Fairphone 4 vs Nothing Phone (3a)
The Fairphone 4 (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 750G, while the Nothing Phone (3a) (2025) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3; launch prices were $449 and $329. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nothing Phone (3a) leads — 60/100 vs 31/100 (a 29-point difference). Key differences: the Nothing Phone (3a) has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 3905); the main camera is 48 MP vs 50 MP; the Nothing Phone (3a) is faster in AnTuTu (1,050,601 vs 566,483); the Nothing Phone (3a) is noticeably lighter (201g vs 225g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Fairphone 4
Nothing Phone (3a)
What makes Fairphone 4 better?
- Overall rating 31/100
What makes Nothing Phone (3a) better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 1050601 vs 566483
- Better Geekbench Single: 1161 vs 601
- Better Geekbench Multi: 3390 vs 1882
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 3905 mAh
- Faster charging: 45W vs 20W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 48MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Lighter: 201g vs 225g
- Cheaper at launch: $329 vs $449
- Higher performance (60/100 vs 41/100)
- Better camera (61/100 vs 18/100)
- Longer battery life (48/100 vs 20/100)
- Better display (79/100 vs 43/100)
- Better portability (54/100 vs 28/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Fairphone 4 vs the Nothing Phone (3a), the Nothing Phone (3a) scores 29 points higher (60/100 vs 31/100). In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) leads (60/100 vs 41/100). In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) leads (61/100 vs 18/100). In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) leads (48/100 vs 20/100). Value score: Fairphone 4 — 0/100, Nothing Phone (3a) — 56/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) notably outperforms the Fairphone 4 (60/100 vs 41/100). In the "display" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) significantly outperforms the Fairphone 4 (79/100 vs 43/100). In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) significantly outperforms the Fairphone 4 (61/100 vs 18/100). In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) notably outperforms the Fairphone 4 (48/100 vs 20/100). In the "portability" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) notably outperforms the Fairphone 4 (54/100 vs 28/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Fairphone 4 | Nothing Phone (3a) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 750G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 | |
| AnTuTu | 566483 | 1050601 | |
| Geekbench Single | 601 | 1161 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 1882 | 3390 | |
| Display | 6.3" IPS LCD | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1080x2340 | 2392x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 3905 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 20W | 45W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 69 | — | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP | 8 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 25 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 8GB / 12GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 15 / Nothing OS 3.1 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 3000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP54 | IP54 | |
| Dimensions | 162.0×75.5×10.5 mm | 163.5×77.5×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 225 g | 201 g | |
| Launch price | $449 | $329 |
Camera comparison
Fairphone 4
- Main: 48MP f/1.6
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Front: 25MP
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Fairphone 4
- 6.3" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Nothing Phone (3a)
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2392x1080
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Fairphone 4
- 3905 mAh
- Wired: 20W
- No wireless charging
Nothing Phone (3a)
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Fairphone 4 and Nothing Phone (3a), covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nothing Phone (3a) leads Fairphone 4 by 46.1% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $120. Nothing Phone (3a) was $120 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) notably outperforms the Fairphone 4 (60/100 vs 41/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) significantly outperforms the Fairphone 4 (79/100 vs 43/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) significantly outperforms the Fairphone 4 (61/100 vs 18/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) notably outperforms the Fairphone 4 (48/100 vs 20/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Nothing Phone (3a) notably outperforms the Fairphone 4 (54/100 vs 28/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Fairphone 4 or the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Nothing Phone (3a) significantly outperforms the Fairphone 4 by 29 points (60/100 vs 31/100).
What is the rating of the Fairphone 4 and the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Fairphone 4 has a MobileRank rating of 31/100, the Nothing Phone (3a) — 60/100.
Which has the better camera: the Fairphone 4 or the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Nothing Phone (3a) leads on camera score (61/100 vs 18/100).
Which is more powerful: the Fairphone 4 or the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Nothing Phone (3a) leads on performance (60/100 vs 41/100).
Should you choose the Fairphone 4 over the Nothing Phone (3a)?
The Nothing Phone (3a) is a better fit for active users.