There's another Nothing Phone (2a) out there. It's almost the same. It's called the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus, but it's not larger in sheer size, contrary to the sound of it. Yet, it's not a perfect copy of the Phone (2a).
A déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something.
– Trinity (from the movie The Matrix, 1999) to Neo, after he saw that black cat twice.
But what the heck did they change in the Phone (2a) Plus?
Namely, three things:
There's a new silver color option: it looks super sleek!
There's a new selfie camera, now 50MP;
New (yes, brand-new!) Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset.
Other than that, it's the same phone.
Why? Who asked for this minor upgrade?
Not to sound like a grouch here, but isn't this – the fact that the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus materialized just four months after the standard Nothing Phone (2a) – a bit… odd?
There won't be many coming home with the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus: here's why
You'll find my power comes from within… and is a force to be reckoned with.
– Silver Surfer, Volume 3
I am once again resorting to a Silver Surfer quote. Why? Because it was Nothing itself that compared their latest phone – a magnificent silver machine – to the famous Marvel cartoon character. Actually, that's a great nickname for a phone!
Yes, it does look good. | Image credit – Nothing
Time will tell if the (2a) Plus is a "force to be reckoned with", but Nothing says its latest handset is all about "extra power, efficiency, speed, megapixels, and materials". They also dub it as "a natural leader in its segment".
Well, I'm not going to deny that it packs a lot for the approximately $500 price tag, but the problem is that as of now, the phone is only available in the US via Nothing's Beta program. You can't just walk down the nearest mall and get a unit. That's a bummer. Nothing says in September there'll be additional information about "further market availability", but the Plus could very well remain outside the general audience's reach in the US.
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Are gamers really allured by the new chipset?
The Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset. | Image credit – Nothing
The other important claim by Nothing is that the new device is "made with busy multitaskers and gamers in mind" after "feedback from Nothing’s audiences".
That's great: companies actually paying attention to their customer base. However, I'm a little skeptical if that's a sustainable business practice. The non-Plus Phone (2a) came to life in March 2024. Releasing a refreshed version of a phone that's still new (by all standards) could be read the wrong way: is there something wrong with the original, that an upgrade is mandatory?
Also, the non-Plus (2a) wasn't announced as some sort of testing ground. Nobody from Nothing (hey, I like that one!) came out said:
Hey, we're going to release this thing today… uhm, if you could just… erm, test it for a few months… and then, we'll release the real version, and we'll call it the Plus!
Nope, prior to its release, the Phone (2a) was teased as a magnificent budget-friendly option for those who wish to spend $350 for a phone, and not a dime more.
For the price, it packs a lot on the screen front: there's a 6.7" AMOLED display, albeit with a somewhat weird resolution of 1084 x 2412. However, the refresh rate goes up to 120 Hz (that's actually great, given that the iPhone 15 is stuck at 60 Hz).
The original Phone (2a) is capable enough for a mid-ranger, and then some! | Image credit – PhoneArena
But, back to the "gamers in mind" point by Nothing. In my humble opinion, those who take gaming extremely seriously, just won't pay attention to the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus.
The Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset features 8 cores running at speeds up to 3.0 GHz, making it nearly 10% faster than the previous model. It also includes an ARM Mali-G610 MC4 GPU, which operates at 1.3 GHz and offers a 30% improvement in gaming performance compared to the Phone (2a).
That may sound impressive when compared to the Phone (2a), but those who game hardcore today need Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, for example.
If we're to talk about dedicated gaming phones, Nubia announced that its Red Magic 9S Pro will be launched internationally at the end of August.
This one (12GB RAM and 256GB storage) costs $650 and it features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version chipset (an overclocked variant of the US-based company’s top tier chipset), a huge 6,500 mAh battery with 80W wired charging, and an advanced ICE 13.5 Cooling System that has a built-in 22,000 RPM Turbo Fan and cooling materials. This is what you need for long gaming sessions: a state-of-the-art chipset, enough RAM, large-capacity battery, and some cooling. And a glorious display, of course!
Are gamers obsessed with selfies? Maybe I'm wrong, and you have the correct data, but in my book, gamers would rather ditch the selfie camera entirely, if they could.
It's not just that gamers (in general) don't share the same values as your everyday Instagram star, it's that the selfie camera comes as a distraction in the form of a punch hole on the screen. Okay, I'm probably exaggerating things a bit and mobile gamers in 2024 are used to the selfie snapper cutout, but I'm positive many would ditch that, if they had the chance to do so.
However, the Phone (2a) Plus camera system has been upgraded with a new 50MP selfie cam. As a bonus, Nothing’s portrait algorithms have received a face lift specifically for Phone (2a) Plus. Facial details including eyes, facial hair and nearby textures are enhanced for extra clear detail and precision: this is nice, but I'm wondering if it's the wrong audience that it's being promoted to.
Please, don't turn this into a trend
So, the Plus variant of the Phone (2a) came with some minor touch-ups after alleged "feedback from Nothing’s audiences". All it took was a new chipset for the gamers, an upgraded 50MP selfie camera, a new color option and several weeks in production.
Hey, don't you dare turn this into a trend: releasing phones with minor updates three times a year. I'm sure you can gather feedback and user opinions without the need of releasing a phone in the Spring, and then upgrade it in mid-Summer. Use polls instead.
One more thing.
Phone naming in recent years has been confusing enough – as an owner of something called Oppo Find X7 Ultra, I can confirm that. That's a topic for another day, but, for crying out loud, don't let me catch you teasing something called Nothing Phone (2a) Plus XL Pro Ultra IV Magic!
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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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