Nothing Phone (4a) vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

The Nothing Phone (4a) (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, while the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. By overall MobileRank rating, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition leads — 71/100 vs 62/100 (a 9-point difference). Key differences: the Nothing Phone (4a) has the bigger battery (5200 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 64 MP; the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is faster in AnTuTu (1,294,871 vs 1,039,119).

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition edges out the Nothing Phone (4a) by just 9 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.

Profile comparison

Category scores

Nothing Phone (4a)

Performance 60
Display 80
Camera 61
Battery 53
Portability 59
Value for money 58

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

Performance 68
Display 80
Camera 86
Battery 56
Portability 52
Value for money —

What makes Nothing Phone (4a) better?

  • Bigger battery: 5200 vs 5000 mAh
  • Lighter: 190g vs 204g

  • Better portability (59/100 vs 52/100)

What makes ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition better?

  • Higher AnTuTu: 1294871 vs 1039119
  • Better Geekbench Single: 1662 vs 1223
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 4188 vs 3168
  • Faster charging: 80W vs 45W
  • Better main camera: 64MP vs 50MP

  • Higher performance (68/100 vs 60/100)
  • Better camera (86/100 vs 61/100)
  • Longer battery life (56/100 vs 53/100)

Comparison verdict

Comparing the Nothing Phone (4a) vs the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition scores 9 points higher (71/100 vs 62/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition leads (86/100 vs 61/100). In the "performance" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is a bit better (68/100 vs 60/100). In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 80/100. In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition notably outperforms the Nothing Phone (4a) (86/100 vs 61/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition and the Nothing Phone (4a) are nearly equal (56/100 vs 53/100). In the "portability" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (59/100 vs 52/100).

Nothing Phone (4a): The Nothing Phone (4a) is a better fit for active users.
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition: The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts.

Specs comparison

Specification Nothing Phone (4a) ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
AnTuTu 1039119 1294871
Geekbench Single 1223 1662
Geekbench Multi 3168 4188
Display 6.7" AMOLED 6.8" AMOLED
Resolution 2412x1080 1116x2480
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 5200 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 45W 80W
Main camera 50 MP 64 MP
Ultrawide 8 MP 64 MP
Telephoto 50 MP 64 MP
Front camera 32 MP 16 MP
RAM 8GB / 12GB 12GB / 18GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 512GB / 1TB
OS Android 16 Android 12, MyOS 12
Brightness (peak) 4500 nits 1500 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP64 —
Dimensions 164.0×77.6×8.6 mm 163.3×73.6×8.4 mm
Weight 190 g 204 g
Launch price $349 —

Camera comparison

Nothing Phone (4a)

  • Main: 50MP f/1.8
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Telephoto: 50MP
  • Front: 32MP
61
camera

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

  • Main: 64MP f/1.6
  • Ultrawide: 64MP
  • Telephoto: 64MP
  • Front: 16MP
86
camera

Display comparison

Nothing Phone (4a)

  • 6.7" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 2412x1080
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
80
display

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

  • 6.8" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1116x2480
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
80
display

Battery and charging

Nothing Phone (4a)

  • 5200 mAh
  • Wired: 45W
  • No wireless charging
53
battery

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

  • 5000 mAh
  • Wired: 80W
  • No wireless charging
56
battery

Overall performance score

We compared Nothing Phone (4a) and ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Nothing Phone (4a) Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
62/100
1039119 AnTuTu
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
71/100 +19.8%
1294871 AnTuTu

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition leads Nothing Phone (4a) by 19.8% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks

Launch prices and where to check today's

Nothing Phone (4a)

$349

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

Price unknown

Detailed category analysis

performance

In the "performance" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is a bit better (68/100 vs 60/100).

display

In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 80/100.

camera

In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition notably outperforms the Nothing Phone (4a) (86/100 vs 61/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition and the Nothing Phone (4a) are nearly equal (56/100 vs 53/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (59/100 vs 52/100).

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: the Nothing Phone (4a) or the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition?

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition edges out the Nothing Phone (4a) by just 9 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.

What is the rating of the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition?

The Nothing Phone (4a) has a MobileRank rating of 62/100, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition — 71/100.

Which has the better camera: the Nothing Phone (4a) or the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition?

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition leads on camera score (86/100 vs 61/100).

Which is more powerful: the Nothing Phone (4a) or the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition?

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition leads on performance (68/100 vs 60/100).

Should you choose the Nothing Phone (4a) over the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition?

The Nothing Phone (4a) is a better fit for active users. The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts.