Nothing Phone (2a) Plus Review: What Phone (2a) Should’ve Been

At a look

Knowledgeable’s Score

Professionals

• Distinctive metallic design
• Highly effective chipset that’s nice for gaming
• Spectacular selfie digicam
• Inexpensive value

Cons

• Design could also be too flashy for some
• No charger included within the field
• No wi-fi charging

Our Verdict

Regardless of a brand new design and additional efficiency, the Cellphone (2a) Plus retains an inexpensive price ticket, making it a prime suggestion. However I can’t assist however really feel that that is what the Cellphone (2a) ought to have been from the start, and that the Plus mannequin doesn’t have to exist.

I used to be excited to get my arms on the Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus, a sibling to the favored Cellphone (2a). This was largely right down to the design, to be completely sincere. 

With lower than six months available on the market (on the time of writing), Cellphone (2a) now will get a extra premium companion aimed toward players and efficiency lovers. 

Nothing needs to make it clear that this isn’t a successor however a complementary mannequin with a refreshed design and upgraded internals.

However with simply an £80 value distinction within the UK, can each telephones co-exist within the aggressive mid-range market? I spent every week testing the Cellphone (2a) Plus to search out out simply how good it’s.

Design & Construct

• Engaging metallic end
• Distinctive ‘Glyph’ hind lights
• Semi-transparent again

The Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus stands out with its new metallic design scheme, that includes see-through parts enhanced with a shiny silver remedy on the mannequin I examined. There’s additionally a black model, which retains the metallic end. 

Personally, I’m a giant fan of this design. It appears to be like tremendous premium, and much dearer than this machine prices. In a bizarre approach, it jogs my memory of the Pure Titanium color on the iPhone 15 Professional, which I exploit day by day. So for my style, this was an ideal match. 

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

I’ve additionally not likely seen the metallic highlights earlier than, particularly with a clear again. That is one other actually distinctive design, in typical Nothing style. The metallic end actually comes alive when held below totally different angles, as the sunshine bounces off the surfaces.

The Cellphone (2a) Plus retains the scaled-back Glyph Interface lighting system and polycarbonate case from the Cellphone (2a). 

I don’t suppose you lose an excessive amount of from having the smaller part of glyph lighting. They’ll fade out and in or solely partly gentle as much as present quantity or charging progress. The twin rear cameras, paying homage to eyes (which was executed on goal, I’m instructed), stay a particular characteristic.

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.7-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display
• Irritating in-display fingerprint sensor
• Respectable twin stereo audio system

The Cellphone (2a) Plus’s 6.7-inch AMOLED show gives Full HD+ decision, a 120Hz refresh fee, and 1300 nits of claimed peak brightness. 

These specs are an identical to the Cellphone (2a) – nothing has modified right here. The AMOLED panel rivals high-end telephones, even when its 2.4K (2412×1084) decision isn’t fairly top-tier. Content material is sharp and clear, and except you’ve received eagle eyes, you received’t spot the distinction from a 1440p or 4K display. 

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Because of the 120Hz refresh fee, the whole lot feels silky easy. It’s excellent for shopping, emailing, binge-watching, or doomscrolling. The default ‘Dynamic’ mode cleverly adjusts between 30-120Hz to avoid wasting battery, nevertheless it doesn’t drop to 1Hz because it’s not an LTPO show. You may nonetheless manually set it to 60- or 120Hz when you fancy.

From the entrance, the Cellphone (2a) Plus is a stunner, with its flat show and slim, symmetrical bezels. I feel the symmetrical bezels and rounded corners present a barely extra immersive viewing expertise, because the black border is much less noticeable. 

Nonetheless, visibility nonetheless isn’t its sturdy swimsuit; at just below 700 nits of brightness on the common, it struggles in vibrant daylight. That is similar to what we stated in regards to the common Cellphone (2a).

Contained in the display, there’s an optical fingerprint sensor, that you just’ll discover on most Android smartphones nowadays. On Cellphone (2a), we discovered that it was quick and dependable, unlocking the telephone 95% of the time. However on this new Cellphone (2a) Plus, I’ve been having some issues. The machine didn’t appear to recognise my fingerprint after first setting it up. 

After some resets and an replace, all appears to be fastened, so this will likely have been a software program bug. Word that face unlock can also be obtainable by way of Android, nevertheless it’s much less safe because it simply works utilizing an image of your face. It can also’t be used to authenticate purchases or log in to banking apps.

The speaker setup stays unchanged, delivering clear and balanced audio that makes it well-suited for media consumption. Cellphone (2a) Plus comes with twin stereo audio system, that includes a downward-firing grille and earpiece combo. 

It delivers punchy sound with out distortion at excessive volumes. Nonetheless, the bass is missing, so it’s not splendid for motion pictures or when you actually like your music. However it’s positive for social media and YouTube.

Specs & Efficiency

• Customized MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Professional chipset
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB of non-expandable storage

Underneath the hood, the Cellphone (2a) Plus is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Professional chipset. This was designed particularly for the machine, so it really works somewhat properly. 

It guarantees superior efficiency for apps and video games in comparison with the Dimensity 7200 Professional within the Cellphone (2a). Most scores place it forward of rivals just like the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion and Samsung Galaxy A55. And, after all, it scores above Cellphone (2a).

Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus benchmarks

I’ll say that efficiency isn’t leaps and bounds higher. While you’re scrolling by way of apps or switching from one app to a different, you’ll be able to’t really feel a lot distinction. 

However if you begin to multitask with a number of apps or play some video games, you’ll be able to really feel that issues are snappier, body charges look higher, and the whole lot is only a bit smoother. You’ll simply get by way of a day of standard use with this telephone.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

This was with the Cellphone (2a) Plus mannequin with 12GB of RAM. Whereas that’s the one spec obtainable in Europe, there’s an 8GB RAM variant in India. I can’t think about there’s a giant drop-off on the entry-level 8GB model. 

Efficiency is undoubtedly a power of the Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus at this value level. However, and I’ll say it once more, that is the place Cellphone (2a) ought to have landed the primary time.

Cameras

• 50Mp fundamental rear lens
• 50Mp ultrawide
• New 50Mp selfie digicam

The Cellphone (2a) Plus retains the twin 50MP rear cameras from its predecessor, making certain constant picture high quality. 

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

You received’t discover a telephoto digicam, macro lens or devoted depth sensor, although. Whereas this doesn’t sound all that spectacular, it’s fairly on par for different handsets at this value level. And it means the Cellphone (2a) Plus is on a par with Cellphone (2) and Cellphone (2a).

In good lighting, the Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus produces respectable pictures with sturdy element and dynamic vary. Nonetheless, its picture processing makes images overly vibrant and contrasty, missing true-to-life accuracy. It will be nice when you might change this off or dial it down within the settings, however no such luck. 

Publicity could be inconsistent, notably with the sky, although it performs higher in lower-light situations. The long-exposure evening mode brightens darkish pictures successfully with minimal noise.

Portrait mode delivers well-exposed topics with a pleasant background blur, although edge detection could be hit or miss. The ultrawide lens maintains high quality with a 114° discipline of view however has extra washed-out colors. There’s no optical zoom, and digital zoom past 2x turns into very grainy in a short time.

For video, it shoots as much as 4K at 30fps, however 1080p at 30fps is the default and may suffice for many customers. Footage is respectable, with OIS on the primary lens offering stability. However I’d persist with utilizing one other machine with a greater digicam setup when you’re planning on watching your movies on a bigger display.

In a shock improve, the front-facing digicam additionally turns into a 50MP sensor, enhancing selfie high quality. The selfie digicam can take vibrant, detailed pictures, even in portrait mode, regardless of cropping in additional than most smartphones.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 50W wired charging
• No wi-fi charging

Regardless of the efficiency increase from the brand new chipset, Nothing claims the 5000mAh battery will nonetheless final all day. 

When the time involves cost, the Cellphone (2a) Plus helps 50W wired charging, an enchancment over the 45W within the Cellphone (2a). This costs the newer telephone to 100% in just below two hours. Whereas each include a cable, neither features a charging brick within the field.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

I need to say that the charging cable is certainly one of my favourites, due to matching steel ends. Wi-fi charging is absent once more. Whereas it’s most definitely to maintain prices down, it’s closely missed.

In my utilization, the battery comfortably lasted by way of a day of heavy use, and the fast charging characteristic was a lifesaver throughout busy days. On one event, I used to be caught with no charger for the evening. It managed to provide me an hour of battery within the morning earlier than lastly giving up, after I switched on ‘Energy Saver’ mode.

Software program & Apps

• Nothing OS 2.6 over Android 14
• Customisable design and ‘Glyph’ lights
• Three main OS updates, 4 years of safety patches

Working Nothing OS 2.6 on Android 14, the Cellphone (2a) Plus gives a minimalistic, widget-based UI that’s free from bloatware. 

When you’ve by no means used a Nothing handset earlier than, the software program expertise is kind of totally different to what you’ll discover on another Android telephone. Nothing says it needs to “scale back distractions and encourage intentional smartphone use”, with its Glyph Interface on the forefront. 

The software program additionally contains a monochrome theme and icon pack, steering away from the same old vibrant colors. Personally, I’m a giant fan of this aesthetic, and Nothing is clearly going for a extra retro vibe, although it won’t enchantment to everybody. 

You may change to the inventory Pixel look when you’d like throughout set-up. Whereas new apps usually seem of their unique colors, the Nothing Icon Pack can repair this. Moreover, Nothing has created 22 customized widgets for the house and lock screens.

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Connor Jewiss / Foundry

Elsewhere, there’s additionally a brand new Information Reporter widget, which makes use of AI to mixture every day information throughout numerous classes. Whereas handy, the AI-generated voice can sound monotonous. However ChatGPT integration is a standout characteristic, offering fast solutions and seamless interplay straight from the house display.

Identical to the Cellphone (2a), Nothing is providing three main OS updates and 4 years of safety updates on the Cellphone (2a) Plus. That’s a good dedication, and it’s unlikely many individuals are planning to make use of the telephone past 2028.

Value & Availability

The Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus is attractively priced at £399 within the UK, making it a aggressive possibility.

It’ll initially obtainable within the UK with a restricted drop at Nothing’s London Soho retailer on August third, a US developer program can even launch, with international pricing and availability to observe in September.

When it goes go on sale, you’ll have the ability to purchase one from the Nothing web site and probably through Amazon.

If the Cellphone (2a) is something to go by, the telephone received’t be available for purchase on contract, so that you’ll have to get it outright and pair with a SIM deal. Use the widget beneath to search out an possibility that fits you.

Nonetheless, there’s loads of sturdy mid-range competitors, and never simply from the common Cellphone (2a) (from £319). The Samsung Galaxy A55 (from £439), Redmi Word 13 Professional+ (£449), OnePlus Nord 4 (from £429) and Poco F6 (from £399) are all compelling options.

Do you have to purchase the Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus?

The Nothing Cellphone (2a) Plus gives a compelling mixture of distinctive design, sturdy efficiency and wonderful worth. 

It stands out with its silver accents and highly effective chipset, making it an excellent selection for players and on a regular basis customers alike. The bump in efficiency in comparison with the common Cellphone (2a) is noticeable, too.

Nonetheless, I nonetheless preserve that this handset didn’t have to exist. This chipset and upgraded selfie digicam ought to have been within the unique Cellphone (2a), even when it meant the marginally larger value level. Now, there’s an additional machine that makes Cellphone (2a) tougher to justify.

Whereas the shortage of wi-fi charging is a downside, the general bundle is spectacular for its value level. 

When you’re searching for a trendy telephone with nice efficiency and an inexpensive value, the Cellphone (2a) Plus is certainly price contemplating. It’s actually the machine I’d choose at this value level, even when only for appears to be like alone.

Specs

• Android 14 with Nothing OS 2.6
• 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED, 120Hz refresh fee, 1300 nit peak brightness
• MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Professional processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB inside storage
• Twin 50MP rear cameras (Samsung sensors)
• 50MP entrance digicam (Samsung sensor)
• 5000mAh battery
• 50W wired charging
• 160.8 x 76.4 x 8.1 mm
• 195g
• Launch color: Gray with silver accents