Our verdict: Nothing Phone 4b is the best-looking budget mid-ranger
Nothing Phone 4b is a mid-range LED design phone that combines a refined rear Glyph Bar, a large 120Hz AMOLED screen, and entry-level performance at a lower price than the Nothing Phone 4a, targeting buyers who care more about style and software experience than raw specs. For most people, this is the mid-range phone to buy if you want a distinctive look without paying flagship money. At £299 / €329 for 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and ₹34,999 for the same configuration, the Nothing Phone 4b price undercuts the 4a while keeping core comforts like 5,200mAh battery, 33W charging, dual stereo speakers, and IP64 dust and water resistance. Nothing itself admits the 4b is an entry-level phone that punches above its weight class, and that is exactly how it feels: stylish, capable, and aggressively priced, even if power users should look elsewhere.
Design and LEDs: the most refined Glyph yet
The standout reason to pick the Nothing Phone 4b over any other mid-range phone comparison is its revamped rear Glyph Bar. The signature LED design phone now uses 45 individually controlled mini-LEDs that can hit 3,500 nits of brightness, yet the layout is visibly sleeker and tidier than past iterations, with a subtler design language that still stays true to Nothing’s counterculture aesthetic. Functionally, the LEDs remain useful: they ping with notifications, show charging progress, and support customised alerts, all tied into Nothing OS 4.1 based on Android 16. A quote worth noting: "The defining feature of the Nothing Phone 4(b) is a remodelled Glyph Bar with 45 individually controlled mini-LEDs delivering 3,500 nits of brightness." If you want a phone that looks different from the usual glass slabs but avoids gaudy lighting, this is the most balanced execution yet.
Specs and trade-offs: Nothing Phone 4b vs Nothing Phone 4a
The Nothing Phone 4b’s core hardware is solid for casual use: a 6.77-inch 1080p+ AMOLED display at 120Hz, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, 5,200mAh battery with 33W wired charging, 50MP main camera with 1/2.76" sensor, and an 119° 8MP ultrawide. However, Nothing is clear that the 4a is the better phone overall. The 4a costs €390 for 8/256GB, with a recommended €13 bump for 12GB RAM, and backs that up with faster LPDDR5X RAM versus LPDDR4X on the 4b, quicker UFS 3.1 storage versus UFS 2.2, and double the storage capacity. It also upgrades to a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, a sharper 6.78-inch 1224p+ OLED display, a larger 1/1.57" 50MP main sensor, and a 50MP 3.5x periscope camera, while only slightly reducing battery to 5,080mAh. In short, you trade speed, camera quality, and storage for the lower Nothing Phone 4b price and its refreshed design.
| Spec | Nothing Phone 4b | Nothing Phone 4a |
|---|---|---|
| Price (base 8GB) | £299 / €329 / ₹34,999 (8/128GB) | €390 (8/256GB) + €13 for 12GB RAM |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 |
| Display | 6.77" 1080p+ AMOLED, 120Hz | 6.78" 1224p+ OLED |
| RAM / Storage | 8GB, UFS 2.2 | Up to 12GB LPDDR5X, UFS 3.1, 256GB |
| Main camera | 50MP, 1/2.76" sensor | 50MP, 1/1.57" sensor + 50MP 3.5x periscope |
| Battery | 5,200mAh, 33W wired | 5,080mAh |
Nothing Phone 4b vs competitors: Samsung, Realme, Motorola and beyond
Looking at Nothing Phone 4b vs competitors, the Galaxy A57 is the most direct alternative at a similar price. It offers twice as many OS updates (six years versus three), an IP68-rated 6.9mm aluminum frame instead of Nothing’s 8.6mm plastic frame, and a lighter 179g body against the 4b’s 210g, though its battery is slightly smaller at 5,000mAh. The Realme 16 Pro+ costs more but adds a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset, a 200MP main camera with 1/1.56" sensor, a 50MP 3.5x periscope lens, a huge 7,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging, and a promise of five OS updates. At a similar price, the Motorola Edge 70 is thinner and lighter (6.0mm, 159g) yet keeps a 4,800mAh battery, wireless charging at 15W plus 68W wired, Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, and a 50MP main plus ultra-wide combo. If you care more about long-term software and camera flexibility, these rivals beat the Nothing Phone 4b on pure specs.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Nothing Phone 4b if you want a distinctive LED design phone with the sleekest Glyph Bar and a lower entry price than the 4a.
- Skip the Nothing Phone 4b if you prioritise performance, where the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and faster RAM and storage on the Nothing Phone 4a are clearly superior.
- Buy the Nothing Phone 4b if you value a large 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, dual stereo speakers, and IP64 resistance in an affordable mid-range package.
- Skip the Nothing Phone 4b if camera quality matters most, since the Nothing Phone 4a and Realme 16 Pro+ offer larger sensors and telephoto lenses.
- Buy the Nothing Phone 4b if you mostly use social apps, streaming, and light gaming and prefer to save money for accessories rather than paying extra for the 4a.
- Skip the Nothing Phone 4b if long-term OS support and premium build are key priorities, where phones like the Galaxy A57, Realme 16 Pro+, and Motorola Edge 70 come out ahead.
