The Phone (2a) is Nothing's first smartphone to be launched in 2024 and is also the brand's cheapest on the market, starting at €349. As the name suggests, it is not an evolution compared to the Nothing Phone (2) launched last summer, but rather an economical variant of it.
Nothing Phone (2a)
Screen: 6.7-inch AMOLED at 120 Hz 1300 nits
Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro
Memory: up to 12GB
Storage: up to 256GB
Rear camera: 50MP
Battery: 5000mAh; fast charging: 45 watts
Operating system: Android 14, Nothing OS 2.5
Launch: March 2024
I tested the device over the last two weeks and in this article I tell you my opinion about it. I focused on the various characteristics that set it apart from its competitors, but also on those that set it apart.
Unboxing
The unboxing of the Phone (2a) is within what Nothing has accustomed us to in the past. The case has the brand's familiar design, with the appearance of the rear cameras highlighted. Inside we find the usual.
In addition to the smartphone with pre-applied film, you will find a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, the tool to eject the SIM card and the usual user manuals. The charger will have to be purchased separately, or you can simply use one you already have.
Transparent design with Glyph Interface and plastic construction
Design continues to be one of the key points of Nothing's smartphones. The brand managed to create a visual identity with its Glyph Interface on the back of the devices, which appears with a renewed look on this more accessible smartphone.
In fact, this Nothing Phone (2a) integrates the brand's first internal design concept, which was originally created in 2020. A few months before the brand presented itself to the world. In this model, the brand places the cameras in the area of the NFC coil and created a different language: the eyes.
This is the area where Nothing wants the Phone (2a) to communicate with the world. We have cameras viewing visual information, the Glyph interface transmitting essential information visually and audibly, and the NFC coil sending and receiving digital information.
Moving on to the technical side, we have equipment here that continues to be very well designed, as expected from Nothing. The build quality is good, but there's no hiding it: in this price range the brand opts for transparent plastic on the back and matte rubberized plastic on the side.
This makes us feel like it is a cheaper device compared to its predecessors. Which is real, as it starts at €349. But I would say that the rear maintains a transparency and quality that we don't even question its quality.
The matte plastic on the side is a choice that favors sobriety and the total absence of fingerprints, although aesthetically it is not the most harmonious option. The central positioning of the cameras is great for those who use their smartphone without a cover, as it doesn't shake at all when placed on a table.
For those who love the Glyph Interface and see the use in having some notifications and features through the rear lights, this one is still here. This model only has three zones, but it is still useful for showing us essential data without having to look at the screen.
We have 15 functions. From important notifications, timer, camera shutter counter to checking the arrival update of a Bolt. And you can also use it to see the volume level on your smartphone and play according to the music playing on your equipment.
Fluid and visually pleasing AMOLED screen
The Nothing Phone (2a) arrives with an extensive 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with great resolution and readability. It's a panel with not as small margins as the Phone (2), but it's far from being something that will keep you up at night. After all, we have 91.65% use of the screen compared to the body of the device.
As expected, the brand also bets on a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, which guarantees top-notch fluidity. The peak brightness is 1300 nits, which I consider to be sufficient for street use in sunny weather. But at this point in the championship we are starting to expect brighter panels, which can deal with climates as sunny as ours.
Still, it is one of the best screens you will find on a smartphone in this price range. Its margins make it seem like a more expensive smartphone than it really is, and that can only be a good sign.
Audio that delivers
The Nothing Phone (2a)'s audio is adequate for its price. We have stereo speakers here that provide satisfactory audio, which will allow you to watch a good video on YouTube, a series or play some games.
It's not the most detailed audio, but you wouldn't expect that in this price range either. You will notice some distortion if you turn the volume up to maximum. It does what it sets out to do.
Adequate performance
For the first time, Nothing joins forces with MediaTek to co-produce the Dimensity 7200 Pro processor. During these days of use, it proved to be a very competent processor, with good performance and low consumption. Below you can see the numbers achieved in Geekbench 6.
Compared to the Phone (1), the brand promises 13% higher performance and 16% higher efficiency. Our test version comes with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, but the base version also comes well equipped, with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.
Note that it is not a high-end smartphone in terms of performance. But for those looking for something that doesn't compromise on any task, this is a smartphone with more than enough performance, which will allow you to play most of the titles available on the Play Store. Good work in this field.
Pure Android with just the right amount of customization
In Nothing OS 2.5 we find one of my favorite interfaces in the Android segment. This is an interface that already has some maturity, with a good base of Android 14 and adorned by the brand's aesthetic elements.
This can be seen mainly in the possibility of having monochrome icons, which are one of my favorites. It's a shame that not all the applications I use have already opted for this format. And of course, we have to talk about Nothing's own widgets, which bring a lot of usefulness to both the main and lock screens.
Basically, Nothing OS 2.5 is what many users want. It's pure Android with just the right amount of customization. And the best thing is that you won't find any type of bloatware here: that is, no unnecessary pre-installed applications. Not least: 3 years of software updates and 4 years of security updates are promised for this smartphone.
Very competent cameras
The camera is once again a highlight in this model, as expected. At the back we find a 50 MP main camera with f/1.88 aperture. This sensor supports optical image stabilization, which guarantees better photos at night and in motion.
Below you can see the various results I achieved with the Nothing Phone's main camera (2a), both day and night. Also highlight the possibility of recording video up to 4K on this sensor, with optical and electronic image stabilization.
Accompanying the bouquet is a 50 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor for when you need a larger field of view in your images. The brand maintains the ideology that less is more, and that both sensors must be of good quality. And this can be seen in the results.
Ultra-angular
At the front we find a 32 MP sensor, which is the same as the Phone (2). It's a good quality sensor, which provides detailed images, ideal for taking 'that' selfie for social media or video calls.
Frontal
Battery that can last two days
The Nothing Phone (2) houses the largest battery the brand has ever placed in a smartphone to date: 5000 mAh. And according to Nothing, it can maintain 90% of its capacity for up to 1000 charge cycles.
In everyday life, this is a smartphone with autonomy for two days without problems in light to moderate use. In more intensive use, you can still count on autonomy for a day and a half.
Although it is a mid-range smartphone, it charges at 45 W as the brand's top of the range. This allows you to charge the terminal to 50% in 20 minutes, which is quite satisfactory for most users.
Conclusion: set your eyes on this mid-range
There is no shortage of eyes and glances when using a Nothing smartphone in public. After all, the transparent design and the Glyph Interface leave no one indifferent, whether you like it more or less. Despite saving on materials in this model, the quality is maintained in what is the brand's first mid-range offering.
The Nothing Phone (2a) houses the transparent design that made the brand famous, with a high quality screen, performance to match and top autonomy. And to this is added an interface close to pure Android with great customization. Of course, we would like the peak brightness to be higher and perhaps a greater harmony between the matte plastic frame and the rear would be requested.
Weighing the pros and cons, it can be said clearly: keep your eyes on this mid-range. Nothing has in the Phone (2a) a device that hits the market with a price that will make it attractive to many users looking for style combined with a set of very balanced specifications. It promises to be one of the most attractive mid-range products of 2024. It certainly has our seal of approval.
Nothing Phone (2a)
Screen: 6.7-inch AMOLED at 120 Hz 1300 nits
Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro
Memory: up to 12GB
Storage: 256 GB
Rear camera: 50MP
Battery: 5000mAh; fast charging: 45 watts
Operating system: Android 14, Nothing OS 2.5
Launch: March 2024