Nothing Phone (2a) Plus review: It's a smart and minimal handset with better cameras

I hadn't intended this review to be a comparison between the Nothing Phone (2a) and the new Phone (2a) Plus but, honestly, it's unavoidable given how similar they are. Usually, 'Plus' means a larger screen size, like it does for the iPhone 15 Plus, but here it means a slightly different design and a handful of upgraded specifications. The big question is whether those extras are worth paying for.

Firstly, it's worth knowing about the price difference. The Phone (2a) Plus is £399, compared to the £319 of the handset released earlier this year (or £349 if you'd like the same RAM and storage as the (2a) Plus).

It doesn't replace that phone but adds some different colours to the range: a new grey and a new black with a "metallic" look to the polycarbonate finish. It still weighs the same as the (2a), though. It has the same screen technology, it will get three years of Android updates and four years of security patches.

Nothing Phone (2a) Plus

£3 at nothing.tech

Pros

• Eye-catching “metal” design
• Excellent 120Hz screen
• Huge battery
• Better processor than the (2a)
• Minimal operating system
• Simple and useful Glpyh lights
• Improved camera performance
• Affordable price

Cons

• The competition offers longer software update support
• No wireless charging
• The design won’t appeal to everyone
• Minimal changes over the Phone (2a)
• Cameras still aren’t as good as Pixels

Nothing Phone (2a) Plus specs

Screen size	6.7 inches
Resolution	1084 x 2412 AMOLED (up to 120Hz)
Operating system	Android 14 (Nothing OS 2.5)
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro
Cameras	50MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP selfie
Battery	5000mAh
Storage	256GB
RAM	12GB
Weight	190g
Water resistance	IP54
MicroSD slot	No

Along with minor design alterations, there are some internal changes. It has an upgraded processor and promises better performance for everyday multitasking. Nothing says its new handset is "30% faster" than the Phone (2a) and can handle more demanding graphics. While I'm not sure that many of us will put this type of budget phone through its paces, that will still be welcome news for mobile gamers and productive on-the-go workers.

It has the same 5,000mAh battery inside, but now supports 50W wired charging. That's a minor increase from 45W on the Phone (2a), so I'm unconvinced you'd notice the change. There's still no wireless charging.

There are interesting tweaks to the cameras, though. With this model, you're getting an upgraded front-facing camera, now a 50MP sensor over the 32MP on the standard Phone (2a). That's in addition to a new portrait mode algorithm and support from all three sensors for 50MP photo output, HDR capture and 4K video recording. For social media creators, this could be a powerful combination.

There are already several different iterations of the Nothing Phone (2a) design, including the upcoming Community Edition and Special Edition. The (2a) Plus looks almost identical to the original Phone (2a). It has the same 'googly eyes' camera layout, display and a stripped-back approach to the Glyph interface.

This is a design I already liked a lot when I tried that handset, so it won't surprise anybody to hear that I still like it – it's light and feels well-balanced to hold, the minimal Glyphs finally make sense to me as more than a gimmick, the cameras are well-placed and the signature transparent design is eye-catching.

You're also not going to hear any complaints about the super crisp 6.7-inch AMOLED panel – you can push the refresh rate up to 120Hz for smooth animations around the interface and it gets very bright. If you've got a problem with a plastic build, you may not love this Nothing phone, but I've had zero issues with it.

The one slight aesthetic difference is its new "metallic" look. Whether you pick the silver or black finish, it has a bit more of a shine with this treatment, making it look and feel just a little more premium.

I lived through the megapixel race of the early 2000s, so I'm not about to pretend I think more megapixels automatically means better image quality. Extra resolution can count for a lot in smartphone cameras, but it's more about how a phone uses those megapixels than it is about their mere presence. I'm cautious about falling into the trap of praising the Phone (2a) Plus for simply adding to the megapixel count, but it's worth taking a look at where things have changed compared to the Phone (2a)'s camera.

It is, overall, impressive for the low price. Just like the Phone (2a), you’re getting dual 50MP cameras on the back of the phone (a primary wide lens with stabilisation and an ultra-wide) in addition to an upgraded 50MP front-facing selfie cam, which is a new sensor when compared to the 32MP one on the (2a) model. All three cameras on the Phone (2a) Plus deliver 4K video recording, HDR quality and full 50MP image output using the whole sensor.

What matters here is the camera software and algorithm optimisations. The Phone (2a)'s processing was a little heavy-handed in my experience, resulting in very punchy shots that don't always capture the reality of a scene. Nothing has continued to tweak this for the Phone (2a) Plus, and says this one now has an improved portrait mode too.

In my experience, there's a minor but noticeable improvement here in many different types of photography and video shooting. In great lighting, this camera setup offers loads of clarity, detail and vibrancy in its colours. The performance is more consistent than before, no matter which lens you use.

The blue tones can still seem over-exaggerated, although the aggressive portrait mode processing feels more controlled than it is in the Phone (2a). The overall image is still more vivid and contrast-filled than most other smartphone shooters, though.

Overall, it's a better pick for budding content creators who love Nothing's software. But its camera still doesn't quite match the more naturalistic results of a Google Pixel phone. Don't just take my word for it, though. These slight quirks of a camera can be hard to spot without comparing images side-by-side, and you might not mind the output of the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus at all. I've included a gallery of sample images below for your perusal.

Nothing Phone (2a) Plus sample photos

Open Gallery

If you're upgrading from the Nothing Phone (1) or have glanced over at the software experience on the Nothing Phone (2), you won't be surprised to see that the minimal interface is among the key selling points. As is the case with the Nothing Phone (2a) software, you're getting something close to a "clean" Android experience with minimal bloatware and the ability to customise more of the operating system than you might expect.

Nothing OS is a customised version of Android with a focus on personalisation and clearing away distractions. I love the minimal widgets on the home screen, hiding the bottom search bar, putting all the apps in a folder behind an icon, as well as hiding app name labels and turning all of the icons into monochrome versions.

Nothing promises you'll get three years of Android updates and four years of security patches. It's the same assurance as with the phone from earlier in the year and, as I said in my Nothing Phone (2a) review, it's just fine. That's probably enough support for most people given a typical phone upgrade cycle, but it's lagging behind the industry when Google and Samsung now promise seven years of updates and Apple has a stellar track record for software support.

Along with the camera, the performance is the clearest area where you should notice an improvement compared to what's available from the processor of the Phone (2a). In the Phone (2a) Plus, you'll now find a MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset powering things.

Don't worry if you don't know what the difference is between this and the custom MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro of the other handset. Nothing says it's going to be a lot better for mobile gamers, with better stable gaming frame rates, reduced battery consumption, and a minimised load on the GPU. If you’re not gaming, you may not see a big difference, but this is also made to be 30% faster than the Phone (2a) for everyday tasks. Overall, it's made to be a more reliable, speedy and efficient experience.

Did I notice a big difference during my initial week of testing the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus? I can't say that I did. It's smooth and quick, of course, but I've continued to find the Phone (2a) reliable after months too, so it doesn't seem like it's an enormous change. The important thing to say is that either the Phone (2a) or the Phone (2a) Plus will give you impressive performance at this price, where you can often end up with something much less stable.

That's also true when it comes to battery life. Both the Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus pack in the same 5,000mAh battery that'll have you powered for a full day of multitasking and longer than a day of use if you're not pushing the smartphone to its limits. There's still no wireless charging here, and a rather minor 5W of extra wired charging speed that I'm doubtful anyone will notice in practical use.

I'll try to keep this brief because these are essentially the same as the downsides to the Nothing Phone (2a)... There's no wireless charging. If you want the full-on Glyph interface, go for the Phone (2) instead. And the software update support doesn't match what you're getting from other Android phone manufacturers.

It's a great value phone for the money, but the Nothing Phone (2a) costs £319 or under £300 when on offer, compared to the starting price of £399 for the Phone (2a) Plus. Yes, that is with more RAM and more storage than the basic Phone (2a), but I'd stick with the earlier model as my default recommendation for those after their first Nothing phone. There is, of course, the even more affordable and modular CMF Phone 1 by Nothing too, but we're yet to get our hands on that £209 handset for a review.

The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus is a fantastic phone for an affordable price, packing in specs that some manufacturers would charge far more to include.

Nothing has taken the main minor downside of the Phone (2a) – its below-average camera performance – and improved it slightly for this refreshed model. In my experience, it's a better phone for photo and video enthusiasts.

The rest of the upgrades feel iterative, though. Unless you're set on the improved camera and need Nothing's sleek OS, it can be a little tricky to recommend.

Get the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus if you want the improved camera and more reliable chipset, but if you're keen to make some savings, I can confirm that the older Phone (2a) is just as good.

The Phone (2a) is much more affordable and delivers around 90% of what's in the Plus. It's also worth acknowledging that the portfolio is complicated further by the presence of the CMF Phone 1 from Nothing's sub-brand, which offers many of these capabilities for around £200 – bargain hunters may want to pick that instead.

Forgive me if you've heard this before, though, but I still feel those focused on photography will be better served by the Google Pixel 7a or Pixel 8a, which are available at £360 or £499 respectively.

These are some of the best smartphone cameras around, and they're both under £500 too. If you're not sold on Google's offerings, though, Nothing provides excellent alternatives with bloat-free minimalist software, fun Glyph lights, impressive processors and massive battery life – and that remains true whether you pick the Phone (2a) or the Phone (2a) Plus.