Nothing Phone (2) Review: Small changes make a big difference
Nothing has finally unveiled the second generation of their distinctive mobile phone. Their first mobile, Phone (1) grabbed a lot of attention, for its eye-grabbing, industrial-looking design.
The aptly named Phone (2) despite its name and boosted specs isn’t a replacement for Phone (1) the new device will be a more premium smartphone.
It keeps the transparent back and unique lighting system as well as many other similarities but a closer look reveals while they look alike, Phone (2) is a very different animal.
Unique Design
Nothing has a strongly established style and Phone (2) sticks to this, with its flat, chunky build and semi-transparent back. Tech geeks will love the unique design, but the clear rear doesn’t bare all the phone's secrets.
Constructed with aluminium and glass, Phone (2) feels solid and smooth, but it tends to attract mucky fingerprints which can spoil the sleek appearance. The slightly curved back offers more comfort but has a habit of sliding off sofas and tables.
Thankfully that shouldn’t be an issue as it's reinforced with Gorilla Glass 5 on both the screen and back, and it has an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance.
The Phone (2)'s design may look familiar (Nothing)Phone (2) is only 2mm taller than Phone (1) at 161mm tall and 76.4mm wide. It is slightly thinner at 8.6mm, but it is also heavier, weighing 201g. Despite this, it feels comfortable to use.
However, I was surprised Nothing didn’t opt for a more radical design like having more visible internals, a new shape or colour. Not that I dislike the look, it just makes Phones 1 and 2 harder to tell apart.
The transparent back highlights the Glyph system. This series of LEDs on the back lights up to create a pattern so your phone can be face down and then silently start flashing and you'll know who is calling. While I never found this particularly useful, it does look cool and makes a great soft light for portraits.
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(James Ide)Nothing has added a more sophisticated Glyph system for Phone (2) with the lights slightly more segmented and brighter giving you more control.
The best feature of this is the timer function which lights up one element and then ticks down as a visual timer, it’s a great idea and came in handy when I was in video meetings.
While third-party support is currently limited it does support Uber giving you a visual representation of when your car will arrive which is handy for swift getaways.
Nothing Phone (2) Screen
The display is a flat 6.7-inch OLED, panel that supports a resolution of 2412 x 1080, which is nearly indistinguishable from Phone (1) but still very sharp and clear. There is also a reduction in bezels, which are now uniform in size, so it won’t have a big chin.
It’s also brighter than before, with Phone (2) reaching 1600 nits of brightness 200 nits brighter than Phone (1) and it supports HDR10+ which offers crisper contrast, vivid colours and darker blacks.
The screen sports a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, which makes games look more fluid while navigating the phone feels smoother, but it can lower the refresh rate when not needed to save battery.
Specifications
(James Ide)The Nothing phone has undergone a significant processor upgrade, now featuring the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. While it's a substantial improvement over the previous 778+ chip, it falls slightly short of the latest Gen 2 found in devices like the Samsung S23 and OnePlus 11.
Gamers will be delighted with Phone (2) as the processor is designed to handle demanding mobile gaming and can easily deal with most tasks you throw at it.
The new CPU delivers noticeable speed improvements, reducing app opening times by approximately 80% compared to Phone (1).
It also offers faster loading times, improved responsiveness, quicker file browsing, and enhanced performance in video capture and photography.
In benchmark tests, Phone (2) achieved commendable scores. It scored 1708 for single-core and 4490 for multi-core performance in Geekbench 6, placing it ahead of the Samsung Flip 4 and Fold 4 but behind the iPhone 14. In 3DMark, it trailed behind the OnePlus 11 but outperformed the 10T and 10 Pro.
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But benchmarks aren't everything, tasks like gaming, opening apps, and working with 4K videos were all incredibly smooth and fast, making the Phone (2) a capable device for day-to-day usage.
The phone offers three storage options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Unfortunately, there is no expandable microSD storage.
I loved the texture and details on the back of the phone (James Ide)Battery Life
For battery Phone (2) is a 4700 mAh cell, larger than the last model but it also has a more efficient CPU and that lasted longer than I expected at around 21 hours of playback.
Thanks to its 45W fast charging it can get up to 50% charge in 19 mins and a full charge in 53 minutes meaning it can be topped up and ready in no time, However, but doesn’t come with any charging brick. If you don’t mess with cables it also supports 15W wireless charging too.
Camera Quality
While the cameras may look the same as its predecessor with its modest dual-camera setup, it has received multiple hardware and software enhancements.
These upgrades result in improved dynamic range, making light and shadow look more lifelike. The new camera and CPU can transmit more data, reducing compression and preserving image quality.
The newer 50MP, Sony IMX890 main camera is the same as the OnePlus 11 and it is accompanied by a 50MP wide-angle lens and a 32MP front-facing camera, perfect for selfies and video calls.
While pictures are downsampled to 12MP you change this default option to use the full 50MP to create even more detailed shots.
Image quality was solid with great colour reproduction however, it was not without its flaws. Some pictures tended to be darker with higher contrast occasionally resulting in inaccurate shots.
Low-light photography was impressive, with the camera maintaining good image quality and improved stabilization for moving subjects, especially in low-light conditions.
Phone (2) passed the puppy test, offering clear and sharp images (James Ide)Furthermore, video capabilities have been enhanced supporting up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, with improved stabilization to ensure smooth footage.
Software
Phone (2) runs on the brand-new Nothing OS 2.0. This operating system offers enhancements in design, performance, and customization.
Built on Android 13, it provides a minimal yet stylish interface, making it familiar to Android users. Phone (2) also avoids bloatware, keeping it clean and streamlined.
The Glyph Composer app is included allowing users to create personalized visual and sound ringtones. Ongoing updates will introduce new sounds and tones, featuring artists such as Swedish House Mafia and others in the future.
The dot matrix font, monochromatic appearance, and 8-bit notification sounds will appeal to tech geeks and give Phone (2) a unique identity, while the improved integration of Nothing's aesthetic into the OS ensures a consistent and satisfying user experience.
Users have the flexibility to remove the Google search bar and app titles, and even add a fifth column of apps to their home screen.
Additionally, the "Cloned Apps" feature allows duplication of apps for separate account usage, such as personal and work Gmail accounts.
For added security, "App Locker" enables setting a PIN for specific apps. The option to use the "Nothing Icon Pack" provides an incredibly minimal, monochrome look, but navigation is a pain without coloured icons.
The monochrome layout is an excellent choice for those aiming to reduce screen time (James ide)Price
While the Phone (2) is more expensive that’s to be expected given the higher specs of this device and the improved build.
There are three models available:
8GB / 128GB - £579
12GB / 256GB - £629
12GB / 512GB - £699
This puts the Nothing phone in the same category as The older OnePlus 10T, the entry-level Samsung Galaxy A54 and the new Honor 90, with the Phone (2) coming out ahead here.
Nothing Phone 2 Verdict 4/5
Phone (2) feels much more like the Nothing Phone I always wanted; I just wish they'd included a zoom lens and pushed the design a little further to set it apart from its predecessor.
Despite this, the Nothing Phone (2) is juggling a lot, offering a great design, flagship performance and a much better integrated OS, all for less than the Pixel 7 Pro or Samsung S23.
While some may be disappointed that it looks the same as Phone (1) there's so much more fantastic hardware and software under the hood, that makes the Nothing Phone better than ever.
Nothing Phone (2) starts at £579 and is available on the Nothing website and directly from the Nothing store
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