Nothing phone (2a)

Design and UI both stylish and solid ; Smooth performance ; Strong battery life

Nothing OS 2.5 UI embellishments could run deeper ; No wireless charging ; Glyph system significantly stripped back

The Nothing Phone (2a) might have a flashy design, but its core appeal is how well balanced it is for the money. Build quality, performance, battery life, display and camera are all reassuringly solid, while Phone (2a)’s eye-catching UI and Glyph...

Competitive price ; Sleek, stylized OS ; Unique look

Mild step up from Phone 1 ; No remarkable features ; Scaled-back Glyph lighting system

An affordable and reliable phone with an eye-catching design and a clean OS, the Nothing Phone 2a is a solid mid-range choice. It offers a crisp display, decent performance, and great battery life; proving it’s more than just an update on the original...

Competitively priced against key Google and Samsung rivals ; Maintains brand's Glyphs lighting and design uniqueness ; Decent power and battery life

Fingerprints and dust magnetism limit plastic rear's appeal ; That camera bump won't be seen as 'cute' by all ; No lower-positioned Glyph light

The Nothing Phone (2a) has got pretty much everything going for it – especially when considering the competition at this price point – as there's no major downfall in its day-to-day fluidity, battery life longevity, or overall performance. So long as...

Cute, purposeful design and attention to detail ; Brilliant, big display for the money ; Unique software icons, styling and widgets ; It's smooth, powerful and has great battery life

Cameras are a bit of a weak point ; Plastic build won't be to everyone's standards ; Glyph lights are a nice novelty, but largely useless

Distictive new take on Nothing’s signature styling ; Solid performance and consistently great battery life ; Very capable cameras for an affordable phone

A few features haven’t carried across from Phone 1 ; Simplified Glyph lights don’t have quite the same impact

Strips the Nothing experience back in the name of affordability, while keeping everything that made previous efforts so distinctive. Phone 2a is fun, fully featured, and phenomenal value.

Distinctive metallic design ; Powerful chipset that’s great for gaming ; Impressive selfie camera ; Affordable price

Design may be too flashy for some ; No charger included in the box ; No wireless charging

Despite a new design and extra performance, the Phone (2a) Plus retains an affordable price tag, making it a top recommendation. But I can’t help but feel that this is what the Phone (2a) should have been from the beginning, and that the Plus model...

Impressive performance ; Great 120Hz display ; Unique customisable software ; Solid battery life

Hit-and-miss cameras ; Polarising design ; Middling charging speeds

The Phone (2a) is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones you can buy for under £350, but an out-there design and underwhelming cameras mean it’s not right for everyone.