Nothing Phone (4a) Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 with UFS 3.1 storage is a clear, tangible step up from the Phone (3a) generation — Nothing claims +27% CPU, +30% GPU and +65% AI. It's a perfectly capable everyday chip that feels noticeably quicker, but it's explicitly not a gaming powerhouse and warms up under sustained heavy load.

• Backed by OS optimisations and a custom CPU scheduler, the chipset delivers 27% better CPU, 30% better GPU and 65% better AI performance than the Nothing Phone (3a); storage is 147% faster in reads and 380% faster in writes.
• Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is a perfectly acceptable chip across the board, and the upgrade to UFS 3.1 makes this feel noticeably quicker compared to the Nothing Phone (3a) and prior.
• The CPU performance difference between the 4a Pro and the vanilla 4a is not massive, but it is still very much notable.
• Available in 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB and 12GB+256GB configurations, all running near-stock AOSP-style Nothing OS.
• Like most phones in this segment, it shows some basic heat build-up during really extensive tasks like gaming or 4K editing in high-end software, though it stays responsive while gaming.
• It's by no means a top-notch gaming phone, although the processor is better than the regular 4a's and squeezes out a bit more performance and FPS.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The bespoke Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (3.36GHz, higher-binned) was the fastest mobile chip of its day, with a much-improved vapor chamber. Three years on it still feels snappy for everyday use, only outclassed by the latest 8 Gen 3/4 silicon.

• Powered by a bespoke 'Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy' — same chip as other 8 Gen 2 devices but clocked higher at 3.36GHz vs the standard 3.2GHz.
• 12GB RAM + 256GB UFS 4.0 base storage, scaling up to 1TB — flagship-tier specs that still hold up in 2026.
• Significantly cooler under sustained load than the S22 Ultra and even the iPhone 14 Pro Max thanks to a larger vapor chamber.
• Still smooth in 2026 for everyday use, app switching and Call of Duty — multitasking remains snappy on 12GB RAM.
• Sustained-load testing showed frame rate improvements over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with much less throttling.

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

The ~5,080mAh cell reliably gets through a day and endurance improved across all of GSMArena's tests versus the 3a Pro — but it's only an 80mAh bump over last year and looks small next to 6,000–7,000mAh budget rivals. 50W wired charging is the trade-off win; there is no wireless charging at all.

• Endurance has improved across the board in all tests compared to last year's Nothing Phone (3a) Pro; with a 68W USB-PD charger the phone peaked at around 42W.
• The review unit gets through a day without problems, but it'll certainly be into the red and close to done after about 15 hours of use; the OnePlus 15R has a much meatier battery to last longer.
• It's only an 80mAh increase over last year — small fry next to budget rivals like the Poco M8 Pro, which uses silicon-carbon tech to reach 6,500mAh.
• 50W wired charging is very respectable at this price — besting anything Google, Apple or Samsung offers below £500.
• Because the processor isn't power-hungry and the battery is large for the chip, real-world battery life is excellent.
• Roughly 13 hours of continuous playback at maximum brightness in a streaming test — impressive for what Nothing is doing at this price.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

5,000mAh paired with the efficient 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy delivered the era's best Android battery life — 6-7 hours of screen-on time, still close to 5 hours of mixed heavy use after 2 years. The catch is charging speed: 45W wired (and a special cable is needed to hit it) when rivals offer 80W+.

• 5,000mAh battery + the efficient 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy gives 6-7 hours of screen-on time at full brightness in WQHD with no power-save modes.
• Two-year battery test still delivered ~4h44m of mixed heavy SOT (PUBG, Genshin, 4K video, Spotify) — strong longevity even after 2 years.
• Pure-runtime lab test hit 11h5m vs 8h13m on the S22 Ultra — a major efficiency leap from the Snapdragon chip alone.
• 45W wired charging: 40% in 15 min, 72% in 30 min, 91% in 45 min, full in ~1h3m — but only with a separate 5A cable and 45W brick.
• The included box cable doesn't trigger Super Fast Charging 2.0 — Samsung sells the 5A cable and 45W brick separately, a recurring complaint.

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

At $499 it directly undercuts the experience-per-dollar of the same-priced Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e, and several reviewers would take it over the 10a without hesitation. The closest internal threat is its own cheaper sibling, the standard Phone (4a), which shares the same cameras for $150 less.

• From the design to the software and cameras, this is a phone that should absolutely not be slept on — at the price of a Pixel 10a, 'I'd take this 10 out of 10 times over a 10a.'
• Vibes and great value for under $500 — a balanced all-rounder.
• Against its immediate rivals the Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e it looks impressive: a larger, brighter, faster display, more cameras, and Nothing's unique design including the Glyph Matrix.
• A premium balanced package with polished software and really good cameras — recommended, even if it's not perfect on the IP rating or front-camera 4K.
• The biggest problem for the 4a Pro is its own little brother — the standard 4a costs much less and gets the exact same cameras.
• While the (4a)'s design is still the best in the Nothing range, the (4a) Pro is a close second, and its speakers sound better than the standard model's.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Launched at $1,199 in early 2023, the S23 Ultra is now $500-650 used / ~$800 new — one of the best smartphone bargains in 2026, especially with the S25 Ultra delivering only modest gains. The Pixel 8 Pro and OnePlus 11 were its strongest contemporaries.

• Launched at $1,199 with 256GB UFS 4.0 — premium flagship territory then; Samsung's trade-in deals + $200 cashback / Disney+ kept the real cost down.
• Now ~$500-650 used on eBay/Swappa, ~$800 new — an absolute bargain for the spec package in 2026.
• The S25 Ultra disappointed many owners expecting big gains — the S23 Ultra still feels close enough that 'I'd buy this again' is a recurring sentiment in 2026.
• Versus Pixel 7 Pro ($300 less) and OnePlus 11 (much faster charging at lower price) — the S23 Ultra's S Pen and zoom range are the deciding edges.
• Versus iPhone 14 Pro Max — the S23 Ultra wins on zoom and customisation; iPhone wins on video and ecosystem 'just works'.