The Nothing Phone (4b) launched in Malaysia last weekend as an affordable mid-range device in a market currently flooded with phones seeing skyrocketing prices due to the global RAM crisis. They have succeeded in offering a mid-range device at an affordable price point, but what compromises were made to achieve this?
Specifications
Nothing Phone (4b)
Screen 6.77″ AMOLED 120Hz
HDR10+, 2000 nits
Processor Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 (4nm)
Chip 1 x 2.3 GHz Cortex-720
4 x 2.2 GHz Cortex-720
3 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-520
GPU Adreno 810
RAM 8GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 128 GB UFS 2.2
Main Camera 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS (Wide)
8 MP, f/2.2 (Ultra-wide)
Selfie Camera 12MP f/2.2
Battery 5200 mAh
33W Wired Charging
SIM/Telephony Dual Nano
5G
NFC Yes
Audio Jack None
Water Resistance IP64
Biometrics Under-display fingerprint scanner
Retail Price RM 1,599 (8/128GB)
SCREEN and DESIGN
The device features a 6.77″ AMOLED display with FHD resolution and 120Hz support. It is not an LTPO display; instead, the refresh rate switches between 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz depending on the application. The screen is flat but does not have uniform bezels. The bezels on the chin and forehead are thick, making the device look asymmetrical.
The screen can reach a peak brightness of 2000 nits, making it bright enough for use under harsh sunlight. However, the HDR system does not work with Netflix; so far, HDR functionality is limited to YouTube.
The screen registers every touch accurately, and there are no issues during use. An optical fingerprint scanner is located beneath the display. The scanner's placement is rather low, making it less ergonomic, though scanning remains fast; facial recognition is also available as an option.
The device features a flat metal frame. It feels comfortable in the hand, and the Phone (4b) has a reassuring heft that provides a premium feel, avoiding the impression of a cheap device.
The power and volume buttons are located on the right side, while the bottom houses one of the stereo speakers, the USB-C charging port, and the SIM tray. The SIM tray supports two nano-SIMs but lacks eSIM support. On the left side, there is an "Essential Key" used to capture "Essential" content, which is then stored in "Essential Space."
The most striking feature of the Nothing device is undoubtedly the rear panel with its Glyph Bar lighting system. I must admit that the lighting system—carried over from the Phone (4a)—is underwhelming, especially when compared to the original lighting setups on the Phone (1) and Phone (2). The number of light segments has been reduced, and the design is no longer unique.
It now functions merely as a flashing notification light that can also serve as a flashlight. On the Phone (1) and Phone (2), the Glyph lights were bright enough to act as a fill light. The design of those earlier models is unlikely to return, as Nothing has shifted to using rear-facing screens on its more premium devices.
Glyph Bar
A dual-camera setup—comprising a 50MP wide-angle lens and an 8MP ultra-wide lens—is housed in a plastic module. The futuristic graphic elements that defined Nothing's identity have become increasingly minimalist. Why was this change made? I don't have the answer, but I believe it is likely closely linked to cost-cutting measures.
It is a pity that, without the large Glyph lights and cyberpunk graphic elements, the Phone (4b) lacks the uniqueness of their earlier devices. On the front, there is a 12MP selfie camera housed in a punch-hole cutout.
The device features a 5,200 mAh battery—the largest Nothing has ever used—though it is slightly disappointing that the 6,000 mAh version is sold exclusively in China. It supports 80W wired charging, but the charger is not included in the box. Finally, the device meets the IP65 standard and is available in white, black, and blue.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
It runs on Nothing OS 4 (based on Android 17), which offers one of the most unique interfaces found on modern smartphones. While other manufacturers try to mimic iOS's "Liquid Glass" aesthetic, Nothing sticks to its distinctive digital interface reminiscent of a dot-matrix display. For those bored with the uniform UIs found across devices from various manufacturers, Nothing OS offers a refreshing change of pace.
In fact, Nothing OS popularized the monochrome interface and large widget designs on iOS and Android long before others followed suit. It looks incredibly minimalist, futuristic, and cool—perfect for those who appreciate simplicity. As someone nearing five decades of age, while I admit the Nothing interface is fascinating, it doesn't quite suit my personal taste or eyesight. Distinguishing between app icons in monochrome mode can be difficult. Fortunately, the system includes options for different themes and a colored icon mode.
The operating system runs smoothly, even though the Phone (4b) is equipped with only 8GB of RAM—a modest amount for a modern device. If extra RAM is needed, the "RAM Booster" feature can be activated to add up to 8GB of virtual RAM. However, I cannot recommend using RAM Booster on the Phone (4b) because it only has 128GB of storage, which is quite limited.
This storage capacity is becoming increasingly rare in mid-range devices. It is typically found only in entry-level phones, which usually include a microSD card slot. This presents a problem for the Phone (4b), as it does not support microSD cards. The constraints on memory and storage turn RAM Booster into a liability, especially as the device's storage fills up.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) features include "Essential Space"—which captures screenshots and indexes their content for keyword-based searches—AI-generated wallpapers, an AI-narrated news audio widget, ChatGPT support, and "Essential Voice" for generating audio transcripts. Among these, the AI-generated wallpaper feature stands out to me; the results don't look like the typical "AI slop" often associated with generative AI.
Nothing provides support for three Android version updates and six years of security patches for the Phone (4b). While this support period is relatively short, it feels appropriate given the device's price point.
BENCHMARKS
This phone is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Consequently, it is compared here against other devices using similar chips. Realme C100 – Dimensity 6300 (6nm)
Samsung Galaxy A37 5G – Exynos 1480 (4nm)
Honor 600 Lite – Dimensity 7100 Elite (6nm)
Infinix Note Edge – Dimensity 7100 (6nm)
Nothing Phone (3a) – Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm)
AnTuTu 3D
Score Device
Nothing Phone (4b) 979,880
Realme 16 5G 531,226
Realme C100 577,629
Samsung Galaxy A37 5G 1,059,377
Honor 600 Lite 726,401
Infinix Note Edge 805,806
Nothing Phone (3a) 803,992
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Device
Nothing Phone (4b) 949 3106
Realme 16 5G 801 1902
Realme C100 663 1758
Samsung Galaxy A37 5G 1138 3489
Honor 600 Lite 867 2660
Infinix Note Edge 972 2827
Nothing Phone (3a) 1146 3123
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Chip Score
Nothing Phone (4b) 948
Realme 16 5G 381
Realme C100 383
Samsung Galaxy A37 5G 1042
Honor 600 Lite 640
Infinix Note Edge 692
Nothing Phone (3a) 1043
Daily performance is average. Running standard applications is smooth and problem-free. A slight slowdown is only noticeable when running demanding games. I use COD Mobile as a performance benchmark, having played it for years. This excellent game runs smoothly on high settings but stutters a bit on large maps.
The scores recorded by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 are significantly lower than those of the Apple A20, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and Dimensity 9500. Therefore, expectations for the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4's performance need to be realistic.
In reality, the low-mid-range processor, limited memory, and UFS 2.2 storage mean the Phone (4b) isn't as smooth as one might hope. UFS 2.2 is slow; this is evident when installing large app files, and download speeds are throttled by the underwhelming storage speed.
CAMERA
Like the processor, the Phone (4b)'s camera is merely average. It features a 50MP main camera and an 8MP lens, paired with a 12MP selfie camera. It boasts neither the largest sensors nor an impressive sensor combination.
Photos are satisfactory only in well-lit conditions. Subjects appear bright and sharp. There are no issues with light sources breaking up, though I did notice a slightly yellowish tint to the colors. The ultra-wide lens is also average, given its 8MP resolution; images appear less sharp, especially at night.
Night mode performance is underwhelming, despite the main camera featuring OIS. When zooming at night, image quality is once again disappointing.
Below are photos taken at 1x, 2x, 5x, and 10x zoom settings—a limited zoom range. It was only after taking the photos that I understood why the zoom range was limited. At the 10x setting, the images appeared pixelated and lacked sharpness, while the colors began to deviate from reality. I am only sharing daylight zoom samples because, for night shots, I felt the zoom quality was acceptable only up to 2x.
1x
2x
5x
10x
BATTERY
The 5,200 mAh battery is the largest Nothing has ever used, supporting 33W charging. With moderate use, it can last a full day, delivering a Screen-On Time (SOT) of around 11 hours. Recharging takes approximately 90 minutes using a 33W charger—a rather slow process due to the large battery capacity. A charger is not included with the purchase.
IN THE BOX
Here is what you get in the box with your purchase:
1x Nothing Phone (4b)
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM ejector pin.
CONCLUSION
The Nothing Phone (4b) is a device sold at a very competitive price point for its specifications. It is more affordable than the Honor X9e Pro, Redmi Note 17 Pro Max, and Realme P4 Power 5G, albeit with a less powerful chip. The Phone (4b)'s strengths lie in its unique design, a distinctive operating system interface, and a large battery capacity.
However, the 128GB storage makes it difficult to recommend, as it is both too small and slow. This is compounded by merely average camera performance and a Glyph interface that feels like nothing more than a gimmick.
Pros
Nothing's unique design remains appealing.
The Exynos 2500 chip is still powerful.
The NothingOS interface stands out from the rest.
IP64 water resistance.
Support for 3 Android version updates and 6 years of security patches.
Competitive price.
Cons
The Glyph interface is just a gimmick.
Slow and limited memory.
Unsatisfactory camera performance.
