Nothing Phone (4a) vs Sony Xperia 1 VI

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.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

The headline change: Sony dropped its signature 4K panel for a regular FHD+ 21:9 LTPO OLED. Reviewers frame it as a net win — far better efficiency and brightness — even if it loses a bragging right.

• Forbes' framing question captures the debate: does the new regular display make it the best Sony yet?
• The new, more efficient 1080p+ LTPO OLED (paired with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3) makes a big difference to overall endurance versus the old 4K panel.
• Top-tier display quality is one of the reasons the phone is worth considering for those who demand more than everyday performance.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

A triple system — 48MP main, a unique continuous 85–170mm zoom telephoto with 120mm telemacro, and a 12MP ultrawide. Strong in good light with Sony's no-over-processing look and pro controls; weaker at night and for macro.

• 48MP f/1.9 24mm main (1/1.35"), a 12MP telephoto with stepless 3.5x–7.1x (85–170mm) optical zoom and 4cm telemacro at 120mm, plus a 12MP 16mm ultrawide.
• The longer zoom reach is the highlight — stepless 3.5x (85mm) to 7.1x (170mm), up from 3.5x–5.2x on the Xperia 1 V; telephoto photos are excellent in good light with great dynamic range and accurate colors.
• Sony's lack of the extreme processing you'd find on Pixel or Samsung — combined with a now-capable easy automatic mode — produces brilliant, natural results without forcing manual mode.
• Notebookcheck rated it one of the two best camera smartphones (alongside the OnePlus 13) for travel photography.
• Night photography is a weak point — cameras struggle to focus, results are often grainy or noisy, and Sony's algorithms don't fully kill handheld motion blur.
• Telemacro shots need a tripod and still subject — the camera relies on manual focus with focus peaking, so handheld macro is difficult.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB RAM delivers flagship performance that stays snappy, and — unusually for older Xperias — the VI runs cool rather than hot under load.

• Flagship performance — Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB RAM and microSD expansion up to 2TB.
• Unlike the notoriously hot Mark III/V, the Xperia 1 VI 'doesn't really feel like it's getting toasty at all' under sustained use.
• Handles even the highest-quality games without struggle unless pushed beyond 15–20 minutes of continuous play.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

The standout: the same 5,000mAh cell now lasts dramatically longer thanks to the FHD+ panel — most reviewers reach two days, some a third. Charging is modest at 30W (~80–90 min to full).

• Advertised as a two-day battery despite 5,000mAh — on light use it stretched to the end of a third day, only needing a charge on morning four.
• ~17h20m of PCMark screen-on time, typically rounding into the night with ~30% left — very good going.
• 30W wired gives a full charge in ~80 minutes and ~50–54% in half an hour; an 80% charge limit is available to protect long-term battery health.
• GSMArena: a 30-minute charge replenished 50% and a full 0% charge took around 90 minutes — Sony shaved a few minutes off the Xperia 1 V despite unchanged hardware.
• Dissenting datapoint: one reviewer couldn't reach a second day even with light usage — real-world endurance varies with workload.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

A pricey, niche flagship that finally made a small splash for the Xperia line. Its value case rests on being the only true creator/enthusiast phone left — not on out-spec'ing mainstream rivals.

• The Xperia series didn't make much of a mainstream splash until the Xperia 1 VI — a turning point for the line.
• It's a creator-first phone with features you just don't see on rival flagships anymore — expandable storage and a headphone port — justifying its niche appeal.
• Sony's declining sales even in its home country leave reviewers torn between gratitude for the variety and concern about the line's future.
• For day-to-day use the Mark 6 is the better phone; the Mark 5 remains the pick specifically for video content creation.