News Nothing Phone 2a review: Why would you buy anything else?

[AC News]

The Phone 2a has all the makings of an outstanding phone. Thankfully, it manages to fulfil its potential in daily use — this is the only budget phone you need to consider.

Nothing Phone 2a review: Why would you buy anything else? : Read more

 

[Daniel Gomes]

Since you asked the question "why would you buy anything else?", I'll give you the answer:

1. Poor cameras - for the price the cameras are average. The ultra wide is especially poor and lacks auto focus. The normal camera is just OK in good lighting like ALL other phones at this price. The capture and processing of photos takes a long time for some reason and starting a video recording starts with jittering for a second. In other words, in this class the camera is average to poor.

2. The 7200 processor is average for the class in the way the SD 695 is the average for the class, but Poco notably offers MUCH better CPU's at this price, so there are better CPU's available.

3. Average display - according to various reviews I've seen the display is ok, but not the best in class and it doesn't go especially bright, even in sunlight. The competition generally beats it.

4. Accessories - many phones in this class come with chargers, cables and a case in the box. This doesn't. You can only get the accessories from Nothing online, and pay the postage and import duties as well. Whereas at least with Samsung in all countries you will find many shops with Samsung cases, chargers etc with ease. And the other makes typically are well represented on Aliexpress so you could order from there if you cannot find locally.

5. Repairs - This is a big one if comparing to Samsung. For example the A35 costs the same as the 2a yet Samsung has local repair centres in every country and most offer 1 hour walk in service for common items like screens and batteries. The other makes generally don't have this but 3rd party repairers typically will have parts for popular phones like Xiaomi. Whereas with the Nothing 2a you have to courier the phone to Nothing and wait 3 - 6 weeks (!!) [This is what their support told me via email] to get your phone back. And if it was your fault or maybe the phone is 2 years old and you just want a new battery, you will pay the courier costs....

tbh if you can, buy Samsung because they have the best OS upgrade policsy, One UI 6, the best repair options, and easily accessible accessories.

Note: I live in Europe (Cyprus) and this is the situation.

 

[JRon]

Since you asked the question "why would you buy anything else?", I'll give you the answer:

1. Poor cameras - for the price the cameras are average. The ultra wide is especially poor and lacks auto focus. The normal camera is just OK in good lighting like ALL other phones at this price. The capture and processing of photos takes a long time for some reason and starting a video recording starts with jittering for a second. In other words, in this class the camera is average to poor.

2. The 7200 processor is average for the class in the way the SD 695 is the average for the class, but Poco notably offers MUCH better CPU's at this price, so there are better CPU's available.

3. Average display - according to various reviews I've seen the display is ok, but not the best in class and it doesn't go especially bright, even in sunlight. The competition generally beats it.

4. Accessories - many phones in this class come with chargers, cables and a case in the box. This doesn't. You can only get the accessories from Nothing online, and pay the postage and import duties as well. Whereas at least with Samsung in all countries you will find many shops with Samsung cases, chargers etc with ease. And the other makes typically are well represented on Aliexpress so you could order from there if you cannot find locally.

5. Repairs - This is a big one if comparing to Samsung. For example the A35 costs the same as the 2a yet Samsung has local repair centres in every country and most offer 1 hour walk in service for common items like screens and batteries. The other makes generally don't have this but 3rd party repairers typically will have parts for popular phones like Xiaomi. Whereas with the Nothing 2a you have to courier the phone to Nothing and wait 3 - 6 weeks (!!) [This is what their support told me via email] to get your phone back. And if it was your fault or maybe the phone is 2 years old and you just want a new battery, you will pay the courier costs....

tbh if you can, buy Samsung because they have the best OS upgrade policsy, One UI 6, the best repair options, and easily accessible accessories.

Note: I live in Europe (Cyprus) and this is the situation.

You raise very good points, especially the repair situation. That alone is enough to discourage a lot of people from buying this. It is risky in this respect. I'm in the U.S., and I was actually going to replace my old S21 with the A55, but Samsung decided that they are not going to bring the A55 to the U.S. market... at least no time soon.

Since I was in the market for a new phone, I shopped around and discovered the Nothing Phone 2. I was going to buy the Phone 2a, but it's not officially certified in the U.S. so I bought the Phone 2 instead.

I'm extremely happy with my purchase and I much prefer Nothing OS's lightweight software approach over Samsung's heavy-handed approach which many consider to be bloatware, especially all the carrier bloatware, although OneUI is very polished and nice.

In all the years I've owned a smartphone, I've never had to have one repaired as I never drop my phone, hence the reason I never buy cases anymore and the Nothing Phone 2 comes with a pre-installed screen protector.

Thankfully, in the U.S. there are stores I can take it to for repair if that ever became a need, but this situation is different around the world.

By the way, the processor and cameras on the Phone 2 are significantly better than on the Phone 2a, another reason why I passed on the Phone 2a as well. I've been doing heavy gaming on the Phone 2 and the phone never gets too warm or lags. Overall, I believe it is a great option in North America, as we don't have as many options as say India as an example. And our greedy phone carriers are to blame.

 

[kirk781]

Nothing, despite focusing on India, doesn't have a significant market share here as well. Carl Pei's original Oneplus is more firmly entrenched and this phone still is slightly expensive when it comes to middle tier standards(Atleast from the Indian market). And honestly, faster phones exist at this price point here. Chinese OEMs which corner significantly more market share (and bundle charger as well ) offer more product ranges. Their products might sometimes be full with bloat ware or heavily modded skins but most common folks hardly care. After all, even Samsung bunches in a duplicate of each Google app even in it's flagship phones and stoops to lower levels for it's budget offerings.

 

[JRon]

Nothing, despite focusing on India, doesn't have a significant market share here as well. Carl Pei's original Oneplus is more firmly entrenched and this phone still is slightly expensive when it comes to middle tier standards(Atleast from the Indian market). And honestly, faster phones exist at this price point here. Chinese OEMs which corner significantly more market share (and bundle charger as well ) offer more product ranges. Their products might sometimes be full with bloat ware or heavily modded skins but most common folks hardly care. After all, even Samsung bunches in a duplicate of each Google app even in it's flagship phones and stoops to lower levels for it's budget offerings.

I agree. I am in the U.S. market and I recently purchased a Nothing Phone 2 and returned it. I just feel other phones like the OnePlus 12R offer a superior hardware and software experience.