Nothing Phone (2a) review: Glowing mid-range
A TEST REPORT from Nils Ahrensmeier 
on March 07, 2024, 18:13 pm | Write a comment
The Nothing Phone (2a) is the third smartphone from Nothing and is intended to offer a cheap alternative to the Phone (2). We tested it.
Jump to section
Design and workmanship
The Nothing Phone (2a) differs from its predecessor in a few ways. The housing is now made of plastic, which makes it lighter (190g), but at the same time makes it appear less high-quality. The feel in particular suffers from this, and the edges are also very sharp. The device is IP54 protected against dust and water, but Samsung already offers IP67 certification for its affordable devices.
The Nothing Phone 2a has a new design (Image: TechnikNews)
However, the transparent back remains and allows a view of the device's inner workings. The number of LED strips on the back has been reduced to three. Called the “Glyph Interface,” these strips light up in different patterns to signal notifications and other functions. For this function in particular, I would choose the white version because, in my opinion, the bright LEDs match the color better.
the display
The 6,7-inch OLED display of the Nothing Phone (2a) impresses with brightness of up to 1.300 nits, which is high in its price range, and a good contrast ratio. This means that content can be read even in direct sunlight. The adaptive refresh rate adjusts from 30 to 120 Hz to save power while ensuring smooth viewing. There is also Ultra HDR support, which you can now see with photos in Google Photos or Instagram. The resolution is 2.412 x 1.084 pixels, meaning videos and other media are displayed sharply.
The Phone 2a has a large, bright display. (Picture: TechnikNews)
The edges of the display are the same width on all four sides and are thinner than on the phone (2), but this is due to the plastic frame. The display is provided with a protective film at the factory to protect it from scratches. The fingerprint sensor integrated in the lower area of the display enables quick and reliable unlocking.
Nothing Phone (2a): Hardware
The Nothing Phone (2a) is the first smartphone from Nothing to not rely on one Proprocessor from Qualcomm, but from MediaTek. More specifically, a customized version of their four nanometer chip, the Dimensity 7200 Pro. This ensures smooth performance in everyday life, even more complex games are possible with it Processor to play in simple settings.
The vibration motor was always a priority with Nothing, and it is the same with the Phone (2a). The motor ensures a precise typing feel and, together with the glyphs, also provides good haptic and visual feedback.
The device is available in a version with eight gigabytes of RAM memory and 128 gigabytes of internal memory, as well as with 12/256 gigabytes. Our rental device uses the larger configuration, which proved to be reliable review. However, the basic version should be sufficient for most customers, as photos can be stored in the cloud and the RAM is sufficient for everyday apps.
The sound
The Nothing Phone two has stereo sound, a speaker on the lower side of the frame, a second in the earpiece. The sound is average, but it's enough for occasional videos or podcasts. But I wouldn't start listening to music or watching movies for long periods of time. The ringtones and sound of the glyphs sound optimal because these tones are not complex.
The Phone 2a has stereo sound (Image: TechnikNews)
By the way, anyone who connects Nothing in-ears to their smartphone has the settings built directly into the software, just like many manufacturers now do.
Nothing Phone (2a): Cameras
The Nothing Phone (2a) has two cameras on the back, which are arranged horizontally for the first time. Nothing describes the design as “eyes” that look into the world. The device lies straight on the table, unlike the camera layout Telephone (1) or Phone (2).
The lenses both come from Samsung and both have a resolution of 50 megapixels. The wide angle lens has an aperture of F.188 and the ultra wide angle lens has an aperture of F2.2. On the front there is a selfie camera with a resolution of 32 megapixels, which is located in the top center of the display.
The Phone 2a has two cameras that look like “eyes”. (Picture: TechnikNews)
The Nothing Phone (2a) has a really good camera. The main camera takes significantly better pictures than most other cell phones in this price range, and the ultra-wide-angle lens is on the same level as the Nothing Phone (2).
We took some photos with the Nothing Phone (2a), which you can see in this You can view the gallery.
By default, photos are saved at twelve megapixels. However, the full resolution of 50 megapixels can be set separately. However, this only makes sense in good light.
The Nothing Phone (2a) camera app is easy to use and still offers many setting options. For example, you can change the resolution or activate the HDR mode.
The software
The Nothing Phone (2a) runs “Nothing OS 2.5”, which is based on the latest Android 14. This is commendable, because other mid-range devices still use Android 13. Nothing promises three major OS upgrades (up to Android 17), as well as four years of security patches. That's not at the level of Google or Samsung, which offer seven years, but it's a good average.
Nothing relies on an almost unchanged Android interface, which is equipped with a few extras. There are unique widgets, monochrome icons as well as glyphs. These can be used to display notifications via LED, visualize ringtones or display the volume. An LED for the charging status of the battery is missing because only three LEDs were used instead of twelve.
The phone (2a) has three LEDs on the back (Image: TechnikNews)
You can also “compose” your own patterns, working with bands like Swedish House Mafia or Sampha.
Nothing Phone (2a): Battery
The Nothing Phone (2a) has a 5000 milliampere battery, which can be recharged with a maximum of 45 watts via USB-C.
The battery life is above average; I didn't have to charge the device again during the day and only charged it again before going to bed to get me through the next day. Charging itself takes an hour, and after 20 minutes the device was already half full again.
Conclusion
The Nothing Phone (2a) is one of the best mid-range smartphones on the market. It offers a modern design, good cameras, a bright, sharp display and fast software. If you place less value on the design or want a smaller device, you can also get the Pixel 7a/7 as well as the Galaxy A54 or Redmi Note 13 Pro look at.
