Reviews
Nothing Phone 2 Review
The tech brand Nothing made its debut in the U.S. in 2023, unveiling the Nothing Phone 2, a smartphone that stands out with its unique design. With its arrival, can it pose a challenge to established players like Google, OnePlus, and Samsung?
Returning to a smartphone months after launch can be revealing. Fortunately, the Nothing Phone 2 maintains its brilliance. The device impresses with its performance, simplicity, style, and sense of fun. Despite the brand’s unconventional marketing moves, the Nothing Phone 2 remains a highly recommended purchase, offering a unique alternative in both design and hardware.
Nothing Phone 2 Design:
The Nothing Phone 2 boasts a distinctive design, featuring a sleek aluminum chassis, glass back, and Gorilla Glass on the front. While its build quality is top-notch, it lacks a high IP water and dust resistance rating compared to some competitors. The “pillowed” glass on the back, exposing wireless charging components, adds to its charm. Despite its slipperiness, the transparent and unique design sets it apart from other phones.
Nothing Phone 2 Glyph Lights:
Under the transparent glass, Nothing’s Glyph lighting array serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. Beyond being visually appealing, the Glyph lights offer practical features like a visual timer, notification alerts, and a light show for calls. Despite being initially dismissed as a gimmick, these lights contribute to the phone’s overall unique and enjoyable user experience.
Nothing Phone 2 Camera:
While the hardware of the Nothing Phone 2’s camera hasn’t changed significantly from its predecessor, software improvements enhance its performance. The camera produces vibrant and lively photos, although low-light capabilities remain a challenge. Despite not outperforming competitors in nighttime photography, the results are satisfactory for daytime use.
What It’s Like to Use:
The device features a 6.7-inch OLED screen with a dynamic refresh rate, vibrant colors, and impressive brightness. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the phone delivers a smooth and efficient user experience, excelling in both gaming and everyday tasks. The Nothing OS 2.0, despite its controversial monochrome icon pack, offers a fast, reliable, and pleasant user interface.
Nothing Phone 2 Battery Life:
Equipped with a 4,700mAh battery, the Nothing Phone 2 demonstrates efficient power management, providing reliable battery life for a variety of activities. Even under heavy use, the battery comfortably lasts a full day, and for average users, it can extend to two days.
Nothing Phone 2 Charging:
The phone supports 45W wired charging and 15W Qi wireless charging, offering a quick recharge experience. The transparent design extends to the charging cable and connectors, adding a unique touch. The device also features 5W reverse charging.
The Nothing Phone 2 stands out as a fantastic blend of capability, desirability, and style. Its distinctive design, strong performance, vibrant display, and extended battery life make it a compelling choice in the U.S. smartphone market. Embracing a new brand like Nothing Phone 2 offers a fresh alternative without significant compromises, making it one of the standout releases of 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Nothing Phone 2?
- The Nothing Phone 2 is a smartphone produced by the tech brand Nothing. Known for its unique design, innovative features, and competitive pricing, the phone aims to offer a distinct alternative in the smartphone market.
2. What sets the Nothing Phone 2 apart from other smartphones?
- The Nothing Phone 2 distinguishes itself through its unique design, transparent elements, Glyph lights, and the Nothing OS 2.0. It aims to provide a fresh and unique user experience.
3. How is the design of the Nothing Phone 2?
- The phone features a sleek aluminum chassis, a glass back with “pillowed” glass for increased comfort, and Gorilla Glass on the front. Its design includes transparent elements, exposing wireless charging components, and vibrant Glyph lights.
4. What are Glyph lights on the Nothing Phone 2?
- Glyph lights are a lighting array beneath the transparent glass on the back of the phone. They serve both aesthetic and functional purposes, offering features such as a visual timer, notification alerts, and a light show for calls.
5. How is the camera performance of the Nothing Phone 2?
- The Nothing Phone 2 boasts a camera system with improvements in software. It captures vibrant and lively photos during the day, although low-light photography remains a challenge. The phone offers a satisfactory camera experience for most users.
Design & Build Quality
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: With its sleek 7.9mm thickness and weight of 193g, the Find X8 Ultra strikes a balance between form and function. The aluminum alloy body with Gorilla Glass 7i provides durability while maintaining a premium look. Its IP68 rating ensures it is both dustproof and waterproof up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
Vivo X200 Ultra: A slightly bulkier device at 8.0mm and 197g, it features a glass body that is also protected by Gorilla Glass, offering good resistance to scratches and drops. The X200 Ultra shares the IP68 rating, making it equally resistant to dust and water. Both phones use high-end materials, though the Vivo feels a bit more substantial.
Verdict: Both devices offer premium designs, but the Oppo has a slight edge with a more compact form factor and similar build quality.
Display
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: It sports a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with an impressive 1256 x 2760 pixel resolution, offering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and high contrast ratios. The display supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, making it great for high-quality video streaming. It also features a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and responsiveness.
Vivo X200 Ultra: The Vivo features a slightly larger 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1260 x 2800 pixels, also supporting HDR10+ but without Dolby Vision. Its 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth interaction, though the absence of Dolby Vision means it may not offer the same cinematic experience as the Find X8 Ultra.
Verdict: The Oppo Find X8 Ultra edges out slightly in display quality with Dolby Vision support, ideal for media consumption. The Vivo X200 Ultra, while excellent, lacks this feature.
Performance
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, it offers an octa-core CPU with a 3nm architecture. Coupled with 12GB RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, the Find X8 Ultra provides fast and smooth performance for everyday tasks and intensive applications.
Vivo X200 Ultra: The Vivo X200 Ultra is equally equipped with the Dimensity 9400 chipset and offers the same RAM and storage configurations. Both phones are highly efficient in handling multitasking and heavy apps. However, Vivo’s optimizations in the OriginOS contribute to smooth performance, with slightly better thermal management reported.
Verdict: Both phones are very similar in performance, offering top-tier processing power. The Vivo may have a slight advantage in thermal efficiency due to its software optimizations.
Software & OS
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Runs on ColorOS 15, which offers a refined, feature-rich interface with customization options. It comes with extensive privacy controls, performance optimizations, and a user-friendly experience.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Utilizes OriginOS 15, which has a similar feature set but with a more pronounced focus on efficiency, streamlined multitasking, and system fluidity. Both OS versions are based on Android 15, providing users with a clean, modern experience.
Verdict: Both operating systems are excellent, with ColorOS offering more customization options, while OriginOS is lauded for its efficiency and smoothness.
RAM Management and Virtual RAM
Effective RAM management ensures smoother multitasking.
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Offers 12GB/16GB of physical RAM with an option for up to 8GB virtual RAM expansion.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Provides similar physical RAM configurations but supports up to 12GB virtual RAM, allowing greater flexibility for resource-intensive applications.
Verdict: Vivo provides slightly more headroom for heavy multitasking with additional virtual RAM.
Camera Systems
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Features a triple-camera setup with a 50MP primary wide-angle lens (f/1.8), a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens (f/2.6). It offers superb photo and video quality with features like Dolby Vision support for videos.
Vivo X200 Ultra: The Vivo X200 Ultra also boasts a triple 50MP camera array, including similar wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses, but with slightly different apertures (f/1.57 for the wide lens). It supports advanced Zeiss optics for superior image processing, particularly in low light.
Verdict: Both cameras are top-tier, with the Vivo offering slightly better low-light performance and optical processing, while Oppo’s Dolby Vision support offers a richer video experience.
Battery Life & Charging
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Comes with a 5630mAh battery, offering decent endurance. It supports 80W SuperVOOC fast charging but lacks wireless charging.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Features a larger 5800mAh battery, providing a bit more longevity. It supports 90W fast charging and 50W wireless charging, plus reverse wireless charging for added convenience.
Verdict: The Vivo X200 Ultra offers better overall battery performance, with faster wired and wireless charging options, as well as reverse charging.
Connectivity
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Supports 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB Type-C 3.0, ensuring high-speed connectivity and future-proof networking.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Similarly equipped with 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.4, but with a USB Type-C 3.0 port. Both devices offer the latest in connectivity.
Verdict: Both phones excel in connectivity, offering similar features and future-proof technologies.
Speakers & Audio
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Features stereo speakers with enhanced Dolby Atmos support for an immersive audio experience.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Also equipped with stereo speakers, offering a comparable audio experience, though it lacks Dolby Atmos.
Verdict: Oppo’s Dolby Atmos support gives it a slight edge in sound quality.
Security & Biometrics
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Offers an in-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock for security.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Similarly equipped with an in-display fingerprint sensor and face recognition.
Verdict: Both offer comparable security features, with in-display fingerprint sensors being a standard for both.
Price & Value
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Priced around €550-560, offering a premium experience with Dolby Vision and excellent camera features.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Priced similarly, but with the added benefit of reverse wireless charging and slightly better camera optics, providing excellent value.
Verdict: Both phones provide excellent value at their price points, with the Vivo slightly edging out in battery and camera features.
Final Verdict
Oppo Find X8 Ultra: Best for users prioritizing display quality, video features, and overall design.
Vivo X200 Ultra: Best for users who value better battery life, reverse wireless charging, and superior camera performance.
Build and Design
Materials: Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
Dimensions: 163.2 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm
Weight: 210 g
IP Rating: IP69 dust and water-resistant
Display
Type: 6.78-inch AMOLED
Resolution: 1.5K (approx. 3040 x 1440 pixels)
Refresh Rate: 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Peak Brightness: 6000 nits
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Processor and Software
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)
GPU: Adreno 830
OS: Realme UI 6 based on Android 15
Storage and Memory
Configurations:
-256GB with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
-512GB with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM
Storage Type: UFS 4.1 Pro
Camera System
Rear Cameras:
-Main: 50 MP wide with OIS
-Ultra-Wide: 8 MP
-Telephoto: 50 MP periscope with 3x optical zoom
Front Camera: 32 MP under-display camera
Battery and Charging
Battery Capacity: 6500 mAh silicon-nitride
Charging: 120W wired fast charging
Audio and Connectivity
Audio: Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity:
-5G, Wi-Fi 7
-Bluetooth 5.4
-USB-C 3.2
-Dual GPS, NFC
Build and Design
Materials: Aluminum body
Dimensions: 254 x 165.3 x 6.8 mm
Weight: 515 g
Color Options: Gray, Blue
Display
Type: 11.2-inch LCD
Resolution: 3.2K (3072 x 1920 pixels), 3:2 aspect ratio
Refresh Rate: 144Hz
Brightness: Peak brightness of 800 nits
Processor and Software
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
OS: Android 15 with Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2.0
Storage and Memory
Configurations:
-8GB RAM with 128GB storage
-12GB RAM with 256GB storage
-16GB RAM with 512GB storage
Camera System
Rear Camera:
-Main: 50 MP primary
-Depth Sensor: 2 MP for bokeh effects
Front Camera: 32 MP
Battery and Charging
Battery Capacity: 8,850 mAh
Charging Speed: 67W wired charging
Audio and Connectivity
Audio: Quad stereo speakers
Connectivity:
-Wi-Fi 7
-Bluetooth 5.4
-USB-C
