Nothing Phone 2 review: A Worthy Successor to Phone 1

Nothing Phone 2 Review Summary:

Editor’s rating: 3.9/5

The Nothing Phone (1) made waves in 2021, sparking contrasting opinions among tech enthusiasts. Some dismissed it as a mere gimmick, while others were captivated by its Glyph interface. Pricing also drew scrutiny, with debates over whether it was overpriced. Now, a year later, Carl Pei and his team have unveiled the Nothing Phone 2, featuring significant hardware and software upgrades.

The eagerly anticipated first sale of the Nothing Phone 2 is set to commence in India on July 21. With a starting price of Rs 44,999, the 5G phone offers an enticing package. This leaves us with an important question: should you invest in the Nothing Phone (2)? In our comprehensive Nothing Phone 2 review, we aim to provide an answer to that very question.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: Design

The Nothing Phone (2) bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor, the Nothing Phone (1). But fret not, for this is far from a drawback. Embracing an all-screen front, a recycled aluminum midframe, and a transparent Gorilla Glass glass back, the Phone (2) maintains the captivating aesthetics of its forerunner. The iconic Glyph LEDs remain intact, retaining their familiar shapes, as does the wireless charging coil.

Of course, a discerning eye will notice a few notable differences. The Phone (2) boasts a larger form factor than its predecessor, thanks to a slightly bigger display. Additionally, a subtle curved glass adds a touch of elegance and ergonomic comfort, allowing the Phone (2) to snuggle seamlessly in the palm of your hand. This gracefully curved glass gently merges with the frame along all sides, forming a harmonious unity.

The Glyph LEDs now have new interruptions —an elegant C-like shape encircling the dual camera, a slender ‘/’ shape positioned adjacent to the camera, a playful G-like formation around the wireless charging coil, and an ‘i’-shaped curve along the bottom.

With an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance, the Nothing Phone (2) boasts an improvement over its predecessor’s IP53 rating. Although it falls short of full waterproofing, the Phone (2) can weather splashes with ease, demonstrating enhanced water protection.

The screen panel features a subtle puncture at the top, housing an upgraded 32MP selfie camera, a significant leap from the 16MP found on the Phone (1). Flip it around, you will notice two impressive 50MP cameras with metal rings protruding, lending the device a slight wobble when placed on a desk or table. Adjacent to the camera duo, a single-LED flash and, presumably, a color temperature sensor reside. Just above the flash, an inconspicuous microphone blends into the design. There’s also a visible red LED that discreetly indicates video capture, controllable via the camera settings.

On the right side, the two distinct volume keys reside, while the power/lock key stands alone. At the top of the device, the earpiece grille serves a dual purpose, doubling as a stereo speaker. Accompanying it is an additional microphone. Towards the bottom of the Phone (2), the SIM tray, primary microphone, USB-C port, and the other stereo speaker proudly take their positions. Measuring 162.1 x 76.4 x 8.6 mm and weighing 201 grams, the Phone (2) stands 3mm taller, a hair thicker, and 8 grams heavier than its predecessor.

In our hands-on experience with the Nothing Phone (2), we discovered a well-crafted device with a captivating and distinctive design. It exudes an industrial charm that can steal hearts faster than a Bollywood superstar. The newfound curved shape of the back panel makes it more susceptible to slipping out of your hand. All in all, our time spent with the Nothing Phone (2) left us with nothing but positive impressions.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: Display and Audio

The Nothing Phone (2) has made significant advancements in the display department. Like the predecessor, this one too gets an OLED panel which is now 6.7-inch tall but maintains a sharp 1080p resolution. The OLED panel is an LTPO panel that supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, delivering smooth and fluid visuals with a touch response of 240Hz. Nothing has a built-in three-refresh rate options Dynamic, High, and Standard. The first two function similarly and switch refresh rates between 10Hz to 120Hz depending upon what’s on the screen. While it is supposed to go down to 1hz, we are yet to see it go below 10Hz while the screen is idle. System UI runs at 120hz while most system and third-party apps and browsers run at 90Hz. One slight hiccup that I noticed is that video playback across apps and services is locked at 60Hz instead of 24Hz or 30Hz or 48Hz.

With a color depth of 10 bits and HDR10+ compatibility, the screen presents vibrant and rich hues that truly stand out. Additionally, the display demonstrated a good peak level of brightness in our testing. The company claims a peak brightness of 1600 units which makes it visible in most conditions. Coming to color profiles, the Nothing Phone (2) has two color modes Alive (DCI-P3 colors) and Standard (sRGB colors) under the Display Settings. Both profiles offer good color accuracy with a good dynamic range.

The Nothing Phone (2) features a hybrid stereo speaker setup with a front-facing earpiece that doubles as a speaker, along with a bottom-facing speaker. Despite the earpiece being quieter and lacking bass, together they offer a good audio experience.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: What Can I Do with Glyph Lights?

Nothing’s signature LED lighting system, the Glyph interface, has received upgrades and new features. With 33 individual addressable zones, which can light up individually and together. The addition of an ambient light sensor automatically adjusts Glyph brightness based on the surroundings, making it suitable for dark environments. The versatile “Glyph” offers various functions, including:

• Flipping the phone over to see incoming notifications light up.
• Displaying “Essential” notifications using a dedicated LED in the top-right corner.
• Acting as a handy flashlight.
• Utilizing a red LED to indicate video recording.
• Showing timer status when the phone is flipped over.
• Displaying Uber status (currently in beta).

The top right LED strip can show gradual progress, making the Glyph timer particularly useful as a constant reminder without relying on the phone’s screen. Then there’s “Essential” notifications feature, while a nice addition, could benefit from more customization options. You can also download Nothing’s Glyph Compose app which allows users to create ringtones using pre-set sound effects that correspond to the LEDs.

While the Glyph on Phone (2) offers more utility than its predecessor, there is still room for improvement. It’s undeniably a cool and somewhat fun feature, but it has the potential for even greater functionality. The timer is a step in the right direction, and we hope to see more practical uses integrated into Glyph in the future.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: Software

Typically, in our reviews, we merge the Software and Performance sections since there haven’t been many exciting developments on the software front lately. Thankfully with Nothing OS 2.0, we see some notable developments. To put it simply, Nothing OS 2.0, the company’s revamped skin on top of Android 13, is truly impressive. The UI feels cohesive and well-optimized, delivering a clean user experience that’s surprisingly smooth. My personal encounter has been fluid, free from bugs, and refreshingly pleasing. It’s delightful to witness a brand working out of the box to offer an appealing UI with a clean UX to consumers.

One quirky aspect I particularly enjoyed is Nothing’s treatment of widgets and folders. Nothing provides the option to create larger folders with quick access to apps inside them. There are four folder designs to choose from, including one featuring an emoji cover picture. While standard small folders are available, the larger widget-like folders are surprisingly fun and useful.

Additionally, Nothing allows the use of widgets on the lock screen, presenting a 4×2 grid that pairs well with Nothing’s widgets (third-party options aren’t supported here). This feature integrates smoothly with the always-on display, although I wish Nothing offered more practical widgets for this context. Many widgets simply display the time, which becomes redundant on the lockscreen. Moreover, you can place various quick settings as different-sized widgets on the home or lockscreen, further enhancing usability. The phone even offers a monochrome theme that turns most third-party apps monochrome, with subtle red accents.

In terms of software performance, the Phone (2) surpasses the smoothness and cleanliness of Samsung and OnePlus devices I’ve used this year. However, there is one drawback to consider. Nothing’s software update policy which states three years of software updates, four years of security updates which will be pushed on a bimonthly basis. Not the best, but I hope these bimonthly updates will be far more stable than what Google Pixels system updates.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: Camera

The Phone (2) brings upgrades to its camera department. The main snapper now flaunts a 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor, standing tall at 1/1.56 inches. With a wide aperture of f/1.88, OIS, and EIS, it’s armed to shoot stunning photos. Joining forces with the main shooter is the 50MP Samsung JN1 ultra-wide sensor, ready to broaden your perspective with its f/2.2 aperture. The front camera has also received an upgrade, jumping from 16MP to a sharp 32MP. It’s like upgrading from a flip phone to a selfie superstar.

The Phone (2) doesn’t hold back on the video front, allowing you to shoot up to 4K at a buttery smooth 60fps. And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, the Action mode is here to add some cinematic flair to your clips. It’s like having a mini film crew in your pocket.

When it comes to shooting modes for photos, the Phone (2) has got your back. Slo-mo, time-lapse, portrait, macro, expert—it’s like having a menu of creative possibilities at your fingertips. Plus, there’s even a 2X Super-Res mode to give your shots that extra boost.

The Phone 2 follows a similar camera setup as its predecessor, featuring two 50-megapixel cameras on the back and a 32MP selfie camera nestled within the screen.

In comparison to the Phone 1, the Phone 2 showcases overall improved image quality. The main camera captures well-balanced images in bright lighting, and the wide-angle camera performs similarly. However, like its predecessor, photos lack sharpness and fine details when viewed at full size. Moving objects suffer from noticeable blurring, and challenging lighting conditions result in excessive smoothing.

Unfortunately, the Phone 2 does not include a dedicated telephoto camera, and the digital zoom feature leaves much to be desired. On the bright side, video recording capabilities are solid for its price range, with some enjoyable features to experiment with, including slo-mo up to 480 frames per second. While the Phone 2 delivers generally good images, it falls short when compared to premium flagships like Samsung Galaxy S23 Series lineup and iPhone 14 family.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: Performance

The biggest hardware upgrade in the Nothing Phone (2) has over Phone 1 is the process – a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The Phone 2 features a lower binned Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 which jas performance Cortex-X2 core now ticks at 3.0 GHz instead and Cortex-A710 cluster runs at 2.5 GHz, and the efficiency core – Cortex-A510 cores are set at 1.8 GHz. This tweak helps reduces Nothing to control overall heat and improve battery efficiency.

When it comes to memory configurations, the Nothing Phone (2) offers you choices like a buffet. You can feast on three options: 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, 12GB RAM with 256GB storage (ours, feeling fancy), or go all-out with 12GB RAM and a massive 512GB storage, for those who like to hoard all the digital treasures. With these specs, the Nothing Phone (2) delivers smooth everyday performance. Even the gaming experience has been good so far.

Nothing Phone 2 Review: Battery

The 4,700mAh battery in the Nothing Phone (2) puts on a good show, keeping up with most users’ demands. However, if you’re a power-hungry, screen-glued individual, you might find yourself searching for an outlet by late evening. Don’t worry, though, the battery doesn’t disappoint. In PCMark’s battery test, it clocked over 16 hours of runtime, draining the battery from full to 20 percent—a solid performance that deserves a round of applause.

Review Verdict: Should you buy Nothing Phone 2

The Phone 2 builds upon its predecessor, offering solid improvements while sticking to the core formula of the device. It exudes a more premium feel, incorporating recycled materials for an eco-friendly touch. Enhanced lighting, a significantly faster chip, and commendable battery life are among its notable features.

However, when it comes to key aspects like performance, camera capabilities, and charging speeds, the Phone 2 doesn’t necessarily outshine its competitors in the same price range. If you’re not captivated by the Phone 2’s design language or the allure of the Glyph LEDs, this new device may not pique your interest.

In summary, the Phone 2 offers solid updates and a touch of elegance, but its competitive edge may be overshadowed by other options that offer better performance and value for the asking price.