Four years after the launch of the amazing Nothing Phone, the third generation of this model now arrives. The bet remains the same: a smartphone with a design that is well differentiated from the rest and notable technological equipment. These are the arguments of the Nothing Phone (2nd) to gain a foothold in the market within the mid-range mobile segment.
At the outset, we can say that this model competes directly with telephones Google by having clean software within the Android ecosystem. But he also tries to overshadow the Xiaomi through a really competitive sales price. In this post we are going to analyze all these aspects in more detail to be able to assess the potential of this phone to the fullest extent.
An important element to understand the possibilities and real intentions of Nothing is its business strategy. The current smartphone market is saturated with brands and models. Many times, we find the same formulas repeated, with very similar technological proposals. In such a disputed environment, some manufacturers understand that the most effective thing is to try to differentiate themselves from the rest, to create a unique and inimitable image.
Everything indicates that this has been achieved with the Nothing Phone (2a), the third model manufactured by the brand. A mobile phone that, due to its aesthetics and technical characteristics, presents its own and perfectly recognizable proposal.
Integrated
Nothing's marketing managers assure that the design of the Nothing Phone (2a) is exactly what its creators had in mind when they launched the Nothing Phone in 2022. No premium materials have been used to avoid increasing the final price of the product, so the body is made of polycarbonate, with finishes in different textures: softer on the frames and shiny on the back.
The rear camera module is circular and is surrounded by three thin strips of LED lights. On the lower half of the back there is an "S" shaped stripe. In general, the touch of the mobile phone is pleasant, offering a comfortable and ergonomic grip.
Screen
The front part is occupied entirely by a panel 6,7-inch flexible AMOLED, protected by a Gorilla Glass 5 glass. Although the refresh rate reaches 120 Hz (a figure above the average of other mobile phones in its segment), it can be optionally reduced to 30 Hz to save energy.
In addition to the brightness (700 nits on average and a maximum of 1.300 nits) and the resolution, it should be noted that the screen of this smartphone has a fingerprint reader quite reliable.
Processor and battery
The Phone 2a is the brand's first mobile phone to incorporate a Mediatek chipset. Specifically, it is the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, a processor that guarantees optimal performance both in regular tasks and for gaming sessions. To highlight its impeccable thermal management, with an effective heat dissipation system.
The processor is associated with two different memory configurations, depending on the version: 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. Refering to battery, has a capacity of 5.000 mAh, with 45W fast charging that allows a total recharge to be completed in one hour and fifteen minutes.
Cameras
In the photographic section, this mobile phone presents exactly the same configuration that was already seen in the previous model, the Nothing Phone 2. This is a 32 MP front camera and a set of rear cameras consisting of two 50 MP lenses: a main one with ƒ/1.88 aperture and optical image stabilizer plus a secondary ultra-wide-angle camera.
Overall, the performance of these cameras is quite good. The tool TrueLens Engine applies advanced photographic algorithms to give realism to the details of each photo. Other interesting features are the night mode, the motion capture assistant or the portrait optimizer. All this puts the Phone 2a above its mid-range rivals.
Other features of the Nothing Phone (2a)
The operating system of this mobile is Nothing OS 2.5, based on Android 14. Glyph interface, present in the previous model, works as a notification system and offers a certain degree of customization, such as the possibility of choosing a dynamic wallpaper or deciding what type of notifications to receive.
Another aspect to highlight is the vibration motor (linear haptic motor) that works in conjunction with the Glyph lighting system at the rear. Perhaps more spectacular than useful, but certainly very unique.
Nothing Phone (2a) – Technical sheet
Just taking a quick look at the list of specifications for the Nothing Phone (2a), we already realize that it is a model that aims to be different from the rest, although without deviating too much from traditional equipment:
- DIMENSIONS: 161,74 x 76,32 x 8,55 mm.
- WEIGHT: 190 grams.
- SCREEN: 6,7-inch flexible AMOLED, 1.084 x 2.412 resolution, maximum brightness of 1.300 nits and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.
- PROCESSOR: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, 4nm
- RAM MEMORY: 8 GB / 12 GB.
- STORAGE: 128 GB / 256 GB.
- FRONT CAMERA: 32 MP, f/2.45
- REAR CAMERAS:
- Main: 50 MP, f/1.88, OIS.
- Ultra wide angle: 50 MP; f/2.2
- BATTERY: 5000 mAh, with 45W fast charging.
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 14 / Nothing OS 2.5.
- CONNECTIVITY: EiFi az, Bluetooth 5.3, DualSIM, 5G, LTE, NFC
- OTHER HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES: Fingerprint reader under the screen, IP54, Double stereo speaker, LED Glyph interface.
- PRICE: From 329 euros.
Price and Availability
Two versions of the Nothing Phone (2a) and three colors: black, milk and white (the latter can only be purchased in the official online store). Sales will open on March 12, 2014. These are the prices that, taking into account the characteristics of the model, are very economical:
- Nothing Phone (2a) 8 GB /128 GB: 329 euros.
- Nothing Phone (2a) 12 GB /256 GB: 379 euros.
About Nothing
Nothing Technology Limited is a British electronics manufacturer based in London. The company was founded by Carl Pei, who is in turn co-founder of the Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus.
The first of its products that was launched on the market was a model of wireless headphones called Nothing EAR, in 2021. The following year the Nothing Phone appeared, a precursor to the model that we have discussed in this entry. As a curiosity, it should be noted that this company also manufactures other products outside the electronics segment, such as BEER beer (5,1%), marketed only in the United Kingdom.