Nothing Phone (2a) evaluation

I have always loved Nothing Phone. These days, they appear to be taking up a lot of space left by several well-known Android manufacturers: high-performing Android devices that don't cost the equivalent of a month's rent.

Nothing Phone (2a) closes that gap stylishly, with a brilliant OLED screen, very respectable gaming and emulation performance, and, of course, Nothing's signature light-up back panel. The Nothing Phone (2a) has some cost-cutting design elements, such a plastic back cover in place of glass and fewer rear LEDs, but they don't compromise the device's overall quality. So, is this a potential addition to our ranking of the most inexpensive gaming phones? Let's investigate.

Cost and Accessibility

On March 12, 2024, the Nothing Phone (2a) was formally released, with availability across the majority of the globe. The Nothing Phone (2a), which is only accessible via the Nothing Developer Programme, had a restricted release in the US. It's only an additional step in the process, so don't freak out if you're not a coder. After being approved, you'll get a link that lets you purchase the phone.

With a 12GB/256GB variant selling for £349/$349 and an 8GB/128GB model retailing for £319—sorry, US people, this one isn't available for you—the Nothing Phone (2a) is a truly low-cost Android smartphone. Nevertheless, the Nothing Phone (2a) is the obvious victor because to its specifications, performance, and camera; the more potent (and, let's be honest, more useful) variant is still a snap.

The Nothing Phone (2a) had some supply problems when it was launched, and Nothing CEO Carl Pei said that the firm was running out of supplies as a result of tremendous demand. Early in May 2024, Pei shared on X that although "most SKUs are out of stock," "product is ramping up in May and June" to ensure availability.

Yes, the Nothing Phone (2a) is accessible in the majority of nations, although you may need to pre-order and wait for it to arrive due to supply limitations.

Specifications

Software and Features

Out of the box, the Nothing Phone (2a) runs Nothing OS 2.5, which as of this writing has been upgraded to Nothing OS 2.5.5. With the release of the current major update, Nothing OS now has ChatGPT integrations, including speech functionality via Ear (a) and Nothing Ear, as well as a widget for the ChatGPT home screen.

I had doubts about the value of ChatGPT integration until OpenAI unveiled their massive Spring Update package, which included an improvement to multi-modal conversations. The widget doesn't actually accomplish much other than send you directly to the ChatGPT app, although a little bit quicker. However, the possibility of initiating a fresh voice discourse has become far more intriguing. For those who wish to utilise ChatGPT as the ultimate virtual assistant, nothing OS's greater integration (gesture to initiate a new ChatGPT chat) sets them apart.

Nothing OS makes a comeback with its striking visual style, which includes dot matrix graphics, monochromatic logos and icons, and vibrant backdrops, outside of ChatGPT integrations. Nothing's design first highlights its large folders and widgets, which is useful if you have a favourite collection of applications (such grouping your favourite games together, for example), but I personally like a simpler home screen with the essentials.

Ignore my rants about minimalism—the strong sense of style is what makes Nothing so eye-catching.

The Nothing X app, which is useful for customising your Nothing earphones and providing ChatGPT communication for users of Ear and Ear (a), is also returning with Nothing 2.5. Naturally, the Glyph Composer is also there to assist in controlling the back LED Glyphs. Additionally, a new function called RAM Booster converts unused storage memory into virtual memory, much as Windows' paging file does. Although it allows me to run many programmes at once, I didn't think it had a significant impact on gameplay.

The Adaptive NTFS technology made possible by the Dimensity 7200 Pro processor of the Nothing Phone (2a) will now appeal to enthusiastic Android games. There is no guarantee that Adaptive NTFS will speed up file transfers from Windows devices by 100%, but it will definitely speed up the transfer of game files, pictures, and other types of data. Considering the restrictions of USB 2.0 and the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) used by Android devices, a faster transfer rate is a great idea.

It seems quick enough to move different huge ISOs from an NTFS disc to the Nothing Phone (2a). On the Nothing Phone (2a), for instance, an 8.3GB ISO took 3 minutes and 15 seconds to transfer. However, it took exactly the same length of time on my Nothing Phone (2), so it's hard to tell.

Apart than that, however, Nothing modifies the Android operating system with bloatware, something that many other businesses may take a cue from.

Nothing provides up to three years of software support and four years of security updates in terms of software support. Though not as good as industry leaders like Samsung and Google Pixel, this is nonetheless respectable.

Design

Smartphones without style are nothing at all. In comparison to the Phone (1) and Nothing Phone (2), the Nothing Phone (2a) is more basic. Everything is plastic; no glass nor metal are there. Nevertheless, the Nothing Phone (2a) keeps its signature bendy connections and see-through design, with its transparent back panel letting its three embedded LED Glyphs show through. since of this, it weighs less than those other gadgets, which is beneficial for gaming since it lessens tiredness.

It feels good and expensive because to its smooth, sleek polycarbonate frame that has elegantly rounded corners. In addition, I don't think I'll drop the Nothing Phone (2a); its build material should make it more resilient to falls and drops (though I didn't test this theory).

I always put my cellphones in cases right away, and the Nothing Phone (2a) was no exception. However, given normal wear and tear, I can see the back panel being scratched very readily. Additionally, it's a huge magnet for dust and fingerprints, so you'll need to spend time cleaning it.

The Phone (2a) stands out because to its unique central camera housing design. The camera module's centre placement has been very convenient for me since it makes it seem like I'm always precisely aligned with what I'm photographing. Though it's really just a little change from the standard camera position in the top-left corner (as with most contemporary smartphones), the distinction is noticeable.

And you're entirely correct, those who believe that the Nothing Phone (2a) camera resembles a set of eyeballs. It is fascinating and visually striking, which is a deliberate design choice made by the Nothing team, however I can see why some people find it offensive.

Display

The 6.7-inch AMOLED display on the Nothing Phone (2a) is rather good. Scrolling, typing, and gaming are all done with good responsiveness, and its 30-120Hz variable refresh rate helps to save battery life when required. It lacks LTPO, which is to be anticipated for a model that is more cost-conscious and not really a miss.Games and movies appear crisp thanks to its 1080 x 2412 (394 ppi) resolution and HDR10+ support. Its peak brightness of 1,300 nits isn't particularly high, but it's more than enough in most circumstances. It's wonderful that it's more than the Nothing Phone 1.Standard and Alive are the two main screen colour options; the latter increases saturation and other aspects of the image to make it seem more vibrant. I remained with Standard. Within each option, you can also change the colour of the screen by dragging a slider between warm and cool to change the balance of colours.Cameras

All smartphones, including the more affordable ones, place a high value on camera performance. The 50MP 1/1.56′′ wide with an f/1.9 aperture and OIS and the 50MP 1/2.76′′ ultrawide with an f/2.2 aperture and 144-degree viewing angle are the two cameras on the Nothing Phone (2a), which is well enough for the pricing category. Although the Nothing Phone (2a) cameras' general performance astonished me, there were moments when they lacked detail.I'm not referring to the situation where almost all phones suffer when you zoom in too much. It was unexpected that picture details would sometimes turn a little fuzzy. For instance, the focus blurring is very noticeable in this beautiful picture of two Maybugs perched on a pink rose.Comparably, even though I took this picture of the beach straight into the sun, it is little overexposed and sharpened. However, it results in an unsatisfactory edited effect.But most of the time, like in this picture of Penzance, Cornwall's Jubilee Pool Lido, the colours seem vivid and alive, perfectly portraying the setting.Night photography and photography in less ideal lighting conditions were also excellent. Like many nighttime photography settings, it recorded a decent variety of illumination but suffered from overexposure in certain areas.Even if the Nothing Phone (2a) cameras have a few problems, the quality is still excellent at this cheap point.

Achievement

Despite being a low-cost smartphone, the Nothing Phone (2a) has a strong enough MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro CPU to do a variety of tasks, including gaming.Overall, the Nothing Phone (2a) performed well, returning a respectable 30FPS while playing Final Fantasy 10 in AetherSX2. God of War 2 had a few more occasional drops in frame rate, but it was still quite enjoyable, particularly with an extra controller. Both emulated PS1 and Wii games worked flawlessly, however not nearly as smoothly as the PS1 games.Grid Autosport performed well in other areas (again using an external controller), but it did use a lot of battery life—roughly 15 to 20 percent in an hour.To put it briefly, the Nothing Phone (2a) is capable of doing almost all tasks, but it won't be able to run the most demanding games at 60 frames per second. Which, to be fair, is perfect for a smartphone that's on a tight budget. It also implies that games with lesser performance run like a dream.

Battery

The Nothing Phone (2a) has an amazing hardware lineup, and its 5,000mAh battery is both greater than most other cellphones and comparable to many premium models. With a 45W wired connection, it can charge quickly; however, delayed charging times will occur if your power supply isn't compatible with Power Delivery 3.0.The absence of wireless charging is the only drawback. It's not a problem for me since I've always used wires charging, but given how many other people use it, it seems like a mistake. This was probably a cost-cutting measure, which is understandable given that everyone has a thousand USB-C charging cords these days, but it will still be missed.All day long, I discovered that the Nothing Phone (2a) was very power-efficient, even while hotspotting, making video calls, snapping pictures, playing games, and more. With an all-day battery, the Phone (2a) achieves the desired result.

Is it wise to get the Nothing Phone (2a)?

The Nothing Phone (2a) is unquestionably the best option if you're looking for a low-cost smartphone with mid-range functionality. Who wouldn't want to get more value for their money when purchasing a new phone?Nothing's smartphones consistently perform well, and I like how they somewhat changed course from the Nothing Phone 2 to the Phone (2a) in order to fit a different price range. Not only is it affordable, but it also has a tonne of special features that are very helpful and don't break the bank.Its distinctive look alone makes it worthwhile, but its long battery life, minimalist Nothing OS, excellent screen, and well-tuned performance make it well worth the price.

Options

Is Nothing Phone (2a) not to your liking? Instead, give these a try.

Poco X6 Pro

When I first saw the Poco X6 Pro, I was at MWC 2024 and fell in love with its vivid yellow back panel straight away. Don't worry, it's also available in grey or black. In addition to its striking colour, this low-cost smartphone has a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 8300-Ultra CPU, a 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen with 1,800 nits of brightness, a 5,000mAh battery, and three cameras.The Tecno Pova 6 Pro 5G is a device.It's interesting to note that the Tecno's Pova 6 Pro 5G, another smartphone I tested out at MWC 2024, is a fantastic choice for anyone on a tight budget. priced from £200 to £300 (there is a large price variation). Although its MediaTek Dimensity 6080 5G isn't as powerful as the Nothing Phone (2a), it still comes with a dazzling 6.78-inch 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED display, 256GB of storage, 12GB of RAM, the smoothest back panel you've ever seen, and embedded LED lighting surrounding the rear camera housing.