Nothing Phone (4b) Review

Nothing recently released the Phone (4b) and it brings a unique flair to the budget market. This device serves as the first entry in the new budget friendly “b” series from the company. It takes some inspiration from the more expensive models but aims for a much lower price point. While it target users who want something different, it faces some stiff competition in a crowded field.

Design

The design of the Nothing Phone (4b) is truly one of a kind. It has a cold and utilitarian look that reminds me of hardware from a science fiction movie. The back panel is transparent and shows off textured panels along with visible screws and metal details. My favorite version is the powder blue finish because it looks gorgeous in the press materials, but we got the more classic black model (which shows smudges pretty easily). You can also find it in white if you prefer a more traditional look.

On the back of the phone, you will see an oversized camera island that sits right at the top. This module also houses the Glyph Bar, which is a series of light strips used for notifications. These lights can flash for specific alerts or even track the progress of a food delivery. The edges are squared off and boxy, which matches the aggressive industrial vibe of the rest of the phone. It is a bit thicker and wider than previous models, but it still feels great in the hand.

The Phone (4b) gets the important stuff right: a sharp display, long battery life, smooth software, and a design that refuses to blend in.

Another thing I’ll quickly mention is the included accessories. While I commend Nothing for including a preinstalled screen protector and clear TPU case, they are both low quality. Specifically, each are fingerprint magnets like nothing I’ve seen in recent years. Again, great they are part of the package, but you’ll want to set aside another $20 for replacements.

Setup and Software

Setting up the Phone (4b) is a smooth experience thanks to Nothing OS 4.1. This software runs on top of Android 16 and gives you some interesting choices right away. You can choose between a standard stock Android look or the custom Nothing theme. The Nothing theme uses a monochromatic style for app icons, which looks very cool even if it takes a moment to get used to. There is even a feature called Private Space that lets you hide sensitive documents or photos in a secure folder.

This is my second phone using Nothing OS and it’s really smooth and minimal. This is the best “stock” Android I’ve used outside of a Pixel. I love the way they let you choose at setup, or later in the settings, if you want the traditional stock Android icons and theme or the minimal Nothing black and whites.

A big part of the setup involves the Essential Key located on the side of the device. You can double click this button to enter the Essential Space, which acts as an AI hub for your content. This space uses artificial intelligence to organize your screenshots and voice notes into summaries and to-do lists. It is a handy way to keep your digital life organized without much effort. The phone also features an optical fingerprint sensor under the display for secure and reliable unlocking.

While I’m on the Essential Key, this is a PSA to anyone adding a dedicated button for a software feature. Let us have options to change it built into the OS. We get that you want to push your new AI suite, but damn, let us decide not to have it and change it if you’re going to go to the engineering effort to put another hardware launcher on the device.

Performance

Under the hood, you will find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor. This chip is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as the base configuration. While it is not a powerhouse meant for heavy gaming, it handles everyday tasks with ease. Scrolling through apps is smooth thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate on the 6.77 inch AMOLED screen. The display is also very bright and stays readable even when you are standing in direct sunlight.

If you enjoy casual gaming, you will be happy to know that this phone can handle popular titles like Genshin Impact. You might notice some textures are less sharp but the combat remains fluid during gameplay. The phone uses a large vapor chamber to keep things cool even when the processor is working hard. It might get a little warm during long sessions, but it never becomes too hot to hold. The built in speakers are also surprisingly rich and avoid the tinny sound found on many other budget phones.

The only time I really noticed the budget hardware is at startup. If you ever reboot or run it completely dead, you’ll notice a significant delay in the launcher and apps launching that first time after. This isn’t exclusive to the Phone (4b) as you see this in Moto models as well, but it’s worth a note in this section of the review.

Battery Life

Battery life is easily one of the best reasons to pick up this device. It comes with a 5,200 mAh battery that can easily last through a full day of heavy use. In specialized testing, it lasted nearly 17 hours while streaming video over Wi-Fi. This means you can go from morning until night and still have about 25 percent of your battery remaining. If you live in India, you actually get an even larger 6,000 mAh battery for even better longevity.

When it comes time to plug in the phone, it supports 33W wired charging. You can get from zero to about 55 percent in just 30 minutes, which is respectable for this price bracket. A full charge takes about an hour and 18 minutes when using a compatible charger. Keep in mind that there is no support for wireless charging on this model. Nothing also included some battery protection features to help the cell stay healthy over several years of use.

Cameras

The Nothing Phone (4b) features a simple but capable camera setup that includes a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilization and an 8MP ultrawide lens. By default the phone uses pixel binning to take 12.5MP photos which offer rich colors and good contrast. You can switch to the full 50MP mode if you want more detail and sharpness in your shots. While the camera handles well during the day it struggles a bit more in low light scenarios where details can turn into noisy silhouettes. It is worth noting that this model lacks a dedicated telephoto lens found so you will have to rely on digital cropping instead.

The secondary 8MP ultrawide camera does a nice job of keeping the colors consistent with the main lens and captures very realistic skies. However you might notice some loss of sharpness around the edges of your wide shots. Digital zoom is available up to 10x but even at 2x the images can look oversharpened and almost like a painting rather than a photo. On the front of the device you get a 16MP selfie camera that delivers vibrant tones and handles bright backgrounds well without blowing them out. Video performance is standard for this price range and allows for 4K recording at 30 frames per second although the details can appear a bit soft.

Final Thoughts

The Nothing Phone (4b) is a fantastic option for anyone who wants a phone that looks like nothing else on the market. It delivers a great screen and amazing battery life for a very fair price. The software is thoughtful, and the AI features provide some genuine utility for organizing your daily tasks. It really proves that you do not need to spend a fortune to get a device that is fun and functional.

However, the limited network optimization in the US makes it a tough recommendation for American buyers. If you live in a region where it is fully supported, then it is a strong contender in the budget space. It offers a premium feel and a bold personality that most other affordable phones simply cannot match. If you want to stand out from the crowd, this is the phone to get.