Key Takeaways
- The Nothing Telephone 2a Plus is out there with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for an asking value of $399.
- The distinctive and relatively enjoyable glyph interface is included right here, and the telephone is well-constructed total.
- The handset comes with a clear and bloat-free Android expertise and snappy efficiency, however its digicam output is barely simply okay.
After making waves within the tech scene with its glyph-powered Phone lineup of gadgets, the London-based Nothing producer is again at it with a brand new mannequin — the Telephone 2a Plus.
The Telephone 2a Plus builds upon the foundations laid by the present Phone 2a, an reasonably priced mid-ranger that gave even the likes of the Google Pixel 7a a stable run for its cash.
Advisable
Nothing Telephone 2a Plus
The Nothing Telephone 2a Plus brings the now-iconic Glyph Interface, a refreshingly clear Android expertise, and surprisingly skinny show bezels to a bundle that prices a cool $399.
- Wonderful match and end
- Consists of the enjoyable glyph interface
- Clear and slick software program
- No wi-fi charging
- Digital camera high quality is nothing particular
- Will not get Android 15 as fast as a Pixel machine
See our course of
How we test and review products at Pocket-lint
We do not do arm-chair analysis. We purchase and check our personal merchandise, and we solely publish purchaser’s guides with merchandise we have truly reviewed.
Value, availability, and specs
Beginning off with the specs, the Nothing Telephone 2a Plus crams stable tech into its glossy chassis. $399 nets you a beneficiant 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is the one configuration presently on supply. Total dimensions are available in at 6.37 x 3.00 x 0.33-inches (161.7 x 76.32 x 8.55mm) and a weight of 6.70oz (190g).
The machine itself ships with a roomy 6.7-inch AMOLED show, operating at FHD+ decision (1080 x 2412). Its peak show brightness reaches a modest 1300 nits, which is much from class-leading, however I discovered it to be appropriate sufficient for outside use below sunny circumstances.
Refreshingly, the Telephone 2a Plus consists of an adaptive 120Hz refresh price show, which may ramp right down to 30Hz to protect battery life throughout occasions of idle. Contemplating the iPhone 15 nonetheless ships with a 60Hz show in 2024, I take into account this an enormous win on the a part of Nothing.
Talking of battery, the telephone is outfitted with a 5,000 mAh cell, which is coupled with speedy 50W quick charging capabilities. Sadly, as anticipated, there is not any charging brick included within the field itself — you will should shell out extra money to unlock the privilege of fast top-up speeds. Powering the unit itself is the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Professional 5G processor, which Nothing proudly touts as a world exlusive for the corporate. The chip is an octa-core answer that is constructed on 4nm know-how.
Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 are each on board, as is NFC. Sadly, wireless charging is just not included right here, which is disappointing for these like myself that use the tech frequently. There’s additionally no microSD card slot or headphone jack, that are generally nonetheless included on different mid-range telephones.
As talked about, the Telephone 2a Plus is out there at an asking value of $399 in the USA. When you spring for the machine, it’s going to arrive in Nothing’s new metallic gray coloration. A black coloration can also be obtainable, however presently it is not on supply in the USA. The handset will probably be obtainable for buy by Nothing’s U.S. Beta Program on August 7 at 9am EST.
Construct and design
The Telephone 2a Plus is a superbly mid-range machine
Pocket-lint
Nothing has completed a bang-up job relating to the match and end of the Telephone 2a Plus. The mid-range telephone market is flooded with generic and uninspired design languages, however the distinctive translucent rear and LED glyph association offers a pop of persona right here.
Nothing talks up the bezels on the Telephone 2a Plus, describing them because the thinnest the corporate has shipped on a smartphone up to now. They arrive in at 0.8-inches (2.1mm), which actually is not as skinny as higher-end telephones, however the massive deal right here is that they are completely symmetrical. This creates the impression that the machine is extra high-end than it truly is, as bezel symmetry is often reserved for premium flagships.
The telephone’s sides are made out of plastic versus metallic, however it feels effectively constructed with tight tolerances and clicky buttons which are satisfying to press.
The pretty massive 6.7-inch show naturally implies that this handset is on the bigger facet, which could make one-handed usability considerably tough relying on the dimensions of your palms.
The Telephone 2a Plus is pretty sturdy, as effectively. The show and selfie digicam are lined by Gorilla Glass 5, and the unit itself is IP54 licensed. This ranking implies that the telephone is protected in opposition to mud and splashes of recent water, however hasn’t been licensed for whole submersion. For the odd time once you get caught out within the rain, the Telephone 2a Plus ought to maintain up and not using a hitch.
The pretty massive 6.7-inch show naturally implies that this handset is on the bigger facet, which could make one-handed usability considerably tough relying on the dimensions of your palms. I are likely to desire extra compact gadgets, however this can be a private choice, and lots of will recognize the additional display actual property for watching multimedia content material.
Associated
Nothing’s Phone 2a Plus offers its Glyph Interface in a price-conscious package
The anticipated Telephone 2a Plus from Nothing has landed, with a launch date of August 7.
Show
The display is completely serviceable
Nothing has outfitted the Telephone 2a Plus with a nice AMOLED panel, which options the right black ranges and punchy distinction typical to OLED know-how. The 120Hz quick refresh price and HDR10+ assist are welcome additions, as is the inclusion of an always-on show (AOD).
At FHD+ decision, the machine has a pixel density of 395 pixels per inch (PPI). It’s miles from best-in-class, however I consider this sacrifice was effectively price it — it is subsequent to not possible to inform aside particular person pixels on the display from a standard viewing distance.
Hidden beneath the show is an optical fingerprint sensor, which I discovered to be fairly correct in my time with the machine. I discovered the position of the sensor to be a bit bit decrease on the display than I’d have favored, however in any other case, it gave me no bother in any respect.
9:51
Associated
The Nothing Phone 2a — better value than the Pixel 7a
Nothing’s newest telephone packs efficiency and battery life right into a cute design.
Digital camera
A superbly okay shooter that is most likely the weakest hyperlink
The Telephone 2a Plus ships with a twin rear digicam setup, with each a 50-megapixel essential digicam and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The primary shooter consists of optical picture stabilization for regular pictures and pictures, and the setup can file video at as much as 4K decision at 30 frames per second or full HD at 60 frames per second.
I discovered each photographs and movies shot with the Nothing Telephone 2a Plus to be fairly common. Mid-range telephones as of late are able to some unbelievable pictures, although very like different handsets within the value bracket, issues begin to break down and change into noisy when there’s much less gentle obtainable to the sensor.
I discovered shutter velocity to be constantly fast, and I recognize the inclusion of different capturing modes like time-lapse, panorama, gradual movement, and even a full-blown ‘skilled’ mode. Switching this mode on offers you entry to publicity worth, ISO, shutter velocity, white stability, and guide focus.
As for the selfie shooter, it additionally is available in at 50-megapixels, which is excessive for a mid-range machine, and may shoot in 4K at 30 frames per second. Regardless of the higher-than-average decision, I discovered it to take comparable pictures to the competitors, primarily Pixel A collection gadgets.
Associated
Nothing phone (2) review: The tricky second album
Nothing is again with its second-gen telephone, and this time it has plans to beat the US.
Efficiency
The telephone is on no account a gaming powerhouse, however the interface is easy
Nothing has opted to go for a MediaTek Dimensity processor on the Telephone 2a Plus, versus the extra generally discovered Qualcomm Snapdragon chips utilized in plenty of different gadgets. The particular chip mannequin right here is the Dimensity 7350 Professional, which incorporates state-of-the-art 4nm structure for effectivity, in addition to the Mali-G610 MC4 graphics processing unit on board.
The processor benchmarks with a Geekbench 6 single-core rating of roughly 1,119 and a multi-score of about 2,206. By way of uncooked energy, it will probably’t maintain a candle to the processors present in higher-end flagship telephones. That being stated, exterior of gaming, you will not discover an considerable distinction in on a regular basis efficiency. I discovered navigating by the working system to be each fluid and attentive to the contact, and apps launching felt snappy.
Associated
6 tricks to make your old Android phone feel new again
Is your outdated Android telephone in want of a spa day? Listed below are 6 helpful tricks to get it wanting and dealing like new.
Software program
A stunning tackle Android
My favourite facet of the Nothing Telephone 2a Plus is the dealing with of software program. Out of the field, you are greeted with a inventory Android-like interface, however infused with a bit little bit of Nothing character. I am keen on the dot-matrix aesthetic constantly upheld all through the system, which is refined however distinctive.
I am joyful to report that the telephone ships and not using a barrage of bloatware, coming preloaded solely with the necessities, and leaving the downloading of apps at your individual discretion.
The one ‘worth added’ software program included within the bundle pertains to the glyph interface talked about earlier. Nothing offers you various settings to mess around with right here, corresponding to LED brightness, a enjoyable music visualizer possibility, and the power to create your individual glyph sequence to be used as a ringtone. None of it’s significantly groundbreaking, however it’s additionally removed from offensive, and serves as a intelligent and distinctive gimmick that is enjoyable to experiment with.
The telephone arrives with Nothing OS 2.6 operating atop Android 14. The next major version of Android is predicted to reach in a matter of weeks, and I am hopeful that the Telephone 2a Plus will obtain the replace with out a lot delay. The corporate guarantees three years of main OS updates, along with 4 years of safety patches.
Associated
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a modest upgrade to an already solid foldable
The corporate’s flagship foldable gives few upgrades over its predecessor, however it’s nonetheless a stable machine.
Do you have to purchase the Nothing Telephone 2a Plus?
When you’re on the lookout for a mid-range machine, that is nice possibility
In brief, sure, however provided that you are out there for a mid-range handset. Nothing has crafted a pretty and performant bundle that punches above its weight. The glyph interface is a enjoyable, however superfluous addition that does a stand-up job of injecting some persona into the machine.
“You will not be getting the latest-and-greatest digicam setup or highest decision show in the marketplace, however for those who mood your expectations, Nothing’s newest providing is fairly nice.”
Followers of fresh and bloat-free Android interfaces will really feel proper at residence with the Telephone 2a Plus, and the {hardware} operating the present is fairly affordable for the asking value of $399.
You will not be getting the latest-and-greatest digicam setup or highest decision show in the marketplace, however for those who mood your expectations, Nothing’s newest providing is fairly nice.
Nothing Telephone 2a Plus
Trending Merchandise
