Nothing Phone (2a) vs Moto G85 : A lot of commotion has been generated in the Indian budget smartphone market of 2025 with some decent 5G options thrown in; fairly popular among these two would be: the Nothing Phone 2a and the freshly launched Moto G85. Both smartphones under the price bracket of ₹20,000 bring fresh offerings such as appealing design, clean software experience, AMOLED display, and 5G connectivity. So, which of these best offers the best bang for the buck? Well, let us dive into the design, performance, display, camera, and overall experience.
Design and Build Quality
The Nothing Phone (2a) is unique in its own way; the transparent back and Glyph lighting interface are antitheses to every other phone existing today. This design feels better; it is futuristic in styling with flat frames and symmetrical bezels giving an almost premium feel.
The Moto G85, however, does epitomise elegance with this sleek and slim body curved AMOLED display. The back of this phone is nothing but a classy vegan leather finish (in select variants). The phone is lightweight, ergonomically friendly, and appears modern; however, it does not carry that bold visual imprint that the Nothing phone does.
If you aim to turn heads and look different, then with the edge, the Nothing Phone (2a). But if you want a phone that feels good in the hand, is easy to grip, and presents a no-drama minimalistic appeal, the Moto G85 does just that.
Display Experience
Both smartphones possess a 120 Hz AMOLED display, rendering them exemplary for vibrant colours and smooth scrolling. The Nothing Phone (2a) packs a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with symmetrical bezels, whereas the Moto G85 has a slightly curved 6.67-inch pOLED screen with a decent peak brightness of 1600 nits.
Moto’s display simply sets itself apart as brighter and curved, which gives it a more immersive in-hand feel, while Nothing’s flat AMOLED feels better for multimedia without accidental touches with Glyph interaction.
This one is subjective; Moto G85 would be apt for users who love the whole curved display plus brightness thing, while the Phone (2a) is ideal for symmetry lovers and users into media consumption.
Performance and Software
The Nothing Phone (2a) is handled by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset, which is built on a 4nm architecture. It deals with almost all normal daily activities and gaming; thus, it has been regarded as one of the best in this price segment.
The Moto G85 employs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 as its processor, a mid-range chip with strong competence built on a 6nm process. Nothing much wrong gives it better performance in these mundane and casual little games, but definitely not fair considering the comparative raw power to the 7200 Pro.
Software-wise, both are clean and free from bloat. While the Nothing OS 2.5 (Android 14-based) with its solutions like the Glyph interface offers a custom but clean UI, the Moto G85 runs on the closest version of stock Android 14 experience and some Mate customisation with a promise of updates.
Overall, performance-wise Nothing Phone (2a), while the other two gave equal numbers in the software quality.
Camera Comparison
Nothing Phone (2a) offers a dual 50MP arrangement for its primary rear cameras (wide + ultra-wide) and a 32MP selfie camera. It has sharp images, well balanced with colours and contrast, while the ultra-wide is a plus.
Moto G85, on the other hand, possesses a 50MP main camera (with OIS) and an 8MP ultra-wide camera, with OIS in low lighting conditions helping much better stabilisation for photos and videos. For selfies, it packs a 32MP shooter.
Both have decent performance in daylight; however, the Moto G85 is superior for videos and low-light shots due to OIS while the ultra-wide attempts to offer a larger area of versatility on Nothing Phone 2a.
Battery and Charging
Nothing Phone (2a) runs with a 5000mAh battery supporting fast charging at 45W, which means it charges in barely any time at all. The Moto G85 also has a 5000mAh battery charged at 33W, hence a bit slower.
In daily use, both devices easily survive an entire day in terms of battery life; however, Nothing Phone (2a) just happens to charge faster, which actually tilts it slightly in favour in terms of battery backup.
Price and Value
About ₹23,999 would be the retail price of the Nothing Phone (2a), however, a little less than ₹20,000 is often within reach if bank offers or discounts are to be taken into consideration. The Moto G85 starts at ₹16,999 for the 8GB-RAM version, which looks much easier on the wallet.
So if you want stellar performance and premium design for a little more premium price, then Phone (2a) is. For a rather good quality 5G handset with a blend of clean software, and pro-leaning curved display, under INR 17K, the Moto G85 promises to offer a big bang.
If you seek incredibly awesome performance, lightning-fast charging, versatility with the ultra-wide camera, and a design that stands out with Glyph lights, go for the Nothing Phone (2a). It appeals to users who want something modern, trendy, and unique when held against a backdrop of ordinary-looking phones.
For those shopping for a curved AMOLED with OIS, easy-on-the-eyes looks, and cool pricing, it’s the Moto G85. This is a fit for users looking for a solid phone, which feels elegant, and does not dig too deep into the pocket.
Nothing Phone (2A) and Moto G85 fit well under the price diversity of 20,000. The path they seem to take is slightly awry from each; still, it’s very subjective whether you want power and design or affordability and curved style, and either way, you are surely getting a good thing.