Nothing Phone (4a) Pro with metal unibody shows surprising flaws in durability test

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro ($499 on Amazon) uses an aluminum unibody instead of a plastic or metal frame combined with a plastic or glass back like most smartphones on the market. Although this gives the smartphone a high-quality feel, wireless charging is not possible due to the aluminum back.

The YouTuber JerryRigEverything has now subjected the mid-range smartphone to a durability test. Unsurprisingly, the aluminum casing is only moderately scratch-resistant, but the smartphone cannot be bent even with a lot of force, and without glass, the back cannot break in the event of a fall. The display is protected from scratches by Gorilla Glass 7i, meaning that it only becomes visibly scratched when it comes into contact with objects that are at least a 6 on the Mohs hardness scale. However, the durability test reveals two weaknesses.

Firstly, the transparent cover of the camera module is made of plastic, so it can scratch very quickly. And secondly, there is a microphone right next to the SIM card slot. The microphone opening is large enough to accidentally insert the tool to open the SIM slot, which damages the seal and makes the smartphone no longer waterproof. A metal grille could have prevented this. However, with IP65 certification, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is only protected against rain and water splashes anyway. The ease of repair also leaves a lot to be desired.