The highly anticipated release of the Nothing Phone (2) has generated considerable excitement in the smartphone market. Although the Nothing Phone (2) bears similarities to its predecessor, it represents a significant step forward for the smartphone industry. A quick examination of the Nothing Phone 2's specifications and price tag reveals its intention to target a significant market segment.
Of course, the starting price of Rs 44,999 may seem steep, especially for a brand trying to establish itself among other established phone makers. However, it boasts a unique feature that sets it apart from its competitors – the new and improved Glyph interface, which no other brand currently offers in the market.
With this in mind, the question arises: is the Nothing Phone (2) the ideal new premium mid-range device, or perhaps even a flagship, depending on how you classify it? In this Nothing Phone (2) review, we'll explore all aspects of the phone and assess how it stacks up against the competition.
Here are the key specifications of the Nothing Phone 2:
1. Nothing Phone 2 comes with a powerful octa-core processor.
2. It features a stunning and immersive AMOLED display with high resolution.
3. The phone has a dual camera setup, which can capture high quality photos and videos.
4. It offers ample storage space with multiple storage options.
5. Nothing Phone 2 supports fast charging, ensuring quick recharging of the battery.
6. It runs on the latest version of the operating system, providing a smooth and up-to-date user experience.
7. The phone boasts of a sleek and modern design, which contributes to its overall aesthetic appeal.
8. It includes advanced security features like fingerprint recognition and face unlock.
9. Nothing Phone 2 is compatible with the latest connectivity options, ensuring seamless communication and internet access.
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Specifications |
Nothing Phone 2 |
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Dimensions |
162.1 x 76.4 x 8.6 mm |
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Weight |
201.2 grams |
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Display |
6.7-inch flexible OLED display, 120Hz |
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Chipset |
SnapDragon 8+ Gen 1 |
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RAM |
8GB/12GB |
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Storage |
128GB/256GB/512GB |
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Rear Cameras |
50MP Main, 50MP Ultra Wide |
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Front Camera |
32MP |
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Operating System |
Android 13 with Nothing OS 2.0 |
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Water/Dust Resistance |
Yes, IP54 |
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Battery |
4,700 mAh |
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Charging |
45W Wired, up to 15W Wireless |
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Price |
Starting at Rs. 44,999 |
What’s in The Box?
Since brands decided to remove chargers from the box to reduce their carbon footprint, packaging materials have been significantly reduced, and the same applies to the Nothing Phone (2). Inside the box, you'll find the phone itself, a pre-applied screen protector, a SIM ejector tool uniquely designed by No Nothing, a Type C charging cable, and an instruction manual.
Design and Build of the Nothing Phone 2:
On first impression, it is clear that the Nothing Phone (2) has not undergone significant design changes, as it retains the flat edges and camera bump, along with the vertically placed dual cameras, LED flash and microphone. However, the phone continues to display the highlight of the Nothing Phone 1—the Glyph interface. This time, the Glyph interface features an upgrade, offering 11 different Glyph LEDs instead of the previous 5 on the Nothing Phone 1. The back of the phone has a curved 2.5D glass, which improves the grip and overall handling experience. At the front, a 6.7-inch OLED display is present with a punch-hole camera located at the top center, along with an optical fingerprint sensor.
While the design may not have seen substantial changes, the build quality of the Nothing Phone (2) remains uncompromising. The phone impressively sports an aluminum frame and curved glass back, elevating its appearance and giving premium features to smartphones in the 40k plus price range. As expected, the device carries a bit of weight, coming in at 201.2g, attributed to its large 6.7-inch size and the materials used for its construction. Dual stereo speakers enhance the audio experience, with one speaker located at the bottom and the earpiece serving as the second speaker. The speakers deliver ample volume without any issues, even at maximum volume levels.
This phone is available in two colors, white and black. However, it is worth noting that this time the black model has a slight gray tint. Having had the opportunity to handle both units, it is clear that the white colorway is particularly eye-catching and likely to attract attention.
Nothing Phone 2: Display
The display of the Nothing Phone (2) is remarkable despite not having a QHD resolution. The phone features a 6.7-inch flexible OLED panel with FHD+ resolution (2142 x 1080) and an impressive 120 Hz refresh rate. This combination provides an excellent viewing experience, especially for binge-watching content, as it ensures vibrant colors, smooth animations, and sharp visuals. The inclusion of LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) technology sets the display apart. This technology enables the phone to dynamically adapt the refresh rate based on usage, optimizing battery consumption. The refresh rate can be as low as 1Hz when the phone is idle, effectively saving power, a feature that its competitor, the OnePlus 11R, lacks. For users who want a consistently high refresh rate, an option to lock the display at 120 Hz is also available. This allows users to get the most out of the stunning display while providing a seamless and enjoyable visual experience. In a nutshell, the Nothing Phone (2) offers an impressive display with smart technology that enhances both the user experience and battery efficiency, making it the best feature of the phone.
The phone's display is equipped with HDR10+ support, and its peak brightness of 1600 nits ensures excellent visibility even in direct sunlight, proving highly effective in real-world use. Notably, compared to Phone (1), Phone (2) also features narrower bezels, resulting in a more symmetrical and visually appealing design. To protect the display from accidental scratches, the phone comes with a pre-applied screen protector, which offers decent protection.
Nothing Phone (2) supports HDR and Dolby Vision on Netflix, resulting in stunning and vibrant display colors for an enjoyable streaming experience. Testing display quality with content like Blade Runner 2049 and Genshin Impact, the phone proves its capabilities with rich color palettes and accurate rendering. Looking at Blade Runner 2049, the phone handles impressively bright neon and orange tones, effectively immersing the user in a futuristic cityscape. Likewise, Genshin Impact's vibrant anime-style visuals are well-suited to the Nothing Phone's (2) display, even though the refresh rate is locked to 60Hz during gameplay.
Overall, the Nothing Phone's (2) display delivers an excellent viewing experience, excelling in color reproduction, brightness, and handling a variety of content, making it a delight for media consumption and gaming.
Performance of Nothing Phone 2:
The Nothing Phone (2) offers exceptional performance, powered by an advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which represents a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 778G Plus featured in the Nothing Phone 1. The phone has UF2FX5S5 RAM, powered by LPDDR5 and LPDDR5 powered by up to 12GB, with an option of up to 12GB. Able to handle any house work with ease.
Despite being a 2022 model, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset continues to impress with its powerful capabilities, making it an attractive option for users looking for a high-performance device at an affordable price. This combination of impressive hardware and reasonable pricing makes the Nothing Phone (2) an attractive choice for budget-conscious consumers looking for great performance in a smartphone.
Day-to-Day Usage
The phone's hardware specifications are not only impressive on paper but also translate into fast and smooth performance in real-world usage. The phone operates consistently without any noticeable throttling or overheating issues. During gaming sessions with graphics-intensive games like Genshin Impact and Asphalt 9, the phone handled them comfortably even at maximum graphic settings, with only minimal frame drops when the device warmed up a bit. Throughout the week of using the Nothing Phone (2) as a daily driver, the phone showed seamless performance, and there was no sign of thermal throttling affecting its overall capabilities.
Software of Nothing Phone 2:
Nothing Phone (2) runs on the latest Nothing OS 2.0 built on Android 13, which ensures a smooth and enjoyable user experience. Right from the start, the phone offers a choice between the stock Android UI or Nothing's own minimalist monochrome UI when setting up the device. Allowing users to decide between these options is a thoughtful approach from the user's point of view, as it does not impose a specific customization on them and respects their preferences.
The company's decision to establish an in-house software team has proven to be a wise move for Nothing. The recently introduced Nothing OS 2.0 includes a range of exciting features, such as monochromatic app icons, lock screen widgets (an approach similar to Apple's influence in the Android world), customizable home screen layouts, a built-in app locker, and the ability to clone apps, among other improvements.
These new features, combined with the stock UI experience, contribute to a significantly more user-friendly and convenient use. Nothing extends its dot-matrix design and flair to the entire UI, including settings, lockscreen widgets, and a diverse selection of home screen widgets, like the design elements seen on the phone (1). This cohesive and consistent design language enhances the overall aesthetics and usability of the phone's interface.
While the software experience on Nothing Phone (2) is generally excellent, users may encounter a few bugs from time to time. For example, in our testing, the camera app on the black unit experienced freezing and crashing, and sometimes it even refused to open completely. However, the camera app on the white unit was working without any issues. Additionally, monochrome app icons, while contributing to a consistent UI look, can pose a challenge to users in identifying certain apps. During testing, some users may struggle to recognize app logos such as Genshin Impact and BGMI due to the monochrome design.
The overall software experience may vary based on personal preferences, with some users preferring a custom UI while others prefer the stock UI experience. In terms of the phone's longevity, the phone (2) doesn't claim to get three years of Android updates and four years of security patches updates every two months.
Glyph Interface
Like its predecessor, the Nothing Phone (2) features the unique feature of a transparent rear panel, which showcases the eye-catching Glyph interface, a hallmark of the company's phone design. In the second generation model, Nothing has taken the lighting experience to a new level by upgrading the Glyph interface. The rear panel now features several smaller glyphs, and instead of a single glyph covering the wireless charging coil as seen on the previous model, 11 distinct LED strips, divided into 33 zones, have enhanced lighting. This advancement adds to the visual appeal of the phone and creates a more complex and dynamic lighting effect.
The inclusion of Glyph LED strips on the Nothing Phone (2) not only enhances its visual appeal but also demonstrates the benefits of having an in-house software team. Nothing leveraged this advantage to introduce many new functionalities to the Glyph interface, as detailed in the linked article.
The Glyph interface now serves multiple purposes, acting as a countdown timer, an emergency torch, and a volume level indicator. Moreover, it supports third-party integration with popular services like Uber and Zomato. Additionally, users can enjoy the convenience of a custom ringtone composer and get essential Glyph notifications. These innovative features are among the many improvements accompanying the Nothing Phone (2).
Camera
The Nothing Phone (2) is equipped with a dual rear camera system, which includes a 50 MP IMX890 sensor as the primary camera. This primary camera benefits from both optical and electronic image stabilization (OIS and EIS), ensuring stable and clear shots. Along with this, there is a 50MP Samsung JN1 sensor, which serves as an ultra-wide camera. The camera also features EIS and offers an impressive 114-degree field of view, which doubles as a macro camera for close-up photography. On the front of the phone, there is a 32MP IMX615 sensor dedicated to capturing stunning selfie shots.
Network & Connectivity
Nothing Phone 2 offers comprehensive network and connectivity features, ensuring seamless communication and Internet access. Here are the key aspects of its network and connectivity capabilities:
Network Bands: The phone supports multiple network bands including 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE, enabling global connectivity and compatibility with different carriers.
5G connectivity: Nothing Phone 2 is equipped with 5G capabilities, allowing users to connect to next-generation high-speed networks wherever they are available. It increases data speed and provides a better network experience in 5G-enabled areas.
Wi-Fi: The phone supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), providing faster and more reliable Wi-Fi connections, especially in crowded areas with many connected devices.
Bluetooth: It features Bluetooth 5.2 technology, enabling seamless connections with other compatible devices such as headphones, speakers and smartwatches.
GPS: The phone is equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) for accurate location tracking and navigation services.
NFC: Near Field Communication (NFC) is supported, which allows the phone to make contactless payments and data transfers with compatible devices.
USB Connectivity: The phone has a USB Type-C port, which enables fast data transfer and charging capabilities.
Dual SIM Support: Nothing Phone 2 supports dual SIM functionality, which allows users to use two SIM cards simultaneously for personal and work-related purposes.
Overall, the Nothing Phone 2 offers a wide range of network and connectivity options, ensuring a comfortable and connected experience for users in a variety of situations and locations.