
Nothing Phone 2a: March 12, 2024
iQOO Z9: March 13, 2024
SPECS TABLE
| Nothing Phone 2a | iQOO Z9 | |
| Price | $402 | $300 |
| Display | 6.7-inch AMOLED screen | 6.67-inch AMOLED screen |
| Refresh rate | 1 – 120Hz adaptive | 1 – 120Hz adaptive |
| Rear cameras | 50MP wide (f/1.9), 50MP ultrawide (f/2.2). | 50MP wide (f/1.8), 2MP depth (f/2.4). |
| Front camera | 32MP (f/2.2) | 16MP (f/2.0) |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro | MediaTek Dimensity 7200 |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256B | 128GB, 256GB |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired | 44W wired |
| Water/dust resistance | IP54 | IP54 |
| Size | 161.7 x 76.3 x 8.6 mm (6.37 x 3.00 x 0.34 in) | 163.2 x 75.8 x 7.8 mm (6.43 x 2.98 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 190g (6.70 ounces) | 188g (6.63 ounces) |
| Colours | Black, White, Milk | Brushed Green, Graphene Blue |
Despite being new in the smartphone industry, Nothing has made a name for themselves. From their unique hardware design to their software, Nothing devices stand out from the crowd. Well, not everyone falls in line when it comes to the design of Nothing devices, so in this article we’ll put it up against another device from its segment in the smartphone market.
The iQOO Z9 is a new but reputable device in some regions, and it packs similar specifications to the Nothing Phone 2a. Unlike the Nothing 2a, the iQOO Z9 doesn’t try anything out of this world with its design, as it keeps it simple and clean. So which of these devices is the best choice for you when shopping for an affordable Android device?
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Price
Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Design and colours
Nothing Phone 2a:
Ever since the brand’s inception, Nothing has taken a different turn with the designs of their smartphone. This device, the Nothing Phone 2a, follows this design path featuring the Glyph interface, a glass see-through design revealing some screws and patterns in the device. On its rear sits a horizontal rear camera setup with a flash that suits towards the top right-hand side of this cutout. The volume rocker keys on this device sit on the left-hand side, while the power button sits on the right-hand side of the device. At the base of the device sits the USB-C port, microphone, speaker, and the SIM tray.
iQOO Z9:
This is a very sleek device with brushed metal frames and a glass rear panel finish to help it stand out. With this device, iQOO shows off their new diamond pattern and premium brush pattern rear design. The volume rocker and power buttons of this device sit on the right-hand side, leaving the left side bare. Just like on the Nothing Phone 2a, this device houses its USB-C port, speakers, microphone, and SIM tray at its base. It also features a very nice rear camera cutout, with two large circular cutouts housed within a rectangular cutout that sits on the top left-hand side of the device. The colour options here are Brushed Green and Graphene Blue.
Major differences:
- Rear lighting Glyph interface on the iQOO Z9.
- Impressive finish on the iQOO Z9.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Display
Nothing Phone 2a:
This device uses a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that supports 120Hz refresh rate to ensure snappy response. This display supports HDR10+ technology, helping it attain a peak brightness of 1300 nits peak brightness. All round this display are sleek bezels, making this device give off a flagship feel. For protection, this display comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 technology.
iQOO Z9:
Measuring at 6.67 inches, the AMOLED display of the iQOO Z9 supports 120Hz refresh rate, which is great for all round activities. The display comes with HDR display technology helping to reach a peak brightness of 1800 nits for a brighter display. There are also slim bezels on three sides of this device, with the base bezel being slightly thicker than all other three bezels.
Major differences:
- Brighter display on the iQOO Z9.
- Slimmer bezels on the Nothing Phone 2a.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Cameras
Nothing Phone 2a:
For midrange devices, photography isn’t a strong point, but that’s not the case with the Nothing Phone 2a. This device comes with a dual rear camera setup housing two 50MP sensors. Up front sits a 32MP selfie camera which is up to the task of taking crisp clear photos in different lighting conditions.
iQOO Z9:
In the area of photography, the iQOO Z9 falls behind the Nothing Phone 2a. It comes with a 50MP main camera sensor and a supporting 2MP depth sensor. Up front sits a 16MP selfie camera, for videos, this device supports 4K recording on the rear camera and 1080p on the front – facing camera.
Major differences:
- Dual 50MP cameras on the Nothing Phone 2a.
- 32MP selfie camera on the Nothing Phone 2a.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Performance
Nothing Phone 2a:
Nothing powers this device with the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro processor. Joining this is up to 12GB RAM and 256GB worth of storage capacity. This makes this device an impressive mid-range Android device that retails at an affordable price tag.
iQOO Z9:
For this device, users will enjoy performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 processor. Storage capacity maxes out at 256GB, and memory is 8GB as standard across the two storage variants. Users can also enjoy virtual RAM extension as well as a physical microSD card slot for storage expansion.
Major upgrades & differences:
- MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro on the Nothing Phone 2a.
- Up to 12GB RAM on the Nothing Phone 2a.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Software
Nothing Phone 2a:
This device runs on Android 14 and Nothing OS 2.5.4 out of the box. Users are getting 3 years of Android OS upgrades.
iQOO Z9:
iQOO presents this device with Android 14 and Funtouch 14 software. Buyers will get 2 years of OS upgrades on this device.
Major differences:
- 3 years OS upgrades on the Nothing Phone 2a.
- Nothing OS on the Nothing Phone 2a.
- Funtouch 14 software on the iQOO Z9.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Battery life and charging
Nothing Phone 2a:
For its battery capacity, this device comes with 5000mAh which is more than enough for a day usage. Charging speed on this device is 45W as standard.
iQOO Z9:
iQOO also packs a 5000mAh battery capacity into this device. For its charging speed, the iQOO Z9 comes with 44W fast charging as standard.
Major differences:
- Slightly faster charging on the Nothing Phone 2a.
Nothing Phone 2a vs iQOO Z9: Final Verdict
The Nothing Phone 2a is an impressive device, but it’s clearly not for most people. Its design is a bit too conspicuous and might not sit well with most buyers. However, the iQOO features a more simple design, which will appeal to more people that don’t want a shouty design.
But if you’re a techie and don’t mind having a conspicuous device in hand, the Nothing Phone 2a is the better pick. It comes with more memory, a slightly better performance, and a larger RAM capacity. For simplicity, the iQOO Z9 is the better option, while when it comes to performance, the Nothing Phone 2a wins this battle.







Comments