The Nothing Phone (2a) is a mid-range Android phone that Nothing announced on March 5, 2024. It went on sale on March 12, 2024. In the UK, it started at £319 for 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. In the US, it was sold only through Nothing’s Developer Program for $349 with 12 GB and 256 GB. It was the brand’s first phone built for a lower price tier.
Design and display
The phone keeps Nothing’s transparent look with a plastic back and a plastic frame. Behind the back panel sits a smaller Glyph Interface with three light strips around the camera. The dual cameras sit inside the NFC coil, which gives the back its “eyes” look. The body measures 161.74 x 76.32 x 8.55 mm and weighs 190 g. It is rated IP54 for dust and splash resistance.
The front has a 6.7-inch flexible AMOLED panel with a 1084 x 2412 resolution. Its refresh rate adapts between 30 Hz and 120 Hz. Nothing lists 1,300 nits of peak brightness, HDR10+ support and 2160 Hz PWM dimming. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the screen, and the bezels measure 2.1 mm on all four sides.
Performance
Inside is the Dimensity 7200 Pro, a version of MediaTek’s chip developed for Nothing. It is built on a 4 nm process and has two Cortex-A715 cores at up to 2.8 GHz. A Mali-G610 MC4 handles graphics. Memory options are 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM with 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. There is no microSD slot.
Cameras
The rear setup has two 50 MP cameras. The main camera has an f/1.88 lens, a 1/1.56-inch sensor, and both optical and electronic stabilization. The ultrawide camera has an f/2.2 lens and a 114-degree field of view. The rear cameras record 4K video at 30 fps. On the front, a 32 MP selfie camera sits in a punch-hole cutout.
Battery and charging
The phone has a 5,000 mAh battery. It supports 45 W wired charging, and Nothing says it reaches 50% in about 20 minutes. There is no wireless charging. No charger comes in the box, only a USB-C cable.
Software and updates
The Phone (2a) launched with Nothing OS 2.5 based on Android 14. Nothing promises three years of Android updates and four years of security updates. It has since received Nothing OS 3.0 based on Android 15. Other features include NFC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, stereo speakers and an optical in-display fingerprint reader.
Should you buy the Phone (2a)?
The Phone (2a) suits buyers who want a 120 Hz AMOLED screen and two 50 MP cameras. It also offers a large battery at a moderate price. Its design also stands out among mid-range phones. However, it lacks wireless charging, eSIM and a microSD slot, and its IP54 rating only covers splashes. In the US, it was only sold through a developer program with limited carrier support. Nothing has since released the Phone (3a) as its successor.
