Nothing Phone (2a) vs Google Pixel 7a: Budget showdown

The Nothing Phone (2a) is here, arriving in an already crowded Android smartphone market.

One of the key rivals to the Nothing Phone (2a) is Google’s Pixel 7a and we’re going to compare all the key features here so you can make an informed choice about which phone is best for you.

The Nothing Phone (2a) does come out slightly cheaper, at £319 for the base model. The Pixel 7a has an RRP of £449, however it’s often sold for less than this. It can be had, at the time of writing, on Amazon for £399 with a charger included.

In the US, the Nothing Phone (2a) is available for $349 with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage however only through Nothing’s Dev Program.

These are two good-looking phones

Even though they go in very different directions, both the Nothing Phone (2a) and Google Pixel 7a are well-designed phones.

With the Phone (2a), Nothing has continued with its transparent back casing that lets you gaze upon internal components, including the NFC coil that surrounds the centralised camera unit. There are also three LEDs situated on the back, which act as notification lights and can flash in time to music.

The Nothing Phone (2a) comes in two colours: black and white, has an IP54 rating and carries over the same distinct design as the other two Nothing Phones.

The Pixel 7a doesn’t have any standout design elements like the Nothing Phone (2a), however it still looks great. It’s small, rounded in all the right places and comes in some standout hues – including a bright coral. It ups the IP rating to IP67 too, offering more protection than the Nothing Phone.

The Nothing Phone (2a) wins out in screen specs

One of the key differences between these two devices is the display. While both use an OLED panel, have a FHD+ resolution and features like always-on displays, the Nothing Phone (2a) can refresh at 120Hz, while the Pixel 7a is limited to a 90Hz refresh.

This makes the Nothing Phone (2a) smoother in operation and the difference can be spotted when the two phones are next to each other.

A bigger phone with a bigger battery

The Nothing Phone (2a) is the bigger of the two devices we’re pitting together by quite some distance. Depending on what you want from a phone, this could be a positive or a negative.

Nothing’s first budget device has a 6.7-inch screen, unlike the 6.1-inch screen on the Pixel 7a. A bigger phone also tends to equal a bigger battery, and that’s the case here with the Phone (2a) packing a 5000mAh cell, much larger than the Pixel 7a’s 4385mAh.

The Nothing Phone (2a) also has faster charging, maxing out at 45w. With the Pixel 7a, the fastest it can charge is 18w. Only the Pixel 7a can charge wirelessly though, and neither comes with a power plug in the box.

It must be said that even though the Nothing Phone (2a) is far larger, it actually weighs slightly less – 190g instead of 193g. This is likely down to the liberal use of plastic, rather than metal.

There’s a gulf in the specs – at least on paper

While we haven’t fully reviewed the Nothing Phone (2a) yet, it does certainly have the more enticing spec sheet. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, and comes with either 8 or 12GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

The Pixel 7a, on the other hand, is powered by the AI-focussed Tensor G2 chip – which we know is a good performer at this price – and comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage. If you need that extra storage, the Nothing Phone (2a) could be a better choice.

In terms of camera performance, the Nothing Phone (2a) has more megapixels – but that’s far from the end of the story.

On the back of the Nothing Phone (2a) are a duo of 50MP cameras (standard and ultra wide) along with a 32MP camera on the front. The Pixel 7a also has two rear cameras, one is a 64MP main sensor and the other a 13MP ultra wide. There’s also a 13MP selfie camera on the front.

We were impressed with the images from both Pixel 7a camera, and we’ll need to properly review the Nothing Phone (2a) to see how it compares.