Android phones are available in all shapes and sizes for those on all sorts of budgets, but few stand out on store shelves in 2026. Although phones from Samsung, Google and Motorola are very advanced and capable, it could be argued they lack the personality that defined the best Android phones of the 2010s.

If you agree, you might like the latest new phone from tech startup Nothing. The UK-based firm has been around for a few years, releasing Android phones and audio products, and at an event in central London this week it launched three new products including the Nothing Phone 4a Pro – and it’s a headturner.

At £499 it’s the same price as the Google Pixel 10a and Samsung Galaxy A56, but has bags more personality. It’s also £300 less than Nothing’s 2025 flagship Nothing Phone 3. This new device doesn’t replace that phone. Instead, Nothing says it won’t release a new flagship in 2026, opting to update its mid-range with the 4a series, before a Phone 4 even exists.

£499 gets you 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, though pay £549 and you’ll upgrade to 12GB RAM and 256GB. These are competitive prices considering the specs on offer, with the phone powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.

The Phone 4a Pro goes on sale later this month from Nothing’s online store.

Where the Samsung Galaxy line is hard to tell from Samsung phones from the last five years with plain glass backs and vertically aligned triple camera lenses, the Phone 4a Pro is cast all in metal with a transparent camera module that also contains what Nothing calls a Glyph Matrix. This is a circular panel with 137 mini-LEDs that can light up to show various user-customisable things.

When placed face down, the little screen can be programmed to show the time, Caller ID or to flash with your chosen emoji when certain contacts get in touch. It’s like the modern equivalent of the BlackBerry’s red notification light.

Previous Nothing phones – and even the Nothing Phone 4a also unveiled this week – all opted for an eye-catching fully transparent design on the back, showing designs meant to look like, but not actually, internal components. The 4a Pro is instead a silver, black or pink metal all over, for a slightly subtler look. But put this phone next to the Galaxy S26 or the Google Pixel 10a with their sparse glass backs, and Nothing’s design stands out every time.

Triple cameras with 50MP main and 50MP 3.5x optical periscope offer 140x digital zoom, while the large 6.78-inch AMOLED screen impresses in this price range by offering a 144Hz refresh rate. With a high peak brightness of 5,000 nits, the screen should be visible even in the brightest outdoor conditions.

Nothing’s software also stands out compared to Android rivals. Nothing OS 4.1 based on Android 16 is refreshingly lightweight, with customisable icons that display in black and white to make your apps less distracting, while the Glyph screen on the back can display the time and other information if you want it to.

The phone even has a dedicated AI button on the edge to send screenshots or voice recordings to Nothing’s Essential Space app, where AI can quickly categorise your scattershot snaps and thoughts and helps you sort through them.

If £499 is a bit above your budget, you could spend £349 and get a debatably even more unique looking phone with the new Nothing Phone 4a. I’ve already used and reviewed that handset, which keeps Nothing’s transparent back design. It has very similar specs that should be more than enough for all but the most demanding of Android fans.