Nothing Phone 2A

The Nothing Phone 2a is a mid-range smartphone with a stylish look, powerful performance, and a clean software experience. It is a follow-up device to the popular Nothing Phone 2 and comes with a strong processor, a good camera, and a battery that lasts long. With its distinctive Glyph Interface and focus on essential features, the Nothing Phone 2a aims to provide a user-friendly and enjoyable mobile experience at an affordable price.

The Nothing Phone 2a has a cool, minimalist vibe with its clear back and horizontal camera setup. The plastic back feels a bit less fancy than the glass one on the earlier model, but it’s still pretty sturdy. You can get it in four colors: Black, Blue, White, and a fun “Milk” shade. The back gives a good grip, though it does pick up fingerprints and dust easily. The frame has a nice matte texture that feels great in your hand. Plus, the Glyph interface features three LED stripes that light up in different patterns for notifications. Overall, the design is a nice mix of style and practicality, looking distinctive and eye-catching while still being user-friendly.

The Nothing Phone (2a) features a gorgeous 6.7-inch AMOLED display that provides smooth visuals and accurate colors. Its 120Hz refresh rate and 10-bit color depth make everything look more realistic. While the brightness tops out at 1300 nits, which is a bit lower than some top-tier phones, it is still bright enough to handle outdoor light without a problem. The screen has a sleek, modern look with minimal bezels for an immersive experience, and it is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and can handle some roughness and shocks. Running on Android 14 with Nothing OS 2.5, it has neat custom widgets and a monochrome UI option for a clean look. You can also count on three years of major software updates and four years of security patches, which is a nice bonus.

The performance of Nothing Phone 2a is surprisingly good for its mid-range price. It comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset inside, which handles everyday tasks and light gaming pretty well. You can get it with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and there is no annoying bloatware to slow down things. The phone might heat up a little if you use it heavily for a long time. However, it manages heat pretty well keeping the phone running smoothly and efficiently, leaving it slightly behind a flagship-level performance. The phone is powered by a 5000mAh battery, which is also quite impressive. With this battery, the phone easily lasts more than a day on moderate use. It also supports 45W wired charging, which you need to buy separately as it is not included in the box.

The Nothing Phone 2a features a strong camera system that stands out for its price. It has a 50MP main sensor that takes clear photos with good detail and considerably accurate colors. There is also a 50MP ultrawide camera that works well for landscapes and group pictures. Daytime shots look great when taken from the main lens. While the main camera also performs well in low light, it does not reach the performance of other high-end models. The camera app is super user-friendly and offers various modes, including an expert mode for those who want to get more technical. You can also record 4K video at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps with rear camera.

While the Nothing Phone 2a outstands in design and performance, it has a few notable shortcomings. One major part where the phone falls short is the lack of wireless charging which is actually very common nowadays, even in mid-range devices. The phone also lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a considerable drawback, yet not much impactful as wireless headphones are becoming popular nowadays. The phone also does not support an SD card, which is another minor shortcoming. However, the phone already has enough so it may also not impact a large number of users.

Overall, The Nothing Phone 2a is an impressive mid-range smartphone that catches the eye with its clear back and fun glyph interface. It operates on a simple version of Android, providing a smooth experience. The camera is decent, but it has some trouble in low light. If you want a stylish phone that works well and doesn’t demand a high budget, this is a great choice. Its attractive design, reliable performance, and useful features will give you the feel of a high-end device at a lower price.