
Nothing
The mid-ranger that stands out

Samsung
Premium-feel mid-ranger with a long support runway
Nothing Phone (4a)
Nothing Phone (4a)
Nothing Phone (4a)
Nothing's signature transparent-inspired look with the Glyph — divisive but genuinely distinctive at a budget price, and a real step forward from the Phone 3a.
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Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Samsung sanded down the A55's hard edges and gave the A56 a 7.4mm aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back, and a new vertical camera module that visually echoes the Galaxy S25 line. Reviewers universally agree the build punches above the $499 price, even if the design itself is conservative. IP67 (not IP68) and no microSD slot are the two consistent build-related gripes.
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.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
The 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED is one of the consistent strengths of this generation — slimmer bezels, 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits in high-brightness mode plus a claimed 1,900 nits in HDR. It is not LTPO, lacks the S25 Ultra's anti-reflective coating, and the chin bezel is uneven, but every reviewer agrees Samsung delivers the best mid-range display.
Nothing Phone (4a)
A capable mid-range chip that handles everyday use and casual gaming well — not a powerhouse, but appropriate for the price.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Samsung's in-house 4nm Exynos 1580 replaces last year's 1480 with claimed gains of 18% CPU, 17% GPU and 12% NPU. Reviewers agree it's smooth for everyday use, but unanimously call out throttling and surface heat in demanding games — and rivals running Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (OnePlus 13R) or Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 (Poco X7 Pro) win on raw throughput at similar prices.
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.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
The 5,000mAh cell carries over unchanged and combined with the more efficient Exynos 1580 comfortably clears a full day, with some reviewers reporting near-two-day life under light use. The headline upgrade is 45W wired charging (matching the S25 Ultra) — though Samsung doesn't include a charger in the box. No wireless charging in any region is a consistent complaint.