Choosing a smartphone under ₹25,000 in India can be tricky, especially with so many options offering great features. Two popular choices in this budget are the newly launched Nothing Phone 3a and the OnePlus Nord CE 4. Both phones promise excellent performance, modern designs, and solid cameras, but which one is the better buy? In this detailed comparison, we’ll break down their design, display, performance, battery, cameras, and software to help you decide. By the end, you’ll know which phone is worth your hard-earned money and why.
This article is written for users, especially students or young professionals, who want a clear and simple guide to make an informed choice. Let’s dive in!
Design and Build: Which Phone Feels Premium?
The design of a smartphone is often the first thing you notice, and both the Nothing Phone 3a and OnePlus Nord CE 4 take different approaches.
The Nothing Phone 3a stands out with its futuristic and transparent look. It has a glass back with a plastic frame, which is an upgrade from the all-plastic build of its predecessor, the Nothing Phone 2a. The iconic Glyph Interface—LED lights on the back—adds a unique touch. These lights can notify you of calls, messages, or even sync with music, making the phone feel special. The Nothing Phone 3a is also slim, lightweight, and has an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance, offering slightly better dust protection than the Nord CE 4.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a more conventional design with an all-plastic build. It sports a marble-like finish that looks premium from a distance, but it feels less solid compared to the Nothing Phone 3a. The Nord CE 4 is thinner and lighter, which makes it comfortable to hold, but it lacks the premium feel of glass. It has an IP54 rating, which is decent but slightly less robust than the Nothing Phone 3a’s IP64.
In terms of functionality, the Nothing Phone 3a introduces the Essential Key, a customizable button for quick actions like taking screenshots or accessing apps (though its full potential is still being developed). The Nord CE 4, surprisingly, skips OnePlus’s signature alert slider but includes an infrared blaster, which is useful for controlling appliances. However, the Nothing Phone 3a supports NFC for contactless payments, which the Nord CE 4 lacks.
Verdict: The Nothing Phone 3a wins in design and build for its premium materials, unique Glyph Interface, and slightly better IP rating. If you want a phone that looks and feels different, the Nothing Phone 3a is the way to go.
Display: Which Screen Is Better?
Both phones have similar display sizes, but there are key differences that affect the viewing experience.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 features a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 1100 nits peak brightness, and HDR10+ support. It has slimmer bezels, which make the screen look more modern. The display supports HDR content on both YouTube and Netflix, which is great for streaming.
The Nothing Phone 3a comes with a slightly larger 6.77-inch FHD+ Flexible AMOLED display, also with a 120Hz refresh rate. It boasts a much higher 3000 nits peak brightness, making it excellent for outdoor visibility. The bezels are symmetrical but slightly thicker, which might feel less premium compared to the Nord CE 4. It supports YouTube HDR but not Netflix HDR. The Nothing Phone 3a also offers 2160Hz PWM dimming for reduced eye strain and a 480Hz touch sampling rate (up to 1000Hz in game mode), compared to the Nord CE 4’s 240Hz, making it more responsive for gaming.
Verdict: The Nothing Phone 3a has a brighter and more responsive display, ideal for outdoor use and gaming. However, the Nord CE 4’s slimmer bezels and Netflix HDR support make it a better choice for streaming enthusiasts.
Performance: Which Phone Is Faster?
Performance is crucial for smooth multitasking, gaming, and overall user experience. Let’s see how these phones stack up.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 8GB LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. This chipset is more powerful on paper and scores higher in benchmarks like AnTuTu and Geekbench. The Nord CE 4 also has faster sequential read/write speeds, which help with app launches and multitasking.
The Nothing Phone 3a uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, a slightly less powerful chipset, with 8GB LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. While it lags in synthetic benchmarks, it performs surprisingly well in real-world scenarios, especially gaming. The Nothing Phone 3a has a larger vapor cooling chamber, which keeps it cooler during extended gaming sessions. In tests with games like BGMI, the Nothing Phone 3a supports 90 FPS by default, while the Nord CE 4 is limited to 60 FPS. Even in Genshin Impact, the Nothing Phone 3a delivered higher frame rates and better thermal management.
Both phones offer smooth everyday performance, excellent call quality, and support for 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.4. The Nothing Phone 3a’s NFC support is a bonus for contactless payments.
Verdict: The OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a slight edge in raw power and storage speed, but the Nothing Phone 3a is better optimized for gaming and thermal performance. If gaming is a priority, the Nothing Phone 3a is the better choice.
Battery Life and Charging: Which Phone Lasts Longer?
Battery life and charging speed are critical for daily use, especially for students and professionals on the go.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a 5500mAh battery, which lasts slightly longer—around 8.5 hours in testing—compared to the Nothing Phone 3a’s 5000mAh battery, which lasts just over 8 hours. The Nord CE 4 also supports 100W fast charging with a charger included in the box, taking about 36-37 minutes for a full charge.
The Nothing Phone 3a supports 50W charging but requires a compatible USB PD PPS charger, which isn’t included. It takes around 56 minutes to charge fully, which is noticeably slower.
Verdict: The OnePlus Nord CE 4 wins with a larger battery, slightly better battery life, and faster charging. If you value quick charging and a charger in the box, the Nord CE 4 is the better pick.
Camera: Which Phone Takes Better Photos?
Cameras are a big deciding factor for many buyers, especially for social media enthusiasts. Let’s compare the camera setups.
The Nothing Phone 3a features a triple-camera setup:
- 50MP primary sensor with OIS
- 50MP 2x telephoto lens
- 8MP ultra-wide lens
- 32MP selfie camera
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a dual-camera setup:
- 50MP Sony LYT-600 primary sensor with OIS
- 8MP ultra-wide lens
- 16MP selfie camera
Primary Camera
The Nothing Phone 3a’s larger primary sensor captures more details and finer textures, but it can oversharpen images slightly. The Nord CE 4’s primary sensor performs well but struggles with color accuracy, especially for reds and greens. The Nothing Phone 3a also has better HDR performance, with more details in highlights and shadows.
Telephoto and Zoom
The Nothing Phone 3a’s dedicated 50MP 2x telephoto lens is a game-changer, offering superior zoom quality at 2x, 4x, and even 10x compared to the Nord CE 4, which relies on digital zoom. For portraits, the Nothing Phone 3a excels with better edge detection, bokeh, and creative modes like swirly or star effects.
Ultra-Wide
Both phones have 8MP ultra-wide cameras, but the Nord CE 4 performs slightly better, especially in low light, with sharper details and less noise.
Selfie Camera
Surprisingly, the Nord CE 4’s 16MP selfie camera outperforms the Nothing Phone 3a’s 32MP sensor, delivering better skin tones and more details in most scenarios.
Video
Both phones record 4K 30 FPS videos with their primary cameras, but the Nothing Phone 3a pulls ahead with better detail, HDR, stabilization, and audio quality. It also supports 1080p 60 FPS selfie videos (vs. 1080p 30 FPS on the Nord CE 4) and can record 1080p 30 FPS with its telephoto lens.
Verdict: The Nothing Phone 3a is the clear winner for cameras, thanks to its versatile triple-camera setup, superior zoom, and better video quality. The Nord CE 4 is better for selfies and ultra-wide shots but falls short overall.
Software: Which Offers a Better Experience?
Software plays a big role in how enjoyable a phone is to use over time.
The Nothing Phone 3a runs Nothing OS 3.1 based on Android 15, offering a clean, bloatware-free experience with a premium design. It promises 3 years of OS updates (up to Android 18) and 6 years of security patches, which is excellent for long-term support. Features like quick settings on the lock screen and Glyph Interface add functionality, but the Essential Key and Essential Space features are still underdeveloped.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 runs OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15. It’s feature-rich with modern additions like Live Activities and AI tools, but it has more pre-installed apps than Nothing OS. The Nord CE 4 has already received Android 15 and has one more OS update left, which is less future-proof than the Nothing Phone 3a.
Verdict: The Nothing Phone 3a offers a cleaner, more premium software experience with longer update support. The Nord CE 4 is better for those who want more features and AI tools.
Specification Comparison Table
| Feature | Nothing Phone 3a | OnePlus Nord CE 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.77″ FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz, 3000 nits | 6.7″ FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz, 1100 nits |
| Processor | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 |
| RAM/Storage | 8GB LPDDR4x / UFS 2.2 | 8GB LPDDR4x / UFS 3.1 |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 50W charging (no charger included) | 5500mAh, 100W charging (charger included) |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP (OIS) + 50MP 2x telephoto + 8MP UW | 50MP (OIS) + 8MP UW |
| Front Camera | 32MP | 16MP |
| Software | Nothing OS 3.1 (Android 15), 3 OS updates | OxygenOS 15 (Android 15), 1 OS update |
| IP Rating | IP64 | IP54 |
| Additional Features | Glyph Interface, Essential Key, NFC | Infrared blaster, no NFC |
| Price | ₹24,999 | ₹24,999 |
Which Phone Should You Buy?
Both the Nothing Phone 3a and OnePlus Nord CE 4 are excellent choices under ₹25,000, but they cater to slightly different needs.
Buy the Nothing Phone 3a if:
- You want a premium design with a unique Glyph Interface.
- You prioritize camera versatility, especially for zoom and video recording.
- You value a bright display and better gaming performance.
- You want longer software updates (up to Android 18) and a clean UI.
- NFC for contactless payments is important.
Buy the OnePlus Nord CE 4 if:
- You need faster charging (100W) and a charger in the box.
- You prefer slimmer bezels and Netflix HDR support for streaming.
- You want slightly better battery life and an infrared blaster.
- You’re looking for a feature-rich software with AI tools.
- You prioritize selfie camera quality.
Is It Worth It?
Both phones offer great value for ₹25,000, but the Nothing Phone 3a feels like the better overall package. Its premium design, versatile cameras, bright display, and longer software support make it a more future-proof choice. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is a strong contender if you prioritize charging speed and streaming, but it falls slightly short in design and camera versatility.
Final Thoughts
If I had to pick one phone under ₹25,000, I’d go with the Nothing Phone 3a. It strikes a great balance between design, performance, and cameras, making it a well-rounded choice for most users. However, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is still a solid option if you value specific features like fast charging or a feature-packed software experience.
Ultimately, your choice depends on what matters most to you—whether it’s a standout design and cameras or fast charging and streaming capabilities. Let us know in the comments which phone you’d pick and why!
