In a move set 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 associate with Nothing phones.
Available in new metallic grey and black finishes, the phone’s design looks both stylish and functional.
The back features the distinctive Glyph interface, which provides essential information without needing to turn on your screen, aiming to avoid the constant disturbance of audible notifications.
In fact, the design doesn’t differ too much from the Phone (2a) we already know. This means that there are only three lights at the top of the back of the phone, rather than on the more extended version of the Phone (2).
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
The Phone (2a) Plus features the same 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 2.4K (2412×1084) resolution as the Phone (2a), delivering stunning color accuracy and vibrant visuals. The 120Hz refresh rate also ensures smooth and responsive browsing, adapting between 30Hz and 120Hz to preserve battery life.
The display is flat with a thin, symmetrical bezel, protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The phone also has an IP54 rating against dust and water.
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
In terms of performance, the Phone (2a) Plus features a MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G processor, designed exclusively for Nothing.
Featuring cutting-edge TSMC 4nm Gen 2 technology and eight cores running at up to 3.0GHz, this phone should deliver solid performance, especially when multitasking or gaming. The ARM Mali-G610 MC4 graphics unit should also help with graphics-intensive applications.
This is an improvement over the phone (2a), which uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro. It proved solid in our full test, 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 an additional 8GB of virtual memory. This could be a big plus for power users.
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
The (2a) Plus has the same 50MP main and 50MP ultra-wide lenses on the back, but the selfie camera on the front has been bumped up from 32MP to 50MP. However, we now know that a higher megapixel count doesn’t automatically equate to better photos.
The Phone (2a) Plus also features a new AI Vivid mode that enhances photos with vivid colors and higher contrast, while Ultra XDR technology, co-developed with Google, aims for more realistic lighting.
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
The Phone (2a) Plus has a 5,000mAh battery and 50W wired charging that Nothing claims delivers “a day of battery life in under 20 minutes,” though it’s unclear what approximate percentage it’s referring to.
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 there is still no charger in the box or wireless charging support.
Running on Nothing OS 2.6 and powered by Android 14, the Phone (2a) Plus aims to deliver a smooth and distraction-free user experience. It comes with the latest Game Mode improvements that block notifications and improve frame rates for a more immersive experience.
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
Connor Jewiss / Foundry
The Phone (2a) Plus will cost £399 on Nothing’s website. Following a limited release on August 3, full availability and international pricing will be revealed in September.
That’s £80 more than the standard Phone (2a) cost at launch, and there’s not much difference between the two. Unless you need more performance or a better camera for selfies, you might be just as happy with the cheaper phone.
Find out how they compare to other alternatives in our guide to the best mid-range phones.
