Flagship killer for €329? Nothing Phone (2a) hands-on review

It really stinks to buy a new flagship smartphone for €1,450 and then realize that one for €330 would have been enough. I will boldly claim that the Nothing Phone (2a) is perfectly sufficient for 90% of the population.

What you give up at €330

With a recommended retail price (RRP) of €330, it is not a high-end smartphone. In everyday use you notice that in three ways.

• Processor: The MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro cannot keep up with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or Gen 3. Still, the device runs smoothly: apps open and close quickly, nothing stutters while scrolling, and split-screen views open, resize and close without a hitch. With the camera you do notice the mid-range processor: after taking a photo it takes a moment before it is shown, and a spinner turns at the bottom with a message that processing is in progress.
• Camera: There is a 50 megapixel main camera, a 50 megapixel ultrawide camera and a 32 megapixel front camera. It takes beautiful, good photos and videos up to 4K at 30 fps. For anyone who is not a content creator and only needs the camera for everyday life and vacations, that is plenty. There may be better cameras in this price range, but you would have to accept other compromises for them, such as in the battery. What bothers me is that portrait photos in the 9:16 story format are only possible at 12 instead of 50 megapixels. I would not start an Instagram career with the Phone (2a). That is why I posted photos in 4:3 format in my stories.
• Missing little things: There is no wireless charging, no eSIM and no AI feature. The stereo speakers are there and okay for listening briefly. For YouTube or movies, you are better off using Bluetooth headphones.

Everyone has to decide for themselves how important these points are.

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Design and build quality

You do not get the feeling of holding a 330 euro smartphone. The frame is made of aluminum, the back of plastic. That feels different from a matte glass back. The low weight of 190 g at 6.7 inches stands out in a good way. The S24+ is also 6.7 inches and weighs 6 g more because of its glass back. The edges are flat, and the aluminum on the side is matte black. So far I have not used a case and have no scratches on the frame or the back yet.

I am also a big fan of the transparent Nothing design that runs through all of their products. It is something different, and I like it on the Bluetooth headphones, too.

Glyphs

The glyphs on the back are unique: three LED strips that you can configure so they light up differently depending on the notification. You can also use them to see when a timer runs out or how long your Uber will take. Honestly, for me they are an absolute gimmick. They look really cool, fit the overall design and are an eye-catcher. I have not used or set up the LEDs productively.

Display

The 6.7-inch AMOLED display made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 has an adaptive refresh rate of 3 to 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 1,300 nits. It is sharp and has great color reproduction. Movies, videos, reading and scrolling are fun without any limitations. It also has super thin, even bezels, which is anything but a given in this price range.

Nothing OS

Nothing OS runs in version 2.5 and is already based on Android 14. I love the ultra-cool design. It looks stylish and futuristic, matches the hardware and gives the Phone (2a) an extraordinary touch away from the Android sameness. The widgets look great. There is also a feature I already praised on the Honor Magic V2: a large folder where you can tap apps directly without opening it first.

Battery

Nothing built in a 5,000 mAh battery, the same size as on the S24 Ultra, and it lasts at least as long. With 3 to 4 hours of screen time per day, I get more than two days. On devices under €1,000, the battery is usually the first thing to be skimped on, but not here.

Verdict

You get the feeling that Nothing put in everything that makes a good smartphone good at its core and saved on the camera, materials and small gimmicks. The result is a really good smartphone with a great design, a great display and killer battery life. I think most people are more than well served by it and do not need a €1,400 flagship that may come with a better camera and higher-quality materials. I am thrilled that you can get such a great device for €320, and I hope even more manufacturers figure out how to offer high-end specs at low prices.