Nothing Phone (4a) vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra

The Nothing Phone (4a) (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, while the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. By overall MobileRank rating, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads — 71/100 vs 57/100 (a 14-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 is faster in AnTuTu (1,290,942 vs 1,148,725).

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is noticeably better than the Nothing Phone (4a) — the overall rating gap is 14 points.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nothing Phone (4a)
Performance 62
Display 80
Camera 40
Battery 53
Portability 59
Value for money 54
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
Performance 69
Display 80
Camera 86
Battery 52
Portability 52
Value for money
What makes Nothing Phone (4a) better?
  • Bigger battery: 5200 vs 5000 mAh
  • Lighter: 190g vs 204g

  • Longer battery life (53/100 vs 52/100)
  • Better portability (59/100 vs 52/100)
What makes ZTE Axon 40 Ultra better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 1290942 vs 1148725
  • Better Geekbench Single: 1675 vs 1237
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 4453 vs 3281
  • Faster charging: 65W vs 45W
  • Better main camera: 64MP vs 50MP

  • Higher performance (69/100 vs 62/100)
  • Better camera (86/100 vs 40/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Nothing Phone (4a) vs the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra scores 14 points higher (71/100 vs 57/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 40/100). In the "performance" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is a bit better (69/100 vs 62/100). In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 80/100. In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra significantly outperforms the Nothing Phone (4a) (86/100 vs 40/100). In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra are nearly equal (53/100 vs 52/100). 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: The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts.
Specs comparison
Specification Nothing Phone (4a) ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
AnTuTu 1148725 1290942
Geekbench Single 1237 1675
Geekbench Multi 3281 4453
Display 6.7" AMOLED 6.8" AMOLED
Resolution 2412x1080 1116x2480
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 5200 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 45W 65W
Main camera 50 MP 64 MP
Ultrawide 8 MP 64 MP
Telephoto 0 MP 64 MP
Front camera 32 MP 16 MP
RAM 8GB / 12GB 8GB / 12GB / 16GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 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
Price $349
Camera comparison
Nothing Phone (4a)
  • Main: 50MP f/1.8
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Front: 32MP
40
camera
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
  • Main: 64MP f/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
  • 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
  • 5000 mAh
  • Wired: 65W
  • No wireless charging
52
battery
Overall performance score

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

Nothing Phone (4a) Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
57/100
1148725 AnTuTu
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
71/100 +11.0%
1290942 AnTuTu

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads Nothing Phone (4a) by 11.0% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Price and availability
Nothing Phone (4a)
$349
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
Price unknown
Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is a bit better (69/100 vs 62/100).

display

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

camera

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

battery

In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra are nearly equal (53/100 vs 52/100).

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?

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is noticeably better than the Nothing Phone (4a) — the overall rating gap is 14 points.

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

The Nothing Phone (4a) has a MobileRank rating of 57/100, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra — 71/100.

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

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

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

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads on performance (69/100 vs 62/100).

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

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