Nothing Phone (2a) review

Summary

The nothing phone 2A is a mid-range smartphone that offers a unique design, competitive OLED display, solid chipset, and impressive battery life. With a see-through back, glyph LEDs for notifications and charging, and a 6.7-inch 1080P OLED screen with Gorilla Glass 5, it stands out in the market. Powered by a customized mediatech dimensity 7200 Pro chipset, it provides smooth performance for everyday use and casual gaming. The phone also features a 5000mAh battery with 45W charging and a reliable under-display fingerprint reader. The camera setup includes a 50MP main and 50MP ultra-wide camera, delivering good photo and video quality. Overall, the nothing phone 2A is a solid mid-ranger with a distinctive appeal and strong performance at a lower price point.

Takeaways

• 📱 The nothing phone 2A is a mid-range device that offers similar features to the flagship nothing phone 2 at a lower price point.
• 🔋 It comes with a large 5000mAh battery, which, combined with a power-efficient chipset, provides excellent battery life.
• 🖼 The phone features a 6.7-inch 1080P OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection, but lacks LTPO tech for dynamic refresh rate switching.
• 🎶 It has a stereo speaker setup that offers good loudness and decent sound quality.
• 👍 The under-display fingerprint reader is snappy and reliable.
• 📸 The 2A has a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera, with the main camera performing well in various lighting conditions.
• 📹 The main camera is capable of capturing 4K video with good detail and low noise, and the ultra-wide camera also performs well in video capture.
• 🌟 The phone has a unique design with a see-through back that exposes the inner workings of the device, and a horizontal camera bump.
• 💡 It includes the glyph LED feature for notifications, ring lights, and visual feedback, with a dedicated interface for controlling their behavior.
• 🔌 The phone supports 45W charging but does not include a charger in the box, and unlike its predecessor, it lacks wireless charging support.
• 📊 The nothing phone 2A runs on a customized version of the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset called the 7200 Pro, which is less powerful than the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 1 in the original model but provides decent mid-range performance.

Q & A

What is the nothing phone 2A and how does it differ from the original nothing phone?

The nothing phone 2A is a mid-range smartphone that aims to offer similar features to the original flagship nothing phone at a lower price. It includes a large battery, a competitive OLED display, and a solid chipset for its class, along with the unique design and light setup.

What is special about the design of the nothing phone 2A?

The nothing phone 2A features a see-through back that exposes the inner workings of the device, a horizontal camera bump, and a grippy back that collects smudges and dust easily. It also has an Ingress Protection rating of IP54 against dust and splashes of water.

How does the Glyph LED feature on the nothing phone 2A work?

The Glyph LEDs on the nothing phone 2A light up for different purposes such as notification alerts, a ring light for the cameras, or a countdown timer. They also provide visual feedback for volume control and charging, and users can control their behavior through a dedicated Glyph interface and create custom patterns/ringtones with the composer app.

What are the specifications of the nothing phone 2A's display?

The nothing phone 2A has a 6.7-inch 1080P OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. However, it lacks LTPO tech, meaning the refresh rate switching is less dynamic, offering a smooth 120Hz that drops to 60Hz when idle.

How does the nothing phone 2A perform in terms of audio?

The nothing phone 2A features a stereo speaker setup with a loudness rating of good and sound quality that is decent with clean mids and highs. There is also an under-display fingerprint reader that is snappy and reliable.

What is unique about the nothing OS 2.5 on the nothing phone 2A?

The nothing OS 2.5 running on top of Android 14 is quite close to stock Android in functionality but offers heavily customized aesthetics, including custom-looking monochromatic icons, pixelated fonts, and plenty of custom nothing widgets. Users can even turn the whole interface monochrome.

What kind of software support can users expect from the nothing phone 2A?

The nothing phone 2A will receive 3 years of software updates and four years of security patches, ensuring ongoing support and improvements for the device.

What is the chipset of the nothing phone 2A and how does it perform?

The nothing phone 2A uses a customized variation of the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 called the 7200 Pro, which is supposed to bring extra power efficiency. While it doesn't match the performance of the Snapdragon 8cx1 on the original nothing phone, it offers decent CPU and GPU scores for the mid-range class.

How does the battery life of the nothing phone 2A compare to its competitors?

The nothing phone 2A has a larger battery than the original at 5000mAh versus 4700mAh, and with the power-efficient chipset, it dominates battery life tests with an overall active use score of 15 hours and 53 minutes.

What are the charging capabilities of the nothing phone 2A?

The nothing phone 2A supports 45W charging, but there is no charger included in the box. With a proper adapter, it can charge from 0 to 59% in half an hour, and a full charge takes an hour and 3 minutes. Unlike the original, it does not support wireless charging.

What are the camera specifications and performance of the nothing phone 2A?

The nothing phone 2A features a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. The main camera captures 12.5MP photos with good detail and color saturation. In low light, it uses night mode processing for detailed and low-noise shots. The ultra-wide camera also captures 12.5MP stills with decent detail and dynamic range. The phone can record 4K video with good detail and low noise.

How does the selfie camera on the nothing phone 2A perform?

The selfie camera on the nothing phone 2A captures 32MP images that look very good overall, but up close, the skin may appear a bit artificial.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Introduction to the Nothing Phone 2A

The Nothing Phone 2A is a mid-range smartphone that offers a unique design and competitive features at a lower price point compared to its flagship predecessor. It comes with a large battery, a 6.7-inch 1080P OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and a solid chipset. The device features a see-through back, exposing its inner workings, and a horizontal camera bump. The Glyph LEDs on the back serve multiple functions, including notifications, a ring light for cameras, and volume control feedback. The phone also has an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, and runs on nothing OS 2.5, a near-stock Android experience with custom aesthetics and widgets. It offers 3 years of software updates and 4 years of security patches.

05:01

🔋 Battery Life and Camera Performance

The Nothing Phone 2A boasts a 5,000mAh battery, which, combined with its power-efficient chipset, delivers excellent battery life, scoring 15 hours and 53 minutes in active use. It supports 45W charging but does not include a charger in the box. The phone's camera setup includes a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera, with the latter lacking autofocus. The main camera captures detailed and vibrant photos with aggressive sharpening and good dynamic range. In low light, it uses night mode processing for detailed and low-noise shots. The ultra-wide camera also performs well, capturing decent photos and videos with good detail and dynamic range. The phone does not support wireless charging, and while it has some minor imperfections, it offers a unique design, good camera performance, and outstanding battery life, making it a solid mid-range option.

Keywords

💡mid-ranger

A 'mid-ranger' in the context of smartphones refers to a device that offers a balance between price and features, typically not as high-end as flagship models but more advanced than budget phones. In the video, the 'nothing phone 2A' is described as a unique looking mid-ranger, emphasizing its aim to provide features similar to the flagship 'nothing phone 2' at a more accessible price point.

💡OLED display

OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diodes, which is a type of display technology known for its high contrast ratios, energy efficiency, and ability to display deep blacks. The script mentions that the 'nothing phone 2A' features a 'competitive OLED display,' highlighting the quality of the screen as a key selling point of the device.

💡Gorilla Glass 5

Gorilla Glass 5 is a specific type of durable glass developed by Corning, designed to protect smartphone displays from scratches and damage. The video script notes that the 'nothing phone 2A' has a 6.7-inch 1080P OLED display 'with Gorilla Glass 5 protection,' which underscores the phone's robustness and resistance to daily wear and tear.

💡refresh rate

The refresh rate of a display refers to the number of times per second it can change the image that's being displayed. A higher refresh rate, like the 120 HZ mentioned in the script for the 'nothing phone 2A,' means smoother visuals, which is particularly beneficial for gaming and video playback.

💡glyph LEDs

Glyph LEDs are a distinctive feature of the 'nothing phone' series, used for various purposes such as notifications, ring lights for cameras, or visual feedback for volume control and charging. The script describes these as a unique selling point of the 'nothing phone 2A,' adding a layer of customization and personalization to the user experience.

💡Ingress Protection

Ingress Protection (IP) is an international standard that rates the degree of protection provided against intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water. The script states that the 'nothing phone 2A' has an IP54 rating, indicating that it is dustproof and can handle splashes of water, which is important for durability.

💡mediatech dimensity 7200

MediaTek Dimensity 7200 is a chipset used in smartphones, known for its performance and power efficiency. The script mentions a 'customized variation of the mediatech dimensity 7200 called the 7200 Pro' in the 'nothing phone 2A,' suggesting that the phone offers enhanced power efficiency while maintaining competitive performance for its class.

💡battery life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The video script emphasizes the 'nothing phone 2A's' impressive battery life, with an 'overall active use score of 15 hours and 53 minutes,' which is a significant advantage in the mid-range smartphone market.

💡ultra-wide camera

An ultra-wide camera is a type of camera lens that captures a wider field of view compared to a standard lens, often used for landscape photography or capturing more of a scene in a single shot. The script describes the 'nothing phone 2A' having a '50 megapixel Ultra wide cam,' which is an important feature for users looking to capture expansive images.

💡selfies

Selfies refer to self-portrait photographs, typically taken with a smartphone. The video mentions that the 'nothing phone 2A' is capable of capturing 'selfies which come out in 32 megapixels,' indicating that the front-facing camera offers high-resolution images for users who enjoy taking self-portraits.

Highlights

The nothing phone 2A is a mid-range smartphone with unique design and features at a lower price point compared to the flagship nothing phone 2.

It comes with a large battery, competitive OLED display, and a solid chipset for its class.

The phone features a see-through back design, exposing the inner workings of the device for a unique aesthetic.

The glyph LEDs on the phone light up for various purposes, including notifications, ring light for cameras, and volume control feedback.

The 6.7-inch 1080P OLED display has a 120 HZ refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection, similar to the nothing phone 2.

The display lacks LTPO tech, resulting in less dynamic refresh rate switching between 120 HZ and 60 HZ.

The nothing phone 2A has a stereo speaker setup with good loudness and decent sound quality.

It includes an under-display fingerprint reader that is snappy and reliable.

The phone offers 128 or 256 GB of non-expandable storage.

Runs on nothing OS 2.5 on top of Android 14, with a close-to-stock Android experience and heavily customized aesthetics.

The phone will receive 3 years of software updates and 4 years of security patches.

Equipped with a customized variation of the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 called the 7200 Pro for extra power efficiency.

The nothing phone 2A performs smoothly for day-to-day use and casual gaming.

It has a 5,000 mAh battery, larger than the nothing phone 2, contributing to excellent battery life.

Supports 45W charging, but no charger is included in the box, and wireless charging is not supported.

The camera setup includes a 50 MP main cam and a 50 MP ultra-wide cam, with differences from the nothing phone 2's setup.

The main camera captures solid photos with good detail and color, and performs well in low light with night mode processing.

The 50 MP ultra-wide camera also captures decent photos and performs well in low light and video capture.

The nothing phone 2A offers a lot of the flagship features at a lower price, making it a solid mid-ranger with unique design and good performance.

Transcripts

[Music]

here's a new unique looking mid-ranger

the nothing phone

2A besides the looks what's the deal

with this phone is it a solid mid-ranger

worth your cash I'm will for GSM Marina

and let's find out in our nothing phone

2A

[Music]

review the original nothing phone 2 came

out a while back and it was more of a FL

Flagship device now we have the nothing

phone 2A which is a mid-ranger that aims

to provide many similar features but at

a lower

price what you get here includes a large

battery a competitive OLED display and a

solid chipset for the class and of

course the unique design and light

setup just like the nothing phones 1 and

two the 2A has a see-through back which

exposes the inner workings of the device

most of these visible Parts be just for

show though you also get a horizontal

camera bump which you don't see often

these days we're not sure what the back

is made of it's grippy but collects

smudges and dust quite easily you get a

flat matte frame also of an unknown

material the phone feels solid and

comfortable in

hand and the nothing phone 2way does

have Ingress Protection rated at ip54

against dust and splashes of water it is

worth noting that while previous models

had a blinking red light on the back to

indicate video capture here there's a

red square but it's purely aesthetic

speaking of Lights if you've seen a

nothing phone before you might be aware

of this feature the glyph LEDs these

light up for different purposes you can

use them for notification alerts as a

ring light for the cameras or as a

countdown timer they also give visual

feedback for things like volume control

and

charging there's a dedicated glyph

interface for controlling their

behavior and you can use the composer

app to create custom glyph patterns /

ringtones now now let's go over the

display it's a 6.7 in 1080P OLED with a

120 HZ refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5

protection nearly identical to the

screen of the nothing phone 2 however

you don't get ltpo Tech here which means

that the refresh rate switching is a lot

less Dynamic you get a smooth 120 HZ

which drops down to 60 HZ when the phone

is idling to save

power we couldn't get games to run in

anything higher than 60fps here for some

reason the display itself looks good

it's plenty sharp and has support for

both 10bit color and HDR 10 plus

video the screen brightness is good too

we measured a maximum of over 660 nits

with a manual slider and this boosted to

nearly 1,000 nits in auto mode when in

bright conditions for audio there's a

stereo speaker setup these earn the

loudness rating of good and the sound

quality is pretty decent with clean mids

and highs and

sunbay I'm wide awake but

you're there's an under display

fingerprint reader on the nothing phone

2A and it's both Snappy and reliable and

the phone comes with 128 or 256 gigs of

storage which isn't expandable through

micr SD the interface of the nothing

phone 2way is nothing OS 2.5 running on

top of Android 14 it's quite close to

stock Android and functionality but you

get heavily customized

Aesthetics these include custom looking

monoch Chrome icons pixelated fonts and

plenty of custom nothing widgets too you

can even turn the whole interface

monochrome which is a nothing sort of

thing to

do there's interconnectivity and support

for various nothing earbuds through the

nothing X app and for software support

the nothing phone 2 away will get 3

years of software updates and four years

of security patches down the line the

chipset of the phone is a customized

variation of the mediatech dimensity

7200 called the 7200 Pro the

customization supposedly brings some

extra power efficiency but the details

are scarce of course it packs less punch

than what you get on the original

nothing phone 2 with this Snapdragon hn1

but that's expected in benchmarks the

nothing phone 2 way doesn't exactly

impress but the CPU and GPU scores are

decent and middle of the road for the

mid-range class in your day-to-day use

the nothing phone 2way is able to run

smoothly with no obvious hiccups

stutters or slowdowns it's good for some

casual gaming too the phone also boasts

a passive cooling system and

demonstrated great sustained performance

in our prolonged stress test with hardly

any

throttling like I mentioned before the

nothing phone 2A has a larger battery

than the nothing phone 2 at 5,000 mahs

versus

4700 that together with the power

efficient chipset helped the two-way

dominate our battery life tests with an

overall active use score of 15 hours and

53 minutes and the individual scores

were excellent across the board

too the phone supports 4 35 W charging

and there's no charger in the box with a

proper adapter we were able to charge

the 2way from 0 to 59% in half an hour

and a full charge took an hour and 3

minutes unlike the nothing phone 2 there

is no wireless charging support here on

the 2A now we have the cameras there's a

50 map main cam on the back together

with a 50 megap Ultra wide cam the setup

isn't exactly the same as the nothing

phone 2os the camera sensors are

different and the ultra wide cam here

lacks autofocus the two main camera

captures 12.5 map photos due to pixel

bending quality is solid but not perfect

there's a good amount of fine detail in

the frame but also quite a bit of rather

aggressive sharpening colors are on the

saturated side but look good the dynamic

range is good too when it comes to

people and faces the main camera does

pretty well skin tones come out looking

nice and

natural while there's no dedicated

telephoto cam the two times digital Zoom

from the main cam is nearly as good as

the regular shots

in low light the nothing phone 2A will

use night mode processing automatically

the shots have plenty of detail in the

frame and pretty low noise Shadows are

welldeveloped and so are highlights

light sources are reasonably well

contained but could be

better the 4K video from the main camera

looks pretty great detail is good and

there's practically no noise colors are

a bit on the saturated side and the

dynamic range and contrast are good all

of the cameras have electronic stabiliz

enabled by default on the main cam you

can notice some Wobble the main camera

captures solid low light videos with

plenty of detail and well-developed

shadows and highlights some surfaces are

a bit grainy but it's nothing too

severe like the main cam the 50

megapixel Ultra wide cam also captures

12.5 megap Stills these are decent with

okay detail colors and dynamic

range in low light the photos are again

decent the detail is good and the dyamic

range is is surprisingly good with

well-developed shadows and

highlights the ultra wide cam also does

well with video capture 4K Clips have

great detail for this sort of

camera and now we have selfies which

come out in 32 megapixels these look

very good overall but from up close the

skin does look a bit

artificial so that's the nothing phone

2A it delivers a lot of what we liked

from the flagship nothing phone 2 for a

much lower price overall over all it's a

solid mid-ranger with a unique design a

nice display a decent chipset and good

camera performance and the battery life

blows the competition away it's not

perfect there are a few nitpicks here

and there but overall this is one of the

more unique mid-rangers around and it's

worth

recommending thanks for watching guys

here are some alternatives to the

nothing phone 2A on our channel the

xiaomi redmi note 13 Pro in the Samsung

Galaxy

A35 let us know what you think and I'll

see you on the next one