Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Overall better package, but not without flaws

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus brings notable improvements in areas like the front camera, charging, and performance, but the standard model remains the better value for money

Nothing has been on a roll lately, consistently launching new smartphones. The latest from the UK-based consumer technology brand, the Phone 2a Plus, seems to serve as a bridge between its mid-range Phone 2a and flagship Phone 2. Contrary to what one might expect from a “Plus” model, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus does not feature a larger display than its predecessor, which already boasts a generous screen size. Instead, the new model focuses on performance, camera quality, charging capabilities, and more. Let us find out how these upgrades translate into a user experience.

What has changed

Design

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus retains a design similar to the Phone 2a, but incorporates distinct elements and colour schemes beneath its transparent back panel. The Phone 2a Plus now features metallic accents under the surface, replacing the colour-coordinated elements seen in the standard model. Additionally, the red detailing from the back panel is absent in the Plus version. While these design tweaks may come down to personal preference, the smartphone looks and feels premium despite its all-plastic construction. The edges are also designed to be ergonomic, ensuring they do not dig into your hand during use. Although Nothing has not changed the material of the back panel, I noticed significantly fewer visible scratches on the Plus model compared to the standard version during my review.

 

Beyond these design updates, the smartphone retains the same glyph light interface as the Phone 2a and features a similarly uniform bezel design around the display.

Camera

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus introduces a new 50MP front-facing camera while retaining the dual 50MP rear camera setup from the standard model. Although the company may have upgraded the rear sensors, their performance remains largely similar to that of the Phone 2a. The rear cameras still deliver sharp and vibrant images in outdoor settings, but indoor shots could use some improvement. They tend to be slightly overexposed and brighter than usual, which can reduce colour accuracy. The ultra-wide is still better in this regard, capturing colours more faithfully across various lighting conditions. However, the main camera outperforms it in terms of clarity, producing sharper and crisper images.

The new 50MP front camera brings noticeable improvements. Images are sharper compared to those from the Phone 2a, with skin tones appearing more natural and lifelike. The front camera's performance under artificial lighting has also seen an upgrade, with consistent colour reproduction. However, you might notice softened facial details in low-light conditions. Portrait shots from the front camera can be a bit disappointing, as the sensor often struggles with edge detection under artificial lighting.

Nothing has also addressed a minor issue from the Phone 2a that, while not particularly bothersome, was noticeable. The Phone 2a Plus now allows you to take pictures back to back, with image processing happening in the background. Previously, you had to wait a second or two for the image to process before taking another shot.

Performance

The Phone 2a Plus brings more than just a new front camera and design; it also features a new processor. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chip, which Nothing claims is exclusively made by MediaTek for this phone, the new processor theoretically promises improved performance over the standard model, which runs on the Dimensity 7200 Pro chip. However, the performance difference is not particularly significant. The smartphone handles day-to-day tasks and more demanding activities, like multitasking and gaming, just as smoothly as the Phone 2a.

While there is no noticeable lag or stutter, one area where the Phone 2a Plus does show improvement is in thermal management. Although the Nothing Phone 2a didn’t get uncomfortably hot, the Phone 2a Plus stays even cooler during extended gaming sessions, which also helps reduce battery drain to some extent.

Battery and charging

Equipped with a 5000mAh battery, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus delivers impressive battery life, comparable to the standard model. However, it appears that the company has done a better job of optimising tasks, resulting in slightly improved battery performance. Charging the phone to 100 percent provided a full day of use, with about 30 percent battery remaining by night.

There is also a modest enhancement in the charging speed. The Phone 2a Plus supports 50W fast charging, an upgrade from the 45W supported by the standard model. However, like the Phone 2a, the Plus variant does not include a charger in the box. When tested with a 67W charger, I was able to fully charge the device in 47 minutes, starting from 10 per cent.

What remains same

Display

The Phone 2a Plus features the same display panel as the Phone 2a, with a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is vibrant and maintains excellent colour accuracy across different viewing angles. The 120Hz refresh rate contributes to a snappy and responsive user experience. However, given the higher price point, the inclusion of LTPO technology would have been a welcome enhancement. The smartphone does, however, include a Dynamic Refresh Rate feature that allows it to switch between fixed refresh rates.

For content consumption, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus supports HDR videos on YouTube, but not on other platforms like Netflix. Additionally, the display settings menu offers an HDR display option, which, when enabled, allows the panel to reach its peak brightness while watching HDR content. This increases the vibrancy and makes the viewing experience more immersive.

Software

The Phone 2a offered one of the best software experiences in its price segment, and the same holds true for the Plus model, with Nothing maintaining a clean, bloatware-free environment. Running on NothingOS 2.6, the Plus model allows you to switch between the standard Android interface and Nothing’s custom skin. You also get the same level of customization options on your home screen, including App icons, widgets, and custom app drawers.

Among the notable changes, more third-party apps now support Nothing’s app icon skins in black and white, preserving the device’s aesthetic. Nothing has also introduced a new AI-powered home screen widget called the “News Reporter.” This feature allows you to select preferred news genres such as Sports, Business, Technology, and more, curating up to eight news items daily and delivering them with a humorous vocal touch. While the feature is both fun and informative, it would have been even better with a text transcript accompanying the voice narration.

Verdict

With the Phone 2a Plus, Nothing offers more options for consumers to choose from. Priced at Rs 27,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, the Phone 2a Plus matches the price of the top variant of the Phone 2a, which offers 12GB RAM at the same price point. While the Phone 2a Plus brings improvements in key areas, the choice between the two variants ultimately depends on the consumer’s needs.

If you are looking for a value for money package within Nothing’s smartphone lineup, the standard Phone 2a is a solid choice. However, if you prefer the metallic design elements, an upgraded selfie camera, and a slight boost in overall performance, the Phone 2a Plus is your way to go.