The Nothing Phone (4b) is Here: Budget Gets Beautiful

Nothing has officially dropped the Phone (4b) today, July 7, 2026, and it’s making a serious statement. By introducing the new "b" series, Nothing is taking its signature transparent design language and clean software experience into a highly competitive price bracket.

Priced at just £299 in the UK for the base 8GB/128GB model, the Phone (4b) isn't just about cutting costs—it's about distilling a smartphone down to what actually matters: solid battery life, striking aesthetics, and zero bloatware.

Eye Candy: A Redefined Aesthetic

If you thought budget phones had to look boring, the Phone (4b) is here to prove otherwise. It features a high-strength polycarbonate unibody finished with a UV soft-touch coating. This gives it a premium, smooth feel while ensuring it actively resists the fingerprint smudges that ruin the look of glossy glass phones. It is also rated IP64 for dust and water resistance, meaning it can easily shrug off a sudden downpour.

Instead of wrapping the entire back in LED strips, Nothing has streamlined the aesthetic by introducing the Glyph Bar. Located entirely within the transparent camera module, this compact grid of 45 mini-LEDs serves as a highly functional visual alert system. You can program it to track an Uber, display a camera countdown timer, or flash in a specific pattern when a VIP contact texts you—allowing you to stay informed while keeping your phone face down.

The Display: Smooth and Vibrant

The front of the device is dominated by a flat, beautifully symmetrical screen.

Spec	Details
Size & Panel	6.77-inch Super AMOLED
Refresh Rate	120 Hz adaptive
Resolution	1080 x 2344 (FHD+)
Peak Brightness	Up to 2,000 nits

Whether you are editing photos for the feed or catching up on YouTube, the display punches well above its £299 price tag. It also features "pixel-level micro-shifting" to prevent OLED burn-in over time, and an optical in-display fingerprint sensor for rapid unlocking.

Performance & Battery Endurance

Under the hood, the Phone (4b) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor paired with 8GB of RAM. It’s not designed to break benchmark records, but it is heavily optimized for smooth, everyday performance. Nothing has also included a substantial vapor chamber cooling system—a rarity at this price—ensuring the phone stays cool in your hands during extended gaming sessions.

When it comes to endurance, this device is a marathon runner. It packs a 5,200 mAh battery (with a massive 6,000 mAh variant launching in the Indian market). For those of us constantly creating and consuming content, this translates to nearly 17 hours of heavy, continuous use. When it does finally run dry, the 33W fast charging can juice it back up from 1% to 50% in under 30 minutes.

Cameras: Boosting the Details

Nothing has wisely avoided the trap of slapping useless 2MP macro lenses on the back just to increase the camera count. The setup is simple, effective, and reliable:

• 50 MP Main Sensor: Equipped with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to ensure sharp photos in low light and smooth 4K video recording.

• 8 MP Ultra-Wide: Offers a 119.5-degree field of view for landscapes and architectural shots.

• 16 MP Front Camera: Handles selfies and video calls with crisp clarity.

Powered by Nothing’s TrueLens Engine 4 and Ultra XDR technology, the camera system is designed to deliver true-to-life colors and excellent dynamic range without over-processing the image.

Nothing OS 4.1: The Cleanest Android Experience

Hardware is only half the story. The Phone (4b) ships with Nothing OS 4.1, based on Android 16. It remains one of the cleanest, most fluid Android skins on the market, free from the bloatware that often plagues budget devices.

It also introduces new Essential AI tools:

• The Essential Key: A physical button on the left side of the frame. A double-click instantly opens your "Essential Space," an AI-driven hub that organizes your screenshots, voice notes, and saved content.

• Longevity: Nothing is promising 3 years of Android OS updates and 6 years of security patches, meaning this £299 investment will remain secure well into the 2030s.

The Verdict

Available in White, Black, and Blue, the Nothing Phone (4b) is available for pre-order now. By focusing strictly on what matters—a standout design, a gorgeous display, all-day battery life, and bloat-free software—Nothing has built a mid-range phone that doesn't feel like a compromise.