Nothing Phone (4b) vs Samsung Galaxy A17

Verdict

Nothing Phone (4b) scores higher on the OH Rank (33 vs 26), winning 4 of 10 categories including Performance and Screen. Nothing Phone (4b) is 0.3mm wider than Samsung Galaxy A17. Nothing Phone (4b) is the more recent release, from Jul 17, 2026.

Score Breakdown

Category

Nothing Phone (4b)

78.2mm (3.08in) · Jul 17, 2026 · Rank #263

Samsung Galaxy A17

77.9mm (3.07in) · Aug 17, 2025 · Rank #268
Performance /15
2
0
Battery /15
7
7
Screen /15
6
0
IP Protection /15
6
6
Main Camera /15
6
3
Selfie /5
3
0
Video /5
0
0
SD Memory /5
0
5
Software /5
3
5
Desktop Replacement /5
0
0
TOTAL
33
26
Nothing Phone (4b)
78.2mm (3.08in) · Jul 17, 2026 · Rank #263
2+7+6+6+6+3+0+0+3+0 = 33
Midrange

EDITORIAL: Nothing added another layer to their midrange lineup - the first "b" phone. Coming to a saturated field of low-end devices, it features a 6 Gen 4 Snapdragon chip, slower memory then the (4a) and a stripped down imaging setup with good endurance and lovely Android variation loaded with cool design and features.

PROs
very well designed, okay SD 6 Gen 4 with UFS 2.2 performance, 24hr endurance from a 5200mAh (6000mAh in India) lithium battery with sub-90min 33W charging, 1100nits ~380ppi 120Hz AMOLED screen, IP64 protection, some good shots from a 50MP 24mm OIS PDAF main + 8MP 15mm ultrawide, average 16MP selfie, lovely software package with tons of useful AI and other features, Essential Space with a dedicated hardware button
CONs
big, 480Hz PWM dimming frequency screen can cause headaches for some users, unreliable video recording, no expandable memory, only 3 years of OS updates, no desktop replacement functionality, slow USB-C 2.0 port (with OTG)
Samsung Galaxy A17
77.9mm (3.07in) · Aug 17, 2025 · Rank #268
0+7+0+6+3+0+0+5+5+0 = 26
* TOP Memory Expansion* TOP SoftwareMidrange

EDITORIAL: The basic Samsung phone is there if you need 5G network access. It is very basic in every way and shows us how good we can have it if we spend a little more.

PROs
sub-90min 25W charging, IP54 protection, expandable memory slot, 6 years of OS updates promise, 5G service
CONs
plastic build, slow Exynos 1330 with just 4GB RAM (there are also 6GB and 8GB versions) performance, barely 24hr endurance from a 5000mAh battery, sub-900nits sub-400ppi 90Hz AMOLED screen, only daytime okay 50MP OIS AF main + unreliable 5MP ultrawide (no AF) + unreliable 2MP macro lens setup, unreliable 13MP (no AF) selfie, unreliable video recording, 6 years of OS updates may be impossible due to very limited hardware, no desktop replacement feature, slow USB-C port,

Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.

Visit Home page to compare world's best phones. You can see scoring and ranking explained on the About page.