Nothing's first smartphone garnered attention in abundance thanks to its unique transparent design with the Glyph lighting interface. It gave new hope to Android enthusiasts with its affordable yet feature-rich approach. When the company announced the arrival of its successor, the stakes were very high. The Phone (2) is finally here, and it's definitely not as affordable as its predecessor, despite closely resembling an almost-year-old Phone (1). With almost double the price, Phone (2) has to prove its worth, especially if it intends to get the same reception as the phone (1). While both the handsets look similar, the latest entrant has some defining features. Here is an in-depth comparison between the Nothing Phone (2) and the Phone (1) to help you understand how different the latest device is when compared to the Phone (1). Price The base model of the Nothing Phone (2) is priced at Rs 44,999, almost twice as much as the price of the Phone (1) base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. This massive difference in the price puts Nothing Phone (2) in a different segment altogether. The Phone (1) was a mid-range smartphone, and the Phone (2) is a proper flagship-class device, especially in terms of performance. Design The Nothing Phone (2) looks strikingly similar to the Phone (1), with some minor yet much-needed modifications. This includes the subtly curved glass at the back, thinner aluminium frame, made from 100 per cent recycled material, slightly tweaked colour options, and the IP54 rating for water and dust resistance. With the Phone (2), the company is not reinventing the wheel here, instead, it is refining the industrial design, which will also help the brand to build its own identity. Display The Phone (2) does pack a better display than the Phone (1). It sports a middle punch-hole camera, yet looks as premium as the company's first smartphone. It retains the same iPhone 12-like flat screen, which makes it easy to install a screen protector. The LTPO technology with a variable refresh rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz and higher brightness levels gives the Phone (2) an edge over the Phone (1) in every possible approach. Performance When compared to the Nothing Phone (1)'s Snapdragon 778G+ SoC, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC on the Phone (2) is twice as fast both in terms of CPU and GPU prowess. Not just the sheer compute capability, but the more expensive Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 also has a superior ISP, network modem, and a more capable AI engine, which will improve performance and power efficiency at the same time. From gaming to multitasking, the Phone (2) should deliver a smoother user experience across use cases. Besides, the Phone (2) now offers up to 512 GB of internal storage, while the same is limited to 256 GB on the Phone (1). Cameras The Phone (2) also has a 50 MP dual camera setup with a dedicated ultra-wide angle lens. However, it gets an upgraded primary Sony IMX890 sensor, and when combined with the more capable ISP on the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, at least in theory, the Phone (2) should take better pictures and videos. The selfie camera has also been upgraded from 16 MP to 32 MP, which should also result in enhanced picture quality. The Phone (2) can shoot 4K videos with up to 60fps using the primary sensor, which was limited to 4K at 30fps on the Phone (1). Software The Nothing Phone (2) ships with Android 13-based Nothing OS (2) and the Phone (1) is also confirmed to receive Nothing OS (2) update. The Phone (2) is confirmed to receive three major Android OS updates and four years of security updates. Similarly, the Phone (1) will get two more major OS updates. Hence, the Nothing Phone (2) will remain up-to-date for a year more than the Phone (1). Battery The Phone (2) gets a slightly large 4,700 mAh battery compared to the 4,500 mAh cell on the Phone (1). On top of that, it now supports up to 45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging. When this large battery is paired to the more efficient chip, the Phone (2) should deliver improved battery life than its predecessor. Again, with either of the options, one has to buy a charger separately. Verdict: Phone (2) is a refined Phone (1) with a massive performance boost The Nothing Phone (2) is exactly how a successor should be. It's built on top of an existing platform with few changes that give it a new character altogether. Similarly, the Phone (2) is also for those, who complained about the mid-range chip on the Phone (1). Despite similar looks, the Nothing Phone (2) is as unique as it can get and is also catered towards those who want a unique-looking device that does not compromise on the basics of a modern smartphone.
