The Latest Nothing Phone Drop Brings the Fun to Everyday Tech

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(SPOT.ph) I couldn't count on my fingers the number of times someone asked me, "What phone is that?" in the three weeks that I used the Nothing Phone (4a) for this review. Those already familiar with the brand and its aesthetics immediately recognized the phone, though, saying: "Nothing Phone 'yan, no?" It truly grabbed people’s attention; a complete standout from the sea of standard-looking smartphone designs in the market.

There's nothing (pun intended) the Nothing Phone (4a) is short on when side-by-side with its mid-range smartphone friends. It just so happens that it has that edge appearance-wise, especially with the rise of analog and retro-future takes on products. There’s much to say about its external appearance, but usage and internal functions bring a more practical, straightforward conversation.  Let me tell you all about the full experience below.

Also read: Pink Retro-Future Phones, Yellow Headphones + More Cool Drops From Nothing

I'll tell you what I told those who asked me about the phone; it's Nothing. They would turn to look at me, all confused, before I clarified that Nothing is the actual name of the brand. Nothing's DNA is defined by its transparent design—and much more accessible price tag.

The Nothing Phone (4a) is one of the devices in the brand's latest drop, alongside the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, and, a first for the brand, the Headphone (a). All of them are available for grabs at Digital Walker.

Compared to the (3a) difference in design is notable, as it's sleeker and sharper, even in the vibrant blue colorway. Instead of the glyph bar (which is the functional light notification feature at the back) surrounding the camera, it's now positioned on the right side of the camera in the form of a single strip. The buttons are also modified; the volume buttons now join the power button on the right side, while the Essential Key can be found on the left.

The (4a) is also slightly bigger and brighter than the (3a) at 6.78" flexible AMOLED with a 1224 x 2720 resolution. The price starts at P21,990, with the 8+128GB variant—not bad for a phone that covers the essentials and looks good in the process.

If the black and white, sci-fi-looking designs aren't much of a head-turner already, the Nothing Phone (4a) is also available in blue and the newest colorway for the phone lineup, pink.

Nothing's hardware perfectly blends minimalist and retro-future aesthetics, and the packaging is no different. The striking blue phone also came with a USB-C to USB-C cord and, to my delight, a pre-applied screen protector and a clear, silicone case. The full package.

With or without the silicone case, the phone is easy to grip. There'll be no accidental drops from any surface with this phone, even with sweaty hands. Of course, there's the transparent design that turns heads. The see-through blue backing pulls in different hues and shades over the phone’s different parts colorway looks like all sorts of blue, which adds another edge overto the standard-looking smartphones in the market.

It's easy to set up, which was quite the surprise given how futuristic and seemingly high-tech it looks on the outside. Nothing's design philosophy also bleeds into the user interface (UI), though you also have the option to use the more familiar default Android icons. If you prefer to have everything uniform—which, with Nothing's minimalist design, is sleeker and cleaner—you will definitely like the UI. It can be a little tricky finding the app you're looking for though, with everything looking the same.

There was no lag when switching between apps, and fingers smoothly glided across the screen. Though I don't know if it's because it's too sensitive or it's a user problem that I kept on accidentally clicking the emoji tabs without meaning to when typing. Next thing I know, there was already a string of emojis instead of the words I meant to type. Other than that, it breezed through daily work tasks (plus a little bit of YouTube watching during lunch breaks) without a hitch. I used it as a second phone, where I drafted articles and looked for possible stories.

The one thing that stood out to me, other than the light that flashes every time I received a notification, is the brand-new Glyph Bar. It wasn't just some cool little detail; it did a great job notifying me of messages, calls, and other stuff without having to flip the phone face up. It's silent, yes, but not too subtle that I didn’t know there’s a new notif to address. We know Viber and Teams notification sounds make you quake in your boots, so here's a less traumatic way to get them.

There's also the Essential Space, which is basically your planner in one convenient click. One press of the Essential Key, which is on the left side, fetches screenshots of whatever important information you want to keep. You can even label it for context and easier retrieval for later reference.

The Nothing Phone (4a) uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 4 for its processor and a 5,080 mAh battery for 10 to 12 hours of use. It's also light in the hand, at 205 grams. That provided enough battery life and was easy enough to accompany me past official work hours and into personal activities after clocking out.

As someone who doomscrolls late at night, looking for pitches for the next day while in bed, this helped me keep track of the links or the social media posts worth bringing up the next day. It's all in one dedicated space, so it won't get lost in all the messages or other notifications. After all, everyone knows how easy it is to lose something in the digital world—one wrong scroll and all of it refreshes.

It's also not bad at taking pics and vids. The 50MP delivered clear, vivid shots. I appreciate the presets on the Nothing Phone (4a)—both for photos and videos—that required less time and effort from me to edit for the 'gram. The Nothing Phone (4a) also boasts of the 70x ultra zoom, which I used to capture the pedestrian lane from almost 20 floors up.

I enjoy watching YouTube videos when eating, and so I went ahead and propped the Nothing Phone (4a) to test it out. The audio was loud and crisp, and can be heard clearly from the next room. The visuals weren't be left behind, either. It was bright and clear even under natural sunlight.

The Nothing Phone (4a) will lure you in with its unique design, no doubt, especially with the more striking colorways like Blue and Pink in the lineup. You will stay for the ride with its solid mid-range performance and the attractive price point. If you're looking for a reliable second phone or a main one that delivers no-fuss operation, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a fun tech that will make you stand out from the crowd, like a fashion statement piece. Be prepared to answer "What cool phone is that?" questions.

The Nothing Phone 4a starts at P21,990 and is available at Digital Walker stores nationwide, as well as online through Digital Walker's website, Shopee, and Lazada. For more offerings, check out their Shopee and Lazada pages.

For more information, check out Digital Walker's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Also read:

SPOT.ph Roadtest: How These Noise-Cancellation Earbuds Went From Nothing to Everything

Spot Reviews: CMF by Nothing's Buds Pro Is a Standout Choice Among Budget Wireless Earbuds

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