The OnePlus Nord CE 4 went official recently. The device succeeds the OnePlus Nord CE 3, which we considered the mid-ranger for the masses at its launch.

One of its competitors in India is Nothing Phone 2a. Both these handsets cost about the same. There’s a 1,000 price difference between the two.

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 starts at ₹24,999 as opposed to the ₹23,999 starting price of Nothing Phone 2a.

So which one should you go for? We try to answer this question.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 and Nothing Phone 2a

How do OnePlus Nord CE 4 and Nothing Phone 2a fare against each other?

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1. One of them is flashy

Nothing is a design-focused brand, and therefore, its products stand out from the crowd with unique looks. The Nothing Phone 2a is a non-conventional-looking smartphone in its price range.

It has a transparent back panel like previous handsets from the brand. However, the material used is plastic rather than glass.

The two cameras sit horizontally at the center as a set of eyes. They give character to the device along with the ‘Glyph’ LED lights.

On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 looks normal like other phones in the segment. The design, however,  is different from its predecessor as the camera modules are now smaller.

Not many would prefer the design of Nothing Phone 2a, given how non-conventional it looks. But that’s the key selling point of the product.

2. Performance is about the same

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. Whereas the Nothing Phone 2a houses a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro SoC.

The Qualcomm chip underneath the OnePlus handset is theoretically better than the MediaTek chip inside the Nothing device in terms of synthetic benchmarks. But the difference is not that huge.

Hence, both of them should perform about the same in day-to-day usage. They are fast enough to last throughout their lifecycle.

3. Different approaches to software

Apart from design, it is software that sets apart these two smartphones. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 boots OxygenOS 14 compared to Nothing OS 2.5 on the Nothing Phone 2a.

The software on the OnePlus is tried and tested OxygenOS, which is now basically a fork of ColorOS like Realme UI. For the unaware, OnePlus and Realme are part of Oppo.

Thus, the overall software experience will be familiar to anyone who is coming from OnePlus, Oppo, or even Realme handset.

While the Nothing OS is close to stock Android with the brand’s dot matrix design elements all over the UI. It is designed meticulously to match the hardware, which enthusiasts would appreciate.

Additionally, Nothing promises 3 Android updates compared to just 2 by OnePlus. The duo currently boots Android 14 but only the Nothing Phone 2a will get Android 17.

4. Distinct Cameras and Battery

The smartphones arrive with different cameras. The same can be also said for their batteries and charging speed.

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 comes with a new 50MP Sony LYT-600 primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide unit, and a 16MP selfie camera. Whereas, the Nothing Phone 2a features a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN9 primary sensor, a 50MP Samsung JN1 ultrawide unit, and a 32MP front-facing shooter.

The main cameras on both devices use OIS and can record videos in up to 4K 30fps resolution. However, the image processing is different between the two.

Further, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 houses a 5,500mAh battery and supports 100W wired charging. The required power adapter is included in the box.

While the Nothing Phone 2a is not only backed by a smaller 5,000mAh but is also limited to 45W wired charging. The power adapter needs to be bought separately as well.

5. Conclusion

The Nothing Phone 2a is for those who want a non-conventional smartphone offering a unique software experience. If you put on a case, the device looks just like any other handset. Thus, it is recommendable for regular consumers as well.

On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 continues to be a mid-ranger for the masses. It has the OnePlus brand value, a good set of features, and stellar after-sales support.

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