![\"Nothing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nothing-Phone-4a-all-colors.jpg\"\/ "\\"Nothing")
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Paul Jones \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
My colleague Adamya recently shared her first impressions of the Nothing Phone 4a<\/a>, and spoiler alert, it\u2019s a really good phone. With its unique design, simple (but useful) Glyph Bar, and decent overall specs, it\u2019s a pretty compelling package for \u00a3349 \u2014 or a little over $470 in USD.<\/p>\n There\u2019s just one problem with the Nothing Phone 4a: it isn\u2019t available in the US. While you could go through the hassle of importing it, I wouldn\u2019t recommend it. Not only because of the headaches that come with an international phone, but also because there are plenty of other excellent Android phones to choose from around that same price.<\/p>\n So, before you get too upset about not being able to buy the Nothing Phone 4a \u2014 or get too far down the rabbit hole looking to buy a UK model \u2014 here are five other Android phones you should buy instead.<\/p>\n What Android phone would you buy instead of the Nothing Phone 4a?<\/p>\n 42 votes<\/p>\n Nothing Phone 4a Pro<\/p>\n 21%<\/p>\n Google Pixel 10a<\/p>\n 29%<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy S25 FE<\/p>\n 26%<\/p>\n Motorola Moto G Power (2026)<\/p>\n 2%<\/p>\n OnePlus 13R<\/p>\n 17%<\/p>\n Other (let us know in the comments)<\/p>\n 5%<\/p>\n Nothing Phone 4a Pro\n<\/p>\n As disappointing as the Nothing Phone 4a\u2019s absence in the US might be, the good news is that its more powerful sibling \u2014 the Nothing Phone 4a Pro<\/a> \u2014 is available in the country. Nothing\u2019s release strategy here is a bit strange, but that\u2019s OK, because the Pro is an excellent alternative to the base model.<\/p>\n The most obvious difference between the two phones is their design. The Pro ditches the all-transparent back in favor of a transparent camera island and Nothing\u2019s Glyph Matrix secondary screen (which you can use to see the time, set timers, and more). The Nothing Phone 4a Pro also has a more capable Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip (compared to a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 in the regular Nothing Phone 4a), a brighter display with a faster 144Hz refresh rate, and a slightly more durable IP65 rating instead of IP64.<\/p>\n Are these dramatic, game-changing upgrades? Not necessarily. But if you were hoping to get the Nothing Phone 4a, the Pro gives you basically the same experience and then some. Combine that with proper US availability and a $499 price tag, and it\u2019s about as good an alternative to the Nothing Phone 4a as you\u2019ll find.<\/p>\n Nothing Phone 4a Pro<\/a> Updated aluminum design \u2022 Larger Glyph Matrix \u2022 New chipset<\/p>\n The Nothing A series goes official in the US<\/p>\n The Nothing Phone 4a Pro is a standout mid-range phone with a bold Glyph Matrix design, Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 performance, and a 144Hz AMOLED display \u2014 paired with a versatile triple-camera system including a 50MP periscope zoom, all aimed at delivering flagship-style features at a $499 price point.<\/p>\n Google Pixel 10a\n<\/p>\n That said, if I had around $500 to spend on a new Android phone, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro wouldn\u2019t be my personal choice. Instead, I\u2019d pick up the Google Pixel 10a<\/a>. While not as eye-catching or unique as the Nothing Phone 4a, the Pixel 10a gets so much else right, and for what I value in a phone, it makes a lot more sense.<\/p>\n One of those is ergonomics. Compared to the Nothing Phone 4a\u2019s 6.78-inch display, the Pixel 10a\u2019s 6.3-inch panel is much smaller and easier to use one-handed. The Pixel is lighter, too, weighing over 20 grams lighter than Nothing\u2019s smartphone. And, best of all, it\u2019s one of the only modern Android phones without a camera bump. It\u2019s a beautiful sight.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t get a telephoto camera on the Pixel 10a as you do on the Nothing Phone 4a, but the primary and ultrawide sensors on Google\u2019s phone are so reliable that I don\u2019t really care. I also prefer the Pixel 10a\u2019s software experience, longer update support, and wireless charging \u2014 a feature the Nothing Phone 4a doesn\u2019t have.<\/p>\n Is the Pixel 10a a little boring? Sure. Is it barely an upgrade compared to the Pixel 9a? Without a doubt. But it\u2019s also an Android phone I look forward to using each time I pick it up, and I think that speaks volumes \u2014 especially for a phone that costs $499.<\/p>\n Google Pixel 10a<\/a> Flush camera design \u2022 Good performance and battery life \u2022 Strong cameras \u2022 Great software support promise \u2022 Excellent price<\/p>\n Google’s best AI features, in a more affordable mid-tier device<\/p>\n Google Pixel 10a is a refined mid-range phone built around Tensor G4, a brighter 120Hz 6.3-inch display, tougher Gorilla Glass 7i, satellite SOS, and trickled-down Pixel AI features \u2014 paired with a reliable dual-camera system, 30W charging, and seven years of updates.<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy S25 FE<\/p>\n Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy S25 FE<\/p>\n If the Nothing Phone 4a is one of the more visually distinct Android phones on the market today, you could easily argue that the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE<\/a> is one of the most boring. It looks like every Galaxy S phone released over the last several years, and certainly isn\u2019t turning any heads with its design. However, if you can look past that, it\u2019s a pretty solid alternative to spending your money on the Nothing Phone 4a.<\/p>\n How so? It\u2019s all about the specs. The S25 FE\u2019s Exynos 2400 chipset offers better CPU and GPU performance than the Nothing Phone 4a\u2019s Qualcomm chip. Samsung\u2019s phone supports wireless charging, has a more complete software interface in One UI, and will receive seven years of updates instead of just three. It also has much stronger water resistance with an IP68 rating, faster storage, and better video recording capabilities.<\/p>\n Surely that all must cost quite a bit more than the Nothing Phone 4a, right? Technically, yes; the Galaxy S25 FE retails for $650. However, given the phone\u2019s age, it\u2019s almost always on sale. For example, at the time of writing, you can buy it for just $500. At that price, I think it\u2019s an easy pick over the Nothing Phone 4a.<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy S25 FE<\/a> Large 120Hz display \u2022 Big battery \u2022 50MP camera<\/p>\n Exynos-powered, 6.7-inch Samsung experience<\/p>\n The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is a more affordable experience for fans of the S25 series. Powered by an Exynos 2400 processor, this 6.7-inch phone offers better specs than ever in a FE phone, and nearly all of the greatness found in mainline S25 phones.<\/p>\n Motorola Moto G Power (2026)<\/p>\n Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n All three of my recommendations so far have been at that same $500 asking price, similar to what the Nothing Phone 4a would cost you if you imported it into the US. If you\u2019re curious what you could potentially buy for much less, consider the Moto G Power (2026)<\/a>. This is one of the newest additions to the Moto G family, and for the price, it\u2019s a pretty solid option.<\/p>\n What\u2019s good about Motorola\u2019s phone? It has IP68\u00a0and\u00a0IP69 ratings, a larger battery (5,200mAh compared to Nothing\u2019s 5,080mAh cell), expandable storage via microSD, and \u2014 yes \u2014 a 3.5mm headphone jack. To get all of that in a handsome faux leather back with Pantone colors isn\u2019t a bad setup at all.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the catch? The Moto G\u2019s MediaTek processor isn\u2019t as powerful as the one inside the Nothing Phone 4a. Motorola\u2019s phone also has slower storage, slower charging, and a less compelling camera setup. Those are big things to consider.<\/p>\n The Moto G Power (2026) is far from a perfect phone, but at a starting price of only $300, its compromises are much easier to contend with. It costs a heck of a lot less than what you\u2019d pay for getting a Nothing Phone 4a into the States, and it\u2019s an overall solid Android handset to boot.<\/p>\n Motorola Moto G Power (2026)<\/a> 8GB of RAM \u2022 IP68 and IP69 durability \u2022 Vegan leather finish<\/p>\n Motorola’s Moto G Power (2026) is the brand’s most complete budget phone right now.<\/p>\n The Motorola Moto G Power (2026) is the best cheap Motorola phone to buy right now, combining decent materials with solid IP protection and a dual-camera setup that actually works in day-to-day life. We’d still like to see longer update support, but the Pantone colors and goodies like a headphone jack and expandable storage make life better.<\/p>\n OnePlus 13R<\/p>\n Rushil Agrawal \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Last but certainly not least, we have the OnePlus 13R<\/a>. This is a phone I keep recommending even more than a year after its release, and it\u2019s because it\u2019s just that good. It\u2019s also a bit of a polar opposite compared to the Nothing Phone 4a. Where that phone prioritizes a flashy design and pairs it with mid-tier specs, the OnePlus 13R settles for a pretty tame design in favor of a spec sheet that blows Nothing\u2019s smartphone out of the water.<\/p>\n Thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the OnePlus 13R delivers much better CPU, GPU, and storage performance compared to the Nothing Phone 4a. The OnePlus 13R also has a significantly larger 6,000mAh battery and much faster 80W wired charging. If performance, battery life, and fast charging are your top three priorities, the OnePlus 13R is the easy choice.<\/p>\n The biggest downside to the OnePlus 13R? Availability. OnePlus stopped selling the phone months ago, and availability at Amazon and Best Buy is hit-or-miss. However, if you can find the phone available for purchase \u2014 at its $599 retail price or likely less at this point \u2014 it\u2019s still well worth buying.<\/p>\n OnePlus 13R<\/a> Speedy performance \u2022 Long-lasting battery \u2022 Superb value for money<\/p>\n R-eally great.<\/p>\n The OnePlus 13R is everything you\u2019d expect from a OnePlus phone \u2014 blazing performance, amazing battery life, and rapid charging. Add to that a gorgeous display and a smooth, feature-packed Oxygen OS experience, and you have a phone that feels like it punches well above its $600 price tag.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/p>\n![\"Nothing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775400380_929_custom_filename.jpg\"\/)
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Nothing Phone 4a Pro<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/custom_filename.jpg\"\/)
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Google Pixel 10a<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Samsung](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Samsung-Galaxy-S25-FE-against-wall-showing-back.jpg\"\/ "\\"Samsung")
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Samsung Galaxy S25 FE<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Motorola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Motorola-Moto-G-Power-2026-rear-hero.jpg\"\/ "\\"Motorola")
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Motorola Moto G Power (2026)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"OnePlus](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OnePlus-13R-review-image-back-design.jpg\"\/ "\\"OnePlus")
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OnePlus 13R<\/a><\/p>\n
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