Nothing has been transparent in its products and approach towards bringing the best style and value to any given customer. Just like the Google Pixel (a) series, the Nothing Phone 2 (a) is a budget offering for the masses with the goodness of Nothing OS and Glyph light features in a new design language, one worthy of copying by other manufacturers.
Design
Nothing has been banking on the design and form factor to make their products unique in a sea of similar-looking products. Adhering to the mandate of transparency, the Nothing Phone 2 (a) brings a centre-mounted camera island housing two cameras, a transparent back with 3 glyph lights and a glass back that curves to the edges flowing the design seamlessly in one’s hands. The matte finish metal sides with glossy glass finish at the rear feel unique, and the weight balance, along with the sheer large dimensions, make the Nothing Phone 2 (a) seem like a meticulously crafted smartphone.
Display
A 6.7-inch flexible AMOLED variable refresh rate FHD+ panel with good brightness levels and accurate colour calibration dominates the front fascia. This HDR+ panel supports most industry standards and allows for immersive gameplay and content consumption. The symmetrical bezels make this phone look neat, and despite the 6.7-inch display, it is still physically larger than something like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, sporting a 6.8-inch display. Given the budget pricing, the phone looks way above its price tag thanks to the symmetry and overall neat display design.
Performance
MediaTek SKUs are confusing. Nothing Phone 2 (a) sports a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro. This Octa-core SOC with 12GB RAM and 256GB fast storage performs way better than most around the similar price bracket. We witnessed 90fps gaming on social games like Call of Duty, and high fidelity in other graphic-intensive games surprising the performance packed inside this budget Nothing offering. The Nothing OS 2.5.x runs on Android 14, and although the chip supports AI features, Nothing has stirred clear of any AI experiments for now. Overall, the UI animations are buttery smooth, the apps run seamlessly, and the experience is definitely worth every single penny. Glyph features along with a composer to make your own glyph patterns, and the additional experimental features also support Apple Airpods natively. Calling and texting with haptics, sound quality and video are impressive with the loads of 5G, tri-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3 goodness.
Camera
The rear camera sensor is similar to the primary camera setup of its predecessor, shooting pixel-binned 12.5MP shots from the 50MP rear camera. The shots are detailed, and crisp and carry good colour calibration and saturation with decent contrast levels from both the primary and ultra-wide cameras. Capped to shoot only 4k 40fps, both the cameras perform great in the video, although focus searching was an issue on our pre-production unit. Night shots, too can be improved as they do over-process the image at times. We hope a software update improves the performance, as has been the track record of Nothing. Overall, the cameras are decent and do the job of capturing memories very well.
Battery and Verdict
Battery life has been above average with our heavy-use scenario. There is no charger included, although fast charge transparent design cable does the aesthetics utmost justice. Nothing has skipped wireless charging, and at the price point, it is understandable. Nothing Phone 2 (a) is just as impressive, if not more as the Pixel (a) series. Along with the competitive pricing and the design, Nothing has bought their A-game to compete in a crowded segment of smartphones. If you are looking for something unique on a budget, the Nothing Phone 2 (a) should glyph your radar.
Specs
6.78-inch variable FHD+ AMOLED HDR
MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro
Nothing OS + Android 14
12GB RAM + 256 ROM