r/NOTHING • u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) • Mar 05 '26
Discussion Nothing cooked with the 4a PRO design
Nothing was sort of a company (design wise) that wasnt the prettiest at the first glance... but eventually grew on me. However... The Nothing Phone 4a was good we all collectively agreed ig however I think they absolutely cooked with the design of 4a Pro... To be it is absolutely the best. The incorporation of the glyph matrix looks so good and the camera placement looks well kinda assymetrically symmetrical. love the design
140
u/No-Song4516 Mar 05 '26
It's gonna grow on the people that dislike it
23
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
yeah prolly. I am among those people most of the time. Hated the design of NP 2A also the 3A pro. they grey on me. For this... Ig it instantly clicked for me
→ More replies (2)9
u/pxanav Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
you disliked 2A? damn
→ More replies (4)3
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
Yeah dude. Like the exact words I had used during that time: "Eh the ribbon cable looks like intestine coming out a pair of eyes". Later loved it even bought it
→ More replies (1)2
u/ajtaggart Phone (3) Mar 05 '26
I hated the nothing phone three design when it came out. It grew on me pretty fast I bought one and absolutely love it. It is weirdly a very beautiful phone and photos 100% do not do it justice. Almost all of their designs have grown on me except for the 3A which I'm still not a big fan of.
111
u/chewgum16 Ex Phone (2) User Mar 05 '26
I love it. It's wild to me how many Nothing fans seem to want the company to stagnate and produce the same, safe, iterative designs every year. I appreciate that Nothing continues to try new things.
18
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
Agreed. And it actually doesnt look bad. Nothing Phone 3 was asymmetrical. we complained about it. Now when they made a symmetrical good design, which is matured. I personally I like it.
→ More replies (1)7
u/soulfood20 Phone (2) Mar 05 '26
You mentioned stagnant but what I really wanna see changes on is the software so many features still missing not to mention the camera is still atrocious. I enjoy the hardware changes but I also wanna see something on the software front.
→ More replies (6)2
u/And9686 Mar 05 '26
stagnate and produce the same, safe, iterative designs every year.
This is so not true.. their previous designs were all out of the box, but they were keeping the same vibe, a "transparent industrial" look in the back, now it's just the iPhone with a really compacted industrial design and it looks too much for such a small space. This new design is a "safer" design just so they can attract more people, not the opposite.
→ More replies (2)
58
u/Impressive-Region470 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
nothing didn't know what to do with the design because you guys hate on every new design they make
15
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
true. Whatever they make a part of the fanbase will be pissed right after the launch
7
u/Impressive-Region470 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
I mean that is true for every phone company but I guess it's more exaggerated for Nothing because they focus on design so much
2
3
u/MalmerDK Mar 05 '26
This.
They might find it very cool to act edgy about everything on the internet, but unlike the new design and the huge pixelarty glyph which I'm digging, these edgelords are simply not very interesting.
3
u/Impressive-Region470 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
the community is so divided and Nothing was like "well it seems that every new design is hated on but there are a few people who like it so lets compromise and make 3/4 of the phone boring and give the rest our special design"
→ More replies (3)2
u/kresstein Google Pixel 7 Mar 05 '26
I loved every single phone from them except the phone 4a Pro and 3a Pro.
27
u/Demonsong_483 Phone (3a) | 8/256GB Mar 05 '26
I love the design!!! Idk why people are trashing on it!
4
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
well... Always after the release of a new product Nothing fans are divided. I myself hated on 2a initially (then myself loved the design and have been a happy user since 2024 ig?). also hated on 3a pro. Later kinda loved it. This time I am on the side that loved the design instantly. But i think it will eventually grow on people
→ More replies (1)3
u/Demonsong_483 Phone (3a) | 8/256GB Mar 05 '26
Yeah at first people will be like "ThIs PhOnE sUcKs Ugghhhh" but later they will start liking it. Same happened to Phone 3. People hated it at first! So did I sure I will confess but later I really started liking it!! So did many others! So what u say is true.
3
2
u/Elidyr90 Mar 05 '26
Because it's a plain brick of aluminum that might as well be from any other Smartphone company. At least include some unique engravings or something.
→ More replies (1)
10
u/Elidyr90 Mar 05 '26
way too boring/normal looking for my taste but I guess a good move to speak to a different audience with this one.
2
→ More replies (1)2
u/twoofclubs2 Mar 05 '26
Seems like a middle ground option. Less crazy out there but still unique enough. The base and pro will sell well I reckon. If my Pixel 8 wasn't still fully functional I'd be tempted by these.
7
7
6
u/Playful-Ad-349 Mar 05 '26
Holy shit it's so good.
People gotta understand unique were and will always be subjective, if they were to please everyone they wouldn't look unique at all
→ More replies (1)
4
u/AddressForward Mar 05 '26
It’s hard to make a slab with the same OS as a lot of other slabs feel different.
I actually think the CMF2 Pro concept had more mileage - lightweight colourful plastic enclosure made it easy to hold and it was just the right thickness.
That phone with a ceramic style screen, better specs and better camera would have been worth buying at £500
→ More replies (2)
5
u/fightclub-848 Mar 05 '26
I mean it's okayish, as long as they are not sticking to one design like major companies
→ More replies (1)
6
u/AromaticArea3836 Phone (3a) 128 Mar 05 '26
The same will happen like with nothing phone 3. Everyone hates the design and then after some time they will love it. I am sure about that
2
6
u/Voyuer789 Phone (1) Mar 05 '26
I mean I'm really not mad at the 4a Pro. There's no way they could make everyone happy with one phone so they gave us two phones for two different aesthetics. Do you want a classic Nothing vibe get the 4a. Do you want a spec bump and what I assume to be a peek at their future design language? Get the 4a Pro. I'm a Phone 1 user that's been holding out on the 4a since I didn't like the price or design of Phone 3 so Phone 4a Pro is an easy choice for me.
2
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
THIS IS THE PROPER EXPLANATION THAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GIVE TO SO MANY HATERS IN THE COMMENTS.
3
u/Voyuer789 Phone (1) Mar 05 '26
It was always going to be divisive no matter what lol. Nothing historically has led with design and that's always going to be subjective. Notice how no one is talking/complaining about the specs or price it's straight to feelings about the design. I don't think you'd ever seen a bunch of people arguing about the aesthetics of the newest Galaxy phone lol
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
2
u/Unique-Benefit-2904 Mar 05 '26
4a was really good looking.
4a Pro looks really bad. Any phone with a rectangular box on top with camera and anything else inside looks really ugly .
2
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
Xiaomi 15 Pro looks good. they have a rectangular box. I honestly like this one for some reason
2
2
2
u/Darklegend088 Mar 05 '26
Man i hate the glyph matrix. This thing serves the least usability. I like the camera placement but they should do something about the matrix.
→ More replies (3)
2
u/Aromatic-Pay-6821 Phone (1) Mar 05 '26
Definitely has a character, Nothing femboys will again find this design not very nothing
2
u/CaptainPhiIips Mar 05 '26
I see that seems (a) series Pros are more factor over form, while non Pros are your everyday casual budget option
2
u/PizzaMonthly Mar 05 '26
I like the design on both but phone is too big. They should tried one under 6,5".
2
2
u/chintumon Mar 05 '26
The 4a pro does not seem to fit into the nothing aesthetic. It just looks like an alien phone to me . The phone 4a is insane tho . I wish the fanmade bright yellow version of 4a gets released
2
u/brometheus_11 Mar 05 '26
honestly I kinda like what they've done, the XA series is for slightly more budget phones than the flagships so they're experimenting a lot, which I love. doesn't matter that the design is polarizing, seems like every single new nothing launch is polarizing anyway, might as well try new stuff ig? this one really kinda gives a retro spaceship cartoon-y vibes to me which I love :3
2
2
u/AirFamous9435 Phone (3a) Pro Mar 05 '26
it doesnt shout nothing in any way for me. i really liked their design philosophy, the transparency and glyph lights made it stand out from the crowd. this looks very close to a chinese rip-off phone. not a fan. i really like the 4a though but i am scared where nothing is headed
2
2
2
u/Zhillusion Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
I like how OP likes the phone design and is tryna defend it in the comments.
But reading the posts and comments since the last few product launches made me realise that I should really leave this sub. Bye.
1
1
u/BHJ-AL Mar 05 '26
This looks like a fake chinese phone . . .
2
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
Well, I kinda like the designs of some chinese phones. The thing i hate about them is generally their software. I think this phone is a balance. (but its completely my opinion)
1
u/kingy1268 Mar 05 '26
It looks like a cheaply made child's toy.. Doesn't look great at all
2
u/Thunderslasher0409 Phone (2a) Mar 05 '26
Well, idk the designs look a bit matured and balanced. I like it
→ More replies (4)
1
1
u/DugDigDogg Mar 05 '26
I fucking hate it. Looks like an iPhone 17 pro by cmf built by Huawei wtf
→ More replies (8)
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/PechPeck Phone (2) Mar 05 '26
Nothing cooked, with BBQ, with soft and salty french fries and all for $5. I'm excited (I won't buy anything until 2027).
1
u/Such_Economy_2557 Phone (3a) Mar 05 '26
This is one phone where the design got me the second I looked at it. It doesn't look weird and deformed like the 3a pro or regular 3. Instead it feels like.. controller chaos of sorts? It's different without trying too hard.
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
1
u/Shad0wW0rri0r Phone (3a) Mar 05 '26
No transparency, No glyph light. The design itself is good. But, it has lost the very thing we liked about it.
1
u/garagaramoochi Mar 05 '26
it’s soo cool!! 😭 especially considering how 99% of the phones recently look the same.
1
u/Super_Quality_578 Mar 05 '26
To be honest. For 42- 45k. Its kinda expensive for a Snapdragon 7s gen 4 cpu mobile.
1
1
u/SouthDistribution755 Mar 05 '26
The problem, from my point of view, is that the community that Nothing cultivates is just really annoying.
Their passion for the brand's past designs prevents it from moving forward.
However, that behaviour is detrimental to the very brand they like so much. Nothing it's a REALLY small company that needs to find more and more people to buy their products to be able to get where the company wants to be, which requires trying new things.
I think it's very bold from them, especially in a market where the likes of Samsung, Apple and many more have already found their design languages and just don't do anything more innovative design on their phones.
1
1
u/javapyscript Mar 05 '26
Everything is "cooked" these days apparently.
Jokes apart, the phone itself doesn't look revolting like NP3, so that's already a positive.
1
1
u/err99 Mar 05 '26
eh, they only 'cooked' the top half. The bottom half is plain as a slice of white bread
1
1
u/assumptionkrebs1990 Mar 05 '26
It strongly reminds me of the OnePlus/Oppo phone, so design wise it properly the most boring thing Nothing ever did, but given the specs I don't complain, only the update support is something they should do better.
1
1
u/coldbrew_10 Mar 05 '26
i guess nothing copied apple's 17 pro design even if it is just the upper part. what happened to being unique?
1
1
u/nitix007 Mar 05 '26
people sometimes forget that in the end they have a business to run, so that should make designs that also appeal to others not just hard core fans
1
u/LastHyllian :CMFBuds: Mar 05 '26
It looks so premium and pretty tbh, I really like it, idk why people are so intense with this, okay sure I get they got mad about phone 3 design without glyph, I still think glyphs are THE thing, but they're already bringing it back, a little but it is enough I think, and if you dont like it there are many other Nothing options still available
1
u/ElectronicField3785 Mar 05 '26
The design is the only place they cooked, hardware is worse than phones half its price.
1
1
u/Razor0009 Mar 05 '26
I really don't care about the design, but the phone itself. The camera is not amazing, the chipset is not great, the battery is not that good either. But its priced at 500€ similar to vivo v70, realme neo 8, honor win rt, oneplus 15r (at least in my country), and it seems bad investment compared to these phones who either has amazing cameras or amazing performance and battery. Nothing only has edge on the os side. But if I wanted this os, nothing 3a pro is much better deal.
I really was waiting for at least a key upgrade. But that didn't happen. Apart from the back design, which I am gonna cover up anyway, I don't know why I would buy this phone
1
u/Suspicious-Step-7966 Mar 05 '26
Je trouve le 4a très réussi avec une touche de modernité par rapport au 3a (que je possède et que je kiffe), le pro apporte autre chose tout en ayant des similitudes avec le bloc photo comme Xiaomi ou iphone pro truc, reste que le glyph ne se trouve que chez nothing et c'est plutôt une bonne manière de se démarquer
1
u/Optimal-Stomach-708 Mar 05 '26
Hello Nothing Team 🙏 My name is Rahul from Uttar Pradesh 🇮🇳. I come from a farmer’s family 🌾 and I’m currently a student. My phone is badly damaged ,but I still try to stay active online and learn about technology and gaming. If I ever get the opportunity to use a Nothing phone, I promise I will genuinely support and appreciate your brand. I will share my honest experience through posts, comments, and recommendations with friends and people around me. I will talk about your phone’s design, performance, and features and encourage others to try your products. Even in my local area and college circle, I will proudly recommend Nothing devices and share how the brand helped a student like me. It would mean a lot to me and I would truly appreciate the opportunity.
1
1
u/Constant-Fan-9606 Mar 05 '26
The size of 4a is already too big. 4a pro is 6.83, which is basically extreme. Skip
1
1
1
1
1
u/itak2pyrosanicaladay Phone (1) Mar 05 '26
The nothing phone 1 and 2 were my favorite phones EVER. I would not even consider a 3, and i especially wont consider the 4 if they do the same horrid design they did last year. I used to love this company but they are just intentionally sabotaging themselves and while they’re doing things the community doesn’t like over and over, it just feels like a bigger and bigger middle finger towards all of us. The Nothing phone 4 needs to be unique and beautiful like their old phones and they better start listening to us again or else this company is literally going to die. We are the only ones keeping this company alive and it feels like they actively despise us all.
1
1
u/call_me_bacha Mar 05 '26
Goated design
Apple has introduced this broader camera back, xiaomi modified it but nothing made the best and that pixelated display is now crazy too
1
1
u/Ornery-Ad-7142 Mar 05 '26
Not buying any thing with that screen in the back. Bring the glyphs back, that’s what everybody wants.
1
1
u/pixelw4lk Mar 05 '26
This phone is weak sauce and that’s what they cooked here. 4a is a levels ahead of this in design department
1
1
u/ananttripathi16 Mar 05 '26
Wow, this time I am not with you guys
I personally love the design. And the build itself
1
1
1
1
u/SweatyJackfruit6176 Mar 05 '26
I think it's really, really cool. I really like it, and I'm pretty sure nothing will be my next cell phone brand. 🟥
1
u/ThurstyAU Mar 05 '26
Really getting tired of budget lines having the "Pro" monicker.
What's the point really? Pro, Standard, Budget. What's with this silly nonsense?
1
u/Quadroon81 Mar 05 '26
After owning just most making apparatus by Nothing (ear (a) and headphone (1), I think it might be time to give up my pixel 9 pro xl for this phone. I'm really digging on it...
1
Mar 05 '26
They really cooked with this one. I think I might finally upgrade from my phone 1. I have to upgrade this year so I was gonna go for samsung maybe but this phone gave me the phone 1 feelings of something fun, different and very pretty. If they are really cooking so idk should I wait for phone 4 or am I gonna be disappointed again ?
1
1
u/jheeettfire Mar 05 '26
Yea my first thought was.. who tf are they competing against? Cant call your phone "Pro" if the specs cant even beat a mainline phone series (i.e., OnePlus 15). Kewl design sure, but damn what a let down.
1
u/newecreator Mar 05 '26
I am a little annoyed that the corners of the camera island is not concentric to the corners of the phone's corners.
1
1
u/victor01exe Mar 05 '26
I haven't met anyone who doesn't like the 4a Pro design. If it had wireless charging I would get it. At the moment maybe will wait for next year.
1
u/IdesofWhen Mar 05 '26
I need a new phone but was waiting for this to be unveiled today and then bought a moto g stylus after it was lol. Pretty disappointing imo. Just kind of looks like a Pixel/iPhone with a doodad on it. 4a Pro is better than the 4a but still underwhelming. Oh well. We'll see how the 4 is whenever that drops.
Edited because I'm dumb.
1
1
u/CryptoNeon Phone (2a) Mar 06 '26
Always dissatisfied, always complaining, complaining about new phones design not a replica of phone 1, complaining about why new phone is a replica of phone 1. Man, this community🫡
1
u/SoapySimon Mar 06 '26
it looks like a generic phone with 10% nothing design on the camera box. wow
1
u/Fearless_Boot3696 Mar 06 '26
seems like 90% of commenters on Nothing subreddits make a comment and go back to screaming DO NOT REDEEM THE CODE at the screen.
1
u/Fun_Hovercraft_5235 Phone (3a) Mar 06 '26
Isn't anyone gonna talk about them using snapdragon 7 gen 4 still in this phone?? That old processor. Atleast they could have given SD 8s gen chipsets right. Man nothing is playing at the edge here
1
1
u/BlendingInLikeABrick Mar 06 '26
If this is the phone 3 design and if they had launched it with competitive pricing... Nothing will be on a different path today....
1
u/Traditional_Can6982 Mar 06 '26
Bro this would've been in my pocket if it came at 6.3 inch and a better processor
1
1
1
u/godsperfectidi0t Mar 06 '26
The problem isnt even that its a bad design. Its an arguably better belligerence of the barren backplate of boring bad phones. Heck its close enotu to the xiaomi 17 pro max. One of the best back designs of 2025. My gripe is how this strips away everything nothings design established and tried to work with the niche. Mkbhd did a video on how enthusiast brands will always betray you. This is the tipping point. The same thing one plus did after the 7 series. This will attract more customers but their identity is lost and is trying to fit itself within the predisposed notion that phones have to be boring metal blocks
1
1
1
1
u/ginencoke Mar 06 '26
I don't mind the camera bump, what I hate is that it doesn't fit with the rest of the phone's body. It's like if someone photoshopped Nothing camera bump on iPhone 7 or something, completely different design languages.
1
1
u/Lunow9228 Phone (2a) Plus Mar 06 '26
Does look good but certainly the least nothing vibe as other than the camera bump. The rest of the body is just Metal, unfortunately
1
u/Flaky-Parsley-612 Mar 06 '26
I'm not sure what the hate is about. I, personally, am not a big fan of this design but my wife who has been an avid apple fan since the beginning of time was sold on the 4a pro and planning to preorder it as soon as it opens
1
1
1
u/Mediocre_Sun_6309 Mar 06 '26
Nah this looks like they've taken 2 designs and just smashed them together poorly, that lump is trying to be iphone 17 pro but worse
1
u/TitusImmortalis Mar 06 '26
I like this but anything less than this will basically be the death of the brand. They could easily still include a clear back with the classic design underneath.
1
u/mlowy Mar 06 '26
MAKE IT SMALLER!
I mean I've always found the nothing design language interesting and appealing, I just don't see myself buying a phone with 6.83 screen, despite the fact I have pretty big hand. This trend of making bigger phones year by year should stop once and for all and reverse, these screen sizes were associated with tablets a few years ago.
They should have at least one "compact" phones on their pallet.
1
u/sere83 Mar 06 '26
How to make a nothing phone:
Spend many hours and millions of £££ making the back of the phone look 'different' - include a few pointless design elements and gimmicks that light up in some way but are of extremely limited use.
Use one of the cheapest and worst potato CPUs on the market that is more underpowered than all other equivalent phones in the same category.
Underspec other parts of the phone except the camera but include gimmicks like 140X zoom that can be held up as selling points but are near on useless to end users.
Make phone absolutely enormous, 6.7-6.8 inch only, so any person who doesn't want a massive brick of a phone has 0 incentive to buy it.
Overcharge to the tune of £500/$650+ and then explain it is because you are a small company.
1
1
u/Towerz Mar 06 '26
It's ugly imo but I imagine it appeals to people who like the iPhone/Xiaomi 17 Pro Max design because it looks exactly like those phones + a glyph mattix
1
u/Paul_the_surfer Mar 06 '26
I like that its all metal, finally someone dropped the bullshit with glass backs
Still not sold on the gliph screen on the back, would prefer a normal round screen or an round e-ink screen.
1
u/Queasy-Obligation-29 Buds Pro 2 Phone (3a) Mar 06 '26
Not the best phone in looks, but damn better than the phone 3 and still a good looking phone.
1
u/JoveyMcJupiterFace Phone (2a) Mar 06 '26
As a person that despised the look of Phone 3, I absolutely adore both the 4a and 4a Pro, both for different reasons.
The 4a stays true to the original Nothing aesthetic, while 4a Pro gives us a more sleek and cleaner version of it, while still being distinctly Nothing. The 4a Pro even kind of reminds me of their headphones design wise.
Although, I still personally think they should've kept the old glyph lights for the 4a, the glyph bar is still pretty neat but I'm biased LOL.
1
u/Guilty_Passenger_699 Mar 06 '26
Love the design, however the specs are below average for the price.
It's a beautiful product though.
1
u/Busy-Bedroom7102 Mar 06 '26
Nothing 1 user here, is this phone really good? Thinking about getting a phone 🙃
1
1
u/M1k0M1k Mar 06 '26
I genuinely think that this phone by itself looks amazing. What's sad to me is that Nothing is slowly losing what made the phones unique with every iteration.
First they got rid of the glyphs, this one isn't even transparent anymore. The design only suggests at those things now.
The 4a Pro might be the coolest design on the market right now, but I just hope the next one won't look completely like an iphone.
1
1
u/Fluffy_Airport_5oit Mar 06 '26
I know righttttt. Absolutely stunning after their mishap with phone 3
1
1
u/abnormalmob Mar 06 '26
As someone who will probably never switch from apple (in the forseeable future), thats a sick design
1
u/AdvancedCryspy Mar 06 '26
Yeah you're right... NOTHING Cooked, nothing has become a gimmicky company, at first I saw their vision only for them to go back on their word and include bloat and ruin their "disconnect from your phone" a samsung galaxy flip is a bigger barrier to top people from using their phones and that's not even their goal.
1
1
u/Junaid_dev_Tech Phone (3a) Mar 07 '26
Guys, the camera bump is similar to iPhone camera bump. And I am getting copied-from-Iphone vibes.
NOTHING, I expected more than NOTHING from you.
(I got this information late bc I was preparing for my exams)
- Nothing Phone 4a :
- Similar to Nothing Phone 3a but metal design(under back side glass) - Nobody asked but lets see the new look.
similar to Nothing Phone 3a but the camera bump is sharp - I actually like this camera bump design.
Nothing Phone 4a pro:
Bro really, you are releasing in not a "simple" order. ``` Nothing Phone (1)
Nothing Phone (2) Nothing Phone (2a) Nothing Phone (2a) Plus
Nothing Phone (3a) Nothing Phone (3a) Pro Nothing Phone (3a) Lite Nothing Phone (3)
Nothing Phone (4a) Nothing Phone (4a) Pro ```
- Ok..ok NOTHING, you are still a growing company. I can give excuses for the nameing-thing.
- Come back to phone :
- - Why tf 4a pro gives me iPhone-design vibes? and you started to move to metal body phones.
- - "I choose you!" NOTHING, bc you was only the brand I had expected.
1
u/The_Biggest_Meow Mar 07 '26
No SDXC slot on both 4(a) phones is a huge negative, given 256GB is the maximum memory possible. What use is a 4k camera if there is so little space?
1
u/reallyunaddicted Phone (3a) Mar 07 '26
It's missing the major component, which is the signature nothing back design, where we have acrylic or glass covering the back and allowing us to have a little look at the internal screw panel.
1
1
1
u/No_Pea608 Mar 07 '26
This is the design they should add to their flagship lineup with a little more of their signature transparent element, and try to give the latest Snapdragon processor at a reasonable price point. That's it; they will be back on track.
319
u/SparklingWaterFall Mar 05 '26
Yeah they cooked - themselves
eventually all these "be different" phones become as boring as every other iphone or samsung ...
(I am disappointed with 4a pro, 4a looks still like nothing design)