Verdict
Although it’s pricier than its predecessor, the Nothing Telephone (2) is a tempting purchase. It fixes the massive complaints with the unique whereas providing efficiency much like that of flagships that value far more. It additionally seems fairly cool with Nothing’s signature clear LED-infused rear.
Execs
- Distinctive LED-laden design
- Excessive-end 6.7-inch OLED show
- Snappy on a regular basis efficiency
- Succesful twin 50MP cameras
Cons
- Digicam isn’t nice in low-light situations
- No charger within the field
- Far more costly than Nothing Telephone (1)
-
Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 energyThe Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 throughout the Nothing Telephone (2) blows the equally priced competitors out of the water, higher permitting it to compete with costlier flagships. -
Distinctive designThe Nothing Telephone (1) was famed for its distinctive design, and that’s simply as true with the Nothing Telephone (2). The famed clear design and rear Glyph system are current and accounted for, making the telephone stand out from the competitors. -
Excessive-end 6.7-inch showThe Nothing Telephone (2) has an exceptional 6.7-inch OLED show with 120Hz refresh charge and LTPO tech that permits it to drop right down to as little as 1Hz – one thing very uncommon on the mid-range value level.
Introduction
The Nothing Telephone (2) is lastly right here. It seems the identical because the Nothing Telephone (1) and contains a a lot larger £579/$599 price ticket – however has nothing actually modified?
Fortunately, that’s not the case.
Even with the upper price ticket, the Nothing Telephone (2) represents a tempting choice within the mid-range market. It sports activities a flagship-level processor, a twin 50MP digital camera system and stable all-day efficiency that enable it to compete with among the greatest telephones, and let’s not overlook about its fashionable, clear, LED-laden design that helps it stand out from the gang.
Primarily, that is the Nothing Telephone that Nothing would’ve appreciated to have launched the primary time round, fixing a lot of the huge complaints with the budget-focused first-gen mannequin.
Design and display
- Similar design as Nothing Telephone (1)
- Minor enhancements to Glyph interface
- Excessive-end 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED show
- LTPO know-how is spectacular at this value
Nothing created a hanging visible model with the Nothing Telephone (1), and that’s very a lot the case with the Nothing Telephone (2). Like the unique, the Nothing Telephone (2) sports activities a clear rear paying homage to early 00s tech just like the Sport Boy Advance, permitting you to see the parts inside powering the expertise.
It’s simply as clear because it was on the Nothing Telephone (1), with no huge modifications to the componentry on present. I really like with the ability to see the snaking cables working between the parts, the big Qi wi-fi charging coil and the intricate method all the things suits collectively. All the things matches too, with all parts colored in both white or gray relying on the end you go for – there’s no black choice for now, however that may change in future.
The clear rear isn’t the one design function borrowed from the Telephone (1) both; the famed Glyph interface can be current and accounted for. Although the location of the white LED strips is an identical to that of its predecessor, there have been enhancements to the underlying tech.
These vary from small quality-of-life upgrades like auto-brightness tech to mechanically dim or brighten the LEDs based mostly on environmental lighting to extra substantial upgrades like segmented LEDs throughout the strip that present higher management of the lighting inside – however extra on that slightly later.
The core performance of the Glyph interface stays the identical, nevertheless, primarily getting used as a flashy notification system to provide you with a warning to incoming messages and calls when going through screen-down. It may also be used as a mushy fill mild within the Digicam app, and as a torch too.
I’ve not grown bored with the Glyph interface throughout my week of testing, although it did take me some time to get used to putting my telephone display down to really reap the benefits of the system.
I additionally appreciated that I may flip the telephone to mute the sound of calls and notifications when working, as an alternative of relying solely on the LED lights to alert me of incoming notifications. Some would possibly argue that it’s extra distracting than a notification sound, however I didn’t actually discover that to be the case.
Primarily, when you appreciated the thought of the Glyph interface on the Telephone (1) you then’ll be proud of what’s on provide from the Telephone (2). When you didn’t, nevertheless, there’s little or no right here to vary your thoughts.
Flashy lights apart, there are minimal modifications elsewhere to the Nothing Telephone (2)’s design. The show is slightly bigger, however the slim bezels of the show imply it doesn’t really feel that a lot greater than the 6.55-inch Nothing Telephone (1), and the slight curvature to the rear panelling makes it match extra comfortably within the hand than its angular predecessor.
The supplies are additionally premium for the value, sporting an aluminium body and a glass rear protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass, serving to the telephone really feel far more costly than it’s.
The Nothing Telephone (1) was praised for its high-end show regardless of its inexpensive focus, and that continues with the Telephone (2) – even with its larger asking value. You’ll discover a barely bigger 6.7-inch OLED panel with a {smooth} 120Hz refresh charge and high-end LTPO tech that permits it to drop right down to as little as 1Hz to avoid wasting battery life. LTPO tech at this value level may be very uncommon certainly, and Nothing needs to be recommended for it.
Tremendous-smooth refresh charge apart, help for HDR10+ and a most brightness of 1600nits present an amazing movie-watching expertise in apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with vibrant colors and the deep, inky blacks that OLED tech is famed for. That brightness additionally makes for somewhat comfy viewing open air, with no actual concern utilizing the telephone on shiny sunny days.
Dimension apart, you’ll discover a fingerprint sensor throughout the show that works somewhat reliably, and there’s a centrally-placed hole-punch digital camera too.
Cameras
- New 50MP most important digital camera is succesful
- Nice on a regular basis efficiency from each lenses
- Not one of the best in low-light situations
The Nothing Telephone (1) was an amazing first stab at an inexpensive telephone, however we discovered that the digital camera efficiency was hit-and-miss with somewhat odd tuning and efficiency points. Fortunately, that’s not the case with the Nothing Telephone (2) – in most conditions, anyway.
Although you may be forgiven for assuming that the dual 50MP most important and ultrawide lenses are an identical to their predecessors, that’s solely half true. Whereas the Samsung JN1 sensor of the ultrawide sensor is an identical, the principle digital camera boasts a brand new Sony IMX890 sensor – the identical as that of the £729/$699 OnePlus 11.
In addition to bettering the {hardware}, Nothing claims that an improved ISP permits the telephone to seize as much as 4000x extra information than the Telephone (1), and eight frames of publicity captured in HDR photographs in comparison with simply 3 from its predecessor. It has additionally spent a whole lot of time tuning each cameras to get essentially the most out of the system.
That’s all nicely and good, however how does that translate to real-world efficiency? Reader, I’ve been pleasantly shocked. I’ve used the Nothing Telephone (2) to seize snaps for the previous week and, usually talking, it’s a dependable snapper that delivers a stable photograph in most situations – particularly at its mid-range value.
In well-lit environments, the snaps are detailed, vivid and filled with mild, thanks partially to the pixel-binning tech utilized by the sensor. I can merely level and snap with out having to fret.
That’s simply as true when taking images of huge London skyscrapers as it’s when taking snaps of extra detailed topics like my furry German Shepherd, Luna. It’s the identical with leafy bushes, large swathes of grass and different finer particulars in pictures, actually showcasing the advantage of that improved ISP.
It’s nice at capturing extra refined shifts in color too, just like the red-to-orange hue of daylight shining by the bushes at sundown, with out being too OTT by way of color vibrancy. Samsung, I’m you right here. The color profile is extra pure than some alternate options, although nonetheless punchy sufficient for sharing on social media.
The Nothing Telephone (2) received’t be successful any awards for one of the best digital camera telephone for low-light pictures any time quickly, particularly with 1-inch sensors floating round on the excessive finish of the market, but it surely’s nonetheless able to pulling further brightness and element out in darker photographs with a close-by supply of sunshine. It might’t fairly deal with true low-light situations, nevertheless, lagging behind the likes of the Pixel 7a.
We had complaints concerning the 50MP ultrawide on the Nothing Telephone (1), with a notable change in color tuning in comparison with pictures captured from the first lens, but it surely seems Nothing has spent a whole lot of time fixing this concern with the Telephone (2) with near-identical colors throughout the 2 snappers.
The matching 50MP decision additionally means you aren’t coping with a drop in decision like many mid-rangers and their low-res ultrawide lenses, delivering crisp photographs filled with element. The truth is, they’re fairly consistent with the photographs captured from the principle lens, even when capturing HDR photographs. There’s nonetheless a little bit of distortion across the edges of ultrawide photographs, but it surely’s not too distracting.
In relation to selfies, customers can look ahead to a boosted 32MP selfie digital camera – up from 16MP. That ought to greater than suffice for video calls and fast selfies with a pure bokeh, although photographs can typically come out wanting slightly mushy, doubtless right down to the fastened focus of the snapper.
Video-wise, you’re a boosted 4K@60fps seize with respectable stabilisation, although for really shaky movies, the devoted Motion Mode is useful. It’ll crop your video in additional than customary movies, however the super-smooth stabilisation on provide is a worthy commerce.
Efficiency
- Nothing OS 2.0 based mostly on Android 13
- New OS options and Glyph interface options
- Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 may be very succesful
The Nothing expertise is outlined not solely by the {hardware} however the software program within the type of Nothing OS. The primary iteration of Nothing OS, based mostly on Android 12, was visually pleasing with a closely stylised interface with dot-matrix-style icons and widgets, however other than that, it was inventory Android. There was nothing that particular about Nothing OS other than its look.
Nicely, that has modified with Nothing OS 2.0 based mostly on Android 13 discovered on the Nothing Telephone (2). The greyscale dot-matrix visible model may be very a lot nonetheless current and accounted for, serving to the telephone stand out from virtually each different Android pores and skin on the market, however there at the moment are new options that include it.
Like with iOS 16, now you can add widgets to each the lock display and always-on show, offering at-a-glance information that stops you from mindlessly unlocking your telephone and scrolling. It’s restricted to official Nothing widgets for now, limiting simply how useful the function will be, however the firm claims that third-party help is on the best way.
There are additionally a handful of latest Glyph-themed options to reap the benefits of because of the improved rear lighting system. This contains the power to show the present quantity ranges through the LEDs, in addition to to show standing data from apps like Uber so you may inform in case your experience is on the best way or exterior, although these are somewhat gimmicky.
The rear LED lights can even operate as a visible timer, though the method of accessing it by the Settings app and Glyph menu is considerably inconvenient, and you may’t create a house display shortcut for the performance at current.
For many, although, it’s the Glyph Composer that’ll be a favorite. The composer primarily offers a synthesiser-style interface that permits you to create your individual customized visible ringtones, tying collectively sounds and the rear LEDs into one.
There are a number of sound packs accessible proper now, with Nothing working with artists like Swedish Home Mafia and a yet-unnamed British acoustic artist to convey themed sound packs for customers to remix slightly later down the road. For a telephone that depends so closely on the glyph interface, it’s a enjoyable, revolutionary little function.
Nothing has additionally completed the exceptional feat of delivering greyscale Nothing icon help for all apps, even when they don’t formally help it. No different producer, not even Google, has achieved this. Though some icons might exhibit slight pixelation, the monochrome aesthetic stays intact with none jarring pops of color.
It’ll proceed to get higher over time too, with the promise of three OS upgrades and 4 years of bi-monthly safety patches taking the Nothing Telephone (2) all the best way to Android 16.
Let’s discuss internals. One of many greatest enhancements of the Telephone (2) in comparison with its predecessor is processing energy. The Snapdragon 778 Plus 5G chipset was effective for the £399 price ticket, however the Telephone (2) takes it to the flagship degree with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1.
Granted, it’s not the most recent flagship processor, however the 8 Plus Gen 1 was a highly regarded chip on account of its mixture of energy and effectivity. That’s paired with both 8- or 12GB of RAM and both 128, 256 or 512GB of storage relying on the variant you go for. For reference, I’ve been testing the mid-range 12GB/256GB mannequin.
That prime-end processor, unsurprisingly, delivers top-notch on a regular basis efficiency, with the Nothing Telephone (2) comfortably in a position to deal with something I threw at it – and at a speedy tempo too. All the things feels instantaneous, whether or not it’s opening or switching apps or taking snaps.
Excessive-end gaming titles like Name of Responsibility Cell run nicely, even with high-level graphics enabled. It might get scorching, nevertheless, particularly after longer intervals of play. That’s effective for informal avid gamers, however devoted cellular avid gamers would possibly wish to think about a gaming telephone just like the Asus ROG Telephone 7 Final.
Heat apart, it’s a day-and-night comparability in comparison with the Nothing Telephone (1) with the Nothing Telephone (2) simply in a position to compete with flagship-level smartphones that value far more, leaving the overwhelming majority of mid-range choices within the rear-view mirror – and our benchmark assessments again that up.
Battery life
- Snug all-day battery life
- 4700mAh battery
- 45W charging
With options together with an LTPO-enabled show, the impressively environment friendly Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset and a bigger 4700mAh battery than its predecessor, it ought to come as no shock that the Nothing Telephone (2) manages to maintain on going it doesn’t matter what you throw at it – and that’s with these shiny LEDs on the rear.
To say that the telephone alleviated my battery anxiousness could be an correct assertion, with the telephone in a position to energy by an 18-hour day with 4 hours of music playback and a telephone dialog that lasted over an hour in addition to the common mixture of sending texts, scrolling by Twitter (and now Threads!), replying to messages on WhatsApp, taking snaps to check the digital camera and even scrolling by TikTok for over an hour.
The outcome? I nonetheless had about 35% cost left by the point I went to mattress.
And that’s with a full-on day – days that I used the telephone much less fared even higher, with the Nothing Telephone (2) simply in a position to attain the tip of the day with near 50% cost. That primarily signifies that, when you’re not an influence person, you may comfortably squeeze two days of use out of the telephone earlier than it’d want a top-up.
The telephone prices through USB-C and comes with a snazzy semi-transparent USB-C cable within the field, however you received’t discover a 45W charger to reap the benefits of the telephone’s quick charging performance. That was extra acceptable on the Nothing Telephone (1)’s £399 price ticket than the Nothing Telephone (2)’s £579 price ticket, however contemplating it’s accessible for round £20 at Amazon, it’s not too a lot of a problem.
15W wi-fi charging has additionally made a comeback – removed from a given on the mid-range – with 5W reverse wi-fi cost additionally accessible for these emergency headphone top-ups.
Newest offers
Do you have to purchase it?
You need a telephone that stands out:
Other than its predecessor, the Nothing Telephone (2) doesn’t appear to be something we’ve seen earlier than. The clear design, Glyph interface and closely stylised Nothing OS definitely make a press release.
You prioritise low-light pictures:
Whereas the rear digital camera system is a succesful one, it doesn’t do one of the best job at low-light pictures with choices just like the Pixel 7a capturing extra mild, color and element than Nothing’s choice.
Ultimate Ideas
Some would possibly lament the value improve of the Nothing Telephone (2), however I feel it’s a worthy trade-off for a telephone that appears and feels simply as fashionable as the unique however with sufficient energy to compete with flagship-level telephones which are far more costly.
The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset delivers this in bundles, beating a lot of the greatest mid-range competitors in benchmarks. It additionally has the extra advantages of the 8 Plus Gen 1’s energy effectivity which, when coupled with a big 4700mAh cell doesn’t battle to final all day, with the power to stretch nicely right into a second day with common use.
The dual 50MP snappers are one other spotlight, with the principle digital camera delivering constantly great-quality snaps in most situations, although it’s not fairly as succesful because the likes of the Pixel 7a in low-light situations. The 50MP ultrawide additionally boasts important enhancements, notably within the color tuning division, to higher match the principle sensor.
The Nothing OS expertise is a closely stylised one which received’t be for everybody, however there’s a lot to love. It not solely seems visually totally different to virtually each different Android pores and skin on the market, but it surely brings useful options like widgets on the lock display and AOD. It additionally brings Glyph-focused options like Composer to convey extra performance to that cool rear LED lighting system.
Primarily, when you’re on the lookout for an amazing performer that appears totally different to virtually each different telephone round, the Nothing Telephone (2) is the one to go for.
How we take a look at
We take a look at each cell phone we overview totally. We use industry-standard assessments to check options correctly and we use the telephone as our most important machine over the overview interval. We’ll at all times let you know what we discover and we by no means, ever, settle for cash to overview a product.
Discover out extra about how we take a look at in our ethics coverage.
Used as a most important telephone for every week
Thorough digital camera testing in well-lit and low-light situations
Examined and benchmarked utilizing revered {industry} assessments
FAQs
Regardless of the actual fact the telephone helps 45W quick charging, you received’t discover a charging brick within the field.
The Nothing Telephone (2) sports activities IP54 mud and water resistance, up from IP53 on the first-gen mannequin.
Trusted Critiques take a look at information
UK RRP
USA RRP
EU RRP
Producer
Display screen Dimension
Storage Capability
Rear Digicam
Entrance Digicam
Video Recording
IP ranking
Battery
Wi-fi charging
Quick Charging
Dimension (Dimensions)
Weight
Working System
Launch Date
First Reviewed Date
Decision
HDR
Refresh Price
Ports
Chipset
RAM
Colors
Jargon buster
mAh
An abbreviation for milliampere-hour and a strategy to specific the capability of batteries, particularly smaller ones in telephones. Generally the upper the mAh, the longer the battery will final however this isn’t at all times the case.
OLED
Natural Gentle Emitting Diode is panel know-how that permits every particular person pixel to supply mild somewhat than counting on a backlight. This permits the display to precisely show blacks by turning off the pixel, leading to improved distinction in comparison with typical LCD panels.
IP ranking
An abbreviation for ‘Ingress Safety Code’, which helps you to know to what extent a tool may be waterproof or dustproof.
