Nothing Phone 2a: A Budget Smartphone with Impressive Features, Limited Availability in the US
Nothing, the company founded by ex-OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, has released a new smartphone called the Phone 2a. Priced at $349, it is being hailed as one of the best budget phones currently available. However, there’s a catch – the Phone 2a is only available in the United States through a developer program on GitHub. This limited availability has left many potential buyers disappointed, as they are unable to acquire this slick-looking smartphone with its unique features.
Design and Display
The Nothing Phone 2a boasts a sleek and modern design that is not commonly seen in phones under $400. It features a transparent glass back that allows users to see the components underneath, including the NFC coil behind the camera sensors. This gives the phone a distinct character and sets it apart from other budget smartphones. The black model, which I had the opportunity to review, looks impressive, but the white model is even more eye-catching as the internal components are more visible.
In terms of display, the Phone 2a offers one of the best screens in its price range. It sports a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and an impressive brightness of 1,300 nits. These specifications are usually found in phones that cost at least $600, making it a rare find in the budget phone market. Additionally, the phone features an under-screen fingerprint reader that works just as well as any flagship phone.
Performance and Battery Life
Under the hood, the Phone 2a is powered by a custom Dimensity 7200 Pro processor, developed in partnership with MediaTek. This collaboration has resulted in optimized performance and solid battery life. The phone comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, providing smooth everyday performance for basic tasks and even some gaming. Multitasking is a breeze, with apps staying open in the background for extended periods without any major slowdowns. The optimizations made by Nothing to the software contribute to the overall smooth experience.
Battery life is another strong point of the Phone 2a. It houses a 5,000mAh battery that can easily last a full day of heavy use and can even stretch into the second day with moderate usage. Additionally, the phone supports 45W fast charging, allowing for quick top-ups. While the lack of wireless charging may be a downside for some users, the fast charging capability compensates for it.
Software and Camera
The Phone 2a ships with Android 14 out of the box, accompanied by Nothing OS 2.5. The custom interface, known as the Glyph Interface, embraces Nothing’s dot matrix design philosophy. It offers a unique user experience, allowing users to swap out fonts and app shortcuts with various dots and black-and-white iconography. This design philosophy aligns with Nothing’s mission to help users be more intentional in their phone usage.
Nothing promises three years of major OS upgrades and four years of security updates for the Phone 2a, exceeding the industry standard for sub-$400 phones. This makes it an attractive choice for users planning to keep their phone for two to three years.
While the Phone 2a excels in many areas, its camera quality is a letdown, as is expected from a budget smartphone. The 50MP main camera performs decently in good lighting conditions, but struggles in low-light situations. The same can be said for the 50MP ultra-wide camera, which lacks detail and consistency in nighttime photography. However, the camera does offer some unique features such as Ultra HDR, Motion Capture, and Portrait Optimizer, which enhance the overall photography experience.
Conclusion
Despite its limited availability in the US, the Nothing Phone 2a is a standout budget smartphone. Its impressive design, high-quality display, optimized performance, and solid battery life make it a strong contender in the $400 price range. While it may not have the best camera on the market, its unique features and overall value make it worth considering for those in markets where it is available. If you’re in the market for a budget phone and want something that stands out from the crowd, the Nothing Phone 2a is definitely worth a closer look.
