OnePlus Nord 6 vs Nothing Phone 4a Pro vs Vivo V70 FE: Which is the Best Phone Under Rs 40,000 in India?

The OnePlus Nord 6 has officially been unveiled in India's highly competitive sub-40K segment. While the OnePlus Nord 6 boasts a competitive specs sheet, it does come up against some heavy hitters in the premium mid-range segment.

Two of its chief competitors in the segment are the recently launched Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Vivo V70 FE. So let's see which phone comes out on top in this battle of the best smartphones under Rs 40,000 in India.

OnePlus Nord 6 vs Nothing Phone 4a Pro vs Vivo V70 FE: Comparison

Specifications	OnePlus Nord 6	Nothing Phone 4a Pro	Vivo V70 FE
Chipset	Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC	Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 SoC	MediaTek Dimensity 7360-Turbo SoC
Display	6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED Display, 165Hz, 1,800 nits (Peak), HDR10+, 450 PPI	6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED Display, 120Hz, 5,000 nits (Peak), 460 PPI, HDR10+	6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED Display, 120Hz, 1,900 nits (Peak), 449 PPI, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
RAM	8GB/12GB LPDDR5X	8GB/12GB LPDDR5X	8GB/12GB LPDDR5
Storage	256GB UFS 4.1	256GB/512GB UFS 3.1	128GB/256GB UFS 3.1
Rear Cameras	50MP (Main) with OIS + 8MP (Ultrawide) with AF	50MP (Main) with OIS + 50MP (Telephoto) with OIS + 8MP (Ultrawide)	200MP (Main) with OIS + 8MP (Ultrawide)
Front Camera	32MP, 4K @60fps Video Recording	32MP, 4K @30fps Video Recording	50MP, 4K @30fps Video Recording
Battery	9,000 mAh Battery, 80W Wired Fast Charging	5,400 mAh Battery (5,080 mAh Global), 50W Wired Charging	7,000 mAh Battery, 90W Wired Charging
IP Rating	IP68+IP69K Rating	IP65 Rating	IP68+IP69 Rating
Software	Android 16, OxygenOS 16 (4 Years Android, 6 Years Security)	Android 16,Nothing OS 4.1 (3 Years Android, 5 Years Security)	Android 16, OriginOS 6 (4 Years Android, 6 Years Security)
Price	Starting Price - Rs 38,999	Starting Price - Rs 39,999	Starting Price - Rs 37,999

Design and Build

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro's design aesthetics is the most unique of the three phones with its unique rectangular camera island and secondary Dot Matrix display on the back. The Phone 4a Pro (Review) also has the most premium build with a metal frame, aluminium back, and glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i). The Phone 4a Pro's only real weakness here is its sub-par IP rating.

The Vivo V70 FE also stands out with its unique glowing technology on the back panel of the purple variant. However, its plastic frame and back panel are quite disappointing for a phone in this price range. On the flip side, it does have Diamond Shield Glass on the front and an IP68+IP69 rating for comprehensive water protection.

The OnePlus Nord 6 (Review) has a holographic ribbon like pattern and a metal camera island that slightly protrudes from the rear panel. It features Crystal Guard Glass, which OnePlus claims is equivalent to Gorilla Glass Victus+, protection on the front and a matte glass back. And while it does opt for a plastic frame, the IP68/IP69K rating offers flagship-grade protection against dust and water.

Overall, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro's build feels like the most premium of the three, with the OnePlus Nord 6 following in close second and the Vivo V70 FE clearly lagging behind in third.

Performance & Battery Life

When it comes to performance, the OnePlus Nord 6 easily outpaces the competition, making it nearly twice as fast as the Nothing Phone 4a Pro. The Vivo V70 FE's MediaTek chip puts it in last place on our list, not too far off from the Phone 4a Pro. Moreover, the base model of the Nord 6 also comes with 256GB of storage, twice as much as its competitors.

The OnePlus Nord 6 continues its advantage on the battery front with a 9,000mAh cell, promising nearly two days of juice life on a single charge. The Vivo V70 FE's 7,000mAh battery is good for nearly a day and a half of moderate usage, while you should get little over a day with the Nothing Phone 4a Pro. Charging speed are nearly even on the Nord 6 and V70 FE, while the lack of an adapter in the box puts the Phone 4a Pro at a major disadvantage.

The OnePlus Nord 6 stands out as the most well-rounded choice, offering superior performance, longer battery life, and better overall value than its competitors.

Cameras

For optics, the OnePlus Nord 6 is equipped with a 50MP Sony LYT-600 CMOS primary sensor with OIS and EIS and an f/1.8 aperture and PDAF. The main camera is accompanied by an 8MP OmniVision OV08F ultrawide lens with a 112-degree field of view. Up front, the handset opts for a 32MP selfie camera.

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro also has a stacked camera setup with a 50MP Sony LYT700c primary sensor (OIS, f/1.88 aperture). The main camera is accompanied by an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide lens with a 120° FOV and a 50MP Samsung JN5 3.5x periscope telephoto shooter with OIS and 3.5x optical zoom. Up front, the Phone (4a) Pro opts for a 32MP (Samsung KD1) selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

At the helm of the Vivo V70 FE is a large 200MP 1/1.56" primary sensor with OIS. The main camera is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide lens with a 120° FOV. Up front, the Vivo V70 FE is equipped with a 50MP selfie camera with autofocus, making it the best of the three for selfies.

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro offers the most versatile camera system, thanks to its rare 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom, making it the best choice for users who want flexibility across focal lengths. The Vivo V70 FE stands out with its massive 200MP primary sensor and superior 50MP autofocus selfie camera, ideal for detail rich shots and front camera enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Nord 6 delivers a reliable, balanced setup but lacks the versatility and standout hardware of its rivals.

Overall, Nothing leads in versatility, Vivo in resolution and selfies, and OnePlus in consistency.

Software

On the software side all three phones run Android 16 out of the box with their own custom skins on top.

Vivo V70 FE: Four years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches
OnePlus Nord 6: Four years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches
Nothing Phone 4a Pro: Three years of Android OS updates and five years of security patches

Nothing OS, OriginOS, and OxygenOS represent three distinct Android philosophies. Nothing OS focuses on minimalism and a clean, near-stock experience, enhanced by unique glyph-based visual cues. OriginOS from Vivo is feature-rich and visually dynamic, offering extensive customization, widgets, and animations tailored for power users. OxygenOS, developed by OnePlus, balances both worlds - delivering a smooth, fast interface with useful features while retaining a relatively clean design.

While Nothing OS appeals to purists, OriginOS targets users who enjoy personalization, and OxygenOS suits those seeking performance with practical enhancements.

OnePlus Nord 6 vs Nothing Phone 4a Pro vs Vivo V70 FE: Conclusion

The OnePlus Nord 6, Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, and Vivo V70 FE each cater to different priorities, making the choice largely dependent on user needs.

The Nord 6 stands out for its class-leading performance, battery life, and overall value, making it the most practical pick for power users.
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro excels in design and camera versatility, appealing to those who want a premium feel and flexible photography.
Meanwhile, the Vivo V70 FE focuses on high-resolution imaging and strong selfie performance, alongside solid durability.

Ultimately, there is no single winner, as each device offers distinct strengths across key areas. However, if given the choice, we'd opt for the Nothing Phone 4a Pro for its camera versatility, although the OnePlus Nord 6 would be a better choice for gamers and long term viability.