In a fresh attempt to capture the mainstream market, the Nothing Phone 2a boasts flagship-grade features at a competitive price point. It retains the Nothing Phone 2’s design, complete with the signature Glyph Interface and black-and-white UI. Additionally, the handset marks the debut of the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro SoC, touted to be more powerful than its Snapdragon counterparts.
According to Nothing, the Phone 2a is designed to be your ideal daily companion. They achieved this by prioritizing user needs and leveraging their expertise in design and engineering. This translates to a phone that excels in everyday tasks, thanks to features like smooth performance, a long-lasting battery, and a user-friendly interface – all offered at a competitive mid-range price point. With its promise of flagship performance at a mid-range price, can Nothing’s Phone 2a deliver the perfect balance? This review will put it to the test.
We’re fortunate enough to get our hands on an early unit of the new Nothing Phone 2a in white color variant and here’s our full review of this exciting new device from Nothing.
Unboxing/Accessories
The Nothing Phone 2a echoes its minimalist design philosophy with minimal packaging. Inside the box, you’ll find the phone and a USB Type-C to USB Type-C data/charging cable. To reduce e-waste, the phone doesn’t include a power adapter. However, the widely adopted USB-C standard means you likely already have a compatible one from another device. If not, you can choose from a wide variety of power adapters, offering flexibility in price, wattage, and features. Remember that the Nothing Phone 2a supports 45W fast charging, but requires a power adapter supporting USB Power Delivery (PD) and delivering at least 45W to achieve this speed.
The box also includes essential user information and a warranty card. To get you started, you’ll find a SIM tray ejector tool with a transparent handle, that mirrors the phone’s unique see-through design. This small detail complements the phone’s overall aesthetic and reinforces Nothing’s focus on a distinctive design language. Finally, the phone comes with a pre-applied screen protector, offering a layer of protection against scratches right out of the box. Embracing sustainability, the packaging is crafted from recycled materials, featuring a plastic-free, recycled fibre design.
Build Quality/Design
The Nothing Phone 2a keeps its pricier siblings’ cool, transparent back design with a few tweaks. You’ll still see some LED light strips (called the Glyph interface) through the back, but unlike the higher models of Nothing smartphones, the (2a) has just three LED modules around the dual rear cameras. It’s worth noting that the Phone 2a takes a more streamlined approach to the Glyph interface compared to its pricier siblings. This means there are fewer LED modules, but it also decreases costs.
Another thing missing is wireless charging, which is again understandable for a more affordable phone. The dual cameras sit in the middle of the back, looking like eyes. The camera bump isn’t too bad, and Nothing did a good job of making it smooth to hold.
The transparent back looks stylish but is a fingerprint and scratch magnet. Be prepared to keep cleaning it to keep it looking sharp. The same goes for the camera lenses.
On the bright side, comfort is a key focus in the design. The Phone 2a has 90-degree sides, rounded edges, and a flat frame, all of which make the phone comfortable to hold in one hand. The power button is conveniently placed on the right side, while the volume buttons are on the left, ensuring easy reachability.
Turning the phone over, you’re greeted by a near bezel-less display. Nothing has managed to keep the bezels symmetrical, which gives the phone a premium look. These bezels are thin, similar to those on a high-end iPhone. The front features a 32MP selfie camera discreetly housed in a punch-hole cutout on the display.
As for the viewing experience, the Nothing Phone 2a boasts a generous 6.7-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution. It’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for added scratch resistance. The display gets super bright, reaching a peak brightness of 1,300 nits, making it easy to see even outdoors on sunny days. For a smooth and responsive experience, the display features a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. By default, this refresh rate is set to Dynamic, which automatically adjusts between 30Hz and 120Hz based on the content on the screen. This helps to conserve battery life. There’s also the option to lock the refresh rate to the highest setting but remember that this will affect battery life.
The Glyph Interface
The Nothing Phone 2a reimagines the iconic Glyph Interface on its back. This new way to interact with a smartphone encourages users to put their screens down and rely on light and sound patterns for key information. The Glyph Interface retains the new capabilities introduced on Phone (2), such as the Glyph Timer and Glyph Progress, which utilize third-party integrations. It also contributes to the distinct aesthetic of the Phone 2a’s new back design with its unique trio-light configuration.
Overall, the Nothing Phone 2a has a neat design and a great display, but the fingerprint-prone back and lack of wireless charging might be dealbreakers for some.
Camera
The Nothing Phone 2a has a dual rear camera setup on the back. Both the main and ultrawide cameras boast high resolution at 50 megapixels each. The main camera goes a step further with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which helps reduce blur caused by shaky hands, especially in low-light situations. There’s also a high-resolution 32-megapixel camera for capturing clear selfies, ensuring you always look your best.
Powered by TrueLens Engine
These impressive cameras are backed by Nothing’s TrueLens Engine, a suite of advanced algorithms that work together to ensure every shot you take is as close to reality as possible. A key feature within this engine is Ultra XDR, which was co-developed with Google. This technology tackles challenging lighting situations by capturing eight frames with varying exposure levels in RAW format. It then adjusts the brightness of each pixel up to five times to deliver photos with accurate highlights and shadows, resulting in a more natural look.
Well-lit Environments
In well-lit environments, images were sharp and detailed, with natural-looking colors and a good balance between sharpness and softness. You won’t find any photos that are overly sharpened or blurry here.
Portrait Mode with Artistic Control
The Nothing Phone 2a’s Portrait Mode achieves its blurry background effect with a single camera. This camera captures both your subject in crisp detail and depth information. The depth data helps the phone’s processor understand the distance of objects in the scene. Finally, the software uses this information to separate your subject from the background and artistically blurs the background to make them stand out.
Interestingly, the Nothing Phone 2a offers a unique feature: the ability to adjust the f-stop, or bokeh effect, within Portrait Mode. This allows users to control the amount of background blur based on their preference, enhancing creative control in their Nothing Phone 2a portrait photography. However, it’s important to note that these algorithms may struggle with complex backgrounds or fine details like hair due to the difficulty of accurately separating the subject.
Low-Light Performance
While low-light performance isn’t the Phone 2a’s strongest suit, considering its price range, it holds its own. The main camera captures detailed shots with minimal noise, even in dimly lit environments. Colors appear natural and true-to-life, and night mode automatically brightens scenes without going overboard with artificial processing. The phone also provides the option to utilise the Glyph Interface as a makeshift light source in low-light environments, which can be helpful for close-up shots or adding a creative touch.
Overall
The Nothing Phone 2a’s camera system is decent, particularly for everyday photos in good lighting. The high-resolution cameras, OIS, and TrueLens Engine with Ultra XDR are a plus. While low-light performance isn’t top-tier, it’s respectable for the price point. If you take a lot of pictures at night, you might consider a different phone, but for casual users, the Phone 2a will capture good memories.
Performance
Performance-wise, the Nothing Phone 2a is powered by the Dimensity 7200 Pro processor, co-engineered with MediaTek, delivering top performance with optimal power efficiency. Built on TSMC’s latest 4nm (second-generation) process technology, the Nothing Phone 2a effortlessly handles any task with exceptional power efficiency and blazing speed.
This translates to smooth performance in everyday use. Browsing, social media scrolling, and multitasking are handled admirably. We’ve even put it through its paces with demanding games like Call of Duty and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and experienced no frame drops or stuttering. In fact, we had a great time playing Call of Duty and even managed to secure a few wins!
Paired with a generous 12GB of RAM and RAM Booster technology, the octa-core chip, reaching speeds of up to 2.8 GHz, ensures this level of smooth performance. This translates to quantifiable results as well. On Geekbench 5.5.1, a trusted benchmark for raw computing power, the Phone 2a scored 844 on the single-core test and 2,155 on the multi-core test. Similarly impressive, the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which simulates common mobile tasks, awarded the Nothing Phone 2a a score of 13,778, a good overall performance for everyday tasks.
Adding to this strong showing, according to our benchmark test results, the Nothing Phone 2a scores a respectable 669,530 on AnTuTu. AnTuTu is a popular benchmark that evaluates a device’s overall performance, and this score falls well within the range expected for a powerful mid-range device.
The Nothing Phone 2a offers a compelling combination of processing power, efficiency, and innovative features. It’s a great choice for users who demand smooth performance in everyday tasks and even some mobile gaming.
Nothing OS
The Nothing Phone 2a arrives on the market running Nothing OS 2.5. Unlike most devices in this category, it boasts stock Android 14 out of the box, with an impressive commitment of three years of software updates and four years of security updates. Nothing OS 2.5 expands the library with even more custom-designed widgets featuring swipeable views and animations, offering greater information and interactivity on your home screen. The Nothing Phone 2a marks the debut of a new Recorder widget, allowing users to create voice memos with ease. Additionally, Nothing has introduced an AI-powered Wallpaper Studio, enabling the creation of unlimited personalized wallpaper options for both your home and lock screens.
Battery
The Nothing Phone 2a boasts a large 5,000mAh battery, ensuring you can stay connected throughout the day with moderate to heavy usage, without constantly worrying about recharging. Forget scrambling for a charger in the middle of a busy day – this phone prioritizes long-lasting power.
Based on our standard PCMark battery test, the Nothing Phone 2a turned in an impressive performance, lasting an incredible 15 hours and 56 minutes. This translates to up to two days of use on a single charge for moderate users. Heavy social media users, gamers, and anyone who relies on their phone all day can breathe easy – the Nothing Phone 2a won’t let you down.
And even when you do need a quick top-up, the Nothing Phone 2a has you covered. It supports 45W Fast Charging, which can get you from 0 to 100% in just 59 minutes under good conditions. Plus, this rapid charging is designed to be gentle on the battery, reducing the risk of degradation often associated with super-fast charging. With the Nothing Phone 2a, you can enjoy the convenience of a quick charge without sacrificing your battery’s long-term health.
Verdict
The Nothing Phone 2a is a breath of fresh air in the budget phone market. It packs a lot of features for the price, making it a fantastic option for those who are value-conscious. The phone boasts a unique transparent back with cool lighting effects that make it stand out from the crowd. But the beauty isn’t just skin deep. The Nothing Phone 2a runs smoothly, keeping up with everyday tasks and even some light gaming. Nothing has crafted a user-friendly phone that prioritizes what matters most by focusing on the essentials and avoiding unnecessary extras.
So, if you’re looking for a stylish and reliable phone that won’t break the bank, and maybe even appreciate a touch of something different, the Nothing Phone 2a is a great choice.
Nothing Phone 2a Specs
Display: 6.7-inch Gorilla Glass 5 protected flexible 10-bit LTPO AMOLED screen w/ 30-120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, 2160Hz PWM dimming, HDR10+, FHD+ 2412 x 1080 resolution at 394 ppi
CPU: 2.8GHZ 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro octa-core processor
GPU: Mali-G610 MC4
RAM: 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
ROM: 256GB/512GB
Back Camera: 50MP f/1.88 w/ OIS + 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle
Selfie Camera: 32MP f/2.4
Battery: 5,000mAh w/ 45W fast charging
OS: Android 14 w/ NothingOS 2.5
Connectivity: WiFi 6 2×2 MIMO, 5G SA/NSA, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, OTG, NFC, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, SBAS, dual SIM (nano)
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic
Others: In-Display fingerprint sensor, IP54 water, and dust resistance, stereo speakers, 3x HD microphones, Glyph Interface, USB-C, Colors: White, Black
Dimensions: 161.74 x 76.32 x 8.555 g
Weight: 190 g
Price and availability
The Nothing Phone 2a is now available in two variants: 8GB/128GB for PHP 18,990 and 12GB/256GB for PHP 20,990. It also comes in two colors: White and Black. You can visit any Digital Walker or Open Source by Beyond the Box stores near you, or check out Nothing’s official online stores on Lazada and Shopee.
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