Nothing Phone 2a hands-on review: Same style, lower price

After showcasing its design at MWC 2024, Nothing finally launched Nothing Phone 2a on March 5, 2024. Unlike the Phone 1 and Phone 2, Nothing’s Phone 2a is aimed at a budget-conscious audience who want top-notch hardware at a low price. Acceptable price. We’ve spent some time with the Nothing Phone 2a, and here are our initial thoughts on it.

Colors, prices and availability

The Nothing Phone 2a is available in three colors: white, black, and milk (basically white) there is nothing But a bit off-white). It’s already available in the UK, Europe and India, with prices starting at £319 / €329 / Rs 23,999 for the base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, and starting at £349 / €379 / Rs 27,999 for the top-end model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage Space model.

However, getting it in the US is a little trickier. It’s not easily available from carriers, online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, or even Nothing’s own website. To get one, you need to join the company’s developer program, which then gets you the high-end device for $349. However, it’s important to note that even if you buy a Phone 2a in the US, be aware that it may not be seamlessly compatible with all carriers and MVNOs due to the lack of certain 4G and 5G bands.

Nothing Phone 2a: Specs

Design and display

Nothing always ensures its smartphones stand out from the competition, and the Phone 2a is no different. Unlike the Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54, which have simpler-looking backs, the Phone 2a retains the signature Nothing design with Glyph LEDs and a transparent back. You can see the exposed screws and plates that hold the phone in place, and there’s even what appears to be a cooling system bar.

There are fewer LEDs on the back compared to the Phone and Phone 2, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I find it attractive because it makes the phone look more minimalist. The three LED lights on the back are also configurable: one acts as a notification light, while the other can be set to stay on for specific apps. Additionally, Nothing has yet to add useful functionality to LEDs. For example, when you start a timer, the glowing LED will decrease as the timer progresses.

However, to keep costs down, Nothing had to compromise on materials. The Phone 2a doesn’t have the latest Gorilla Glass protection on the front and is made of plastic on the back. While the phone does feel cheaper than its pricier counterparts, it still feels solid in the hand, and the metal rails around the body add a touch of premium. However, the Phone 2a is rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, which is slightly lower than the IP68 rating of its competitors.

Coming to the front, the Nothing Phone 2a surprised me. It comes with a 6.7-inch AMOLED flat screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a peak brightness of 1,300 nits. It’s probably one of the best-looking monitors in the segment, thanks to minimal and even bezels around it. It also comes with an optical fingerprint reader under the screen and supports 2160Hz PWM dimming. It’s one of the largest and most impressive monitors I’ve seen in this price range, and it might surprise you too.

camera

Moving to the back again, you’ll find a horizontally placed dual-camera setup. It has a 50MP main sensor with f/1.88 aperture, optical image stabilization and PDAF, and a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a 114-degree field of view. There is a 32MP camera on the front for selfies and video calls.

From my time using the Nothing Phone 2a, its camera doesn’t stand out too much. The images are very generic and lack any eye-catching qualities. Cameras are usually the weak point of Nothing phones, and that seems to be the case here – perhaps it’s best to wait for our full review to get a clearer picture.

However, if you’re on the fence about buying this phone and you like the camera, you might want to consider buying the Google Pixel 7a.

Software and performance

Powering the Nothing Phone 2 is MediaTek’s Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset. The chipset contains two powerful Cortex-A715 cores clocked at 2.8GHz and six energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 2GHz. Coupled with 12GB of RAM, the phone offers surprisingly smooth performance considering its price point.

The Phone 2a runs Android 14-based Nothing OS 2.5 out of the box, and the company is promising major software upgrades over three years. Nothing OS feels like a refreshing change compared to Chinese-branded operating systems (no names mentioned here). Despite being a brand that’s only two years old, it does feel very refined and sleek. The animations are snappy and smooth, and there are plenty of useful features surrounding the operating system. Despite maintaining a plain and minimalist look, Nothing’s Nothing OS still performs well.

Finally, speaking of battery, the Nothing Phone 2a comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, which is actually larger than the batteries on both the Phone 1 and Phone 2. The phone can easily last a full day without charging. Speaking of chargers, you’ll need to buy a power adapter separately, as the Nothing doesn’t include one in the box. In terms of charging, Phone 2a supports up to 45W fast charging via USB-C, and a full charge takes about an hour.