Nothing just announced the Nothing Phone (2), which is its second generation phone. Everyone wants to know how the company has improved since its first try to get into the phone market.
The price increase is probably the most noticeable change. The first Nothing phone went on sale for €469 in Europe and $299 in the U.S. as part of a private test. The Nothing Phone (2), on the other hand, came to the US right away and was a big hit. It cost $599, which was double the price of the first phone.
Of course, that new price tag includes some changes. There are new main and selfie cameras, faster charging, some small changes to the screen, and most importantly, a much more powerful chipset that is on par with flagship phones.
Aside from that, the two phones are a lot alike. Even with the new main camera, the picture quality doesn’t seem to be much better. The appearance has mostly stayed the same, but there have been some small changes and improvements to the Glyph lighting system on the back.
Design and Display Quality
At first look, you probably won’t notice much difference between the Phone (2) and the Phone (1). However, there are a few important design changes that have an effect on how the phone is used.
The Phone (2) is now just a little bit bigger and heavy, but nothing has changed to make it easier to hold. In particular, we’re talking about how the back glass panel gently curves as it hits the frame’s edges.
During our study of the Phone 2, we noticed that it is very easy to drop. This was not as obvious as its predecessor from last year.
The Glyph interface that makes the two Nothing Phones stand out has also been improved with the Phone (2), which now has more LED lights and a higher level of customization. Now, you can keep track of things like a timer or delivery by using one of the lights as a progress bar. You can also set one of the Glyph LEDs on the back to show a very specific message.
The only color choices are still black and white, but the black is now more of a dark gray.
The screen on the Phone (2) is 6.7 inches, which is a little bigger than the screen on the Phone (1), which is 6.5 inches. But that’s not all! The new Nothing phone’s screen is also LTPO, which means that its update rate can be slowed down to just 1Hz, which saves a lot of power. The new model is also brighter, which makes it easier to read in bright light.
Performance and Software
The price difference between Nothing Phone (2) and Nothing Phone (1) is huge.
Performance is the one area where the Nothing Phone (2) beats the Nothing Phone (1) by a wide margin. With the upgrade to Qualcomm’s high-end flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, the new model is much closer to being able to compete with other flagship phones on the market. Of course, you also have to think about the much higher price.
Now, those of you who are more interested in cell phones and hardware are probably already thinking that the new chipset is old because it came out in 2022, and you would be right. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice.
In fact, it seems like the right choice if the company wants to make a flagship killer and compete with the big boys. That’s because it gives a very similar top-notch performance at a lower price than if Nothing had gone for the latest and greatest Android chips.
The Nothing Phone (1) was a nice car to drive every day. During our time with the phone, it worked well for most everyday tasks, such as using the user interface, browsing the web, and playing games. There were a few bumps along the way, but we couldn’t say much about it.
Everything is just faster and easier with the Nothing Phone (2). That means it takes less time to install apps, do things like edit photos and videos, load games faster, and do other things. You can also be sure that the chip will work for a longer time than the mid-range Snapdragon 778G+ from the first generation.
Camera
The price difference between Nothing Phone (2) and Nothing Phone (1) is huge.
The main camera on both the Phone (1) and the Phone (2) is 50MP, but the Phone (2) is better because it has a new Sony IMX890 image sensor. The same 50MP camera is used for the ultra-wide camera.
The addition of Qualcomm’s high-end Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 engine is what really makes a difference. With that powerful chipset, the Nothing Phone (2), unlike its predecessor, can crop in on the main camera sensor to get a 2x Super-Res zoom while keeping the quality of the picture. On the other hand, the Phone (1) can only digitally zoom in on a picture, which means that details are lost quickly.
One problem that seems to keep coming up is that HDR doesn’t work very well. Shooting in HDR mode with any of the three cameras, even the one in front, seems like a huge risk. Most of the time, the effects are not good enough. There are a lot of signs that Nothing still needs to work on its image processing software, like photos that are simply exposed or have white blooms around the subject.
A new 32MP sensor has been added to the front camera, which was only 16MP on the Phone (1).
Quality of Sound and Touch
Both of the Nothing phones have two speakers. But if you were hoping to see some changes here, you might be a little letdown. The Nothing Phone (2), like its predecessor, can make very clear-sounding music, but it lacks complexity and depth. In other words, you might find it easy to enjoy some podcasts or YouTube videos, but listening to music could leave you wanting more.
On the other hand, the new phone from Nothing still has great haptics. They are sharp, accurate, and strong, which makes them a great match for the famous Glyph system on the back panel.
Battery Life and Charging
The Nothing Phone has a battery with a capacity of 4,500 mAh. The second-generation Nothing Phone has a battery with a capacity of 4,700 mAh. But when it came to battery life, we didn’t notice much of a change, except in one area that was a bit of a problem with the first generation.
At the end of the day, most people will probably be able to use the Nothing Phone (2) for a little bit longer than a day, which is more than enough by today’s standards.
Conclusion
Nothing has announced its second-generation Nothing Phone, priced at $599, double the price of the first phone. The phone features new main and selfie cameras, faster charging, and a more powerful chipset.
The design and display quality remains the same, with the Phone 2 being slightly bigger and heavier. The Glyph interface has been improved, with more LED lights and a higher level of customization. The screen is 6.7 inches, LTPO, and brighter, saving power and making it easier to read in bright light.
