There’s one commonality that the best cheap phones all share — dull-looking, generic designs. It’s simply not a top priority for these affordable phones because device makers are trying to keep costs down. Yet, the Nothing Phone 2a proves that design is a top priority.
We got our first look at the upcoming Android powered smartphone during MWC 2024 where the phone’s glitzy design was on full display behind a glass barrier at the Nothing's MWC after-party event. Really, it’s a testament and sets a standard for the category — even though the company’s still mum on how much the Nothing Phone 2a will cost.
We imagine that it’s going to come in at a much lower price than the previous Nothing Phone 2, making it a more likely rival to other cheap phones such as the Google Pixel 7a, Samsung Galaxy A54, and Apple iPhone SE (2022). This is the kind of momentum the company needs to kick off the year.
Nothing Phone 2a: Price and release
Even though the phone’s being teased at Mobile World Congress 2024, it looks like we’ll have to wait until the phone’s official reveal, which is slated for March 5. Nothing didn't reveal the cost of its new handset at MWC, but chances are that the Nothing Phone 2a will come in at under $500 since the Nothing Phone 2 sells for $599.
As for a release date, we suspect it won’t be too long after its official announcement in early March. However, the other big unknown is if the Nothing Phone 2a will get a U.S. release — or have to wait until a later date.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Specifications
Nothing hasn't officially announced Nothing Phone 2a specs yet, even after showing off the phone at MWC. Fortunately, rumors about the phone allow us to fill in some details ahead of the official announcement in March. Note that these rumored specs are subject to change.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Design
Nothing’s MWC event didn't offer have the best lighting conditions to detail every aspect of the Nothing Phone 2a’s design, but the phone doesn’t need a lot of illumination because of how the LED light strips on the back come to life. Yes, the Glyph Interfaced is a pared-down version of the one we know and love on the Nothing Phone 2, but it still gives this supposed budget phone some much-needed style.
Other than how the light strips turn on to correspond to different notifications, the Nothing Phone 2a’s design is an attractive one thanks partly to its svelte trim and transparent back casing — which is another signature Nothing style. Small details like the S-shaped wire pattern and screws accentuates the design to a higher degree over other sub-$500 phones.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Display
Nothing’s pretty tight lipped about revealing any of the specs at MWC, including the display, which wasn't turned on behind its glass containment. Rumors hint to a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, which looks about right from what we were able to see — along with a cutout for its front-facing camera.
The other unanswered question in our Nothing Phone 2a first look is if it'll be sporting a 120Hz refresh rate. If so, this would be one of the few sub-$500 phones with one. Needless to say, a fast-refreshing display would be a tremendous selling point especially if users intend on watching a lot of video.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Camera
On the back of the Nothing Phone 2a, we can clearly make out a dual camera arrangement. Rather than find those lenses in the upper left corner position, like on the previous Nothing Phone 2, they’re centered on the upper portion of the back — as well as being in a horizontal position. Again, Nothing hasn't provided any of the camera specs, but leaks indicate it’s a 50MP main camera paired with a 50MP ultrawide one.
We’re eager to see how those cameras perform because this area was one of the underwhelming things about Nothing Phone 2. That phone simply could not compare in the low light department against the Pixel 7a cameras, so hopefully, Nothing has been hard at work upping its camera game.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Performance
Under the hood, the Nothing Phone 2a is reportedly powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chip. We won't know for sure until its official announcement next week, but that's what it'll likely be. It’s a logical choice given how the Nothing Phone 2 shipped with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. We haven’t formally tested out any phone using this chipset, so it’ll be interesting to see how it handles more complex operations such as gaming.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Battery
The Nothing Phone 2 shipped with a 4,700 mAh battery, but we don’t know the exact capacity of the Nothing Phone 2a. This is important because as we’ve seen in our OnePlus 12R review, affordable phones can often have longer endurance to propel them into our best phone battery life list. A lot will depend on the power efficiency of the MediaTek Dimensity 7200.
We also don't know about the charging speeds of the Nothing Phone 2a. We'd assume the new phone won't charge as quickly as the Nothing Phone 2 and its 45W speed.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Software
Nothing does a fantastic job with its software design, despite the fact that the phone's display being turned off during our first look. Although, based on our prior experience with Nothing's phones, we're confident that the same minimalist Nothing widgets will be present here with the Nothing Phone 2a. While many diehard purists will often say that nothing beats the stock Android look, we’d argue that the last iteration of Nothing OS is just as good — and presumably with the Nothing Phone 2a.
It’s a visual feast that few other custom experiences can match, but the other pressing question centers around software support. Both Google and Samsung have pledged 7 years of software and security updates with their flagship phones, so we hope that Nothing can offer longer than the 3 years it's provided in the past.
Nothing Phone 2a first look: Outlook
Clearly, a lot of questions remain after our short first look at the Nothing Phone 2a Fortunately we won’t have to wait long before they’re answered, but there are still challenges for the Nothing Phone 2a to overcome.
All rumors point to a sub-$500 price, which could give other cheap phones a run for their money. However, in order to have a maximum impact, Nothing desperately needs to put the phone into the hands of U.S. consumers. Nothing’s phones are sold through various retailers like Amazon and Walmart, but it’s going to need to somehow figure out how to get devices like the Nothing Phone 2a into the hands of U.S. carriers, which is how most people buy their phones in this country.
