iPhone 16 vs Nothing Phone (4a)

iPhone 16

A 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED that's bright (2,000 nits) and dims to 1 nit — but remains stuck at 60Hz, the phone's single biggest criticism.

• The displays now go down to 1 nit of brightness — very nice for not waking your partner while you doomscroll in bed.
• What grates on a phone starting at $900/£900 is the display remaining 60Hz.
• The 60Hz screen was initially called 'an unreasonable spec,' but after a month of use it's not nearly as big an issue as expected.
• It hits ~2,000 nits peak — bright and easily legible, matching the Pro models on brightness.

Nothing Phone (4a)

A genuine highlight for the price — a big 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED that's bright, sharp and HDR-capable, beating similarly priced rivals.

• 6.78-inch AMOLED, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits typical / 1,600 nits HBM / 4,500 nits peak at 1224x2720 (440ppi).
• The 6.78-inch display is 23% brighter than the 3a, reaching 1,600 nits outdoors with a 4,500-nit HDR peak.
• Brightness goes up to 4,500 nits peak, remaining easily readable outdoors — the display is very strong for this price range and one of the standout features.
• In the real world it hits around 700 nits peak SDR and ~1,550–1,600 nits in HDR, with 460ppi and dynamic 120Hz.

iPhone 16

The A18 with 8GB RAM — the same RAM as the Pro this generation — is fast and a massive leap for anyone upgrading from an older iPhone.

• The base 16 sees a roughly 5x graphics gain in the 3DMark Solar Bay test versus the iPhone 15.
• Your tired iPhone XR may run iOS 18, but the iPhone 16 runs it exponentially better — the iterative criticism misses the point for upgraders.
• The A18 chip is shared across the iPhone 16 family with the same 8GB RAM — no performance compromise versus the Pro for everyday use.
• Switchers concede the iPhone's A-series still outclasses mid-range Android processors.

Nothing Phone (4a)

A capable mid-range chip that handles everyday use and casual gaming well — not a powerhouse, but appropriate for the price.

• Gaming is absolutely possible on this device, with solid everyday performance for the class.
• There's no shortage of substantial hardware upgrades over the 3a, even if the design doesn't stand out as much as the Pro.
• After 24 hours the home screen is extremely customisable and feels massively more functional than iOS, with no responsiveness complaints.
• Gesture-based navigation is fully supported and the overall experience is good thanks to Nothing's optimisations.

iPhone 16

Improved over the iPhone 15 with all-day life for most; charging is slow, with Qi2/MagSafe up to 25W on a 30W brick.

• The iPhone 16 is rated for up to 22 hours of video playback and 80 hours of audio.
• Apple says the iPhone 16 line gets significantly better battery life than the iPhone 15, and units held up for full heavy days in testing.
• Updated MagSafe charges at up to 25W using the Qi2 puck and a 30W charger.
• iOS 18 adds a Battery Health charge-limit option (80–100%) plus visible cycle count to prolong cell lifespan.

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.

• 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.