Prior to its release, the Nothing Phone 1 was what everyone was talking about. Nothing increased its reach to a huge crowd in a very short time with the unique smartphone design. This was mostly thanks to Carl Pei, the man behind OnePlus and he used his experience and skill to take the company to new heights. Taping into the success of Nothing Phone 1, the company has launched Nothing Phone 2.
The Nothing Phone 2 is a significant upgrade to its predecessor, but its high price has raised questions. Some people believe that the price is justified, given the enhanced features and improvements. Others, however, question the affordability and value proposition of the phone and are sceptical of the high price point.
So let’s see what the Nothing Phone 2 offers.
Specifications
| Dimensions | Height: 162.1 mm Width: 76.4 mm Depth: 8.6 mm Weight: 201.2 g |
| Display size | 6.7-inch |
| Display type | Flexible OLED display with LTPO |
| IP rating | IP54 – splash, water and dust resistant |
| Resolution | 2412 x 1080 pixel resolution at 394 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz |
| Chipset | Qualcomm® Snapdragon®™ 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) |
| CPU | 1x X2 Prime3.0GHz 3xA710 2.5GHz 4xA510 1.8GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Nothing OS 2, Android 13 |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB |
| Rear camera | Main: 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor Ultra-wide: 50MP |
| Selfie camera | 32 MP Sony IMX615 sensor |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.3 |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Audio | 3 high definition mics Dual stereo speakers |
| Battery | Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 45W wired, PD3.0, PPS, QC4, 100% in 55 min (advertised) 15W wireless, 100% in 130 min (advertised) 5W reverse wireless |
| Sensors | In-display Fingerprint Sensor Front and Rear Ambient Light Sensor Accelerometer Electronic Compass Gyroscope Proximity Sensor Sensor Core |
| Colours | White | Dark Gray |
| Price (expected) | 8/128GB: Rs 76,000 12/256GB: Rs 84,000 12/512GB: Rs 90,000 |
Design and Display
Nothing Phone is easily identified with the transparent back and the LED glyph lights. The Nothing Phone 2 shares the same design language and inspiration as the Nothing Phone 1 with some changes.
The major change is the glyph interface. The Phone 1 has connected LED strips but the Phone 2’s are separated into 11 sections which consist of 785 LEDs. Phone 1 has a flat glass back but the Phone 2 has a piloed glass back. There is a slight curve on the edges which are more comfortable to hold than the flat-backed ones.
The frame on the Phone 2 is made up of aluminium and has a matte finish and feel. Under the glass back the internal components are textured with a neat and tidy finish. On the front, the hole hole-punch cutout is moved from the left side to the centre for the new selfie camera. The bezels are qual and thin on all sides giving a premium look.
The Nothing Phone 2 features an upgraded display from the Phone 1. It has a 6.7″ flexible OLED display with LTPO technology, while Corning Gorilla Glass provides durability. With HDR10+ and SGS Low Blue Light certification, the display offers enhanced colour accuracy and reduced blue light emissions. The 10-bit colour depth results in a wide range of colours, and It has a 2412 x 1080 pixel resolution at 394 ppi and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
It offers impressive brightness capabilities, with outdoor fullscreen brightness of 1000 nits and HDR peak pixel brightness of 1600 nits. The adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz optimizes power efficiency, while the 240Hz touch sampling rate ensures a responsive touch experience. The inclusion of a haptic touch motor enhances tactile feedback, adding to the overall immersive interaction with the display.
Glyph Interface
The Nothing Phone 2 has a new Glyph interface which brings the new moto of the world seeking more personal time and less screen dependency. With its innovative features, the Glyph Interface offers a refreshing approach to smartphone interaction. Users can assign unique light and sound sequences for each contact and notification type, allowing them to stay one step ahead of who’s reaching out. The interface provides key information at a glance, eliminating the need to constantly check the screen. It offers practical everyday functionality, serving as a screen-free solution for various tasks.
Users can refer to individual Glyph segments for important information and progress tracking, while the lights can be utilized as a countdown timer, battery meter indicator, volume checker, and even a portable ring light. Additionally, the Glyph Interface introduces Essential Glyph Notifications, enabling users to prioritise notifications from selected contacts or apps.
When such notifications arrive, a persistent light shines until the user opens them, ensuring focus on what matters most. With its versatile Glyph Composer, users can tap different pads to trigger unique light and sound combinations, allowing them to create their own personalized Glyph Ringtones. The Glyph Interface offers an ingenious way to enhance user experience, promoting efficiency and reducing screen time without compromising connectivity and convenience.
Performance and Storage
The Nothing Phone 2 is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset built on a 4nm processor. Nothing opted to use this chipset as it was the flagship option for last year and is also properly optimised delivering a nice performance.
The CPU configuration includes a 1x X2 Prime core clocked at 3.0GHz, 3xA710 cores clocked at 2.5GHz, and 4xA510 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. This combination ensures a balance of high performance and power efficiency. The Adreno 730 GPU enhances graphics processing, delivering smooth visuals for gaming and multimedia experiences.
The Nothing Phone 2 runs on the new Nothing OS 2.0 based on Android 13. Nothing OS 2.0, designed to complement the iconic hardware of the phone, introduces a fresh visual identity that is distinctly Nothing experience. Focusing on functional customization, the operating system allows users to interact with their smartphones in a deliberate and mindful manner. The inclusion of widgets enhances the user experience by providing quick access to information from apps like Weather and Nothing X directly from the home screen.
With swipeable views for more detailed information and the ability to create widgets for Quick Settings functions, convenience is prioritized. Additionally, customisation options abound, enabling users to personalise app labels, grid designs, widget sizes, and colour themes. New folder layouts and illustrated covers add to the intuitive nature of the experience. Nothing OS 2.0 empowers users to make their phones truly their own, ensuring a faster and more intuitive interaction.
Camera
The Nothing Phone 2 features a dual camera setup on the back which consists of a main camera with a 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor, ƒ/1.88 aperture and a 1/1.56″ sensor size. It has optical image stabilisation (OIS) and electronic image stabilisation (EIS).
The features include Advanced HDR, Motion Capture 2.0, Night Mode, Portrait Mode, Motion Photo, Super-res Zoom, and AI scene detection, providing users with versatile photography options. It also offers Expert mode for manual adjustments and includes features like panorama, panorama night mode, document mode, and ultra-wide capabilities, expanding creative possibilities.
The ultra-wide camera is equipped with a 50 MP Samsung JN1 sensor, offering a ƒ/2.2 aperture, 1/2.76″ sensor size, EIS, and a wide 114° field of view. When it comes to video recording, the Nothing Phone 2 supports 4K recording at 60 fps, 1080p recording at 30 or 60 fps, live HDR at 4K30 fps, slo-mo at 480 fps, night mode at 1080p30 fps, action mode, and time-lapse in 4K.
The Nothing Phone 2 takes real-life moments and effortlessly captures them with incredible accuracy. It features an 18-bit Image Signal Processor (ISP), and it can capture a staggering 4,000 times more camera data than its predecessor, Phone 1.
The front camera of the Phone 2 features a 32 MP Sony IMX615 sensor with a ƒ/2.45 aperture and a 1/2.74″ sensor size. The selfie camera also supports features like Motion Photo, Advanced HDR, Lenticular (Filter), Night Mode, and Portrait Mode. For video recording, the front camera can shoot 1080p videos at 60 fps, while Live HDR at 1080p at 30 fps ensures optimal image quality for video selfies.
Battery and Others
The Nothing Phone 2 is powered by a non-removable Li-Ion 4700 mAh battery, offering a good battery life. With its 45W wired charging capability, utilizing PD3.0, PPS, and QC4 technologies, the device can reach 100% charge in just 55 minutes and supports 15W wireless charging along with a 5W reverse wireless charging, allowing it to serve as a power source for other compatible devices like the Nothing Ear 2.
The Nothing Phone 2 includes a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. In terms of connectivity, it supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.3 for wireless connections. It offers dual SIM functionality, allowing users to use two SIM cards simultaneously.
For audio, the device is equipped with three high-definition microphones and dual stereo speakers. As for sensors, it has an in-display fingerprint sensor for secure and convenient unlocking, front and rear ambient light sensors, an accelerometer, an electronic compass, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor and a sensor core.
It is available in two colours; White and Dark Gray.
The Nothing Phone 2 is already launched in India and can be expected to launch soon in Nepal too. We expect the price of the Nothing Phone 2 in Nepal as below:
| Memory option | Price in India (Official) | Price in Nepal (Expected) |
| 8/128GB | INR 45,000 | Rs 76,000 |
| 12/256GB | INR 50,000 | Rs 84,000 |
| 12/512GB | INR 55000 | Rs Rs 90,000 |
Verdict
Nothing’s Phone 1 sold almost 800,000 units which was expected. Being a mid-range option the Nothing Phone 1 did well. But now Nothing is changing as the Phone 2 is evidence of that as it has got some significant upgrades.
But there are also some areas where Nothing can work like the camera. Many people believe it needs a telephoto lens. The price has also increased making it now a premium mid-range option. People are positive about this and hope Nothing will sort these problems out with the Nothing Phone 3 as the name we expect and deliver a flagship killer at a nice price point.
But overall, the Nothing Phone 2 is an upgrade and a competitor to other phones such as the Google Pixel 7 and 7a.
