Nothing Phone 2a Smartphone Review – The Nothing Phone 2a is one of the few smartphones that was highly anticipated for the first quarter of 2024. Finally, the device is available for sale, and in this post, we will cover our first impression. As for their previous phones, this new mid-ranger phone is looking quite appealing whether you talk about the price point or the overall specs configuration. Nothing has been vocal about their new products, while many people know their phones for their extraordinary designs.
But this time, the company is channeling its efforts to bring a value pack deal for the users. Not to forget that they also bring innovative custom skin so that you can enjoy personalized widgets and bring together a decent user experience. But only having lightweight software and unique built quality didn’t make that much effort. Instead, we would recommend you read the following Nothing Phone 2a review to make the final call.
Table of Contents
Nothing Phone (2a) Smartphone Review
Highlights
- The Nothing Phone 2a arrives with a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with a standard 120Hz refresh rate.
- In terms of the software interface, the device will bring the Nothing OS 2.5.3 custom skin with the Android 14 update.
- Alongside this, the Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset justifies all of the performance needs.
- As for the camera setup, it has a 50MP dual camera with 32MP selfie lens support.
- Lastly, the device has a 5000 mAh battery powerhouse battery with 45W wired charging.
Design and Display
There’s no denying that the Nothing Phone 2 has better better-built quality. But, the Nothing Phone 2a has a marvelous back panel design layout. It looks aesthetic with 3 LED configurations, which can be customized for a wide range of activities. However, the design aspect could be a subject thing and it could differ from person to person.
As for the color options, you can choose this phone in Black, white, and Milk paint job. Besides this, the overall built quality is pretty standard as you will notice a plastic back panel. Yet, the aesthetic appeal does make this phone stand out from the rest of the options available in the market. In terms of additional protection, the device grants an IP54 certification that ensures that users are water splash and dust-resistant.
On the other hand, you will receive the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution. As for the refresh rate, the 120Hz panel makes sure the users can enjoy a smooth UI experience with decent gaming. As for the security sensors, you will obtain the under-display fingerprint scanner.
Memory and Internal
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone 2a brings the Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro handle performance aspect. This chipset is designed to optimize the Nothing OS 2.5.3 to the full extent. Not to forget, you are getting the standard Android 14 configuration on this phone. With this combination, the users will receive a lightweight software skin.
The overall software usage won’t be a hassle as you will obtain total control over the UI features. You can add a custom widget on the Always On Display, adjust the back panel for multiple tasks, and install a custom icon package for a unique user interface. Although, the device might be able to target serious gamers. The reason that would be low-end GPU.
However, the users won’t face any major problems with the graphics and visuals department. But it’s worth noting that the phone struggles to provide a fluid gaming session. But still, it’s possible to perform multitasking with this phone. In terms of the storage options, you will obtain 128GB to 256GB storage with an 8GB to 12GB RAM configuration. So choose the best option as per your requirements.
Camera
Speaking of the camera setup, the phone arrives with a 50MP main and 50MP ultra-wide configuration. Witnessing a 50MP dual camera configuration on a mid-range phone is not normal. But still, this unique combination can produce decent daylight photos. Besides this, the dynamic range is slightly better than the average phone.
But at the same time, light flair is noticeable especially with the lowlight camera quality, while the native camera also struggles to maintain the exposure in video recording. Yet, the native camera app does render a good amount of features and filters so that the users can efficiently capture their precious memories without any hassle.
On the other hand, the phone also delivers a 4K video recording with normal video stabilization support. Undoubtedly, you will notice shakiness as the phone lacks proper optical image installation software support. The 32MP front camera brings above-average colors, hue, and saturation so that you can share your photos and videos on different social media platforms. But, they won’t be that great as compared to Nothing’s flagship phones.
Battery and Others
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone 2A attains a decent 5000 mAh battery setup which will allow users to enjoy the screen time up to 5+ hours. At the same time, you won’t notice any problems after a couple of hours of gaming. In terms of social media usage or content streaming, the phone can easily sustain up to 3+ hours.
Though, you won’t find a charger inside the box. But still, it’s confirmed that the phone can easily refuel through the 45W wired charger. Generally, it will take up to an hour to refill the battery to 100%, while the phone can also refuel up to 50% in less than a half hour. Overall, the charging speed is approached according to the mid-range smartphone segment.
As for the additional features, the phone arrives with 5G connectivity and offers the latest sensors and comms. Besides this, it also supports 360-degree NFC so that you can hassle-freely perform payments. Last but not least, the Nothing Phone 2A is priced at $300 (Rs. 23,999).
Nothing Phone (2a) Pros and Cons
Nothing Phone (2a) Specification Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Nothing Phone (2a) smartphone.
| Specifications | Nothing Phone (2a) |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | March 2024 |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Dimensions | 6.37 x 3.00 x 0.34 inches |
| Weight | 190 g |
| Size | 6.7 inches |
| Display | AMOLED 1B colors 120Hz HDR10+ 700-1300 nits brightness 20:9 ratio ~394 PPI density Always On Display |
| Protection/Others | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 IP54 – splash, water, and dust resistant 3 LED lights on the back |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2412 pixels |
| OS | Android 14, Nothing OS 2.5 |
| Chipset | 4nm – Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Pro |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 6x 2.0 Cortex-A510 |
| GPU | Mali-G610 MC4 |
| Card slot | No |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB |
| Internal | 128GB, 256GB |
| Camera | 50 MP (wide), PDAF, OIS 50 MP (114Ëšultrawide) LED flash, panorama, HDR Max – 4K@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie | 32 MP (wide) HDR Max – 1080p@60fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes (stereo speakers) |
| 3.5mm jack | No |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes, 360Ëš |
| Infrared port | No |
| Radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| Sensors | Under display fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 5000 mAh 45W wired |
| Colors | Black, White, Milk |
| Expected Price | $290 (Rs 25,999 in India) approx |
Conclusion
The Nothing Phone 2A might not be your average phone. But, the core reason why you should purchase this phone would be the smooth UI experience. With the advanced customization options and multiple LED personalization choices, the device has become a pretty solid choice in the mid-range segment. The main attraction of this smartphone is its design, camera, and battery.
On the other hand, the Nothing Phone 2a does have some shortcomings, especially when it comes to the camera department. Usually, the image quality of portraits and lowlight photos is downgraded. Alongside this, the video recording aspect isn’t that great. If you desire better camera results, then you must skip this phone. Yet, there are tons of other smartphones that appear in the same price range, which includes the Vivo S18e. It would be a complete deal as the Vivo phone brings a decent display, chipset, and battery support with appealing specs. But still, you should consider all other factors to make a final decision according to your requirements and budget.
