The ₹40,000 price tag is a sweet spot in the smartphone category, especially if you’re looking for flagship killers. Basically, I am talking about devices that are not too pricey but still have enough performance under the hood to give much more premium flagships a run for their money.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at four different phones: the Nothing Phone 4a Pro (₹40,498), powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, the POCO X8 Pro Max (₹42,999), featuring the Dimensity 9500s, the OnePlus Nord 6 (₹38,999), equipped with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, and the Realme GT 7 (₹36,777), running on the Dimensity 9400e.
Synthetic Performance Benchmarks
What stands out immediately is how far ahead the POCO X8 Pro Max is. A single-core score of 2650 and multi-core of 8458 puts it in a completely different tier compared to the rest.
The Realme GT 7 comes in as a solid second. With 2250 single-core and 7284 multi-core, it holds its ground well, especially in multi-core workloads.
The OnePlus Nord 6 sits very close to the Realme in terms of real-world positioning, but the numbers tell a slightly different story. At 2114 single-core and 6765 multi-core, it trails behind the GT 7 by a noticeable margin. That said, this is still strong performance for the segment and should feel fast in everyday use.
| Smartphone | Single-Core Score | Multi-Core Score |
| Poco X8 Pro Max | 2650 | 8458 |
| Realme GT 7 | 2250 | 7284 |
| OnePlus Nord 6 | 2114 | 6765 |
| Nothing Phone 4a Pro | 1378 | 4313 |
Then there’s the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, which clearly sits a tier below in raw performance. With 1378 single-core and 4313 multi-core, it’s not competing on brute power. This is the kind of chip that will handle daily tasks fine, but it’s not built for sustained heavy workloads or top-tier gaming.
| Smartphone | Antutu Overall Score |
| POCO X8 Pro Max | 2,801,896 |
| Realme GT 7 | 2,540,823 |
| OnePlus Nord 6 | 2,400,978 |
| Nothing Phone 4a Pro | 1,435,113 |
The POCO X8 Pro Max leads the pack with an AnTuTu score of 2,801,896, putting it comfortably ahead of the rest. This reinforces its position as the most powerful device here, especially when it comes to raw, all-round performance across CPU, GPU, memory, and UX.
The Realme GT 7 follows with a score of 2,540,823, which is still very strong. It doesn’t quite match the POCO, but it remains firmly in the high-performance bracket and should handle demanding tasks and gaming without much trouble.
The OnePlus Nord 6 comes next at 2,400,978, slightly behind the Realme but still competitive. In real-world usage, the difference may not always feel drastic, but on paper, it does sit a tier lower in overall performance.
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro trails with a score of 1,435,113, placing it well below the others. This clearly indicates that it’s not designed to compete on raw power, but rather to offer a more balanced experience focused on efficiency and consistency.
Thermal Benchmarks
This set of results flips the earlier performance story a bit and gives you a clearer picture of sustained performance rather than peak numbers.
| Smartphone | CPU Throttling Score (Stability %) |
| Nothing Phone 4a Pro | 84% |
| OnePlus Nord 6 | 82% |
| POCO X8 Pro Max | 77% |
| Realme GT 7 | 72% |
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro comes out on top with 84% stability, which is impressive. It tells you that while the raw performance isn’t the highest, it holds onto its performance much better over time. For longer sessions, whether it’s gaming or general multitasking, this kind of stability translates into a more consistent experience.
The OnePlus Nord 6 follows closely at 82%, which is also a strong result. It manages to strike a good balance between performance and thermal control, meaning you’re less likely to notice sudden drops in performance during extended use.
The POCO X8 Pro Max, despite being the most powerful on paper, drops to 77% stability. This is a classic case of higher peak performance coming at the cost of thermal efficiency. It still performs very well, but under sustained loads, it will throttle more noticeably compared to the top two.
The Realme GT 7 sits at the bottom with 72% stability. It’s not bad, but it does indicate more aggressive throttling under load. Over longer gaming sessions or heavy workloads, this is the device where you’re most likely to see performance dips.
So the takeaway here is pretty straightforward. The Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Nord 6 prioritize consistency, while the POCO X8 Pro Max and Realme GT 7 push higher peak performance but give up some stability in the process.
| Smartphone | 3DMark WildLife Extreme Score | Stability (%) |
| POCO X8 Pro Max | 6168 | 60% |
| Realme GT 7 | 5328 | 37.4% |
| OnePlus Nord 6 | 4562 | 52.5% |
| Nothing Phone 4a Pro | 2093 | 99.3% |
The POCO X8 Pro Max clearly leads in raw GPU performance with a 3DMark Wild Life Extreme score of 6168, putting it well ahead of the competition. However, its 60% stability shows that it struggles to sustain that performance over time.
This means you’ll get excellent peak performance, but longer gaming sessions will see noticeable dips. The Realme GT 7 follows with a strong score of 5328, but its 37.4% stability is the lowest here. While it can deliver high performance initially, it throttles aggressively under sustained load, making it less reliable for extended gaming or heavy workloads.
The OnePlus Nord 6 sits in the middle with a score of 4562 and 52.5% stability. It doesn’t lead in either peak performance or stability, but it avoids extremes. This makes it a more balanced and predictable option for users who want decent performance without sharp drops.
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro takes a completely different approach. With a much lower score of 2093, it’s clearly not built for peak performance, but its 99.3% stability is outstanding. It delivers consistent performance over time, even if the overall power is significantly lower than the others.
Gaming Performance
| Smartphone | BGMI (Avg FPS) | Minecraft (Avg FPS) |
| POCO X8 Pro Max | 118.6 | 59.8 |
| Nothing Phone 4a Pro | 105.8 | 43.9 |
| Realme GT 7 (Dream Ed) | 105.0 | 64.4 |
| OnePlus Nord 6 | 110.0 | 55.1 |
This set shows a more noticeable spread, especially once you move beyond BGMI. In BGMI, the POCO X8 Pro Max clearly leads with 118.6 FPS, followed by the OnePlus Nord 6 at 110 FPS. The Nothing Phone 4a Pro and Realme GT 7 (Dream Edition) are nearly identical at 105.8 FPS and 105 FPS, placing them a step behind but still within a playable range.
In Minecraft, the order changes quite a bit. The Realme GT 7 (Dream Edition) takes the lead with 64.4 FPS, followed by the POCO X8 Pro Max at 59.8 FPS. The OnePlus Nord 6 drops to 55.1 FPS, while the Nothing Phone 4a Pro falls significantly behind at 43.9 FPS, making it the weakest performer in this test.
Overall, while the POCO X8 Pro Max dominates in BGMI, Minecraft highlights the Realme GT 7 as the stronger performer, with the OnePlus Nord 6 sitting in between and the Nothing Phone 4a Pro clearly trailing the pack.
Verdict
This comparison ends up being less about “which is best” and more about what you value in performance.
The POCO X8 Pro Max is the clear choice if raw power is your priority. It leads in benchmarks and dominates BGMI, making it the strongest option for peak gaming performance, even if it sacrifices some stability over longer sessions.
The Realme GT 7 feels more tuned for real gaming workloads. It performs better in Minecraft and holds strong overall, but its aggressive throttling means performance dips are more noticeable over time.
The OnePlus Nord 6 sits right in the middle as the most balanced option. It doesn’t top any chart, but it delivers consistent performance across benchmarks, thermals, and gaming without major trade-offs.
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro takes a completely different approach. It’s the least powerful, but also the most stable, making it better suited for users who value consistency over raw performance.
If you want maximum performance, go for the POCO. If you want balance, the Nord 6 makes the most sense. And if stability matters more than speed, the Nothing Phone stands out in its own way.
