Nothing Phone (2a) Review: Something For Everyone

At a look

Knowledgeable’s Score

Professionals

• Spectacular efficiency
• Nice 120Hz show
• Distinctive customisable software program
• Stable battery life

Cons

• Hit-and-miss cameras
• Polarising design
• Middling charging speeds

Our Verdict

The Telephone (2a) is undoubtedly top-of-the-line smartphones you should purchase for beneath £350, however an out-there design and underwhelming cameras imply it’s not proper for everybody. 

For an organization that was solely based in 2020, Nothing has generated an enormous quantity of curiosity. 

The agency has made a couple of pairs of earbuds, however its smartphones get a lot of the consideration. The unique Telephone (1) made an actual splash, although the follow-up Telephone (2) was a really small improve. 

Nonetheless, for Nothing’s third smartphone, the corporate is doing one thing a little bit totally different. The Telephone (2a) is considerably extra inexpensive than each earlier handsets, although Nothing says it’s technically a Telephone (1) successor. 

On paper, it’s a noteworthy improve over the unique that also manages to cut back the value. However does that make it one of the best telephone you should purchase for beneath £350? I used the Telephone (2a) as my predominant smartphone for over per week to search out out. 

Design & Construct

• Semi-transparent again
• Three LED ‘Glyph’ lights
• Comfy however slippery design

The Nothing Telephone (2a) has a design that’s positive to show heads. Similar to the Telephone (1) and Telephone (2), it has a semi-transparent again, hinting on the internals with out displaying them. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

One notable distinction in comparison with earlier fashions is a plastic again moderately than glass, making it really feel much less premium. This actually isn’t a telephone that you just’ll mistake for a flagship. 

Nonetheless, it’s comparatively light-weight at 190g, with curved edges making it very comfy to carry. I used to be even ready to make use of it one-handed at instances, which isn’t one thing you’ll be able to say for a lot of trendy telephones. 

Nothing’s signature ‘Glyph Interface’ of LED lights continues to be right here, but it surely’s been scaled again on the Telephone (2a). Somewhat than masking a lot of the again of the telephone, there are simply three lights organized across the digital camera module. 

For those who beloved the out-there design of Nothing’s earlier units, this can be a disappointment. Personally, I desire the marginally much less brash look right here. 

The Glyphs themselves are simply as superior as on the Telephone (2), which means they’ll fade in/out or solely partly mild up, with the latter used to indicate quantity or timer progress. These subtleties aren’t out there on the Telephone (1). 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Nonetheless, their predominant function is to let you recognize if you’ve acquired a name or different notification. Every caller or app might be set to show otherwise, so you recognize what’s happening with out having to have a look at the show. In concept, it is best to use your telephone much less. 

Sadly, I discovered them to be simply as distracting as my telephone making a noise or vibrating. Even when I knew what app had despatched the notification, I nonetheless felt compelled to test the content material of it. And as somebody who usually will get reputable calls from unrecognised numbers, I couldn’t ensure they weren’t vital. 

This technique may work properly for you, however provided that you solely need to reply calls from trusted contacts and have a handful of vital apps you need to hear from instantly. In any other case, I feel a smartwatch is a greater resolution for lowering display time. 

Nonetheless, there’s a lot extra to this telephone than Glyphs. The digital camera bump in the course of them blends seamlessly into the again of the telephone, although its similarity to a pair of eyes might be off placing. 

Nothing says the Telephone (2a) aesthetic is impressed by a map of the New York Metropolis subway, and I can see the resemblance. In fact, the looks is extra muted on the black mannequin I examined, although milk (cloudy white) and true white variations are additionally out there. 

Regardless of choosing plastic on the again, the Telephone (2a) nonetheless picks up lots of fingerprint smudges. It’s additionally not notably grippy, so I’d advocate making use of a case. 

That can enhance sturdiness, although it’s one thing that’s already a precedence for Nothing. The corporate says the brand new unibody design performs higher in drop take a look at outcomes than the Telephone (2), and I used to be by no means anxious about damaging the physique of the telephone. 

The entrance is actually extra fragile, particularly should you put your telephone face down on a desk to utilize the Glyphs. I’m glad Nothing has pre-applied a display protector as a result of it rapidly picked up a number of scratches. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

An IP54 water resistance ranking matches each earlier Nothing smartphones however means it’s solely protected towards splashes of water and doesn’t provide complete dustproofing. It falls wanting the IP68 on flagship telephones however isn’t unusual at this value level. 

One different notable design alternative is the amount controls, that are on the left facet and really naturally positioned when utilizing the telephone. The ability button on the alternative facet even brings up energy choices when lengthy pressed, moderately than the more and more frequent triggering of the Google Assistant. 

Display & Audio system

• 6.7-inch AMOLED display
• 120Hz refresh charge
• Twin stereo audio system

Show is one space the place the Telephone (2a) can compete with flagships. Its 6.7-inch AMOLED panel seems simply nearly as good as many high-end telephones, even when the two.4K (2412×1084) decision is a slight step down. 

Content material continues to be very clear and crisp, to the extent I can’t inform the distinction in comparison with a 1440p or 4K panel. And choosing OLED means you get wealthy, vibrant colors and deep blacks, one thing which Nothing’s model of Android takes full benefit of.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

This mix makes it very versatile. The Telephone (2a)’s show is nice for searching the net or replying to emails, but additionally watching movies and scrolling social media. 

In a lot of these eventualities, you’ll discover the 120Hz refresh charge. Navigating the telephone feels silky-smooth and responsive in consequence, even within the default ‘Dynamic’ mode. This robotically adjusts the refresh charge between 30-120Hz relying on what you’re doing, serving to to delay battery life. 

Nonetheless, it’s not an LTPO show, so can’t go all the best way right down to 1Hz. For those who desire, you’ll be able to manually set it to 60- or 120Hz.  

My one criticism with the display is visibility. I recorded a most brightness of just below 700 nits, however nonetheless struggled to see it outdoors on a shiny day.

The show itself is completely flat, with solely a slim symmetrical bezel surrounding it. From the entrance, the Telephone (2a) is likely one of the best-looking handsets you should purchase. 

Inside the display is an optical fingerprint sensor. It’s one of many higher ones I’ve tried, rapidly unlocking round 95% of the time. Face unlock can also be out there, however that is far more safe.

By way of audio, the Telephone (2a) boasts twin stereo audio system, with a downward-firing grille combining with the earpiece as is typical. It pumps out some impressively punchy sound and avoids distortion properly at greater volumes.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

A scarcity of bass means I nonetheless wouldn’t advocate it for watching films or severe music listening, but it surely’s greater than acceptable for social media and the occasional YouTube video. 

Specs & Efficiency

• MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Professional
• 8- or 12GB of RAM
• 128- or 256GB of storage

The Telephone (2a) is powered by the Dimensity 7200 Professional. It is a customized chipset that Nothing has co-engineered with MediaTek for “one of the best efficiency with optimum energy consumption”. 

It’s a shock to see the corporate swap to MediaTek, given each the Telephone (1) and Telephone (2) use Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. Nothing says that the Dimensity 7200 Professional carried out higher in inside testing than the 2 most related Snapdragon chips (7s Gen 2 and 782G). 

And from utilizing it as my predominant smartphone for over per week, it’s arduous to not be impressed with efficiency from the Telephone (2a). It punches properly above its weight, and might deal with all typical telephone utilization with ease. 

Throughout testing, my typical days concerned a number of internet searching, electronic mail and pictures, plus the occasional textual content and YouTube video. There was no signal of any hesitation or slowdown in any way, even when rapidly switching between them. The Telephone (2a) is clearly adept at multitasking. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The gaming expertise isn’t fairly as flawless. You’ll discover some dropped frames right here and there but it surely’s nonetheless higher than you’d anticipate from such an inexpensive telephone. The likes of Name of Obligation: Cell, PUBG Cell, EA Sports activities FC Cell and Asphalt 9: Legends are all very playable, although you’ll discover the again of the telephone getting heat after a couple of minutes.

All these observations apply to the mannequin with 12GB of RAM, however 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 Telephone (2a). 

Nothing Telephone (2a) benchmarks

Your solely possibility for inside storage is 256GB, and even with round 17GB taken up with system recordsdata, this needs to be a lot for most individuals. Twin SIM playing cards are supported, however you’ll be able to’t develop through Micro-SD. 

As you may anticipate from a 2024 telephone, the Dimensity 7200 Professional helps 5G by default. It’s joined within the connectivity division by Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC for cellular funds so there aren’t any complaints right here. 

Cameras

• 50Mp predominant rear digital camera
• 50Mp ultrawide
• 32Mp selfie

In comparison with many mid-range telephones, the Nothing Telephone (2a)’s digital camera {hardware} may sound underwhelming.  

There are simply three lenses in complete, with a pair of 50Mp rear sensors (predominant and ultrawide) joined by a 32Mp selfie lens. It means there’s no room for a telephoto digital camera, macro lens or devoted depth sensor. 

Nonetheless, Nothing is clearly specializing in high quality over amount. And the excellent news is that this can be a near-identical setup to the costlier Telephone (2). Most of what we mentioned about that telephone nonetheless applies right here.

In good lighting situations, pictures from the primary lens are first rate. Element and dynamic vary are sturdy, although Nothing’s picture processing makes pictures far more vibrant and contrasty than actuality. A real to life digital camera this isn’t.

Sadly, publicity can also be a battle at instances. That was notably obvious in pictures of the sky, which appeared nice in some pictures however completely improper in others. That’s notably noticeable in shiny daylight, with the Telephone (2a) extra constant in low-light environments. 

The long-exposure night time mode does an excellent job of brightening darker pictures with out sacrificing the primary particulars. Noise is saved to a minimal, and it makes a transparent distinction in comparison with the common mode.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The portrait mode is stable too, combining a well-exposed topic with delicate background blur. There are points with edge detection at instances, however the identical might be mentioned for many smartphone cameras. 

I’m happy to report that there’s no large drop-off in high quality when switching to the ultrawide lens, which will increase the sector of view to 114°. Colors do are inclined to look a bit extra washed-out, although.

When selecting between the 2, I’d fortunately go for an ultrawide lens over a telephoto, however there’s an apparent trade-off in terms of zoom. There’s no optical zoom in any respect on the Telephone (2a), with the digital model going as much as 10x. Something past the 2x possibility within the digital camera app turns into fairly grainy and missing intimately. 

The selfie digital camera is a pleasing shock, delivering vibrant pictures with loads of element. Even its portrait mode does a great job of separating faces from backgrounds, although it does crop in much more than on most smartphones. 

On the video facet, you’ll be able to shoot in as much as 4K at 30fps, however the default 1080p at 30fps shall be positive for most individuals. Footage is first rate, with OIS on the primary lens making it comparatively secure whereas shifting round. 

General, the Telephone (2a) has first rate cameras, however they’re actually not one of many telephone’s predominant strengths. You will get some very nice pictures, but it surely’s not constantly good, and there are some key weaknesses.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• Superb battery life
• 45W wired charging, no wi-fi

The Nothing Telephone (2a) is provided with a 5000mAh battery, which is definitely bigger than each the Telephone (1) and Telephone (2).  

That interprets to stable battery life. The overwhelming majority of individuals will be capable to get a full day of utilization on a single cost. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

I used to be testing this telephone whereas out and about in Barcelona, and it held up properly. On someday, I went out sightseeing at 11am with a full battery. After 9 hours of near-constant navigation, a number of pictures and common internet searching, I obtained again with round 20% battery left. 

Nothing claims you’ll be able to stand up to 2 days of battery life, and I can actually see how that’s attainable with lighter utilization. The PCMark battery take a look at (which simulates diversified utilization at 200 nits of brightness) gave a rating of 16 hours and 16 minutes which is up there with one of the best battery life telephones on this benchmark. 

Sadly, charging is nowhere close to as spectacular. The Telephone (2a) solely helps speeds as much as 45W and there’s no charger included within the field. 

Utilizing a 65W charger I already had, it reached % in quarter-hour and % after half an hour. A full cost took round 45 minutes. Not gradual per se, particularly if you evaluate to the likes of Samsung, however a great distance behind the quickest charging telephones round. 

It’s additionally price noting that there’s no wi-fi charging, even when that isn’t a shock at this value. 

Software program & Apps

• Nothing OS 2.5 over Android 14
• A great deal of customisation choices
• Three years of OS updates, 4 years of safety

The Telephone (2a) runs the Nothing OS 2.5 pores and skin, which relies on Android 14 – the most recent main model on the time of writing.  

Nonetheless, the software program expertise is kind of totally different to what you’ll discover on some other Android telephone. Nothing says it needs to “cut back distractions and encourage intentional smartphone use”, with its ‘Glyph Interface’ at the forefront. 

There’s a powerful quantity of customisation out there for the LED lights on the again, together with brightness controls, customized ringtones and patterns that ‘dance alongside’ to any music you’re taking part in.   At the moment, utilizing the Glyphs as a progress bar is simply supported by the Clock app, plus Google Calendar, Uber and Zomato. Nonetheless, Nothing has now launched a Glyph Developer Package to encourage extra widespread adoption. 

Elsewhere, a monochrome theme and icon pack avoids the brilliant colors that so usually appeal to us to specific apps. New downloads usually seem of their color model however making use of the Nothing Icon Pack will repair this. 

Nothing has additionally gone to the hassle of making 22 of its personal widgets for the house and lock screens. There’s nothing out of the odd right here, however they slot in with the general theme properly. The retro aesthetic is one thing I personally like, although it received’t be for everybody. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Bloatware on the Telephone (2a) can also be saved to a minimal, with Nothing X (its earbuds companion app), Recorder and Climate the one additions I observed. Nothing is there for the sake of it. 

Nothing has made considerate additions to the common Android expertise that I actually loved utilizing. The corporate’s dedication to 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of safety updates is first rate, although not market main, and means it ought to nonetheless be supported in 2028. 

Worth & Availability

Contemplating every part you’re getting, the Nothing Telephone (2a) is competitively priced.  

It begins at £319/€329 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, or £349/€379 for the 12/256GB mannequin I examined. 

Pre-orders are reside now from the Nothing web site within the UK, forward of a launch on 12 March. No networks are promoting the telephone on contract, so that you’ll have to purchase one outright and pair it with a SIM-only deal.

Nonetheless, not like the Telephone (1) and Telephone (2), the 2a received’t be out there within the US which is a disgrace. You may be capable to import one, although. 

That outright value makes it one of many extra inexpensive mid-range telephones on the market. Nonetheless, there are many credible options, together with the Xiaomi Redmi Word 13 Professional (£339), Samsung Galaxy A34 5G (from £349), Poco X6 Professional (£369) and Motorola Edge 40 Neo (£299.99). 

Must you purchase the Nothing Telephone (2a)?

The Nothing Telephone (2a) is a compelling inexpensive telephone, but it surely won’t be best for you.

Efficiency is among the many greatest at this value level, excelling in just about each state of affairs – together with whereas gaming. Its 120Hz OLED display delivers an immersive viewing expertise, particularly when paired with above-average audio system. 

Battery life can also be sturdy, whereas Nothing has put lots of effort into making such polished software program. In the meantime, the ‘Glyph Interface’ of LED lights assist it immediately stand out from the gang, even when their usefulness is debatable. 

Nonetheless, the mix of unreliable cameras and slower charging than some rivals will make many individuals assume twice earlier than shopping for one. It’s an excellent telephone for the cash, however test the competitors first. 

Specs

• MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Professional chipset 
• 8/12GB RAM 
• 128/256GB storage 
• 6.7in, 2412×1084 120Hz OLED show 
• 50Mp, f/1.88 OIS predominant digital camera 
• 50Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide digital camera 
• 32Mp, f/2.2 selfie digital camera 
• 5000mAh battery 
• 45W wired charging 
• 5G 
• Twin stereo audio system 
• Wi-Fi 6 
• Bluetooth 5.3 
• NFC 
• Glyph Interface LED lights 
• IP54 water and mud resistance 
• Android 14 with Nothing OS 2.5 
• 161.74 x 76.32 x 8.55mm 
• 190g