Best ADVICE about NOTHING PHONE 2a after 15 Days of use!

TechBar

10 Apr 202414:02

Summary

TLDRThe reviewer, Sanj, shares his comprehensive experience with the Nothing Phone (2a), focusing on its design, software updates, and performance. He praises the phone's lightweight polycarbonate body, Glyph Light notifications, and impressive battery life. However, he points out issues like visible smudges on the black model, software bugs that have been addressed with updates, and slow charging without a fast charger. The camera performs well in various lighting conditions, but struggles with skin tones in certain indoor shots. Overall, he recommends the phone for its value, especially appreciating the software experience and design.

Takeaways

📱 The Nothing Phone (2a) has received several software updates in the past month, addressing bugs and enhancing the user experience.
🔍 The phone is lightweight, which the reviewer prioritizes in design, making it comfortable for long-term use.
🏅 The build quality is robust, with a polycarbonate body that resists scratches, although the reviewer notes that a screen guard and case are important for protection.
👀 The Glyph Light feature is highlighted as both attractive and functional, providing notifications and alerts in an innovative way.
📶 The phone has reliable networks with good call quality, but the reviewer consistently faces an issue where their voice isn't transmitted clearly to the other party.
🔆 The display is bright, reaching up to 1300 nits, and performs well in both indoor and outdoor conditions, though direct sunlight can affect visibility.
🔋 The 5000mAh battery provides good backup, offering around 7 hours of screen-on time with mixed usage, including 5G and WiFi, and the screen always on.
🔌 A significant drawback is the slow charging time; the phone does not include a charger, and a fast charger is recommended for efficient charging.
📸 The camera performance is decent for the price segment, with good detail capture and color accuracy, but struggles in certain lighting conditions and with skin tones in indoor shots.
📹 The front camera takes detailed selfies, and the video performance is satisfactory, with skin tones appearing more accurate than on the rear camera.
💭 For users who value software experience, the Nothing Phone (2a) offers a compelling package with a unique design, good camera, and performance that should remain consistent over the next 2 years.

Q & A

What has the speaker and their team been testing recently?
-The speaker and their team have been testing the Nothing Phone (2a) and its software updates for the past few days.
How many software updates has the Nothing Phone (2a) received in the past month?
-The Nothing Phone (2a) has received four to five software updates in the past month.
What was the initial issue with the Nothing Phone (2a) that the updates aimed to fix?
-The updates aimed to fix some bugs that were present in the phone.
What is the speaker's evaluation of the Nothing Phone (2a) in terms of design?
-The speaker prioritizes the lightweight design of the Nothing Phone (2a) and appreciates its unique design, including the Glyph Lights.
What material is the Nothing Phone (2a) made of, and what are its benefits?
-The phone is made of polycarbonate, which is lightweight and resistant to scratches.
Does the speaker recommend using a screen guard and cover for the Nothing Phone (2a)?
-Yes, the speaker recommends using a screen guard and cover due to the visible scratches on the lower back and front of the phone.
What issue does the speaker notice when taking the Nothing Phone (2a) out of the pocket?
-The speaker notices smudges and dirt are visible on the phone, especially in the black color variant.
What is the speaker's opinion on the lighting feature of the Nothing Phone (2a)?
-The speaker finds the Glyph Lighting feature attractive and highlights its usefulness for notifications and the progress bar.
How does the Nothing Phone (2a) perform in terms of network connectivity?
-The speaker finds the network connectivity to be generally good, with 90% of the time performing well, but notes an issue with call audio quality.
What is the speaker's battery experience with the Nothing Phone (2a)?
-The speaker is satisfied with the battery life, mentioning around 7 hours of screen-on time with mixed usage, including 5G and Wi-Fi, and screen always on.
What issue does the speaker have with the charging of the Nothing Phone (2a)?
-The speaker is irritated by the slow charging speed of the Nothing Phone (2a), which does not come with a charger in the box and requires a purchase of a fast charger for efficient charging.
What software issues did the Nothing Phone (2a) have initially, and how were they addressed?
-The phone had issues like frame drops in benchmarks and slow app opening, which were addressed through software updates that fixed most of the problems.
What is the speaker's overall recommendation for the Nothing Phone (2a) considering its software experience?
-The speaker is impressed with the software experience and recommends the phone for its design, camera, and overall performance, despite some issues.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Unboxing and Design Overview of the Nothing Phone 2a

The script introduces the Nothing Phone 2a, highlighting the device's recent software updates addressing bugs from the past month. The reviewer, Sanj, emphasizes the phone's unique design elements like the Glyph Lights and the lightweight polycarbonate body. He discusses the comfort of using the phone for extended periods, the scratch resistance, and the visibility of smudges on the black color model. The video promises a comprehensive review, including comparisons with other phones under ₹2,500,000 and a focus on the software experience, network performance, and display quality.

05:03

🔋 Battery Life and Software Experience

The second paragraph delves into the battery performance of the Nothing Phone 2a, equipped with a 5000mAh battery, which the reviewer finds satisfactory for a screen-on time of around 7 hours with mixed usage. The script also touches on the phone's software experience, noting initial issues with frame drops and camera quality that were resolved through software updates. The reviewer expresses a positive emotional connection to the brand's commitment to fixing issues quickly. However, he also mentions an unresolved bug with internet connectivity and the necessity of a fast charger, which is an additional cost, affecting the overall user experience.

10:05

🎮 Gaming and Camera Performance

The final paragraph focuses on the Nothing Phone 2a's gaming capabilities and camera performance. The device handles 90fps gaming smoothly without overheating, which the reviewer finds impressive for light gaming and social media use. He also discusses the camera, noting its ability to capture detailed and well-saturated photos, though it struggles in certain lighting conditions. The front camera delivers detailed selfies, and the video performance is decent. The reviewer concludes by advising against the purchase for heavy gamers but recommends it for those who value software experience and design, summarizing the phone's overall performance as good for its price segment.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Nothing Phone 2a

Nothing Phone 2a is the subject of the video, a smartphone the speaker has been testing. It is described as a unique device in its design and user experience, offering features like glyph lighting, and is aimed at users who prioritize design and software experience over extreme gaming performance. The speaker discusses the software updates, performance, and its overall place in the market, emphasizing its lightweight design and modern features.

💡Glyph Lighting

Glyph Lighting is a feature unique to the Nothing Phone series, where LED lights on the back of the phone offer functional feedback, such as notifications and progress indicators. The speaker mentions how this feature adds a 'premium touch' and is attractive to friends and family. It is particularly useful for essential notifications and features like volume indication during podcasts.

💡Software Experience

The software experience on the Nothing Phone 2a is highly emphasized by the speaker as one of its strongest points. Despite some initial bugs, multiple updates have improved the phone's performance significantly, showcasing how the brand is committed to fixing issues. The speaker notes that the software optimizes the phone's capabilities, especially in delivering a smooth user experience despite some hardware limitations.

💡Scratch Vulnerability

Scratch vulnerability is a key concern mentioned regarding the Nothing Phone 2a's build quality. The speaker explains that using the phone without a case results in visible scratches on both the front and back of the device. This leads to the suggestion that a screen protector and case are essential to avoid damage.

💡Polycarbonate Material

The Nothing Phone 2a uses polycarbonate material for its build, which the speaker discusses in terms of both its benefits and drawbacks. While the material makes the phone lightweight and easy to handle, it also makes the phone more susceptible to scratches and smudges. The speaker points out that the black model in particular shows smudges and dirt more prominently.

💡Network Issues

The speaker highlights a recurring network issue with the Nothing Phone 2a, where calls occasionally have one-way audio problems—the speaker can hear the other person, but they cannot hear him. Despite generally good network performance, this issue occurs frequently enough to be noteworthy. The speaker hopes this bug will be fixed in future updates.

💡Display Brightness

The display of the Nothing Phone 2a is discussed in terms of its brightness, particularly its performance in direct sunlight. While the display reaches 1300 nits of brightness under certain conditions, it struggles with readability in very bright outdoor environments. However, the speaker finds the display performs well indoors, especially when consuming content like HDR videos.

💡Battery Performance

The speaker is impressed with the 5000mAh battery of the Nothing Phone 2a, stating that it provides around 7 hours of screen-on time with mixed usage including 5G, Wi-Fi, and Always-On Display. However, he expresses frustration with the slow charging time, especially when using a 30W charger, recommending users invest in a faster charger for better results.

💡Charging Experience

The charging experience of the Nothing Phone 2a is described as one of its weaker points. The phone doesn't come with a charger, which adds to the cost, and it charges slowly with standard chargers. The speaker recommends buying a faster, 45W or higher charger for optimal performance, as slower chargers take over two hours to fully charge the phone.

💡Camera Performance

The speaker provides a mixed review of the Nothing Phone 2a's camera performance. The 50MP primary camera produces detailed photos with good colors, though in challenging lighting or fast-motion conditions, the HDR function sometimes introduces noise. The front-facing 32MP camera is praised for its sharp and detailed selfies, with the speaker suggesting that the skin tones captured by the front camera should be replicated in the rear camera for better results.

Highlights

The Nothing Phone (2a) has received several software updates in the past month, addressing bugs and enhancing the user experience.

The phone is lightweight, which is a priority for long-term comfort during use.

The design is unique, featuring Glyph Lights that are a distinctive characteristic of the Nothing brand.

The back panel and front of the phone have visible scratches, indicating the need for a screen guard and case for protection.

The phone's design is transparent, which can show smudges and dirt, especially noticeable on the black color variant.

The Glyph Lights can indicate notifications and show the progress bar, which is a useful feature for users.

The phone has a premium touch with a vibration motor that syncs well with ringtones.

Network performance is generally good, with 90% of the time offering reliable connectivity.

The display's brightness can be an issue when using the phone under direct sunlight without a case.

The phone's display can reach up to 1300 nits of brightness when playing HDR videos.

The battery performance is impressive, with the 5000mAh battery lasting around 7 hours of screen-on time with mixed usage.

Charging the phone is slow without a fast charger, which is an additional cost that buyers should consider.

The software experience is highly valued, and the phone's software has been improved significantly through updates.

Despite some initial bugs, the phone's software has been fixed quickly, indicating that the brand prioritizes its products.

The phone's gaming performance is good for light gaming and social media use, but may not be sufficient for heavy gamers in the long run.

The camera performance is interesting, with good detail capture and accurate color reproduction in well-lit conditions.

The front camera takes detailed selfies, and the skin tone is well-balanced.

The overall package is valuable, especially for those who prioritize software experience, design, and camera performance.

The reviewer enjoyed testing the phone and found it to be a fun and engaging experience.