a large 7,000mAh battery combined with 80W fast charging, and is set to receive 5 OS updates.

The Motorola Edge 70 is also priced similarly and is even slimmer than the Galaxy A57 with a 6.0mm aluminum frame, weighing just 159g while maintaining a decent battery capacity of 4,800mAh. In contrast to other devices mentioned, the Edge 70 features wireless charging (15W) in addition to 68W wired charging. It is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset like the Realme and includes a 50MP main camera (1/1.56”) along with a 120° ultra-wide lens.

For those considering the Nothing Phone (3), the Poco F8 Pro presents a worthy alternative. Featuring the faster Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, it houses a robust 6,210mAh battery with 100W wired charging. The 50MP main camera is equipped with a relatively large 1/1.55” sensor, accompanied by a 50MP 2.5x telephoto camera and an 8MP ultra-wide lens.

The upcoming Poco F8 Ultra features a larger 6.9-inch display (versus the 6.59-inch of the F8 Pro) and a larger 6,500mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, it offers a Bose 2.1 sound system (stereo speakers and woofer). It includes a 50MP sensor (1/1.31”), a longer 5x telephoto lens for the 50MP telephoto module, and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. A detailed comparison between the Poco F8 Pro and F8 Ultra can be found here.