Nothing Phone (4a) vs Samsung Galaxy S24

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.

Samsung Galaxy S24

A 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X at 120Hz, jumping to a 2,600-nit peak (up from the S23's 1,750). Small but excellent.

• 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits peak at 1080x2340 (416ppi) with always-on display.
• Peak brightness is 2,600 nits, up from 1,750 on the S23 — a big real-world improvement.
• It gets jaw-droppingly bright at 2,600 nits max, excellent for outdoor use.
• Coming from a Pixel 6, the S24's screen is a dramatic upgrade and the speaker is far louder.

Nothing Phone (4a)

A standout 3.5x periscope telephoto at this price and a solid main camera, undercut by an under-optimised zoom and a basic ultrawide.

• A triple setup — 50MP main, a 50MP periscope telephoto and an 8MP ultrawide — undoubtedly one of the best experiences at this level.
• The telephoto has been tweaked to a much better 3.5x (80mm) zoom factor.
• A telephoto with optical zoom at this price is great, but this is the worst optimisation I've seen on a 3.5x camera — expect disappointment if you buy for the zoom.
• The 3.5x optical-zoom telephoto is one of the biggest highlights, adding much more flexibility than most competitors in this price range, and the cameras are surprisingly capable.
• Each camera here feels better than what you'd get on Samsung at the price, and the main is solid with nice detail.

Samsung Galaxy S24

A 50MP main, 10MP 3x telephoto and 12MP ultrawide (identical to the S24+). Competent and consistent, but not the line's strength.

• Triple camera: 50MP main, 10MP 3x optical telephoto, 12MP ultrawide and a 12MP selfie, with strong portrait shots.
• The main camera captures fantastic detail and accurate colours; pro mode produces shots that look from a much more expensive camera.
• Run through DXOMARK's full camera suite for photo, video and zoom quality (Exynos variant).
• A Samsung owner notes the camera is the one clear downside versus a Pixel.
• Featured among the best camera smartphones of 2024 for its hardware-plus-software point-and-shoot results.

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.

Samsung Galaxy S24

A 4,000mAh cell (up from the S23's 3,900) with markedly better endurance — but charging is still capped at an unchanged 25W.

• Battery grew from 3,900mAh to 4,000mAh; video playback hit 17:46h (~4h more than the S23 and beating the Pixel 8), browsing 9:46h, gaming 7:34h.
• Charging remains 25W wired / 15W wireless / 4.5W reverse with no UWB — unchanged from the S23.
• In a multi-phone endurance test the Snapdragon S24 outlasted a Pixel 8 that has a 22%-bigger battery — Tensor G3 is clearly less efficient than the Exynos 2400.
• After a year of charging, gaming and streaming the battery still measured 100% health at 302 cycles (Samsung's hidden diagnostics).
• The Exynos S24 ran hotter (43°C even on Wi-Fi) and was the first to die in the multi-phone drain test.

Nothing Phone (4a)

Aggressively priced below the Pixel 10a with a more distinctive design and a real telephoto — the standout budget pick for buyers who want personality.

• It's a good chunk of change cheaper than the $500 Pixel 10a.
• It fits the perfect budget for buyers who can't afford the ~$1,000 needed for an entry-level iPhone 17, with good hardware and excellent battery.
• A very strong mid-range smartphone that stands out with unique design, great display, solid performance and surprisingly capable cameras — definitely worth a closer look.
• Nothing stands out among the crowd with a brand identity strong enough to turn consumers into fans.

Samsung Galaxy S24

Launched at $799 (128GB) — $50 cheaper than the S23 — and now an exceptional sub-$400 used buy. The recurring criticism is the 256GB upcharge.

• 'The best small Android smartphone gets cheaper but not better' — $799 for 128GB, $50 less than its predecessor.
• It's safe to assume the S24 is still worth buying in 2026, much as an iPhone 15 is worth owning after the iPhone 17.
• After serious testing, USA Today's Reviewed recommends the Samsung Galaxy S24 to most people.
• At around $400 used in 2026 it's an excellent device that still feels like a flagship — just expect some battery degradation.
• At $800 the fingerprint sensor, GPS and Bluetooth modules should be better, and the 256GB-over-128GB upcharge is 'theft.'
• The S24 is practically identical to the S25, making it the smarter, cheaper buy for most.