Nothing Phone (2) review: Worth the money? Or just another gimmick?

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When Nothing launched its first smartphone in July 2022, the company tried to revolutionise the smartphone market with a unique design. As a result, the Nothing Phone (1) sports a semi-transparent back panel. The same concept is also adopted for the designs of Nothing Ear (1), Ear (2) and Ear (stick).

Nothing aimed to shock everyone with their unique design. And shock everyone it did, many people praised Nothing Phone (1) for its bold approach, while others remain cynical about it. Fast forward a year later and we have just witnessed the release of the Nothing Phone (2). The new entry from the company retains its iconic semi-transparent back panel but added a little LED twist to it.

With a price of RM2999, it does beg the question. Is the Nothing Phone (2) worth it?

 

Design - Not so different to Nothing Phone (1)

If you are expecting Nothing to surprise you with another bold design, then you might want to control your expectations. After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The latest phone retains its iconic design from the previous model. However, it does sport an LED Glyph Interface that lights up in sync with your ringtone.

Moreover, you might notice other minor differences on the Phone (2). For instance, the LED light now has 33 separate lighting zones. Hence, it can create more light patterns than the Phone (1). In addition, the back surface is slightly curved on the right and left sides, making it more comfortable to hold. In comparison, its predecessor had flat sides with sharp corners, so this change to Phone (2) is neat.

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The back panel looks neat

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The colour gives it a premium feel

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Neat arrangement for the bezels

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USB-C port for the phone

On top of that, this phone comes in 2 colours - Black and White. For this review, we had the black unit. In our honest opinion, black is the most suitable colour for this unit. It looks sleek and enhances the white light from the LED Glyph Interface.

Besides the ringtones and notifications, the LED Glyph Interface also has a countdown feature. For example, it will light up when you set the time, then slowly dim and switch off as the time runs out. Interestingly, the light also responds to the volume. That said, the light will shine brighter if the volume is higher.

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Pretty eye catching to be honest

In case you didn't know, the Nothing Phone (2) offers 10 unique lighting patterns with ringtones. However, you can create new light patterns and ringtones via the Nothing Composer. The downside is that the LED Glyph Interface only features white light. We are a bit disappointed with the lack of choice for the LED colours. Perhaps more colour schemes for the LED Glyph Interface could be introduced in the future.

That said, is the LED Glyph Interface beneficial? Our answer would be no. If you always put your phone with the screen facing downward, then the LED light can be great for calls or notifications. It's a neat addition, but not one that could justify its price in the long run.

 

Tech Specs and Features - More than a mid-range phone

Below is the list of specifications for the Nothing Phone (2):

• Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) processor
• Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset
• Adreno 730 GPU
• Features 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage
• Runs Android 13, Nothing OS 2
• Battery Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable battery
• Supports 45W wired charging, PD3.0, PPS, QC4, 100% in 55 min (as advertised)
• 6.17-inch LTPO OLED, 1B colours, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 1600 nits (peak)
• Body type: Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminium frame
• Multiple LED lights on the back (notifications, charging progress, camera fill light)
• IP54 - splash, water and dust resistant
• Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass.
• Rear camera - Dual: 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS + 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm,
• Front camera - 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm
• Speaker - Yes, with stereo speakers -23.9 LUFS (Very good)

Unlike the Nothing Phone (1), which was marketed as a mid-range phone, this phone packs too much punch to be regarded as such. If anything, the specs for Nothing Phone 2 are closer to flagships than mid-range phones. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor helps this phone perform better and it is great for heavy gaming.

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The charging speed is quite decent

On top of that, we are pleased with the display quality of this phone. Videos and films look vivid thanks to its peak brightness of 1600 nits. Hence, you won't have any problems using this phone under the bright sun. Moreover, the thin and uniform bezel on four sides further improves the viewing quality. That said, there is not much to say about the display but praises.

Audio-wise, it's decent. The audio quality is audible and clear enough for hearing. However, its volume is not that loud, even at the maximum level. We feel that the audio quality is pretty similar to other competitors in the market.

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We are satisfied with the display quality

Interestingly, the Nothing Phone (2) also features the Nothing OS 2.0 (Android 13). By default, this OS features a minimalist theme. Instead of text, your screen is mainly filled with monochrome black-and-white symbols or logos for respective apps.

Personally, we are not fans of this colour scheme. However, some users might love it. At the end of the day, we understand that it's a matter of preferences. In addition, this phone offers a special widget for quick access to your favourite apps.

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Looks very simplistic

Storage-wise, this phone does not have additional virtual RAM. However, the 12GB RAM should suffice for your daily use. It also does not have a dedicated microSD slot for extra storage.

 

Performance - Works like a flagship in 2022

You might expect a faster and better performance out of this phone. After all, it does sport the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. But before we delve further into the review, let's look at these scores below:

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Scores based on 3D Mark App

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Score as per GeekBench

To test this phone's multitasking capabilities, we ran Asphalt 9 and other apps at once. Based on our experience, the device runs smoothly without any noticeable lag. In fact, we can still run the game without a significant drop in the frame rate. Interestingly, we didn't feel the phone heating up during our gaming session. That is surprising because the Nothing Phone (2) did not feature specific cooling components.

The device performs well, but it is not the fastest phone in its price range. In addition, you shouldn't expect this phone to perform at its maximum capacity for a long period. After all, this is NOT a gaming phone.

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Gameplay feels decent in general

This phone features a solid 4700mAh battery. While other phones could house a 5000mAh battery at a lower price, this phone's battery could last you over a day. Based on our experience, we started the day with 100% battery and ended the day with around 30%-40% battery left. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the phone could last you over two days with the battery-saving mode.

Moreover, it also supports 45W wired charging. Unfortunately, we didn't have the designated charger, so we had to rely on a third-party charger for this phone. For your information, full charging would take over an hour. It also supports 15W wireless charging.

Photography-wise, this phone sports a dual rear camera. That includes the Sony IMX890 sensor and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. On the other hand, the front camera features a 32MP camera. This is an improvement to the Nothing Phone (1) (16GB). Interestingly, other flagship Android phones sport 3 or more rear cameras.

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Camera arrangement looks neat

We took the camera for a spin in Sweden. Overall, we are satisfied with the photography quality of this camera. That includes photos taken at night as well. The colour looks natural and the images don't look artificial or too processed. The quality of the ultra-wide camera is not as good as the primary camera. However, it still looks decent without any obvious distortions.

Notably, the lack of a telephoto camera might deprive you of better-zoomed/magnified images. On the other hand, the selfie camera is good enough. We are satisfied with its quality, Portrait mode included.

Screenshot 2023-09-02 173902.pngAs shot on primary camera

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As shot on primary camera

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The camera does well in capturing motions

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Captured on Ultra-wide camera

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Colour looks pretty sharp when there is decent light

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Night photos look decent, the distortion is not so bad

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Not bad to be honest

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Image looks quite noisy when different light sources converge

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Decent performance at night

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Image looks noisy but it is to be expected under these circumstances

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Liking the selfie camera, it does look natural enough

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Works well even under low light

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The front cam has our seal of approval

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The portrait mode is nice, but it could be better

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Not bad

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Image quality is quite clear

In addition, the OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) works well to reduce shakiness when taking pictures or recording videos. We were recording while walking and its result looks as if we were using a gimbal.

 

Conclusion - It's a phone for those who want to be different

If you want to stand out among your family or peers, this phone should be on top of your list. The semi-transparent back panel and Glyph Interface are certainly an eye-catcher for everyone. However, its price of RM2999 might deter people from having it.

After all, you can get other phones with the same specs or better at a cheaper price. For example, the POCO F5 Pro (RM2,099) and Xiaomi 12T (RM2,699) feature the same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Plus, you can get the ROG Phone 6 for under RM3000. However, these phones are not as unique as the Nothing Phone (2). So, if you are looking for something different, then nothing is better than the Nothing Phone (2).

What are your thoughts on this review? Stay tuned for more at TechNave!