Last updated on April 5th, 2024 at 07:50 am

The unique design, enjoyable software, solid performance, and extended battery life offer excellent value for the price

London-based tech company Nothing is aiming to shake up the budget phone market with its latest Android offering. Priced starting at £319 (€329/A$529), the Phone 2a seeks to capture the unique design and intrigue that set its higher-end models apart, while presenting it in a more affordable package. It sits alongside the full-featured Phone 2, which costs £579.

The new model retains Nothing’s distinctive semi-transparent design. It features a large, smooth, and vibrant OLED screen on the front, with a semi-transparent back that showcases its intriguing design elements, including the signature “glyph” LEDs that have become Nothing’s trademark.

In contrast to the metal and glass construction of the Phone 2, the new model is crafted from plastic. The signature LEDs are located only in the top section of the phone, surrounding the central camera module. However, they retain the ability to display intricate patterns for ringtones and notifications, as well as show volume levels, battery charge percentage, timers, and other entertaining features like a music visualizer.

While the phone feels sleek and sturdy, 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, GNSS
Water resistance: IP54 (splash resistant)
Dimensions: 162 x 76.3 x 8.9mm
Weight: 190g

Mid-range power with long battery life

The Phone 2a is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, a mid-range chip that delivers commendable performance given its price point. The software operates smoothly and responsively, with apps loading quickly and games running without major issues. While it doesn’t quite match the performance of a high-end phone and tends to heat up during gaming, it handles most tasks adeptly.

Additionally, the Nothing Phone 2a boasts solid battery life. With general use, including several hours of 5G connectivity per day, the phone lasted an impressive 52 hours or two days between charges. However, gaming does significantly impact battery life compared to high-end competitors, with a consumption rate of about 18% per hour while playing games like Diablo Immortal.

Sustainability

According to Nothing, 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. Screen replacements are priced at £70, while battery replacements cost £36, with an additional £35 for labor and shipping handled by Nothing.

The device is constructed using recycled aluminium, copper, plastic, steel, tin, and other materials, which collectively make up 20% of the phone’s weight. It has a carbon footprint of 52kg CO2 equivalent. Nothing regularly publishes sustainability reports and operates a trade-in program.

Nothing OS 2.5

The Phone 2a operates on Nothing OS 2.5, which is based on Android 14, consistent with the company’s other phone models. The software provides a clutter-free user experience while incorporating an intriguing visual design inspired by 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 experience. Similar to the playful glyph lights on the back, these customizations do not slow down the phone or interfere with daily tasks.

Regrettably, Nothing falls short in terms of software support, offering only three years of software updates and four years of bimonthly security updates. Considering that leading competitors now provide a minimum of seven years of support, four years may not be sufficient for consumers or the environment, even in the budget segment.

Camera

The Phone 2a features two 50-megapixel rear cameras and a 32MP selfie camera, which deliver performance comparable to the more expensive Phone 2. The main camera captures good photos, particularly excelling in handling high-contrast scenes. However, it tends to over-sharpen fine details in bright light and struggles to retain detail in moderate to low light conditions. The ultrawide camera also produces decent shots, but images appear soft when viewed at full size. Notably, the phone lacks a telephoto camera, and images captured beyond 2x digital zoom are of poor quality.

Overall, the camera performance is respectable for the price, although it falls short compared to 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).

In comparison, the Nothing Phone 2 is priced at £499, the Google Pixel 7a at £449, and the Samsung Galaxy A54 at £349.

Verdict

The Nothing Phone 2a makes a strong impression in the budget phone segment, distinguishing itself from the often uninspired competition with its captivating design and enjoyable software.

Offering great value for the price, it features a large, high-resolution display, extended battery life, reliable performance, and a design that belies its budget status. While the plastic construction may not appeal to everyone, it feels sturdy and well-constructed, and it boasts splash resistance, a feature not commonly found in this price range.

The camera performs well, although it falls short of the quality found in Google’s budget-friendly phones, which are only slightly more expensive. The main downside is the limited software support lifespan, which may compromise the phone’s security before its hardware becomes obsolete.