One year after the first Nothing Phone, The Nothing Phone (2) launched. It is building up to be a spectacular follow-up with enough meaningful changes, including a bigger screen, flagship hardware, better cameras, and quicker charging. Oh, and the Glyph UI has, of course, been enlarged. The Glyph UI, which many saw as a gimmick, is now a permanent feature of the Nothing Phone (2) and offers some fresh, fascinating features. The Nothing Phone (2) is in fact continuing the tradition set by its predecessor. A better LTPO panel and bigger 6.7″ OLED screen on the Nothing Phone (2) provide a dynamic refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz. It offers 10-bit color depth, HDR10+, 240Hz touch responsiveness, and brightness levels that may reach 1,000 nits under direct sunlight. The processor has been upgraded from the Snapdragon 778G+ in the previous edition to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The Nothing Phone has suddenly advanced from the midrange to the flagship category. The twin 50MP cameras on the rear resemble those on the Nothing Phone (1) in that they are wide + ultra-wide (with macro), but according to the promotional materials, the upgraded ISP and freshly created sophisticated algorithms allow them to collect more data. And it should be really advantageous for the 2x Super-Res Zoom. Its battery now has a slightly bigger 4,700mAh capacity due to the larger screen and body. Additionally, the wired charging has been enhanced; it has increased from 33W to 45W. There are still alternatives for 15W wireless and 5W reverse wireless. The ingress protection has been upgraded from IP53 to IP54, meaning the Nothing Phone (2) can now withstand splashing water for around 10 minutes. This last enhancement is not evident to the human eye.
The Nothing Phone (2) is a well-rounded product with balanced specifications and well-chosen features. It also provides something special that isn’t found on any other phone on the market: Glyph UI notification LEDs. Nothing has been able to provide top-tier performance while maintaining a mid-range pricing, so we’d say that is a victory even though the most recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip may have made it better. We can only think of two things after reading the specifications list in its entirety: an IP67 or IP68 rating would have made this phone an even more appealing proposition. We apologize, but we suspect that this 32MP selfie camera employs yet another Quad-Bayer sensor despite our best efforts to the contrary. Here’s one more thing to consider, many consumers will view the Nothing Phone (2) as a substitute for the Nothing Phone (1). It is in reality a more expensive, premium option with flagship-level specifications. The Nothing Phone (1) model will continue to exist as a more cost-effective variant that provides a roughly comparable experience.
In-Depth Technical Details Of Nothing Phone (2)
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Body | 162.1×76.4×8.6mm, 201g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back, aluminum frame; Multiple LED lights on the back (notifications, charging progress, camera fill light), Blinking red light on the back (video recording indicator), IP54 certified. |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. |
| Display | 6.7″ LTPO OLED, 1B colors, dynamic 120Hz, HDR10+, 500nits (typ), 1,600nits (peak), 1080x2412px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 394ppi. |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G (4nm). |
| Memory | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1. |
| OS | Android 13, Nothing OS 2.0 (1st Release). |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6. |
| Bluetooth | v5.3. |
| Rear camera | Wide (main): 50MP; Ultra-wide: 50MP. |
| Front camera | 32MP. |
| Battery | 4700mAh; 45W wired, PD3.0, QC4, PPS, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless. |
| Others | Fingerprint reader (under display); NFC; stereo speakers. |
Conclusion
Particularly at its present price point, The Nothing Phone (2) is a compelling offer in a market that is mostly saturated. The phone features the Glyph UI, which no other phone with the exception of Nothing Phone (1) possesses. Even better, the increased LED capability is a pretty unique and practical way to keep an eye on what’s going on with your phone without having to glance at its screen. A welcome improvement over the Nothing Phone (1) is the Nothing Phone (2)’s bigger, brighter, and more adaptable LTPO OLED display. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 flagship chipset, which makes using the Nothing Phone (2) easy and supports gaming, is the most noticeable update. The longer battery life is another benefit, the stereo speakers’ fuller sounds, and overall higher photo and video quality. Not to be overlooked is the 45W charging speed. The smoothness of the Nothing OS 2.0 on the Nothing Phone (2) also caught our attention since it is so clear, uncomplicated, and quick. There are some problems with the Nothing Nothing Phone (2), though. First, while having a powerful hardware platform, it does not enable High Frame Rate gaming, which is quite disappointing. Even though the ingress protection grade has increased, the Nothing Phone (2) is still not water-resistant. The Glyph UI is still the key component of every Nothing Phone. Either you love it and use it, or you don’t, in which case the Nothing Phone (2) just becomes another offer. We’ve looked at a ton of options if you don’t need Glyph, and we’re confident that some of them will suit your requirements and budget. But if you want, or if you simply want a breath of new air, a type of innovation in a mostly uninteresting sector, the Nothing Phone (2), or (1), will not let you down. Contrarily, the Nothing Phone (2) delivers a smart selection of features with a dash of quality and two of innovation, that’s why we do suggest taking the Nothing Phone (2) into consideration and perhaps even purchasing it.