Nothing has quietly built one of the more interesting mid-range lineups in India, and now that the Phone 4b has arrived, buyers have a genuine choice to make within the brand’s own ecosystem. The Phone 4a launched earlier this year and has since moved up in price, leaving a gap below Rs 35,000 that the Phone 4b now fills. Both phones carry Nothing’s recognisable design language and run the same software, but the differences between them go deeper than the price tag suggests.
Here’s a straightforward comparison to help you figure out which one makes more sense for you.
Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a: Design and Display
The Phone 4b draws design cues from both the Phone 4a and the Phone 4a Pro. You get the semi-transparent build, the large camera module, flat back panel and flat edges that have become Nothing’s signature. The Glyph Bar layout mirrors the Phone 4a, so it will feel instantly familiar if you’ve handled either of the earlier devices.
One small but genuinely useful addition on the Phone 4b is a dimple on the bottom-left corner of the rear panel, designed to make pulling the phone out of tight pockets easier. It’s the kind of thoughtful detail that Nothing does well.
Both phones use a polycarbonate frame and carry an IP64 rating, which means dust protection and resistance to minor water splashes — not waterproofing, but enough for everyday peace of mind. Dimensions and weight are nearly identical, so neither feels meaningfully larger or heavier in hand.
Where the Phone 4a pulls ahead on design is the rear panel. Its fully transparent back gives a much clearer view of the internal components and design elements that have always been central to Nothing’s visual identity. The Phone 4b’s semi-transparent finish is attractive, but if the aesthetic is a big part of why you’re buying a Nothing phone in the first place, the Phone 4a is the stronger statement.
On the display, both phones use AMOLED panels with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz adaptive refresh rates — so scrolling feels fluid, colours are rich and blacks are deep on both. The meaningful difference is brightness. The Phone 4a peaks at 4,500 nits with 1,600 nits in high brightness mode, while the Phone 4b tops out at 2,000 nits. Indoors, you won’t notice the gap. Step outside into direct sunlight and the Phone 4a is considerably easier to read — a real-world advantage worth factoring in if you spend a lot of time outdoors.
Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a: Price
The Phone 4b starts at Rs 34,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage version, with the 256GB variant priced at Rs 38,999. It’s available through Nothing’s official Bangalore store and Flipkart.
The Phone 4a starts at Rs 39,999 for 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, stepping up to Rs 43,999 for the 256GB version. A 12GB RAM variant was listed at Rs 46,999, though it’s currently unavailable on Flipkart.
The gap between the two base models is Rs 5,000 — not insignificant, but not enormous either. The question is whether what the Phone 4a adds in that price difference is worth it to you specifically.
On colour options, the Phone 4a offers Black, Blue, White and Pink. The Phone 4b keeps it to Black, White and Blue — a narrower choice but still covers the most popular preferences.
Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a: Camera
Both phones share a 50MP primary sensor and an 8MP ultrawide lens at the rear — so for everyday shots, landscapes and group photos, the two are closely matched. The gap opens up as soon as you need more zoom or better selfies.
The Phone 4a has a third camera that the Phone 4b simply doesn’t — a 50MP telephoto lens with support for up to 70x zoom. That’s a significant addition for anyone who photographs subjects at a distance, shoots at events, or just likes the flexibility of a proper zoom range. The Phone 4b’s dual-camera system is perfectly capable for casual photography, but it can’t replicate that versatility.
On the front, the Phone 4a has a 32MP selfie camera compared to the Phone 4b’s 16MP shooter. For regular social media use, the Phone 4b’s front camera will do the job. If selfies and video calls are important to you, the Phone 4a’s sharper, more detailed results make a noticeable difference.
Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a: Battery
The Phone 4a carries a 5,400mAh battery; the Phone 4b comes in at 5,200mAh. The 200mAh difference is unlikely to translate into anything meaningful in day-to-day use — both phones should comfortably get through a full day under normal usage conditions.
The more relevant difference is charging speed. The Phone 4a supports 50W wired charging, while the Phone 4b is capped at 33W. That gap matters when you’re running low and need to top up quickly — the Phone 4a will go from empty to full noticeably faster. If you’re someone who regularly charges in a hurry, that’s a practical advantage worth considering.
Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a: Launch Date
The Nothing Phone 4a launched earlier in 2025 as a mid-range offering priced to sit below Rs 40,000. As the year progressed and prices were revised upward, the under-Rs 35,000 segment opened up — and the Phone 4b was introduced specifically to fill that space. It’s a newer device, but in most respects it’s positioned below the Phone 4a rather than replacing it.
Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a: Which One Should You Buy?
If your budget sits firmly under Rs 35,000, the Phone 4b is a genuinely strong pick. You get the full Nothing experience — Glyph Bar, Nothing OS 4.1 based on Android 16, clean design language and the same software support promise of three major OS upgrades and six years of security patches. It doesn’t feel like a compromised device; it feels like a considered one.
But if you can stretch to the Phone 4a, the case for doing so is clear. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset is a meaningful step up from the Phone 4b’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 — faster, more efficient and better equipped for demanding tasks and gaming. The UFS 3.1 storage reads and writes faster than the Phone 4b’s UFS 2.2. The display is brighter. Charging is quicker. And the triple-camera system with telephoto lens gives you creative flexibility the Phone 4b simply can’t match.
Also Read: 15 Best Smartphone Deals to Grab During Amazon Prime Day 2026 Sale
The Phone 4b is a smart buy for what it costs. The Phone 4a is a better phone across almost every spec. Which one you choose comes down to how much that Rs 5,000 gap means to you — and whether the extras the Phone 4a brings are the ones you’ll actually use.