Nothing launched the Nothing Phone (2) last week, and it’s currently one of the most popular phones. It succeeds the Phone (1) that launched last year, and stood out for its unique transparent design adorned with LED lights. Nothing Phone (2) continues with the same but enhanced Glyph Interface, and better specs. It definitely sits on top among Android smartphones but should you really go for the Nothing Phone (2)? We give you four reasons to buy and four reasons why you shouldn’t.
4 reasons to not buy the Nothing Phone (2)
Dynamic range could be better
Nothing Phone (2) features a dual rear cameras setup with a 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor with OIS and EIS, and a 50MP Samsung JN1 ultra-wide sensor. It has a 32MP front camera for selfies. The overall camera quality of the Nothing Phone (2) is good with pleasing results in almost all scenarios. Low-light photography on the Nothing Phone (2) is good too but its dynamic range could have been better. In some night-time shots, there were varying differences in light and shadows so the images looked a bit flat.
Similar design as predecessor
There was a lot of speculation on the Nothing Phone (2)’s design with many suggesting there won’t be any change. Nothing did go all out with the Phone (1) so it wasn’t surprising that they didn’t do much with Phone (2). At first glance, you wouldn’t be able to between the two. The Glyph Interface did get a redesign but this serves the software purpose more as you have more customisation options. If you’re a Phone (1) user you will most likely be disappointed with the same design but for new users, it can still be appealing.
But there are some subtle differences that are worth mentioning. Nothing Phone (2) comes with slight curved edges, and it’s also marginally thicker and heavier. It also comes in a new Dark Grey colour that can also be another differentiator between the Phone (1) and Phone (2).
Charging speeds don’t match rivals
Nothing Phone (2) packs a 4,700mAh battery with support for 45W wired fast charging, and 15W wireless charging support. You can also use the phone to charge accessories like Ear (2) as it doubles as a 5W wireless charger. Nothing Phone (2) has a good battery life but extreme heavy usage might require you to charge the phone by late evening. It supports up to 45W fast charging but this doesn’t match rivals, and the phone also takes a little over an hour to reach 100 percent. You’ll also need to buy your own charger to get the max charging speeds.
Priced on the higher side
One thing that everyone spoke of when the Phone (2) launched was its price. It comes in three variants of 8GB + 128GB, 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB priced at Rs Rs 44,999, Rs 49,999 and Rs 54,999, respectively. While the phone does offer a good set of specifications, and performs well, its price tag might not justify the overall package. This is based on comparison with other phones that offer the same or better specs, and even at a lower price. With the Phone (2), the design does come into question but if you’re someone who doesn’t care about that then there are better choices to consider.
4 reasons to buy the Nothing Phone (2)
Standout looks
While we did mention that the Phone (2) looks much like its predecessor, it’s still one of the best-looking phones in the market. Especially for an Android phone, the Nothing Phone (2) stands out for its transparent design and LED lights which can be very appealing. You also get a redesigned Glyph Interface now, which offers more customisation, and integration with apps. The Nothing Phone (2) comes in two colour options of White and Dark Grey.
Good performance & battery life
Nothing Phone (2) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. The smartphone is also to offer an 80 percent increase in overall performance over the Phone (1). The chipset and 12GB RAM phone does deliver smooth performance for various apps and tasks, and also helps in multi-tasking. In terms of battery life, we’ve already mentioned that it’s good enough to run the entire day but heavy usage will require charging it by late evening.
Decent cameras
Nothing Phone (2) could offered better dynamic range but other than it offers satisfactory camera performance. Daylight shots usually turn out vibrant with slightly boosted colours. You also get good portrait shots and selfies with the Nothing Phone (2). It also comes with a bunch of features such as slo-mo, time-lapse, portrait, macro and expert, and also a 2X Super-Res mode. With the Phone (2), videos can be shot up to 4K at 60fps, and there’s an Action mode available as well.
Glyph improvements
The redesigned Glyph Interface also comes with more usability and customisation options. It can now sync with various native apps like timer, charging and third-party apps such as Uber and Zomato. There’s also the Glyph Composer app that lets you make ringtones, which can sync with the LED lights.
