Technology

Nothing Phone (2a) Plus is a Supercharged version of Phone (2a)

Published

2 weeks ago

July 31, 2024

In an attempt to shake up the smartphone market, Nothing has unveiled its latest device, the Phone (2a) Plus.

Building on the success of the Phone (2a), the new Plus version aims to deliver improved performance and better cameras, without losing the striking design we’ve come to associate with Nothing phones.

Available in new gray and black metallic finishes, the phone’s design looks both sleek and functional.

The back features the signature Glyph interface, which provides essential information without having to turn on your screen, aiming to avoid the constant disruption of audible notifications.

Actually, the design is not that different from the Phone (2a) that we already know. It means there are only three lights at the top of the back of the phone, instead of the more elaborate Phone (2) version.

Connor Jewish / Foundry

The Phone (2a) Plus features the same 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 2.4K (2412×1084) resolution as the Phone (2a), offering stunning color accuracy and vibrant visuals. The 120Hz refresh rate also ensures smooth and responsive navigation, adjusting between 30Hz and 120Hz to extend battery life.

The screen is flat with a thin, symmetrical bezel, protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The phone is also IP54 rated against dust and water.

Connor Jewish / Foundry

When it comes to performance, the Phone (2a) Plus features a MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G processor, exclusively designed for nothing.

With the latest TSMC 4nm Gen 2 technology and eight cores running up to 3.0 GHz, this phone should deliver strong performance, even when multitasking or gaming. The ARM Mali-G610 MC4 graphics unit should also help with graphics-intensive apps.

This is a step up from the phone (2a), which uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro. It performed solidly in our full review, but probably not as powerful as the 7350 Pro in the Plus model.

Both phones offer up to 12GB of RAM, although the Plus has the capacity for an additional 8GB of virtual memory. That could be a significant advantage for power users.

Connor Jewish / Foundry

The (2a) Plus has the same 50Mp main and 50Mp ultra-wide rear lenses, but the front selfie camera has been upgraded from 32Mp to 50Mp. However, we now know that a higher number of megapixels does not automatically equal better photos.

The Phone (2a) Plus also offers a new AI Vivid Mode that enhances photos with vibrant colors and higher contrast, while Ultra XDR technology, co-developed with Google, aims for more lifelike lighting.

Connor Jewish / Foundry

The Phone (2a) Plus features a 5,000mAh battery and 50W wired charging, which Nothing claims “provides a day’s worth of power in less than 20 minutes”, although it’s not clear what percentage that means.

The phone (2a) also has a 5000mAh battery, but supports slightly slower 45W charging. In our testing of this phone it performed well in terms of battery life, but it still doesn’t come with a charger in the box or support wireless charging.

The Phone (2a) Plus runs on Nothing OS 2.6 and is powered by Android 14 and aims to deliver a smooth, distraction-free user experience. It features the latest Game Mode improvements that block notifications and improve frame rates for an immersive experience.

Connor Jewish / Foundry

The Phone (2a) Plus costs £399 via the Nothing website. After a limited release on August 3, full availability and international pricing will be revealed in September.

That’s £80 more expensive than the regular phone (2a) at launch, and there aren’t that many differences between the two. Unless you need more performance or a better selfie camera, you might be just as happy with the cheaper phone.

See how they compare to more alternatives in our guide to the best mid-range phones.