Nothing Phone (2) is an attempt to consolidate the success of last year’s Nothing Phone (1). The manufacturer again used a transparent back panel with LEDs, which distinguished the debut device from its competitors. The peculiarity and distinction of the new product was the pumped-up hardware, which allowed the gadget to approach the flagships. The upgrade also affected the price of the smartphone .
Appearance and design: differences from its predecessor
The back panel of the new phone is made of durable glass, resistant to scratches, like its predecessor. However, thanks to a special layer between the glass and the insides of the device, the chips are not visible through it. This element consists of various fragments with different textures and shapes, decorated with white LED lines, which the developer calls glyphs. All this gives the smartphone an unusual, futuristic look.
The glyphs can blink in time with the ringtone, which looks stylish. However, they are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional. For example, LEDs can inform about new messages, camera launch, and other events. Some light lines also display the volume level when adjusted or show the progress of the active timer. The user has the ability to adjust the brightness and other backlight parameters or turn it off completely.
Key features: processor, memory, camera
The Nothing Phone (2) has upgraded its processor from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ 5G to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, making the device more modern and powerful. This processor provides excellent performance in various tasks, including high-end games. However, there are some nuances: in demanding games, the processor may heat up, and the frame rate limit of 60 fps may not be enough for some gamers.
The device has only two rear cameras: a main one and a wide-angle one. Although there is no TV lens, both cameras shoot well in good lighting and satisfactorily in low-light conditions. The resolution of each camera is up to 50 MP. Thanks to the new sensor, the main camera takes better pictures. Both cameras are capable of shooting video in up to 4K resolution at 60 fps, and also support image stabilization and autofocus functions.
The front camera has also been upgraded to 32MP, allowing for better quality selfies compared to the previous model.
Innovations in interface and software
Nothing Phone (2) continues the line of the first model, improving it in several aspects. The device has become more powerful, providing better performance and battery life. The software part of the gadget has also received an update. Nothing OS 2.0 offers many more features and settings than the first version. The new product also offers an improved camera and a high-quality screen.
The main drawback is its price, which is significantly higher than the starting price of the previous model. While the Nothing Phone (1) was asking from €469, the minimum price for the Nothing Phone (2) in Europe at the time of release was €679.
Comparison with competitors
If we take the Asus Zenfone 10, which was released a month earlier, for comparison, the reasons to choose the Phone (2) in this case will be a 0.78″ larger screen diagonal, a 400 mAh more capacious battery, 23% higher maximum screen brightness and support for more powerful charging (45W vs 30W).
Compared to the Apple iPhone 15, the reasons to buy the Nothing Phone (2) are a higher display refresh rate of 120 Hz, a larger battery capacity of 1351 mAh, a fingerprint scanner, and 2 more processor cores.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the advantages of the new product are the proprietary processor, the new version of the OS, a large battery capacity, a large display and fast wired charging. The disadvantages include large dimensions and weight, as well as a high price.