Carl Pei wanted his new business to be able to integrate hardware and software with the same apparent ease as Apple. His top priority for the first smartphone that his company would make was this. The long-awaited Phone 1 release has finally happened, but how does the device stack up against Apple’s main competition given that the company’s ecosystem is still in its infancy?
We compared the Phone 1 to Apple’s model that is currently the most cost-effective choice, the iPhone SE (2022 edition), to find out. Now, despite the stark differences between what Android and iOS have to offer, both platforms have a ton of fascinating technology that might tempt fans of one platform to try the other. This suggestion, in our opinion, offers you the best value for your money.
Nothing Phone (1) and Apple iPhone SE 2022 Specifications Comparison:
| Aspects | Nothing Phone (1) | Apple iPhone SE 2022 |
| Display | 6.55-inch (2400×1080 pixels) FHD+ OLED 120Hz display, 240Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10+, 10-bit colour, 500 nits brightness; 1,200 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection | 4.7-inch (1334 x 750 pixels) IPS 326 ppi display, 1400:1 contrast ratio, 625 cd/m2 max brightness |
| Processor | Snapdragon 778G+ 6nm SoC; Octa Core (4 x 2.5GHz + 4 x 1.8GHz Kryo 670 CPUs) |
Six-Core A15 (2 performance and 4 efficiency cores) Bionic 5nm chip with 64-bit architecture
|
| GPU | Adreno 642L GPU | 4‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main camera with f/1.88 aperture, Sony IMX766 sensor, OIS, 50MP 114° ultra-wide camera with Samsung JN1 sensor, f/2.2 aperture, 4cm macro-option | 12MP wide-angle (f/1.8) camera, optical image stabilization |
| Video Recording (rear camera) | 4K recording up to 30 fps | 4K video recording at 60 fps, Slo‑mo 1080p at 240 fps |
| Front camera | 16MP with f/2.25 aperture | 7MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture |
| Video Recording (front camera) | 1080p video recording | 1080p video recording |
| RAM | 8/12GB | 4GB |
| RAM Type | LPDDR5 RAM | N/A |
| Storage | 128/256GB | 64GB/128GB/256GB |
| Storage Type | UFS 3.1 storage | N/A |
| Battery | 4500mAh | 2018mAh |
| Dimensions and Weight | Dimensions: 159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3mm; Weight: 193.5g | Dimensions: 138.4×67.3×7.3mm; Weight: 144g |
| Connectivity | 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax (2.4GHz/5GHz) MIMO, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, USB Type-C, NFC
| 5G, LTE, 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC with reader mode, GPS with GLONASS, Lightning port |
Nothing Phone (1) vs Apple iPhone SE 2022: Design Comparison
The iPhone SE is rapidly defining itself as a modern product. It is the only iPhone model in the lineup with a physical home button, and in comparison, to the Nothing Phone 1’s all-screen design, its hefty top and bottom bezels look positively archaic. Only 4.7 inches in size, it has a comparably small screen.
Some people will appreciate the availability of small mobile phones, while others will find the device to be finicky. Nevertheless, despite this, it is still a very well-made device with premium parts and a selection of colors.
Unexpectedly, the Nothing Phone 1 borrows a few design cues from Apple’s more recent iPhone models. It has pointed corners and a metal frame that is sandwiched between two sheets of glass and is constructed entirely from recycled aluminum.
The most distinctive features of the product are found on the back, which has a transparent finish that reveals some of the internal parts. Along with serving as notification and call alerts, the glyph interface is a collection of hundreds of LEDs that can be customized for a wide range of features.
In this day and age, when even ardent Apple fans are passing up the iPhone SE in favor of newer hardware, it should come as no surprise that we think the styling of Nothing’s device is superior to that of the iPhone SE.
Nothing Phone (1) vs Apple iPhone SE 2022: Display Comparison
Although the screen on the iPhone SE is a relatively small IPS panel with a low resolution, the displays on Apple’s smartphones have typically been of very high quality. Although it has True Tone adaptive colors and a respectable contrast ratio, it is still a long way from the Nothing Phone 1’s AMOLED screen.
Nothing has opted for a panel with a resolution of Full HD+, which is reasonable given the price point in the middle of the range, but it has also made sure that the refresh rate can be raised to a delightfully smooth 120Hz.
It functions well with high dynamic range (HDR) content and, for added security, hides a fingerprint sensor beneath its pixels. It is also considerably bigger, measuring 6.55 inches.
Unless you have a personal vendetta against larger phones, there is no clear winner in this contest.
Nothing Phone (1) vs Apple iPhone SE 2022: Camera Comparison
The rear camera on the Nothing Phone 1 has two lenses, compared to the iPhone SE’s single lens. It does, however, have access to Apple’s superior image processing, which is made possible by the A15 Bionic CPU and speeds up and improves performance.
In addition to improved HDR technology, this most recent version also offers improved low-light video recording capabilities. It is currently unknown how effective the algorithms that Nothing will employ independently will be. Nothing will not employ a few of its own algorithms.
In terms of hardware, the Phone 1 is superior to the Phone 2. The sensor in the iPhone has a resolution of 12 megapixels, but Nothing’s phone has not one, but two, 50 megapixel sensors, one of which is for the main lens and the other is for taking ultrawide shots. This suggests that each shot will include more of your scene. It also has the capability to use the glyph lighting as a fill light when shooting up close, which might produce images that are more aesthetically pleasing.
We are unable to choose a winner in terms of image quality because we have not yet thoroughly tested its camera capabilities; however, because the Phone 1 has an additional lens, it is currently in first place in this category.
Nothing Phone (1) vs Apple iPhone SE 2022: Performance Comparison
From a technical perspective, both phones have unique silicon. Nothing compelled Qualcomm to create a Snapdragon 778G variant that includes wireless charging and reverse wireless charging functionality.
For the price, you can’t get anything else like this. The performance won’t be as fast as that of a flagship device because it is still a mid-range chip, even with double or even triple the amount of RAM that you’d get from an iPhone SE depending on its specifications.
Apple’s phone, meanwhile, is powered by the same A15 Bionic CPU that is present in the noticeably more expensive iPhone 13. This chip is a true beast, capable of crushing benchmark league tables and smoothly running the most recent iOS version.
The iPhone, however, takes the top spot in this category if you want the most power and gaming muscle for your money. It’s safe to say that the Nothing Phone 1 is no slouch.
Nothing Phone (1) vs Apple iPhone SE 2022: Battery Comparison
The Phone 1 receives a 4500mAh battery, while the iPhone SE had to make do with a clumsy 2018mAh call. Theoretically, this is a big win for Nothing, but things aren’t that simple. In actuality, the Phone 1’s battery is smaller than the iPhone SE’s.
The iPhone SE manages to playback videos continuously for 15 hours, which is almost as long as the much more expensive iPhone 13 Mini. It is not yet known how close Phone 1 will be to that specific number because we have not yet finished benchmarking the Nothing.
While wireless charging is supported by both phones, only the Nothing Phone 1 can power your accessories from its own internal battery rather than the other way around. The Phone 1 also has an advantage in terms of cables, as the iPhone can only deliver 20W of power, as opposed to the Phone 1’s 50W maximum with a compatible charger. Please note that this does not imply that Nothing has one in the box already.
Most likely, neither phone’s battery life should be significantly diminished by a single day of typical use. Until further testing indicates otherwise, the outcome of this dispute will largely depend on whether the appeal to reverse charging is successful.
Software is a significant factor that should also be taken into account. In many ways, iOS is far superior to Android, and this is particularly true if you already own other Apple products. Nothing has aspirations as high to reach the same level of success, but there is still a long way to go.
Nothing Phone (1) vs Apple iPhone SE 2022: Our Verdict
| DESIGN | Nothing Phone (1) |
| DISPLAY | Nothing Phone (1) |
| PERFORMANCE | Apple iPhone SE 2022 |
| CAMERA | Apple iPhone SE 2022 (Subjective) |
| BATTERY | Nothing Phone (1) |
However, we think the Phone 1 is the better choice if you aren’t already committed to using iOS. It stands out from the competition due to its eye-catching design, stunning display, and streamlined Android operating system.
Additionally, it supports wireless charging and has a shorter charging time. The dual cameras offer significantly more flexibility than the single camera provided by Apple, and the glyph lighting is truly unique.
