Nothing Phone (4a) vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra

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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

A 6.73-inch 2K LTPO AMOLED with 120Hz, 1920Hz PWM dimming, Dolby Vision and a 3,000-nit peak — a top-tier panel, though measured sustained brightness is good rather than class-leading.

• LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, 1920Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1,000 nits typical / 3,000 nits peak.
• Peak brightness rose from 2,600 to 3,000 nits versus the 13 Ultra; the measured 1,281 nits isn't industry-leading but is excellent nonetheless.
• Notebookcheck's overall verdict scores it 'very good (89%)' — a 6.73-inch 3200×1440 panel among the best flagships.

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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

The centerpiece and the reason to buy: a 1-inch-type variable-aperture Leica main plus 50MP 3.2x tele, 50MP 5x periscope and a notably clean 12MP ultrawide. Hardware is class-leading; software processing is the only real limit.

• Quad 50MP: a 1"-type f/1.6–f/4.0 variable-aperture main, 75mm 3.2x tele, 120mm 5x periscope, and a 12mm ultrawide, plus a 3D ToF sensor.
• TechRadar's verdict is unambiguous: 'the king of the camera phones'.
• The 1-inch-type main sensor is nearly 30% bigger than the 1/1.3-inch sensors in Samsung/Apple rivals, and with an f/1.6 variable aperture captures more light than most phones — great for low light.
• Official camera samples across all four lenses were called 'stunning' and 'pretty fantastic' ahead of launch.
• It has 'blown everyone's mind with its camera capabilities' and delivers on all fronts, especially the camera department.
• The 12mm ultrawide is 'highly useable' — unlike the hilarious distortion and aberrations one owner saw on iPhone and Samsung ultrawides.

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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with Adreno 750 and up to 512GB UFS 4.0 puts it among the fastest 2024 flagships, with Xiaomi's IceLoop cooling keeping sustained gaming temperatures in check.

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with Adreno 750 and 512GB UFS 4.0 — Notebookcheck rates it 'very good (89%)' overall.
• It's the reason it makes complete sense to put it against the best flagships — a phone that delivers on all fronts.
• Some camera lag appears only in dimly lit auto-mode scenes — raising EV and adjusting exposure in pro mode cuts it down significantly.

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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

A 5,000mAh cell (global) with very fast 90W wired / 80W wireless charging. Endurance is improved over the 13 Ultra but still only middling for the class, and heavy gaming drains it quickly.

• The global Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery — same capacity as the 13 Ultra — and endurance is a step up but doesn't win hearts.
• The biggest improvement is gaming endurance — up 33% over the 13 Ultra's underwhelming 5 hours, no longer miles behind competitors but still not class-leading.
• Charging: 90W wired fills empty-to-full in ~33 minutes (matched in testing), plus 80W wireless to 100% in ~46 minutes and 10W reverse wireless.
• Owners are 'not disappointed' with daily battery life, though some wish screen-on time were a bit better.

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.

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

At ~$1,600 / €1,500 (often bundled with the Photography Kit) it's priced at the very top against the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra. Its value case is camera supremacy, not all-round polish or availability.

• Notebookcheck lists it from ~€1,500 (Xiaomi advertises ~US$1,600), and asks whether the Leica phone is worth the money — concluding it 'comes up trumps'.
• In Italy it bundled at €1,499 with the camera case, an 80W wireless charging stand and a Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro — strong value against an iPhone 15 Pro Max at €1,489 plus separate accessories.
• TrustedReviews flagged it as 'sure to be in the running for the best Android phone of 2024'.
• Tom's Guide called it 'an ultra-impressive phone, especially in the camera department' — the consistent value framing across publications.
• The honest counterpoint: against an OnePlus 12, owners argue the Xiaomi camera lead isn't '100 miles ahead' for the price premium.