There’s something refreshingly different about Nothing’s approach to smartphones. Even when it is working with a more affordable device, the company rarely makes something that feels anonymous, and the new Nothing Phone (4b) is a good example of that philosophy. Priced at S$499 in Singapore, it sits at the more accessible end of Nothing’s lineup, but it still manages to retain plenty of the character that makes the brand’s phones so recognisable. After spending time with it, I found myself appreciating how it focuses on getting the everyday experience right without trying too hard to look or feel like something it isn’t.
The design is arguably the first thing that catches your attention. I had the Blue version for review, and I have to say, I really love how it looks. The soft, vibrant finish gives the Phone (4b) a playful yet surprisingly sophisticated character, while the redesigned Glyph Bar adds just enough visual flair without making the rear feel overly busy. The slimmer LED strip can display notifications, charging progress and other alerts, and I found these little touches surprisingly enjoyable because they give the phone a personality of its own. Combined with its colourful unibody construction and IP64 rating, the Phone (4b) feels refreshingly different from the usual affordable smartphone crowd.
The 6.77-inch Super AMOLED display is another pleasant surprise at this price. With a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, HDR10+ support and a 1,000Hz instant touch sampling rate, it feels considerably more polished than you might expect from a S$499 phone. Scrolling through social media is smooth, animations feel responsive, and the large screen makes watching videos or browsing photos genuinely enjoyable. I also like that Nothing hasn’t treated the display as an afterthought here; it is one of those areas where the Phone (4b) feels more expensive than it actually is.
@playfuldroid Nothing Phone 4b in Blue colour ? #NothingPhone4b #NothingPhone #Nothing #Smartphone ? ???????????? ???? – _pidsvidoma_
Performance is handled by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 with 8GB of RAM, and for everyday tasks, the experience is pleasantly smooth. Jumping between messaging, social media, browsing and streaming rarely feels like a chore, while the 4,400mm² vapour chamber helps the phone maintain its composure during longer sessions. This isn’t a phone I’d buy specifically for chasing the highest benchmark scores, but that’s not really the point. What I enjoyed was how uncomplicated the experience felt — I could pick it up, get through my usual routine and rarely have to think about whether the hardware could keep up.
Battery life is arguably one of the Phone (4b)’s biggest strengths. The local model packs a 5,200mAh battery, and Nothing positions it as its longest-lasting phone yet. For everyday use, that translates into the kind of endurance I appreciate because I don’t have to constantly monitor the battery percentage. A day of messaging, browsing, photography, video and plenty of screen time is comfortably within reach, while 33W fast charging can take the battery to 50% in under 30 minutes. It is the sort of phone that lets you get on with your day without constantly thinking about charging.
The camera setup is relatively straightforward, with a 50MP main camera featuring OIS alongside a 119-degree ultra-wide camera and a 16MP front-facing camera. What makes it more interesting is Nothing’s TrueLens Engine 4 and Ultra XDR processing, which combines multiple RAW frames to improve highlights, shadows and colour.
Photos in good lighting can look surprisingly detailed, while the processing generally keeps things looking natural instead of pushing the image too aggressively. I also appreciate the more playful side of the camera experience, with new filters, watermarks and features such as reflection removal. The ability to record 4K video at 30fps, along with dual video capture using the front and rear cameras simultaneously, gives the camera a little more versatility than its price might suggest.
Taking everything into account, the Nothing Phone (4b) is an interesting reminder that an affordable smartphone doesn’t have to feel boring. At S$499, it delivers a distinctive design, an excellent 120Hz AMOLED display, dependable everyday performance, impressive battery endurance and a surprisingly feature-rich software experience. It doesn’t try to compete with Nothing’s more expensive phones feature for feature, and I think that’s perfectly fine. Instead, it focuses on the things you’ll notice most when using a phone every day, while keeping enough of Nothing’s playful personality to make it stand apart from the crowd.
Hance, for those looking for something different without spending close to flagship money, the Nothing Phone (4b) makes a compelling case for itself. The Glyph Bar, clean software and colourful design give it a personality that is difficult to find elsewhere at this price, while the 5,200mAh battery and capable display make it an easy phone to rely on. For me, that’s ultimately its biggest appeal: it doesn’t feel like Nothing simply made a cheaper phone — it feels like Nothing made a phone that happens to be easier to afford.
In Singapore, the Nothing Phone (4b) is available for purchase through online channels including Nothing Official Store on TikTok, Shopee and Lazada.
