Nothing Phone 2 Review with Pros and Cons – Only 1 Problem

I was expecting that Nothing will go aggressive in pricing but that didn’t happen, they want to become the iPhone of Android smartphones. 

So before we start the review, let me share with you Nothing Phone 2 price across the world.

Models	India	Europe	United States	United Kingdom
8GB + 128GB	₹44,999	€679	$599	£579
12GB + 256GB	₹49,999	€729	$699	£629
12GB + 512GB	₹54,999	€849	$799	£699

It comes in grey and White Color options but keep in mind the White color is only available in the 12GB Ram variant. This is not justifiable at all but this is what Nothing did with Nothing Phone 1.

Nothing Phone 2 Review

Yes, the Nothing Phone 2 is worth buying but it comes with a premium price tag, so if you’re okay paying premium for Nothing Brand then this is the best option but if you want a value-for-money device and you don’t care much about the design then look around because you have tons of better options available.

If you ask me, I would never pay Rs 44,999 for Nothing Phone 2. If I’m paying this amount of money, I won’t mind paying a little more and going with an iPhone because Apple will support their devices for a long time.

I’m not an Apple Fanboy, I’m still using an Android smartphone as a daily driver.  

I’m saying all this because I feel, Nothing is charging a premium for what they’re offering in India as well as in Europe.

Related: Best Smartphones Under Rs 25,000

All in all, it depends on you whether you’re willing to pay a premium for the Nothing Phone 2 or not.

Fyi, you will get better cameras in Pixel 7, iPhone 13, or even iPhone 14. Even consider the Galaxy S23 Series phone as it will get cheaper because the Galaxy S24 series is around the corner.

Display and Build

The 6.70-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display looks amazing, it’s still a flat display. The 1600 peak brightness will ensure that you see everything outdoors.

What it means is you won’t face any sort of issue when using the phone under the sunlight.

HDR support is there on almost all the OTT platforms including Netflix and YouTube. I mean, you can even shoot HDR videos with rear cameras which is always a good thing.

The fingerprint sensor is fast but it’s the same as the last gen, Nothing has changed here. I wish they had gone with a different and fast fingerprint sensor.

Also, as this is an LTPO display, it can go from 1Hz to 120Hz which will provide better battery life.

The frame is made from Metal while on the rear as well as on the front it has Gorilla glass. This means you’re getting the premium feeling at a good price, I’m only talking about the build quality.

For those who are wondering, The Phone 2 is not waterproof. It only has an IP54 rating, which means it is only protected against splashes of water. Kind of sad.

Overall, the display quality is solid while the same can be said for the build as well. It’s a well-built smartphone by Nothing.

Design

I have said many times that Design is subjective, some will like how Nothing Phone 2 looks and some will hate it. So I will leave the design up to you, decide whether you like it or not.

If you ask me, I loved it.

Nothing has made few changes in design compared to the Nothing Phone 1.

Related: 5 Best Smartphones Under Rs 30000

The volume buttons are moved slightly down while on the rear side, the entire frame is made from glass which has curved.

What this will do is, it will be very easy to hold the device. It’s no longer a boxy smartphone, it’s going to iPhone territory.

I mean, just take a look at the documentation provided by Nothing in the retail box of the Nothing Phone 2, it’s the same design as the iPhone.

Yes, I won’t be surprised if they just made the same retail box as the iPhone with the Pro version.

By the way, glyph lights have gotten a new update. Now along with the charging integrator, you can also see the Uber driver progress and you can set different ringtones for different calls.

This feels more useful but still, I feel, it looks cool but you will forget about the lights after a few weeks. This is what happened with Nothing Phone 1, so expect the same here too.

Performance

You’re wondering why Nothing used last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor in Nothing Phone 2?

The answer is very simple, it’s cheaper now compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

By going this, the Nothing Phone 2 should have been priced reasonably but that didn’t happen.

Nonetheless, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is a powerful processor and it can handle almost everything without any sort of problems whether you want to play games like PUBG, COD Mobile, or even Genshin Impact.

The Nothing OS 2.0 is well-optimized and it has tons of handy features like App lock, dual apps, and face unlock.

We will talk about Nothing OS 2.0 in movement.

Nothing has promised only 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates. It means the phone will get Android 14, 15, and 16.

There is nothing wrong with it but we have Samsung and Apple who provides long updates.

I’m comparing this to Apple and Samsung’s flagship phones because Nothing has launched the Nothing Phone 2 at a premium price tag. 

This is what Nothing wants to become, you will see a $1000 Nothing Phone one day. After all, Nothing is founded by OnePlus’s Founder.

Nothing OS 2.0

Nothing OS is more polished compared to the last gen, the speed is visible when using the phone in day-to-day life.

The animations are not as close as Samsung’s premium phones but Nothing is getting there. They have added lots of new features that we didn’t get with Nothing OS 1.0.

Now, just like Asus Zenfone 10, Nothing gives you the option to choose from Stock Android or Nothing OS 2.0 customization.

So you have a choice whether to opt for pure stock UI like Pixel phone or you want more customization whether it’s on an icon or even on Home Screen.

Whatever you choose, you won’t get any ads in the UI or bloatware. It’s a clean OS with handy features.

One more thing, if you’re a fan of what Apple did with the lock screen then you might like what Nothing has done.

You can’t yet set images like iPhones on the lock screen on Nothing Phone 2 but you can add Widgets on the lock screen.

The cool thing is, you can even add system widgets like DND, Airplane mode, and many other widgets on the home screen as well as on the lock screen.

There are lots of features you will discover when you start using the Nothing Phone 2.

The end story is, Nothing OS is improved and it will get better with updates.

Cameras

The Phone 2 has a 50MP Primary sensor + 50MP ultra-wide lens while there is a 32MP selfie shooter on the front. The rear cameras can shoot videos up to 4k@60fps while the front can only shoot at 1080p@30fps.

Again, no telephoto lens which is a bummer as this is a sort of premium smartphone in many territories.

Now, this will be a very simple camera review of any smartphone because this is after all Nothing Phone 2.

The primary sensor takes wonderful images under good lights with a little bit of boosted colors, sad to break it to you, but the phone 2 doesn’t take natural images.

The dynamic range is spot on, no problems at all.

The problem is “HDR”

The HDR issue doesn’t happen too often but when it happens and if you don’t look at the image then you will get aggry because it will ruin that image and movement.

So if you plan to buy this phone kindly check the images when you take them to be on the safer side.

This is all a software issue and I feel, this can be fixed.

Also, as the phone doesn’t have a telephoto lens, so when zooming into any subject, it loses out on details.

Now, let’s put everything aside and talk about night photography.

This is where Nothing needs to work a lot. This is a premium smartphone in many territories and I don’t think night photography needs to be this worst for the price it comes.

The night photos do come out bright but most of the time, it comes with either too much noise or soften which isn’t a wonderful experience to have.

Also, don’t get me started on an Ultra-wide lens.

The phone has a 50MP ultra-wide lens that takes good images under sunlight but when it comes to low light, it forgets about the details and softens almost everything.

The images do look great but this is not the best ultra-wide lens. I mean, it has a bigger sensor but it’s not doing a great job.

The 32MP front sensor is doing a better job in HDR compared to the primary sensor. You will love how you look in selfies because the selfies come out with a saturated look and white tone.

This is what most of the budget phones are doing and I expected Nothing to do better but there is nothing special after all.

The good news is, the videos come out stable and good under good lights. Now, this doesn’t mean, it can beat iPhone, like the founder of Nothing is saying on Nothing’s Youtube Channel.

Nonetheless, the video quality is better compared to its competition.

The end story with Nothing Phone 2 cameras is, there is nothing extraordinary with the cameras, so don’t look at the phone and say, this will have a good camera because the cameras are not good at all, as you’re expecting.

Let me put it in a simple way,

This is Rs 44,999 smartphone and by going to the price tag, it doesn’t have good cameras at all. It’s almost the same as OnePlus 11R and no, it’s not as good as Pixel 7 or Pixel 7A.

Check out the raw camera samples of Nothing Phone 2 (Google Drive, see it yourself)

Audio

The speakers are the same as Nothing Phone 1, nothing has changed here. It has dual speakers and there is no 3.5mm audio jack.

The speaker is perfect, there is nothing to complain about.

The call quality is solid too, you won’t have a hard time talking to someone even if you’re in a public place.

Nothing has also added a whopping 19 5G Bands which are n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n66, n71, n75, n77, and n78.

So use as much 5G as you can, if it’s available in your city.

Battery

The 4,700mAh battery will last for a day without any kind of problems because the phone has a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 which is a power-efficient processor.

Now, keep in mind, if you’re a power-hungry user who loves to play games, take calls, do video calls, and even use social media for long hours then you will have to charge the phone twice a day.

For moderate users, you will get about a day of battery life.

No charger in the box either.

It supports 45W wired charging which you have to buy separately from Nothing. There is also support for 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging.

Nothing Phone 2 Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Smooth 120hz LTPO OLED Display	No mmwave in Uniated State
Super Bright 1600 nits brightness	No Telephoto lens
45W Wired Charging Support	Average Cameras
15W Wireless Charging Support	HDR issues in Rear Cameras
Good option for gaming	Not So Good Ultra-wide lens
Polished Nothing OS 2.0	Average portrait shots
A good option for gaming	Low Light Photography needs lots of improvement
Good looking Design	Pricey in many territories
Rock Solid Build Quality
19 5G bands

Verdict

IQOO Neo 7 Pro has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 and it’s available at Rs 34999 while the OnePlus 11R has the same SoC and is priced at Rs 38,999.

Now, yes the Nothing Phone 2 has a different design for which Nothing is asking the Rs 44,999 price tag.

So choose what you want, a value money device or one that has a light on the back.

Either way, you will be more than happy with the performance, it’s just that, one is asking for more money.

Nothing Phone 2 FAQs

Is Nothing Phone 2 Waterproof?

The Phone 2 is not waterproof. It only has an IP54 rating, which means it is only protected against splashes of water. Kind of sad.

Does Nothing Phone 2 have wireless charging support?

Yes, it has 15W wireless and 5W reverse wireless charging support.

Does Nothing Phone 2 come with a charger in the box?

No, you have to buy the 45W wired charger separately from Nothing.

How Many 5G bands does Nothing Phone 2 have?

Nothing has also added a whopping 19 5G Bands which are n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n66, n71, n75, n77, and n78.

Will Nothing Phone 2 work in the United States?

Yes, it will only support sub-6Hz 5G connections, which means users will not be able to access mmWave 5G bands. The good news is, Nothing Phone 2 is officially launching on the first day in the United States.

How many Android OS updates will Nothing Phone 2 get?

Nothing has promised only 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates. It means the phone will get Android 14, 15, and 16.

What are the Color options available for the Nothing Phone 2?

It comes with gray and white color options, sadly, it’s not available in Black color like Nothing Phone 1.

Does Nothing Phone 2 come with an SD card Slot?

No, it only has two SIM support, there is no micro-SD Card slot present.

Can I change the glyph light colors?

No, you can change the glyph light colors, it’s only available in white color. No RGB yet.

How much does Nothing Phone 2 cost in India?

The Phone 2 price in India starts from Rs 44,999 for 8GB of Ram and 128GB of storage while the 12GB Ram and 256GB Storage variant is priced at Rs 49,999. The bigger variant is priced at Rs 54,999 which has 12GB of Ram and 512GB storage. It’s sold Via Flipkart in India.

How much does Nothing Phone 2 cost in the United States?

Nothing Phone 2 price in the United States starts from $599 for 8GB of Ram and 128GB of storage while the 12GB Ram and 256GB Storage variant is priced at $699. The bigger variant is priced at $799 which has 12GB of Ram and 512GB storage.

How much does the Nothing Phone 2 cost in Europe?

Nothing Phone 2 price in Europe starts from €679 for 8GB of Ram and 128GB of storage while the 12GB Ram and 256GB Storage variant is priced at €729. The bigger variant is priced at €849 which has 12GB of Ram and 512GB storage.

How much does Nothing Phone 2 cost in the United Kingdom?

Nothing Phone 2 price in the United Kingdom starts from £579 for 8GB of Ram and 128GB of storage while the 12GB Ram and 256GB Storage variant is priced at £629. The bigger variant is priced at £699 which has 12GB of Ram and 512GB storage.

Nothing Phone 2 Full Specifications

Price	Europe: • 8/128 GB: €679 • 12/256 GB: €729 • 12/512 GB: €849 India: • 8/128 GB: ₹44,999 • 12/256 GB: ₹49,999 • 12/512 GB: ₹54,999 United States: • 8/128 GB: $599 • 12/256 GB: $699 • 12/512 GB: $799 United Kingdom: • 8/128 GB: £579 • 12/256 GB: £629 • 12/512 GB: £699
Display	6.70-inches FHD+ LTPO OLED Display 394 PPI Density 10-Bit Panel HDR10+ Support 1,600 nits pick the brightness 1240 x 2772 pixels Resolution 240hz toch response rate 120Hz Screen Refresh Rate
Dimensions	162.1 x 76.4 x 8.6 mm Weight: 201g
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), Glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), Metal frame IP54, dust and water resistant
OS	Nothing OS 2.0 – Android 13 3 Years of OS Updates. 4 Years of Security Updates.
RAM and Storage Speed	LPDDR5 Ram UFS 3.10 Storage
Chipset	Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) CPU: Octa-core (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) GPU: Adreno 730
SD-Card Slot	No
Rear Cameras	50MP Primary Sensor (OIS) 50MP Ultra-Wide Lens Video 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
Front Camera	32MP Selfie Shooter. Video 1080p@30fps.
5G Bands	19 5G Bands – n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n30, n38, n40, n41, n66, n71, n75, n77, and n78
3.5mm Jack	No.
Speakers	Dual Speakers.
Bluetooth Version	5.3 Version.
FM Radio	No.
NFC	Yes.
Sensors	In Display Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Electronic Compass, Gyroscope, Front and Rear Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Sensor Core
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
Battery	4,700mAh (non-removable). 45W Wired Charging. 15W Wireless Charging. 5W Reverse Wireless Charging. No Charger in the Box.
Weight	201g
Glyph Light	33 individually addressable LED zones Covered with Gorilla Glass 5 White light only
Colors	Black And Grey
Model Number	AIN065
In the Box	Nothing Phone 2 Transparent USB-C to USB-C cable Transparent SIM tool Pre-applied screen protector Paperwork

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