When some phones are given to us in advance so that we can test them before launch, we have to sign what is known as an NDA, a confidentiality agreement, in which we promise not to disclose information about the terminal until a certain date.
With Nothing This agreement allows us to advance some information today and later we can share the full review. We wanted to show you the terminal aesthetically, its specifications and point out some of the differences compared to its predecessor.
Don’t expect a complete and groundbreaking redesign, but, as we already saw with the Nothing Ear(2), a slight evolution in the design, keeping the same line as the Nothing Phone(1).
Something that shocked us in the previous model was that it did not opt for a high-end chip and that its cameras were somewhat behind what we expected, although clearly, the design attracted attention in a market that seemed increasingly boring in this field.
Nothing has taken note and has updated the chipthis time from the Snapdragon 8 range and all the improvements it brings in terms of efficiency, performance, image processing support and much more.
Besides that we see some aesthetic improvements, new uses for glyphthe LEDs on the back that attracted so much attention with the debut of the Nothing Phone (1).
Contents of the first impressions of the Nothing Phone (2):
Improved Nothing Phone hardware (2)
The previous model mounted a premium mid-range chip, with an accelerated GPU and 5G support. The Snapdragon 778G+ was a capable chip, but then again, it’s in a whole different league from the Snapdragon 8 Gen1s.
Nothing has updated this key component in this model and goes on to integrate the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. We are talking about an important leap, it is from the highest range of Qualcomm, although not its most powerful model that it saw arrived on mobile phones during this year 2023, the Snapdragon 8 Gen2.
In the words of Nothing, they comment that to maintain an attractive price and, certainly, the differences in these chip levels are very difficult for the end user to notice.
So we went from 6nm technology to 4nm technology with the consequent energy savings and the difference in the architecture of the chip, much more powerful in all sections. Both CPU, GPU and ISP for image processing. In short, it mounts a more powerful chip with lower consumption.
If we talk about the screen, we see how a slightly larger screen arrives, reaching 6.7 inches, but the most interesting thing is that it is a LTPO OLED panel. Thanks to this technology, the refresh rate can vary from 1 Hz if there is static content and reach the extreme fluidity offered by 120 Hz.
It is a FullHD + screen that stands out for its great brightness on paper, up to 1,600 nits in HDR mode according to Nothing that we will verify in our laboratory.
This model can be purchased in configurations of 8 and 12 GB of RAM like its predecessor and adds 512 GB as a storage option to 128 and 256 GB. This time we are talking about UFS 4.0, much faster than last year’s model.
In terms of battery we see a double improvement, reaching up to 4,700mAh (+200 mAh) and on the other hand having charging support of up to 45 W through the PPS standard, compared to 33W last year. Wireless charging is included, with 15W support and 5W reverse charging, perfect for charging true-wireless headphones for example.
Nothing promises a full charge in 55 minutes, although, of course, the charger compatible with that charging technology is not included in the box.
And finally we comment on the cameras, and it is that this Phone (2) shares the wide-angle camera with last year’s model but sees how the main camera improves from IMX766 to IMX890 with optical stabilization. In addition, image processing is much faster and allows, for example, recording 4K 60 fps or 4K HDR video thanks to the ISP of the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
The Selfie camera also improves, going from a 16 Mpx IMX471 to a 32 Mpx IMX671 sensor that even allows FullHD recording in HDR mode.
Subtle design updates and new Glyph for the Nothing Phone (2)
If there is something that Carl Pei made clear to us in the interview we did with him at this year’s Mobile World Congress, it is that Nothing’s design line was inspired by how Apple approached it. From one headset model to the next, the design differences are few, the same happens with every iPhone or every Macbook.
What they have in common is that there is an overall design line, and the generation changes in terms of design bring with them very subtle changes and the brand that has designed it is completely recognizable.
This is what happens with this Nothing Phone (2). This is a small evolution from the innovative design of the Nothing Phone (1), which even won the editorial product of the year award at the past Computerhoy awards.
The first change that jumps out at you is that we have a gray model. The previous generation only had a black and white version. In fact, the unit that we are testing and analyzing is this gray model. Very similar in tone to Apple’s space gray.
The design is nailed to last year’s in terms of the unibody bodyfollowing the straight sides and rounded corners that we have seen in the last generations of iPhone.
The novelties in terms of design, are in the rear. First of all, we highlight that the glass comes out slightly from the back and it does so in a rounded and comfortable touch.
This glass allows a glimpse of the interior part and the new Glyph, all that system of LEDs on the back that we saw born with the Phone(1).
This back has more depth and real texture, being something that catches the eye with the naked eye.
Note that Nothing has segmented the Glyph, the “led strips” on the back. And now we see how around the cameras we have two segments and not a whole one like the central circle is divided into 6 segments.
It continues to maintain normal notification led and the bar that shows the battery charge at the bottom and we have a diagonal bar in the upper right that can be assigned to important notifications and keep blinking so we don’t miss the information.
Nothing has made an effort to improve the mobile software and now has the development integrated in the company itself.
He software that controls Glyph It allows you to use the upper right circular segment to display the time remaining on a timer or see the volume level that we have assigned.
In fact, the company opens the option of using Glyph to third parties for, for example, tracking a car that you request in Uber, the bar lighting up as you receive status change notifications and it gets closer.
We also have a new creator of LED and music combinations, including presets created by the Swedish House Mafia group.
Home-born software, Nothing OS 2.0 developed by the company
On this occasion we have a new version of the Nothing operating system that since the arrival of Nothing 1.5 is completely developed in-house.
We are talking about Android 13 with a series of optimizations and a clearly Nothing aesthetic with a theme with its controversial appearance of dotted letters with the option of monochrome or color icons and with more than outstanding news and more uses for the Glyph mode.
The camera also improves in speed of use, but we will go deep into the reviews that we are preparing and that will be released next Thursday, July 13 in the afternoon.
It’s used google photos as a gallery and image editor, even allowing you to readjust the photo of the captures you take in portrait mode afterwards.
What we are clear about is that it seems that we will be able to coin the phrase that in this case with Nothing Phone (2) there is indeed a good second part.