The under Rs 25,000 smartphone segment is filled with devices that often excel in some areas but lack on other fronts, making it hard to find a good phone that is also light on your pocket. OnePlus recently launched its latest budget Nord phone - the Nord CE 4, but how does it fare against the Nothing Phone (2a)? If you are stuck in a rock and hard place, here is an in-depth comparison between the similarly priced devices that will help you decide which smartphone you should go with. Design One of the main differences between the two devices is in terms of how they look. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a look and feel that reminds me of the Vivo V29 Pro and the Vivo V30 Pro's blue variant. While the back is still made from polycarbonate, the marble-like finish makes it look like a more expensive device than it actually is. OnePlus also seems to have redesigned the camera island, which now consists of three camera cutouts arranged in a pill-shaped island. On the other hand, Nothing seems to be sticking to the same design language that made the Nothing Phone (1) an instant hit. It has a transparent plastic back panel that shows the internals of the phone. However, the company seems to have cut corners when it comes to the Glyph interface, which are basically LED lights on the back of the phone. The Glyph LEDs are positioned on the top half of the phone, which makes it stand out from other devices in the price bracket. Since design is subjective, there is no clear winner between the two, but if you want to buy a unique-looking phone, the Nothing Phone (2a) with its head-turning back panel and LED-laden back panel is the clear winner. Display As is the case with most mid-range devices under Rs 25,000, both the OnePlus Nord CE 4 and the Nothing Phone (2a) have a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED screen. While they may look similar, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 with 1,110 nits peak brightness loses out to the Nothing Phone (2a)'s 1,300 nits bright screen on paper. However, when using these devices outdoors, the difference may not be much. If you happen to live in an area where summers are really hot and bright, like New Delhi, the Nothing Phone (2a)'s extra brightness might come in handy. Camera The recently launched OnePlus Nord CE 4 packs a dual camera setup that consists of a 50MP Sony LYT600 sensor, which made its debut on the Realme 12 Plus and an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide lens. The Nothing Phone (2a) also has a dual camera setup with the main camera powered by the 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN9 sensor and a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN1 ultrawide lens. During day time, both devices take good photos from the main camera, but the Nothing Phone (2a) wins against the OnePlus Nord CE 4 when it comes to ultrawide sensors. This is because the Phones (2a)'s 50MP ultrawide lens can capture more details compared to the Nord CE 4's 8MP shooter. However, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 with its 50MP Sony LYT-600 primary sensor can capture more details in low-light conditions. While the Nothing Phone (2a) isn't far away, the latter often struggles to manage light sources, increases the exposure for some reason and lacks details. Performance The recently launched OnePlus Nord CE 4 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset whereas the Nothing Phone (2a) packs the Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset. Both chipsets offer a lag-free performance when it comes to day-to-day tasks, but in terms of gaming, the Nord CE 4 has an advantage over the Nothing Phone (2a). The base variant of both phones offers 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. However, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 offers UFS 3.1 storage, which makes launching apps and multitasking a tad faster than the Nothing Phone (2a) which packs the dated UFS 2.2 storage. Software and updates These mid-range phones run on Android 14 out of the box, but the Nord CE 4 with OxygenOS 14 offers more software features compared to the Nothing Phone (2a), which comes with NothingOS 2.5. While both user interfaces have their advantages and disadvantages, NothingOS might be better for some as it is subjectively clean and more aesthetically pleasing compared to OxygenOS. Also, OnePlus has promised 2 OS updates and 3 years of security patches for the Nord CE 4, while Nothing has confirmed that the Phone (2a) will get 3 OS updates and 4 years of security updates. If you want a phone that will last you a couple of years, we recommend going with the Nothing Phone (2a). Battery and charging The OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a bigger 5,500mAh battery compared to the Nothing Phone (2a)'s 5,000mAh battery. On paper, this means that the OnePlus Nord CE 4 might last a bit longer than Nothing's latest phone, but the battery backup depends on your usage. In terms of charging, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 offers 100W fast charging whereas the Nothing Phone (2a)'s charging speed is limited to 45W. If you are someone who wants a phone with a big battery that can be charged quickly, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is the way to go. OnePlus Nord CE 4 vs Nothing Phone (2a): Which one should you buy? If you are looking for a phone that stands out from the sea pool of smartphones, offers a clean and practical UI, don't play a lot of games and can manage with a decent camera, the Nothing Phone (2a) (review) is the better between the two. However, if you are looking for a device that has a slightly better primary camera, bigger battery, faster charging and can easily run the latest titles at respectable settings, we recommend buying the OnePlus Nord CE 4.
