Phone Comparisons: Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1)

The Pixel 7a is the latest mid-range smartphone from Google. At this point, we’ve compared it to a number of devices, and today, another one joins the fold. In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1). The Nothing Phone (2) is right around the corner, but the first-gen model is still a good choice. Design-wise it’s a lot different than the Pixel 7a, but they compete in a similar sector of the market.

These two handsets have rather similar price tags, and both aim at consumers who want mid-range smartphones. Considering how different they are visually, this should be a rather interesting comparison. We’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance.

Specs

	Google Pixel 7a	Nothing Phone (1)
Screen size	6.1-inch fullHD+ flat OLED display (90Hz refresh rate)	6.55-inch fullHD+ OLED display (120Hz refresh rate)
Screen resolution	2400 x 1080	2400 x 1080
SoC	Google Tensor G2	Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+
RAM	8GB (LPDDR5)	8GB/12GB (LPDDR5)
Storage	128GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable	128GB, 256GB, non-expandable
Rear cameras	64MP (f/1.9 aperture, 26mm lens, 0.8um pixel size, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF) 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size)	50MP (f/1.9 aperture, 1.0um pixel size, OIS, PDAF) 50MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 114-degree FoV, 0.64um pixel size)
Front cameras	13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 20mm lens, 1.12um pixel size)	16MP (f/2.5 aperture, 1.0um pixel size
Battery	4,385mAh, non-removable, 20W wired charging, 18W wireless charging Charger not included	4,500mAh, 33W wired charging, 15W Qi wireless charging, 5W reverse wireless charging Charger not included
Dimensions	152 x 72.9 x 9mm	159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3mm
Weight	193.5 grams	193.5 grams
Connectivity	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C
Security	In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) Face Unlock	In-display fingerprint scanner (optical)
OS	Android 13	Android 12 (upgradable to Android 13) Nothing OS
Price	$499	€469 (discounted to €369.99 ATM)
Buy	Amazon	Amazon

Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1): Design

The Pixel 7a and Nothing Phone (1) look considerably different. The Pixel 7a is made out of metal and plastic. It is a squarish phone with a flat display, and a centered display camera hole at the top. It has a camera visor on the back, which is covered by metal, and hosts two cameras. That camera visor extends from one side of the phone to the other, and it does give a phone a rather interesting look.

The Nothing Phone (1), on the other hand, is made out of metal and glass. This phone is quite eye-catching, mainly because of its back. It has a see-through glass backplate on the back, with Glyph LED lights below it. It makes for a rather interesting look, and a conversation starter, that’s for sure. This phone has a flat display, with a display camera hole in the top-left corner. It has flat sides, unlike the Pixel 7a, and rounded corners. It also features two cameras on the back, but the design is completely different compared to the Pixel 7a.

The Pixel 7a has a smaller display than the Nothing Phone (1), and is shorter, narrower, and a bit thicker than Nothing’s handset. The two phones do weigh the same, though, which is quite interesting. They both weigh 193.5 grams. The fact the Pixel 7a has a plastic back and it’s smaller doesn’t really reflect on its weight, apparently. The Pixel 7a does have a better certification for water resistance, as it’s IP67 certified. The Nothing Phone (1) comes with IP53 certification for splash resistance. They both feel like quality pieces of tech, but they also feel entirely different in the hand.

Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1): Display

The Pixel 7a comes with a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED display. That panel is flat, and it supports HDR content. It offers a 90Hz refresh rate, and has a 20:9 aspect ratio. The phone is protected by the Gorilla Glass 3. The Pixel 7a has a lower screen-to-body ratio than the Nothing Phone (1).

The Nothing Phone (1) includes a 6.55-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED display. This panel is flat, and it can show up to 1 billion colors. It also supports HDR10+ content, and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a peak brightness of around 700 nits, and comes with a 20:9 aspect ratio. This panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass 5.

The Nothing Phone (1) not only has a higher refresh rate, but it has considerably better display protection. The Gorilla Glass 3 is kind of prone to microscratches, the Gorilla Glass 5 is much better in that regard. You’re advised to use a screen protector on the Pixel 7a, that’s for sure. The display on the Nothing Phone (1) also seems to be a bit more color accurate but both panels are great. They have great viewing angles, are quite vivid, and also offer good touch response.

Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1): Performance

The Pixel 7a is fueled by the Google Tensor G2 SoC. It includes 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Nothing Phone (1), on the flip side, is fueled by the Snapdragon 778G+ processor. The device comes with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Pixel 7a is technically more powerful due to its processor, but the Nothing Phone (1) is nothing to scoff at.

When it comes to sheer performance, they both do a great job. In regular, everyday tasks, the Nothing Phone (1) keeps up with the Pixel 7a. Everything ranging from opening apps, multitasking, browsing, consuming multimedia etc., both phones handle beautifully. Now, the Tensor G2 wasn’t exactly made for gaming, but it does a good job at it. Well, when it comes to the most demanding games on the Play Store, you may have to adapt the details and settings a bit, but for the most part, it does a good job.

The Snapdragon 778G+ is a bit dated SoC at this point, but it still packs a punch. The vast majority of games are not a problem for it, at all. Still, do keep in mind that neither of these two phones are made for gaming. They do a great job in regular, everyday performance, however.

Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1): Battery

There is a 4,385mAh battery included inside the Pixel 7a. The Nothing Phone (1), on the other hand, includes a 4,500mAh battery. That being said, both of these smartphones will likely be able to get you through the day, unless you’re really pushing them hard. We’ve been able to get around 7+ hours of screen-on-time with the Pixel 7a, once the battery settled. It even crossed the 8-hour mark a couple of times.

The Nothing Phone (1) lands a bit lower than that, but the battery life is okay, nothing special. It should be enough for most people, however. Do note that battery life can vary quite a bit, of course. You’ll be using different apps in different ways, and with different signal strengths. Both phones offer good battery life, but nowhere near the best we’ve seen this year.

Now, when it comes to charging, things are quite interesting. The Pixel 7a supports 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging. The Nothing Phone (1) offers 33W wired charging support, along with 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. Nothing’s device offers faster charging in both wired and wireless segments. Neither of the two phones includes a charger in the box, however.

Google Pixel 7a vs Nothing Phone (1): Cameras

The Pixel 7a features a 64-megapixel main camera, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). The Nothing Phone (1), on the flip side, includes a 50-megapixel main camera, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide snapper (114-degree FoV). The Nothing Phone (1) actually managed to surprise with its camera quality from the get-go, while we expected great performance from the Pixel 7a.

Having said that, the Nothing Phone (1) camera did improve since launch, and Nothing has a truly capable snapper on its hands. It offers a great balance in good lighting, with plenty of details. The Pixel 7a offers a bit more contrasty images, which more people will likely prefer, images taken with that phone simply pop. Having said that, in low light, both phones do a good job, but the Pixel 7a simply balances out images a bit better.

Unlike its siblings, the Pixel 7a tends to provide warmer shots in low light, like most other phones. It manages to get a lot of detail from the shadows, and generally produces well-balanced photos. The Nothing Phone (1) is not far behind, actually, as it improved since launch, but overall the images tend to show a bit less detail in such conditions. Ultrawide cameras on both phones do a good job of keeping up the color profile the main cameras offer. They do present a degradation in quality compared to main snappers, though. The Pixel 7a has a wider FoV, and that’s something we did find to appreciate.

Audio

You’ll find a set of stereo speakers on both of these phones. The thing is, the top speaker on the Nothing Phone (1) is rather quiet. That is noticeable, especially if you compare it to another device, such as the Pixel 7a. The Pixel 7a offers better audio output.

When it comes to an audio jack, neither of these two phones has one, unfortunately. You’ll have to resort to their Type-C ports for wired audio connections. When it comes to wireless connection, the Pixel 7a offers Bluetooth 5.3, while the Nothing Phone (1) supports Bluetooth 5.2.