With its unique clear appearance and good specs for the price, the Nothing Phone (2a) has gotten a lot of attention. But maybe you don’t like the whole “designed to turn heads” thing. Or maybe you want something a little different, someone who can do more, or better cams.
There are a lot of good mid-range phones that can compete with the 2a, so don’t worry about it. Let’s look at six more great choices in the same price range.
iQOO Z9 (₹19,999)
You might be thinking why we’re including this choice that is so much less expensive. Well, it has almost the same specs as the Nothing Phone 2a. For starters, it has the same Dimensity 7200 chip. The main camera on it is a 50MP IMX882 sensor with OIS, which should theoretically be better than the main camera on the Phone 2a. The catch is that it doesn’t have an ultrawide sensor, just a dull 2MP closeup camera. Still, it has a 6.67-inch screen and a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 44W, just like the Phone 2a.
Motorola Edge 40 Neo (₹22,999)
It might not be the fastest phone in this group, but like the Nothing Phone 2a, it runs a clean, stock Android skin, which is appealing to people who like simple software. Still, that’s not the only thing that makes it cool. It weighs only 170 grams and is only 7.9 mm thick, making it one of the thinnest and lightest cellphones on the market. It also has an IP68 rating, which means it can handle getting wet occasionally. One last thing: the curved screen has an amazing 144Hz frame rate.
Samsung Galaxy A34 ((₹24,499)
The Samsung Galaxy A34 may not have the best specs or style, but it does have the One UI, which is one of the most feature-rich Android versions. There will also be security fixes for 5 years and updates for 4 versions of the Android OS. This is the best software support of these options. This could be the best choice for you if you like the Samsung environment and have Rs 25K to spend.
It has a 6.6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen with a frame rate of 120Hz, the Dimensity 1080 chip, a 48MP main camera on the back, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, a 5MP closeup camera, and a 5,000mAh charger. With an IP67 rating, the phone is also safe from the weather.
OnePlus Nord CE3 (₹24,999)
The Nord CE3’s primary camera is the Sony IMX890 sensor, which is also used in phones like the OnePlus 11. The battery charging speed is 80W, and the phone includes an 80W charger in the package. The display is an FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED, and it is powered by the Snapdragon 782G, which is not as powerful as the Dimensity 7200 Pro or even the 7s Gen 2. However, OnePlus has promised three significant upgrades, which is excellent.
What makes the CE3 special is its camera. The Nord CE3 has faster UFS 3.1 storage and a 10-bit display like the Phone (2a), but it doesn’t work as well. A slightly cheaper version of the same phone with 8/128G storage , so if you want a phone with a great main camera and faster charging but don’t care about performance, the Nord CE3 is a good choice over the Phone (2a).
Realme 12 Pro (₹24,999)
The Realme 12 Pro is the last phone on the list. It has a 32MP 2x high zoom camera that stands out. It also has a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide camera, making it the most flexible camera system here. The 6.7-inch screen is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor. The Realme 12 Pro comes in a bright blue and gold color scheme that might be just what you need if you don’t like clear designs but still want to stand out.
Redmi Note 13 Pro (₹25,999)
With its crazy value, the Redmi Note 13 Pro makes a good case for being the best option. The back of the Nothing Phone 2a is easy to scratch, but the back of the Redmi Note 13 Pro is made of glass. It also has some of the thinnest borders in this price band.
Then there’s the main camera, which has 200MP and is said by Xiaomi to work at a top level. It has an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP closeup camera on the back. There is a 16MP camera on the front for taking selfies. However, the Nothing Phone 2a is still better because it has a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 32MP front-facing camera.
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 keeps things running smoothly, and, on paper, it should be just as good as the Dimensity 7200 Pro in the Phone 2a. A 67W charger charges the 5,000mAh battery. You can also get the regular Redmi Note 13 if the starting price seems a bit high.
Poco X6 Pro (₹25,999)
There’s no doubt that the Nothing Phone 2a‘s MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chip is good, but the Poco X6 Pro’s flagship-level Dimensity 8300 Ultra chip is the best-performing chipset you can find at this price point right now. In fact, in tests, it’s just as good as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
The best part, though? This phone has a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen, a 64MP triple camera setup, and a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged quickly with 67W.