Nothing Phone (4a) Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S24+

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

A 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED at 144Hz with 2,160Hz PWM dimming — reviewers agree it's the best screen Nothing has built, with realistic outdoor brightness around 1,600 nits. The headline 5,000-nit peak, though, only materialises with special HDR test files; everyday brightness is far lower.

• Nothing's best-ever display: a 144Hz panel with 1,600 nits of outdoor brightness and a claimed 5,000 nits peak; the main camera is solid too with nice detail and well-reproduced colours.
• A claimed 1,600-nit outdoor brightness is realistic — no major visibility issues outdoors even in strong sunshine, putting it among the best affordable phones, and Nothing OS has some of the best design consistency of any Android UI.
• The 4,500-nit HDR peak was only validated with specific HDR test files, not actual video playback — real-world output is around 700 nits in SDR and 1,550–1,600 in HDR.
• The '5,000-nit peak brightness' spec means nothing in practice — a marketing figure pulled from a single-pixel measurement.
• 144Hz refresh (vs 120Hz on the regular 4a) and 1,600 nits white brightness / 5,000 nits peak, marketed as 66% brighter than the Phone (3a) series — though there's no extra output on a small 10% window.
• High-frequency PWM dimming makes it better suited to users sensitive to screen flicker, although slight flickering is still present.

Samsung Galaxy S24+

The headline upgrade. The S24+ moves to a 6.7-inch QHD+ LTPO panel (up from the S23+'s 1080p) at 120Hz with a 2,600-nit peak.

• It is a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ panel rated at 2,600 nits peak.
• The QHD+ resolution is a significant upgrade from the S23+'s 1080p, paired with an LTPO panel for granular refresh control.
• Maximum peak brightness of 2,600 nits — which even the iPhone can't reach — gives perfect visibility on sunny days.
• The 6.7-inch screen with ultra-thin bezels offers much more viewing space and is perfect for work or media.

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

The headline value play: a 50MP Sony LYT-710 main with OIS, a true 50MP 3.5x periscope telephoto (80mm) with OIS, and an 8MP ultrawide — flagship-tier hardware Samsung and Apple don't put in phones at this price. Output is characterful and the telephoto is a genuine win, but reviewers consistently flag inconsistency, average low-light and a gimmicky 140x digital zoom.

• Triple rear system: 50MP Sony LYT-710 main (f/1.9, OIS), 8MP ultrawide, and a 50MP periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom (80mm, f/2.9, OIS).
• Both the main and periscope-zoom cameras are 50MP and deliver strong results for this price range; the zoom in particular stands out from competitors and even allows for extreme digital zoom.
• Having a proper dedicated telephoto shooter is a genuine love, although the camera experience itself is a little bit inconsistent at times.
• It's not clinically the best camera, but the shots have a bit more soul to them.
• Low-light performance isn't the best, and image quality when you zoom right in isn't the best out there — not bad, just not class-leading.
• The 140x zoom headline grabs attention, but in use it's more about how far the camera can push digitally than something you'd rely on day-to-day.
• Not super impressed by the camera or the giant protruding bumps the lenses sit in.

Samsung Galaxy S24+

A 50MP main, 10MP 3x telephoto and 12MP ultrawide — identical to the S24, and largely unchanged from the S23+. Competent but the line's weak point.

• The S24+ and S24 share the exact same rear camera specs and chipset, so DXOMARK results are identical to the S24.
• Three-camera system: 50MP 24mm main, 10MP 67mm 3x telephoto and 12MP 13mm ultrawide, plus a 12MP selfie.
• A solid all-rounder with a premium design and great screen, but the camera setup in particular needs some TLC.
• The cameras are preferred over the iPhone's by this owner, but still feel like smartphone cameras — soft on fine detail with a lesser telephoto.
• Cameras are very good but didn't surprise — for higher quality you need to step up to the Ultra series.

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 S24+

A 4,900mAh battery (+200mAh vs S23+) with 45W wired and 15W wireless. All-day life is consistent; charging is unremarkable by 2026 standards.

• 4,900mAh battery — 200mAh more than the S23+ — added without increasing the phone's weight.
• Around 10 hours of screen-on-time is achievable for some owners on the S24+.
• Typically 3–4 hours of screen time with 30% left by bedtime, and at least 15% on heavier days.
• 45W fast charging still feels good, though it's no longer a standout against 2026 fast-charging rivals.
• Screen-on-time landed around 6–7 hours after the One UI 8 update (down slightly from 7–8 before), with no display or green-line issues.

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 S24+

Launched at $999 (256GB), the S24+ is widely framed as the best-value S24 and an exceptional used buy in 2026.

• PhoneArena's verdict is explicit: 'Skip the Ultra, buy the Plus.'
• Titled outright as 'A Good Phone and the Best S24 for Most People.'
• It was the most interesting S24 upgrade — more RAM, higher-resolution display and bigger battery at the same $1,000 starting price.
• Two years on at around $350–$400 used, nothing beats the S24 on price-to-performance — SD 8 Gen 3, big battery, good cameras and 5 more years of updates.
• After 2 months it's 'the one to get this year from Samsung' for most buyers.
• As a $1,000 flagship it deserves better speakers than it ships with.