This year Nothing not only introduced its first mid-range phone, but also an improved version of it called the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus. In short, the Plus model has a better 50MP selfie camera, a slightly faster chipset, and a slight bump in charging speed. As for the longer version, we are working on a full review, so expect more details soon.
The Plus model starts at £400 for the 12/256GB model, up from £350/€380 for the regular Nothing phone (2a). In India, the base model is 8/256GB and the price jumps from ₹26,000 to ₹28,000. It will also be available in the US, but only as part of a beta program (support for US carrier bands is still shaky at best).
The Dimensity 7350 Pro is more or less the same chip as the 7200 Pro, except it runs at higher clock speeds (for example, 2x Cortex-A715 clusters go from 2.8GHz to 3.0GHz).
We’re not sure if this is because of the new chip or the new 50MP sensor, but the selfie camera can now record 4K video (at 30fps), matching the rear camera. The upgrade to charging is pretty minor – there’s still no wireless charging, instead wired options have been increased by 5W to 50W. This means the 5,000mAh battery takes 2 minutes less to reach 50% (21 minutes) and 4 minutes less to reach 100% (56 minutes).
The OnePlus Nord 4 is a little more expensive at £430/€500 for the 12/256GB model and ₹33,000 for the 8/256GB one. However, it brings a stylish aluminium unibody instead of the Nothing’s plastic build and with improved IP65 dust and water resistance (versus IP54). The Nord also has a higher resolution 6.74-inch display, a faster Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset and a larger 5,500mAh battery with fast 100W charging. The camera system is less impressive with a 50MP main (smaller 1/1.95-inch sensor) and only 8MP ultra wide and 16MP selfie cameras.
OnePlus Nord 4 • Xiaomi Poco F6
At launch the Poco F6 was priced at £370/€420/₹30,000 for the 12/512GB unit. It comes with the near-flagship Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, a 12-bit 6.67” OLED display that’s sharper than nothing, an improved IP64 rating and a 5,000mAh battery with 90W charging. The camera system is once again the weak spot with 50MP main (1/1.95”), 8MP ultra wide and 20MP selfie cameras.
The Samsung Galaxy A55 costs £414/€450/₹43,000 from Samsung, although it’s pretty easy to find a lower price from retailers. The Exynos 1480 isn’t as fast as the Snapdragon, but is basically on par with the Dimensity of nothing phones. It has the best water resistance yet, IP67, but the 5,000mAh battery only supports relatively slow 25W charging. The main 50MP camera has a comparable 1/1.56” sensor, but the 12MP ultra-wide still lags behind. On the positive side, the 32MP selfie camera supports 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy A55 • Realme 13 Pro
The Realme 13 Pro has just been launched in India and the 8/256GB unit can be yours for ₹29,000. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 is not much faster than the Dimensity 7350 Pro and the 6.7” FHD+ OLED display is not sharper than nothing. The battery is 5,200mAh and takes 27 minutes to charge up to 50% with 45W charging. The IP65 rating provides better protection. The camera has a 50MP main (small 1/1.95” sensor), 8MP ultra wide and a 32MP selfie module (1080p @ 30fps video only).
The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus launched in the UK this weekend and will be available in India on Wednesday. Will you be one of the first to buy this phone or what?
