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Nothing Phone 2a Evaluation: Raising the standard for affordable smartphones in 2024
Nothing possesses an impressive product with the Phone 2a, which is expected to have high sales. Besides equipping the Phone 2a with robust features and a spectacular AMOLED screen, Nothing has set a highly competitive price for the device.
Advantages: – High-end design for its cost – Robust construction and superior quality – Luminous and colorful screen – Numerous personalization choices – No unnecessary software – Steady operation – Impressive battery longevity – The glyph user interface is as thrilling now as it was for the first model – One of the top mobile phones in its price range.
Drawbacks: The plastic back can easily slide. The back panel is vulnerable to smears and scuffs. The camera's HDR functionality could use some improvement. It utilizes UFS 2.2 storage. The package doesn't include a charger.
Score: 4.25 out of 5. Cost: The basic 8GB+128GB model is priced at Rs 23,999.
The primary complaint about the Nothing Phone 2 revolved around its steep cost, even though it boasted robust tech, excellent efficiency, a top-notch screen, a multitude of software capabilities, and a captivating look. Consumers believed it was excessively priced.
After learning from past experiences, Nothing's newest product, the Phone 2a, is now available at a more reasonable cost. But its selling point isn't only its lower price. The Phone 2a stands out due to its high-end design that draws the eye and the user-centric software, which provides value exceeding its cost.
The Phone 2a continues the tradition of its forerunners, the Nothing Phone 1 and Nothing Phone 2, by maintaining a unique and genuinely eccentric approach, without getting into a contest of technical specifications.
Nonetheless, there are significant trade-offs, such as the incorporation of USF 2.2 storage and the decision to provide a clear back cover within this cost bracket. Hence, the issue we need to consider is: do these trade-offs undermine the overall quality of the device, or are they insignificant enough to be ignored?
Review of Nothing Phone 2a: Structure
The recent launch of the Nothing Phone 2a by Nothing is quite exceptional. Regardless of its affordable cost, this gadget continues to exude an incredibly luxurious touch.
The Phone 2a, despite its noticeable differences from the Phone 2, retains the same defining feature that made the Phone 2 one of the most aesthetically pleasing smartphones of the previous year. The Phone 2a maintains a highly refined design, incorporating a see-through back panel that allows users to glimpse into the inner workings of the device. They can admire numerous intricate details such as the coiled NFC wraps, some scattered labels, and the many tiny screws.
Indeed, you will continue to have access to the enhanced Glyph interface.
In order to maintain affordability, Nothing has made a few trade-offs. The Glyph Interface on the rear has been streamlined and the Phone 2a now comes with only three LED strips. The wireless charging coils have also been removed. However, a positive aspect is that the phone comes with IP54 dust and water resistance.
Despite a decrease in the quantity of LED strips in the Glyph Interface, their capabilities remain equivalent to their predecessors. The LED lights continue to inform users about alerts from different applications, countdown timers, timers for delivery and ride-booking apps, and more, all of which can be tailored to the user's preference.
The rear cover's shiny finish tends to attract smudges quickly, regardless of whether your hands are greasy or not. Since it isn't as sturdy as glass, it's prone to scratching. On the darker version, all the scratches and smudgy fingerprints stand out; however, on the white models, these blemishes are much less noticeable.
Similar to earlier models from the London-based company, the Nothing Phone 2a features a see-through back panel. However, instead of clear glass, it employs a polycarbonate sheet. Even though the back panel retains a glass-like appearance and feels rather luxurious, it does not provide the same durability as glass.
The positioning and design of the dual camera array has been changed as well. The camera system is now located at the center of the top half of the phone, directly over the NFC coil. Instead of a sharp cutout for the camera protrusion, the polycarbonate panel now smoothly curves around it with a slight angle.
The arrangement of buttons and ports includes the power button on the right and the volume controls on the left, all conveniently accessible even with one-handed use. The device also features a USB Type-C port located at the base, which is accompanied by speaker vents and a slot for the SIM card.
Moving to the front, the phone features a 6.7-inch screen, surrounded by uniformly slim bezels, which are noticeably slimmer than those on earlier models from Nothing. This lends the Nothing Phone 2a a significantly more upscale appearance.
Nothing underscores its dedication to eco-friendliness by utilizing completely recycled aluminium for the phone's middle framework. Additionally, the phone is built using tin, copper foil, steel, and plastic. The outcome is a robust and weighty-feeling device.
Review of Nothing Phone 2a: Screen Quality
Typically, smartphones within this cost range fail to deliver high-quality screens. Most notably, the viewing perspective and color representation are often subpar for phones under Rs 25,000. However, the Nothing Phone 2a stands out for its exceptional display quality in this price category.
The Phone 2a boasts an impressive 6.7-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1084X2412. The screen is framed by symmetrical bezels on all sides, giving it an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Furthermore, it features an adaptive refresh rate of 30-120Hz, ensuring crystal-clear visuals whether you're browsing text-heavy pages or streaming videos on your favorite platform. This feature also enhances the gaming experience on the device.
The Phone 2a by Nothing boasts an astounding maximum brightness of 1300 nits, which really stands out when the HDR video feature is activated in the display settings. The brightness maintains its impressiveness, even when exposed to direct sunlight.
In these configurations, users can conveniently toggle between the vibrant "Alive" and the typical "Standard" color modes, and also adjust the color temperature to their preference. However, it's important to note that the display lacks DCI-P3 coverage.
The HDR mode is turned on as a standard setting, resulting in remarkably vivid colours that enhance the display and significantly improve the visual experience. Even when the mode is changed to "Standard", the colours remain vibrant, guaranteeing an engaging viewing experience. We were notably struck by the intense, rich deep blacks and how well they were preserved even at unusual viewing angles.
In addition, the screen is safeguarded with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, offering strong defense against unintentional falls and scrapes. The Nothing Phone 2a stands out with its rich black hues, vibrant colors, and wide viewing perspectives, providing an engaging visual experience.
Additionally, a fingerprint sensor is included below the screen, which operates swiftly and reacts promptly.
In general, the Nothing Phone 2a's screen is remarkable for its bright hues, captivating images, and sturdy construction, garnering our commendation unreservedly.
Review of Nothing Phone 2a: CameraThe Nothing Phone 2a is equipped with a dual-camera setup, which is quite standard for this price range. It comes with a 50MP camera that has OIS and an f/1.88 aperture, along with another 50MP sensor that features an ultra-wide lens, providing a broad 114-degree viewing angle. On the front, it houses the same 32MP selfie camera as seen in the Phone 2.
The camera application from Nothing is easy to use and intuitive. It provides all the functions within easy reach, and the most commonly adjusted settings are just a swipe away. It boasts a host of diverse camera modes, such as Slow-motion, Time-lapse, Portrait, Night mode, Motion capture, Panorama mode, and so on. Moreover, there's an Expert Mode for those who desire fine-tuned control. Plus, there's an option to shoot in raw format for those who want to have a thorough photo editing process.
Another area where the cameras excel is in HDR. The company Nothing has created a sophisticated HDR software called Ultra HDR, developed jointly with Google.
During ample sunlight, the primary camera performs quite well, generating vivid colors and crisp, detailed images, provided you adjust the exposure of your photos adequately while using HDR mode. This is particularly noticeable when capturing images directly facing the sun, or any other intense light source, as it occasionally overexposes the brighter areas.
Conversely, the ultra-wide camera managed to perform well in most circumstances, even those that were highly demanding. It consistently achieved the right exposure without requiring much input from us, largely due to its exceptional dynamic range.
Under dim lighting, the primary camera continued to function effectively, capturing detailed images with clear, crisp colors without making the photos overly vibrant. Regarding the ultra-wide camera, it also functioned fairly well in both bright and low light conditions, although the color portrayal deviated a bit from that of the main camera.
The Nothing Phone 2a is capable of video recording in 1080p resolution at 30 and 60 frames per second, and can also record in 4K albeit at a limited 30 frames per second. The quality of videos shot at 1080p/60fps is remarkably crisp and precise, even in poorly lit environments, and they maintain stability. This makes them ideal for dynamic scenarios such as walking or filming while on the move in a vehicle.
Videos with 4K/30fps resolution might appear somewhat unstable despite their high quality. The phone offers a particular feature named "action mode" to improve steadiness, however, it's only accessible for 1080p/30fps recording.
Additionally, users have the option to select between standard H.264 and H.265 video encoding.
While the Nothing Phone 2a's camera may not be the best in its price bracket, it outperforms what most competitors offer at this rate. If you're often snapping pictures during daylight hours, you're likely to be satisfied with the image quality it delivers.
Click here to view some sample pictures captured with the Phone 2a.
Review of Nothing Phone 2a: Overall Functionality, User Interface and Software Experience. The Nothing Phone 2a is equipped with a fairly efficient processor for its cost. Nothing has collaborated with MediaTek to modify the Dimensity 7200, rebranding it as the Dimensity 7200 Pro.
Even though it upholds the same peak clock speed of 2.8 GHz, the adjustments seem to focus on effectiveness. Combined with a maximum of 12GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB UFS 2.2 storage, the phone's overall performance is commendable, with the only drawback being the pace of the storage.
The performance of the chipset is fairly robust for its category. Although it may not lead in benchmark scores, the Nothing Phone 2a demonstrates its efficacy as an everyday device. Throughout the testing phase, I didn't experience any notable delays or glitches with the phone. On the whole, it provides a seamless user experience, partially due to its display.
In our evaluations, the Phone 2a exhibited minimal thermal slowdown, even when running high-demand games such as Call of Duty: Mobile and BGMI. Furthermore, it remained relatively cool even after being used for gaming for approximately thirty minutes.
The standout feature of the Nothing Phone 2a is its operating system, the Nothing OS 2.5, rooted in Android 14. In recent years, numerous significant enhancements have been made to the Nothing OS since its initial launch. It ranks among the top Android interfaces available. Despite its simple design, it boasts a wealth of features. Its animations are fast, everyday functions operate seamlessly, and it comes with unique features like an AI Wallpaper Generator and Glyph Composer. Additionally, it provides an array of widgets designed by Nothing.
A significant advantage is the lack of unnecessary software. Your phone won't be filled with third-party applications or intrusive advertisements. It will only contain a handful of Nothing apps, along with the usual Google ones. This is quite uncommon, particularly for mid-tier phones.
In terms of updates, Nothing is going full throttle with the Phone 2a. While we were reviewing it, we received two updates that enhanced the camera's capabilities. Nothing has also made a commitment to provide three years of operating system updates and four years of security updates for the Phone 2a.
The Nothing Phone 2a features a 5000 mAh battery, the biggest that Nothing has ever incorporated in a phone. This results in impressive battery life. With extensive use that included streaming numerous videos, playing games, and snapping plenty of pictures, the device consistently lasted for about two days.
You can deplete the Nothing Phone 2a's battery in a day, but it would require deliberate effort. For regular users, the device will likely last an entire day without needing a recharge.
It's disappointing to note that in an effort to reduce expenses, Nothing has decided not to include a charger in the package. In addition, there's no option for wireless charging.
The gadget can handle 45W charging, which is pretty standard, especially when compared to other gadgets that provide significantly higher charging rates. Using a 60W charger, we managed to fully charge the gadget from empty to full in approximately an hour. While this speed is okay for the majority of users, there will be some who will be disheartened by the absence of ultra-fast charging options.
Review of Nothing Phone 2a: ConclusionNothing has truly outdone themselves with this amazing product. The Phone 2a indeed establishes a fresh standard for budget smartphones. Along the way, it also reveals many smartphone makers who are vying for a place in this market.
The Nothing Phone 2a offers excellent worth for its cost, particularly if you can purchase it for Rs 19,999. It combines strong, reliable functionality, impressive features, and a remarkable design. It operates effectively in daily use, and also in gaming.
Furthermore, you receive a neat and uncluttered user interface, enhancing the total phone usage experience. Additionally, the beautiful AMOLED screen adds a nice finishing touch to everything.
If you're currently looking to buy a smartphone and your budget is around Rs 25,000, overlooking the Nothing Phone 2a could mean missing out on some great features. Of course, there are other alternatives on the market that may perform at a higher level. However, do they offer the comprehensive set of features that the Nothing Phone 2a does? I'm not so sure.
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