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Nothing Phone 2

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Design
Camera
Display
Performance
Battery Life
Speakers
Software and ecosystem
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23 Verified Hands-On Reviews

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Expert reviews [23]

81
Total expert reviews: 23
  • with a score: 12
  • without a score: 11
Highest score by T3
100
Average score based on 23 reviews
81
Lowest score by The Verge
60

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
60
The Nothing Phone 2 is a stylish midrange device with a unique design and features that set it apart from other phones on the market. While it may not provide a transformative experience, it offers a solid performance, improved battery life, and thoughtful design elements that make it a cool and standout phone.
+ pros
  • Unique design and vibe: The translucent rear panel design, light strip notification indicators, and distinct Nothing OS launcher set the Nothing Phone 2 apart and make it a cool and stylish phone.
  • Improved battery life: The more power-efficient chipset and larger battery allow the Phone 2 to last through a day of moderate use.
  • Snappy performance and high-quality screen: The 6.7-inch 1080p screen is one of the best in its price range, and the phone's performance is fast and responsive.
  • Three Android OS updates and four years of security updates: The Phone 2 promises software support and updates for a significant period of time.
  • Fast wired and wireless charging: The inclusion of both wired and wireless charging options is a smart addition.
- cons
  • Slippery and less water- or dust-resistant: The Phone 2's build quality is durable, but it may be more prone to slipping and is not as resistant to water and dust as other phones in its price range.
  • Difficult adjustment to hardware-based notification system: Some users may find it challenging to adapt to the notification system on the back of the phone, as they are used to having notifications on the screen.
  • Disorienting black-and-white app icons: The option to turn app icons to monochrome may be disorienting and make it harder to navigate through the app drawer.
  • Personal preference for software-focused approach: Some users may prefer the software-focused approach of phones like the Google Pixel 7, which may make the Phone 2 less appealing to them.
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Expert consensus

The Nothing Phone (2) is a sleek and powerful device with a great display and battery life, but falls short in low light photography and audio quality.

The Nothing Phone (2) has received positive reviews for its sleek and modern design, featuring a slim and lightweight build with premium materials. The camera performs well in daylight with excellent shots, but struggles in low light conditions and lacks detail. The display is praised for its size, resolution, and advanced features, making it suitable for multimedia consumption and gaming.

The phone delivers powerful performance with its Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, making it well-suited for gaming and multitasking. The battery life is impressive, lasting a full day of heavy use and supporting fast charging. The speakers have received mixed reviews, with some praising the crisp highs and loud volume, while others find them lacking in definition.

Overall, the Nothing Phone (2) is a reliable choice for users who prioritize design, performance, and battery life, but may not meet the expectations of users who frequently take photos in low light conditions or require high-quality audio.

Design

The Nothing Phone (2) has received positive reviews for its slim and lightweight design, premium materials, and unique features such as LED strips and a transparent back cover.

The Nothing Phone (2) has received positive reviews for its design. It features a slim and lightweight build, measuring 162. 1 x 76. 4 x 8. 6mm and weighing 209g. The aluminum chassis with flat sides, glass back, and Gorilla Glass covering the screen give it a premium feel. The sides are made of matte aluminum, while the back is made of clear plastic, allowing sections of the phone's internals to be visible.

The phone is available in two colors: white and dark gray, with the dark gray color adding a distinct and futuristic look. The camera placement and overall design follow a similar template to its predecessor, with a few notable tweaks. The front design includes a tall display with minimal bezels and a central placement for the selfie camera, which is a departure from the previous design.

The rear design retains the camera array of the previous model, with two 50MP sensors and LED strips underneath the transparent back cover.

Overall, the Nothing Phone (2) has been compared to the iPhone in terms of form factor, featuring flat edges and curved corners. The build quality is considered top-notch, although it has a lower IP54 water and dust resistance rating compared to some other smartphones. The phone also comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor, located beneath the display.

In summary, the Nothing Phone (2) offers a sleek and modern design with premium materials and unique design elements. It is lightweight and easy to carry, making it suitable for users who prioritize portability. The camera placement and overall design provide a visually appealing experience, particularly with the LED strips and transparent back cover.

The in-display fingerprint sensor adds convenience and security to the user experience.

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Camera

The camera on the Nothing Phone (2) performs well in daylight and basic zoom, but struggles in low light conditions and lacks high-quality zoom capabilities.

Based on the expert reviews, the camera on the Nothing Phone (2) has a resolution of 50 megapixels and features a Sony IMX890 sensor. The camera performs well during the day and produces excellent shots with software optimizations. However, it struggles in low light conditions, with images lacking detail and containing noise.

The phone also has difficulty with dynamic range and producing shots with a good HDR effect, resulting in dark spots and lost detail in shadows. One review contradicts this, stating that the camera performs well in low light and produces well-lit, natural-looking photos, but this may be an outlier.

The front-facing camera is a 32-megapixel unit, but specific features are not mentioned. The maximum zoom level is 10x, and while there may be a noticeable loss of detail at this level, anything up to 5x zoom is fine. Overall, the camera on the Nothing Phone (2) is suitable for daytime photography and basic zoom needs, but may not meet the expectations of users who frequently take photos in low light conditions or require high-quality zoom capabilities.

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Display

The Nothing Phone (2) features a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with a dynamic refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, providing a high-quality viewing experience for multimedia, gaming, and productivity.

The Nothing Phone (2) features a 6. 7-inch LTPO OLED display with a resolution of 2,412 x 1,080 pixels. The display utilizes LTPO technology, allowing for a dynamic refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz, providing a smooth and responsive experience.

The display also supports features like HDR10+ and 10-bit color depth, ensuring vibrant and lifelike visuals. The use of LTPO OLED technology and Corning Gorilla Glass protection ensures durability and a high-quality viewing experience.

Overall, the display of the Nothing Phone (2) is praised for its size, resolution, and advanced features, making it suitable for tasks such as multimedia consumption, gaming, and productivity.

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Performance

The Nothing Phone (2) is praised for its powerful performance, flagship-level chipset, and ample storage capacity, making it a reliable choice for users who prioritize performance and multitasking capabilities.

The Nothing Phone (2) is praised for its powerful performance and ability to handle demanding tasks. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 mobile platform, it is considered a flagship-level chipset and offers excellent processing capabilities. The phone can run games like Call of Duty and Genshin Impact on high settings without any heating issues.

It also performs smoothly when running fast apps and multitasking.

The phone comes in two RAM configurations - 8GB and 12GB. The lower 8GB RAM is sufficient for daily tasks, while the higher 12GB RAM is recommended for running newer games or streaming movies. The higher RAM capacity also ensures smoother performance and helps future-proof the phone.

In terms of storage capacity, the Nothing Phone (2) offers options of 256GB and 512GB. The 512GB option is particularly notable as it provides ample space for storing apps, games, and media files. However, some users may have preferred a higher RAM variant instead of the 512GB storage option.

Overall, the Nothing Phone (2) delivers excellent performance when running demanding applications or multitasking. It is particularly well-suited for gaming and can handle resource-intensive tasks without any issues. The combination of the powerful processor, sufficient RAM, and ample storage capacity make it a reliable choice for users who prioritize performance and multitasking capabilities.

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Battery Life

The Nothing Phone (2) has a 4,700mAh battery capacity and impressive battery life, lasting a full day of heavy use and offering fast charging capabilities.

The Nothing Phone (2) has a 4,700mAh battery capacity and offers impressive battery life according to expert reviews. Users have reported being able to get through a full day of normal to heavy use on a single charge. The phone has been tested to last around 17 hours and 15 minutes with the screen on adaptive refresh, which is about two hours longer than competing flagships.

It also supports fast charging, with a total charging time of approximately 55 minutes to reach 100% battery.

During heavy usage or while using certain features/apps, the Nothing Phone (2) still performs well. Users have reported getting a full day of use with many hours of screen time and still having 20% or more battery remaining. The battery drain may be slightly faster if using the Glyph UI extensively, but overall, the battery performance is considered quite good.

The phone can easily last more than a day even with heavy use, such as playing intensive games and having around five hours of screen time. However, battery life may diminish if using the camera extensively, playing energy-sapping games, or streaming video.

In summary, the Nothing Phone (2) offers a decent battery performance, capable of lasting through a full day of heavy usage or while using certain features/apps. It provides a reliable battery life that exceeds many competing flagships and supports fast charging for quick recharging.

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Speakers

The Nothing Phone (2) has received mixed reviews on its stereo speakers, with some praising their loudness and crisp highs, while others criticize their lack of definition and tinny sound at high volumes.

The Nothing Phone (2) has received mixed reviews regarding its speakers. According to PCMag, the stereo speakers are very good, with crisp highs and non-distorted sound even at high volumes. However, CNN Underscored disagrees, stating that the stereo speakers lack definition and can sound tinny at high volumes.

In terms of loudness, the speakers on the Nothing Phone (2) are considered to be quite loud. They are capable of reaching big volumes, and one review even measured a maximum volume of 97.1dB while playing music.

Despite the conflicting opinions on audio quality, it is clear that the Nothing Phone (2) does offer stereo speakers. However, it is worth noting that the downward-firing speaker can be easily covered up depending on how the phone is held.

In summary, if you prioritize crisp highs and loud volume, the speakers on the Nothing Phone (2) might be satisfactory for you. However, if you are a discerning listener and want better audio quality, it is recommended to use a Bluetooth speaker or headphones for a better audio experience.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all smartphones.

Rank Change Price Smartphone
Laptop Mag
The Verge
TechRadar
T3
Pocket-lint
Tom's Guide
IGN
Creative Bloq
Digital Trends
ZD Net
1
- $908
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
-
3
4
2
2
2
1
1
-
1
2
- $970
Google Pixel 9 Pro
-
-
1
-
-
3
2
5
4
-
3
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iPhone 16 Pro Max
-
-
2
-
-
1
-
-
2
2
4
- Check price
iPhone 16
-
1
-
-
-
5
-
-
1
-
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