Nothing Phone (3a) vs Motorola Edge 40 Neo: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and consistent performance, the Nothing Phone (3a) is the stronger choice. Its significantly superior battery endurance – boasting 43:56h versus the Edge 40 Neo’s 80h (endurance rating) – and more efficient chipset outweigh the Motorola’s faster charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Nothing Phone (3a) | Motorola Edge 40 Neo |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, March 04 | 2023, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, March 11 | Available. Released 2023, September 14 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Panda Glass), plastic frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4 mm (6.44 x 3.05 x 0.33 in) | 159.6 x 72 x 7.9 mm (6.28 x 2.83 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 201 g (7.09 oz) | 170 g or 172 g (6.00 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Panda Glass, Mohs level 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2392 pixels (~387 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.77 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~88.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~90.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1300 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | P-OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (2x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4 nm) | MediaTek Dimensity 7030 (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 810 | Mali-G610 MC3 |
| OS | Android 15, up to 3 major Android upgrades, Nothing OS 3.1 | Android 13, up to 2 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm, PDAF |
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.74", 0.64µm, PDAF (25cm - ∞), 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/3.44" | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.0", 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE | 5.4, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 50W wired, 50% in 19 min, 100% in 56 min | 68W wired, 50% in 15 min |
| Type | 5000 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Blue | Black, Soothing Sea, Caneel Bay, Peach Fuzz |
| Models | A059 | XT2307-1 |
| Price | $ 340.00 / € 249.00 | $ 299.00 / € 168.73 / ₹ 19,900 |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 43:56h endurance, 1400 cycles | - |
| Energy | Class C | - |
| Free fall | Class C (90 falls) | - |
| Repairability | Class C | - |
Nothing Phone (3a)
- Exceptional battery life (43:56h endurance)
- More efficient Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset
- Higher peak display brightness (1273 nits)
- Slower charging speed compared to Motorola (50W vs 68W)
- Camera specifications are currently unknown
Motorola Edge 40 Neo
- Faster 68W wired charging (50% in 15 minutes)
- Sleek and lightweight design
- Potentially more refined camera system (marketing focus)
- Significantly shorter battery life (10:28h active use)
- Less efficient Dimensity 7030 chipset (6nm process)
Display Comparison
Both phones feature OLED displays, but the Nothing Phone (3a) takes a lead with a measured peak brightness of 1273 nits, compared to the Motorola Edge 40 Neo’s 1073 nits. This translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. While both likely employ similar color accuracy profiles, the higher brightness of the Nothing Phone (3a) provides a more vibrant and usable experience outdoors. We lack PWM frequency data, but Nothing's previous models have focused on minimizing flicker, potentially benefiting users sensitive to screen flicker.
Camera Comparison
The provided data lacks detailed camera specifications, making a direct comparison challenging. However, the Motorola Edge 40 Neo is marketed with a focus on photo and video capabilities, suggesting a potentially more refined camera system. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to assess image quality. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the Motorola Edge 40 Neo is likely a marketing feature with limited practical benefit, as image quality from such sensors is typically subpar. The Nothing Phone (3a)'s camera performance will likely be solid, but without specifics, it's hard to gauge its advantage or disadvantage.
Performance
The chipset choice is a key differentiator. The Nothing Phone (3a) utilizes the Qualcomm SM7635 Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm), while the Motorola Edge 40 Neo employs the MediaTek Dimensity 7030 (6nm). The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 offers superior power efficiency, contributing to the Nothing Phone (3a)'s impressive battery life. The Snapdragon’s CPU configuration – a 1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A720, 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A720, and 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A520 – is architecturally more modern than the Motorola’s 2x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 and 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55, suggesting better multi-core performance. While both phones likely feature adequate RAM, the Snapdragon’s efficiency will be more noticeable during sustained workloads.
Battery Life
The Nothing Phone (3a) truly shines in battery performance. Its measured endurance of 43:56h and active use score of 13:38h significantly surpasses the Motorola Edge 40 Neo’s active use score of 10:28h and older endurance rating of 80h. While the Motorola Edge 40 Neo boasts 68W wired charging (50% in 15 minutes), the Nothing Phone (3a)'s 50W charging (50% in 19 minutes, 100% in 56 minutes) is still respectable. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3’s efficiency allows the Nothing Phone (3a) to deliver substantially longer battery life despite a slightly slower charging speed. The Nothing Phone (3a) also claims 1400 battery cycles, suggesting a longer lifespan.
Buying Guide
Buy the Nothing Phone (3a) if you need exceptional battery life, a clean and minimalist software experience, and value long-term performance over the absolute fastest charging speeds. Buy the Motorola Edge 40 Neo if you prioritize a sleek, lightweight design, faster charging capabilities, and a more traditional Android experience, and are willing to compromise on battery endurance.