Nothing Phone (4a) vs ZTE Axon 40

The Nothing Phone (4a) (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, while the ZTE Axon 40 (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nothing Phone (4a) leads — 62/100 vs 58/100 (a 4-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 Nothing Phone (4a) is faster in AnTuTu (1,148,725 vs 1,010,069).

The Nothing Phone (4a) edges out the ZTE Axon 40 by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nothing Phone (4a)
Performance 62
Display 80
Camera 61
Battery 54
Portability 59
Value for money 52
ZTE Axon 40
Performance 61
Display 73
Camera 51
Battery 52
Portability 53
Value for money
What makes Nothing Phone (4a) better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 1148725 vs 1010069
  • Bigger battery: 5200 vs 5000 mAh
  • Lighter: 190g vs 200g

  • Higher performance (62/100 vs 61/100)
  • Better camera (61/100 vs 51/100)
  • Longer battery life (54/100 vs 52/100)
  • Better display (80/100 vs 73/100)
  • Better portability (59/100 vs 53/100)
What makes ZTE Axon 40 better?
  • Better Geekbench Single: 1298 vs 1237
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 3520 vs 3281
  • Better main camera: 64MP vs 50MP

  • Overall rating 58/100
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Nothing Phone (4a) vs the ZTE Axon 40, the Nothing Phone (4a) scores 4 points higher (62/100 vs 58/100). In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) leads (61/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 are nearly equal (62/100 vs 61/100). In the "display" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (80/100 vs 73/100). In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (61/100 vs 51/100). In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 are nearly equal (54/100 vs 52/100). In the "portability" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (59/100 vs 53/100).

Nothing Phone (4a): The Nothing Phone (4a) is a better fit for active users.
ZTE Axon 40: The ZTE Axon 40 is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Nothing Phone (4a) ZTE Axon 40
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
AnTuTu 1148725 1010069
Geekbench Single 1237 1298
Geekbench Multi 3281 3520
Display 6.7" AMOLED 6.7"
Resolution 2412x1080 1080x2400
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 5200 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 50W
Main camera 50 MP 64 MP
Ultrawide 8 MP 8 MP
Telephoto 50 MP 0 MP
Front camera 32 MP 44 MP
RAM 8GB / 12GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 128GB
OS Android 16 Android 12 Snow Cone
Brightness (peak) 4500 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP64
Dimensions 164.0×77.6×8.6 mm 163.4×75.9×8.6 mm
Weight 190 g 200 g
Price $481
Camera comparison
Nothing Phone (4a)
  • Main: 50MP f/1.8
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Telephoto: 50MP
  • Front: 32MP
61
camera
ZTE Axon 40
  • Main: 64MP
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Front: 44MP
51
camera
Display comparison
Nothing Phone (4a)
  • 6.7" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 2412x1080
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
80
display
ZTE Axon 40
  • 6.7"
  • Resolution: 1080x2400
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
73
display
Battery and charging
Nothing Phone (4a)
  • 5200 mAh
  • Wired: 50W
  • No wireless charging
54
battery
ZTE Axon 40
  • 5000 mAh
  • No wireless charging
52
battery
Overall performance score

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

Nothing Phone (4a) Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
62/100
1148725 AnTuTu
ZTE Axon 40 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
58/100 -13.7%
1010069 AnTuTu

Nothing Phone (4a) leads ZTE Axon 40 by 13.7% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Price and availability
Nothing Phone (4a)
$481
ZTE Axon 40
Price unknown
Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 are nearly equal (62/100 vs 61/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (80/100 vs 73/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (61/100 vs 51/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) and the ZTE Axon 40 are nearly equal (54/100 vs 52/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Nothing Phone (4a) is a bit better (59/100 vs 53/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nothing Phone (4a) or the ZTE Axon 40?

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

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

The Nothing Phone (4a) has a MobileRank rating of 62/100, the ZTE Axon 40 — 58/100.

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

The Nothing Phone (4a) leads on camera score (61/100 vs 51/100).

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

The Nothing Phone (4a) is a better fit for active users. The ZTE Axon 40 is a better fit for active users.