Google Pixel 4a vs Nothing Phone 3
The Verdict
The Google Pixel 4a and Nothing Phone 3 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Google Pixel 4a is the cheaper of the two at $349 versus $799, a difference of about $450. The Nothing Phone 3 is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Google Pixel 4a stands out for incredible value at $349, while Nothing Phone 3 is praised for unique glyph interface design with customizable led patterns. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Google Pixel 4a if…
- →Incredible value at $349
- →Same 12.2 MP camera quality as Pixel 4
- →Headphone jack retained
Buy the Nothing Phone 3 if…
- →Unique Glyph Interface design with customizable LED patterns
- →50 MP triple camera with 3x periscope telephoto
- →Clean Nothing OS with 5 years of Android upgrades
Pros & Cons
Google Pixel 4a
Pros
- Incredible value at $349
- Same 12.2 MP camera quality as Pixel 4
- Headphone jack retained
- Compact and lightweight at 143 g
- Clean stock Android with fast updates
Cons
- No water resistance rating
- 60Hz display
- No wireless charging
- Single rear camera only
- Plastic build feels cheap
Nothing Phone 3
Pros
- Unique Glyph Interface design with customizable LED patterns
- 50 MP triple camera with 3x periscope telephoto
- Clean Nothing OS with 5 years of Android upgrades
- 65W fast charging and 15W wireless charging
- IP68 water and dust resistance
Cons
- 218g is on the heavier side
- USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.x
- Camera post-processing behind top flagships
Full Specifications
| Spec | Google Pixel 4a | Nothing Phone 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 10 | Android 15, Nothing OS 3.5 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 143 g | 218 g |
| Material | Polycarbonate unibody | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus back |
| IP rating | No official rating | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 144 x 69.4 x 8.2 mm | 160.6 x 75.6 x 9.0 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.3", OIS, PDAF |
| Front camera | 8 MP, f/2.0 | 50 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@30fps | 4K@30/60fps |
| Telephoto | — | 50 MP, f/2.7, 3x optical zoom, periscope, OIS |
| Ultrawide | — | 50 MP, f/2.2, 114-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3140 mAh | 5150 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired | 65W wired |
| Wireless charging | No | 15W wireless, 5W reverse |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.81 inches | 6.67 inches |
| Type | OLED | OLED, HDR10+ |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 1260 x 2800 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 600 | 4500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz + 6x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (1x3.21 GHz Cortex-X4 + 3x3.0 GHz A720 + 2x2.8 GHz A720 + 2x2.0 GHz A720) |
| GPU | Adreno 618 | Adreno 825 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.1 | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Wi-Fi 7 (tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 6.0 |
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Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in phones, see all Google products or all Nothing products. View full details for the Google Pixel 4a or the Nothing Phone 3.