Google Pixel 8 vs Nothing Phone (4a)

Google Pixel 8

Google

8.3

Best compact Google flagship — 7-year updates + AI in a small body

Nothing Phone (4a)

Nothing

8.3

The mid-ranger that stands out

Google Pixel 8

What Reviewers Agree On

Same industry-first 7-year update commitment as the Pixel 8 Pro — through October 2030
Same Magic Editor, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser AI features as the Pro — entire AI suite trickles down to the cheaper Pixel
Compact 6.2-inch body at 187g — genuinely pocketable, rare in a 6.7"+ flagship market
Tensor G3 + 8GB RAM run the new AI features locally, same chip as Pro
6.2" Actua display at 2000-nit peak, 1-120Hz adaptive — bright enough for sunlight even without LTPO
Cleaner curve-free flat-front design with polished aluminum rails — most refined Pixel design yet

Pros & Cons

Google Pixel 8

Pros

Same industry-first 7-year update commitment as the Pixel 8 Pro — through October 2030
Same Magic Editor, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser AI features as the Pro — entire AI suite trickles down to the cheaper Pixel
Compact 6.2-inch body at 187g — genuinely pocketable, rare in a 6.7"+ flagship market
Tensor G3 + 8GB RAM run the new AI features locally, same chip as Pro
6.2" Actua display at 2000-nit peak, 1-120Hz adaptive — bright enough for sunlight even without LTPO

Detailed Comparison

Battery & Charging

Google Pixel 8

4,575mAh battery delivers average all-day life — behind iPhone 15 (3,349mAh) per-mAh due to Tensor G3 inefficiency. 27W wired charging is modest.

4,575mAh battery — bigger than iPhone 15 (3,349mAh) but Tensor G3 inefficiency cancels much of the advantage.
Real-world: ~5-6 hours of screen-on time typical; all-day for moderate use but rarely two-day endurance.
27W wired charging — modest by 2023 standards. 0-50% in ~30 min, full in ~1h30m.
18W Qi wireless via Pixel Stand 2; 12W standard Qi — solid wireless charging story for a $699 phone.

Nothing Phone (4a)

A ~5,080mAh cell with 50W wired charging — reviewers call endurance strong, but a notable group of owners report disappointing screen-on time.

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Deal Breakers

$699 starting was a $100 increase over the Pixel 7's $599 — value pushback at launch
No telephoto camera — 50MP main + 12MP ultrawide only; relies on 2x sensor crop for any zoom
Smaller 4,575mAh battery + Tensor G3 inefficiency = average all-day life, behind Samsung/iPhone equivalents
27W wired charging is modest; far behind OnePlus 11's 80W or even iPhone 15's 20W on smaller cells
Display tops at 2000-nit (vs Pro's 2400-nit LTPO) — Pro is meaningfully brighter outdoors
Tensor G3 thermal: runs warmer than Snapdragon under sustained load

Nothing Phone (4a)

What Reviewers Agree On

Distinctive Glyph design that stands out in a sea of black slabs — widely called one of the best-looking phones at its price
Excellent big screen for the money: a 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED, HDR10+, ~1,600 nits outdoor and a 4,500-nit HDR peak
Near-stock Nothing OS ranked among the best Android experiences, highly customisable and clean
A rare 3.5x (80mm) periscope telephoto at this price, adding real flexibility most budget rivals lack
A clear, substantial upgrade over the Phone 3a / Phone 3, fixing earlier design problems
Strong value — cheaper than the $500 Pixel 10a while feeling more premium than the price suggests

Deal Breakers

The 3.5x telephoto is poorly optimised — among the worst processing JerryRigEverything has seen on a periscope lens
The 8MP ultrawide is a basic, low-resolution sensor
Battery life is divisive — several owners report only 4–6.5 hours of screen-on time despite a ~5,080mAh cell
The Glyph Matrix's real-world usefulness is questioned by multiple reviewers

Cleaner curve-free flat-front design with polished aluminum rails — most refined Pixel design yet

Cons

$699 starting was a $100 increase over the Pixel 7's $599 — value pushback at launch
No telephoto camera — 50MP main + 12MP ultrawide only; relies on 2x sensor crop for any zoom
Smaller 4,575mAh battery + Tensor G3 inefficiency = average all-day life, behind Samsung/iPhone equivalents
27W wired charging is modest; far behind OnePlus 11's 80W or even iPhone 15's 20W on smaller cells
Display tops at 2000-nit (vs Pro's 2400-nit LTPO) — Pro is meaningfully brighter outdoors
Tensor G3 thermal: runs warmer than Snapdragon under sustained load

Nothing Phone (4a)

Pros

Distinctive Glyph design that stands out in a sea of black slabs — widely called one of the best-looking phones at its price
Excellent big screen for the money: a 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED, HDR10+, ~1,600 nits outdoor and a 4,500-nit HDR peak
Near-stock Nothing OS ranked among the best Android experiences, highly customisable and clean
A rare 3.5x (80mm) periscope telephoto at this price, adding real flexibility most budget rivals lack
A clear, substantial upgrade over the Phone 3a / Phone 3, fixing earlier design problems
Strong value — cheaper than the $500 Pixel 10a while feeling more premium than the price suggests

Cons

The 3.5x telephoto is poorly optimised — among the worst processing JerryRigEverything has seen on a periscope lens
The 8MP ultrawide is a basic, low-resolution sensor
Battery life is divisive — several owners report only 4–6.5 hours of screen-on time despite a ~5,080mAh cell
The Glyph Matrix's real-world usefulness is questioned by multiple reviewers

The Nothing Phone (4a) features a ~5,080mAh cell which delivers very strong endurance in everyday use.

The battery grew slightly — about 80mAh in most markets but a more meaningful 400mAh in India — with a 50W PD unit recommended on the box.

Several owners report only 4–6.5 hours of screen-on time with moderate use — worse than other phones with similar ~5,000mAh batteries.

Battery life on this phone is excellent in everyday use.