The Nothing Phone 2a Plus has a similar design to the Phone 2a, but features distinct elements and color schemes beneath its transparent back. The Phone 2a Plus now features metallic accents beneath the surface, replacing the color-coordinated elements of the standard model. Additionally, the Plus version lacks the red rear detailing. While these design changes may be a matter of personal preference, the smartphone looks and feels premium despite its all-plastic construction. The edges are also ergonomically designed so they don’t cut into your hand when in use. Although Nothing hasn’t changed the back material, I noticed significantly fewer visible scratches on the Plus model during my testing than on the standard version.

Aside from 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 camera but retains the 50MP dual camera setup on the back of the standard model. While the company may have improved the rear sensors, their performance remains largely similar to that of the Phone 2a. The rear cameras still produce sharp and vivid images outdoors, but indoor shots could use some improvement. They tend to be slightly overexposed and brighter than usual, which can affect color accuracy. The ultra-wide-angle lens is still better in this regard, capturing colors more faithfully in different lighting conditions. The main camera, however, beats it in terms of clarity, producing sharper and clearer images.

The new 50MP front camera brings noticeable improvements. Images are sharper compared to those on the Phone 2a, and skin tones look more natural and lifelike. The front camera’s performance in artificial light has also been improved, with color reproduction consistent. However, in low light, you may notice softer facial details. Portrait shots with the front camera can be a little disappointing, as the sensor often has trouble detecting edges in artificial light.

Nothing has also fixed a small issue on the Phone 2a that, while not particularly disruptive, was still noticeable. The Phone 2a Plus now lets you take pictures one after the other, with the image processing happening in the background. Previously, you had to wait a second or two for the image to process before you could take another.

Performance

The Phone 2a Plus doesn’t just bring a new front camera and a new design; it also has a new processor. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chip, which Nothing says is made exclusively 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 isn’t particularly significant. The smartphone handles everyday tasks and more demanding activities like multitasking and gaming just as smoothly as the Phone 2a.

While there are no noticeable lags or stutters, the Phone 2a Plus does show improvement in one area: thermal management. While the Nothing Phone 2a didn’t get uncomfortably hot, the Phone 2a Plus stays even cooler during longer gaming sessions, which also helps reduce battery consumption to some extent.

Battery and charging

Equipped with a 5000mAh battery, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus offers impressive battery life that is comparable to the standard model. However, it seems that the company has optimized tasks better, resulting in slightly improved battery performance. Charging the phone to 100 percent allowed for a full day of use, with about 30 percent battery left at night.

Charging speed has also improved slightly. The Phone 2a Plus supports 50W fast charging, an upgrade from the 45W that the standard model supports. However, like the Phone 2a, the Plus variant doesn’t come with 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 percent.

What remains the same

Advertisement

The Phone 2a Plus features the same display as the Phone 2a, which is a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is vibrant and has excellent color accuracy across different viewing angles. The 120Hz refresh rate contributes to a snappy and responsive user experience. However, considering the higher price, the inclusion of LTPO technology would have been a welcome improvement. However, the smartphone does have 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 that, when enabled, allows the panel to reach its maximum brightness when watching HDR content. This increases 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 can be said for the Plus model, where Nothing maintains a clean, bloatware-free environment. The Plus model runs on NothingOS 2.6 and allows you to switch between the stock Android interface and Nothing’s custom skin. You get the same customization options on your home screen too, including app icons, widgets, and custom app drawers.

Notable changes include that more third-party apps now support Nothing’s black and white app icon skins, maintaining the device’s aesthetic. Nothing has also introduced a new AI-powered homescreen widget called “News Reporter.” This feature lets you select preferred news genres like sports, business, technology, and more. Up to eight news stories are curated daily and presented with a humorous voice. While the feature is both entertaining and informative, it would have been even better with a text transcript to accompany the voice commentary.

Verdict

With the Phone 2a Plus, Nothing offers consumers more choices. Priced at Rs 27,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, the Phone 2a Plus is priced in line with the top variant of the Phone 2a, which offers 12GB RAM for the same price. While the Phone 2a Plus brings improvements in key areas, the choice between the two variants ultimately comes down to the consumer’s needs.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly package within Nothing’s smartphone lineup, the standard Phone 2a is a solid choice. However, if you prefer the metallic design elements, an improved selfie camera, and a slight boost in overall performance, the Phone 2a Plus is the choice for you.

First published: August 19, 2024 | 2:54 p.m. IS