The unique design, enjoyable software, solid performance, and extended battery life offer great value for the price
London-based tech company Nothing is aiming to disrupt the budget phone market with its latest Android offering. Priced from £319 (€329/A$529), the Phone 2a seeks to capture the stylish design and intrigue that distinguished its higher-end models, but at a more affordable price point, sitting alongside the full-featured Phone 2 priced at £579.
The new model retains Nothing’s distinctive semi-transparent design, featuring a large, vibrant OLED screen on the front and a see-through back that showcases its unique design elements, including the signature “glyph” LEDs.
For this iteration, the phone is constructed from plastic instead of the metal and glass used in the Phone 2. The LEDs are now situated only in the top portion of the phone, surrounding the central camera module. Despite this, they retain the ability to display intricate patterns for ringtones and notifications, as well as indicate volume, charge percentage, timers, and other engaging features such as a music visualizer.
The phone boasts a sleek and sturdy feel. However, the plastic back tends to attract dust easily and is prone to picking up scratches.
Specifications
Screen: 6.7-inch 120Hz FHD+ OLED (394ppi)
Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro
RAM: 8GB or 12GB
Storage: 128GB or 256GB
Operating system: Nothing OS 2.5 (Android 14)
Camera: 50MP main and ultrawide, 32MP selfie
Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, and GNSS
Water resistance: IP54 (splash resistant)
Dimensions: 162 x 76.3 x 8.9mm
Weight: 190g
Moderate performance paired with extended battery longevity
The Phone 2a is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, a mid-range chip that delivers commendable performance for its price. The software operates smoothly and responsively, with swift app loading times and smooth gameplay. While it may not match the performance of top-tier smartphones and tends to heat up during gaming sessions, it handles most tasks efficiently.
Additionally, the Nothing Phone 2a offers solid battery life, lasting approximately 52 hours or two days with typical use, including several hours of 5G usage per day. Gaming, however, drains the battery more quickly compared to high-end competitors, with approximately 18% consumption per hour while playing games like Diablo Immortal.
Sustainability
Nothing claims that the battery retains at least 90% of its original capacity for a minimum of 1,000 full charge cycles. In the UK, the Phone 2a is generally repairable, with screen replacements costing £70 or batteries costing £36, plus approximately £35 for labor and shipping by Nothing.
The device is constructed using recycled aluminium, copper, plastic, steel, tin, and other materials, comprising 20% of the phone’s weight. It has a carbon footprint of 52kg CO2 equivalent. The company releases sustainability reports and operates a trade-in program.
Nothing OS 2.5
The phone operates on Nothing OS 2.5, which is based on Android 14, aligning with the software used in the company’s other devices. This software provides a streamlined experience with an intriguing visual design centered around dot-matrix art, widgets, and icons.
While it can be customized to resemble standard Android, the software encourages users to populate their home screens with monochrome icons, large folders, and widgets for a more engaging interface. Similar to the captivating glyph lights on the back, these customizations do not hinder the phone’s performance or disrupt daily activities.
However, Nothing falls short in terms of software support, offering only three years of software updates and four years of bi-monthly security updates. With leading competitors now providing at least seven years of support, four years is insufficient for both your budget and the environment, even within the budget smartphone market.
Camera
The Phone 2a features two 50-megapixel cameras on the rear and a 32MP front-facing camera, delivering performance comparable to the pricier Phone 2.
The main camera generally captures good photos, handling high-contrast scenes well. However, it tends to over-sharpen fine details in bright light and struggles to preserve detail in moderate to low light. The ultrawide camera also produces decent shots, but images appear soft when viewed at full size. The phone lacks a telephoto camera, and images captured beyond 2x digital zoom are of poor quality.
Overall, the camera is decent for its price, but it is outperformed by Google’s Pixel 6A or 7A, which are often available at a similar price point.
Price
The Nothing Phone 2a is priced starting at £319 (€329/A$529).
For comparison, the Nothing Phone 2 is priced at £499, the Google Pixel 7a is priced at £449, and the Samsung Galaxy A54 is priced at £349.
Verdict
The Nothing Phone 2a is a notable addition to the budget smartphone market, offering a unique design and engaging software that sets it apart from the competition.
It provides excellent value for its price, featuring a large, high-quality display, extended battery life, reliable performance, and a premium appearance despite its budget positioning. While the plastic construction may deter some users, it feels durable and well-crafted, even boasting splash resistance—a feature not commonly found in this price range.
The camera performs well, though it falls short of Google’s similarly priced offerings. However, the most significant downside is the limited software support lifespan, which may compromise the phone’s security long before its hardware becomes obsolete.