The Nothing Phone (2a)/Walla!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
British company Nothing, founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Fay, aims to make waves in the competitive mobile market.
After relative success with the Nothing Phone (2), the company is now launching a more discounted version - Nothing Phone (2a), which is sold in Israel as an official import of the Bug network.
The choice to launch a cheap device is an interesting step.
On the one hand, it allows Nothing to reach a wider audience and attract new users.
On the other hand, a cheap device inevitably involves compromises, and the question is whether they are justified.
Design
The Nothing Phone (2a) continues the company's unique design line, with a transparent back that allows a glimpse of the internal components of the device.
In front is a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1084x2412, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
A transparent back that allows an inside look at the internal components/Vala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Unlike the previous Nothing models that used an aluminum frame and glass back, the 2a switches to plastic in order to achieve the attractive price point.
Although the plastic makes the device lightweight (190 grams) and comfortable to hold, compared to aluminum it may give a particularly cheap and less luxurious feeling.
Also, here, too, is the Glyph lighting based on the LEDs located around the body of the rear camera.
The purpose of Glyphs, which can be seen as a gimmick or decoration, is actually the most unique part of the device.
For example, the backlight is used as a smart notification light and in the "Glyphs" interface you can choose a different lighting combination for phone calls and messages from several options built into the operating system (including sound change).
Here, too, the LED-based Glyph lighting is found at the back/Vala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Performance and interface
The Nothing Phone (2a) has standard specifications for an intermediate device.
Besides 12 or 8 gigabytes of working memory (RAM), it comes with a Mediatek (Chinese Qualcomm) Dimensity 7200 Pro processor.
And it's important to note: this is not a Qualcomm flagship processor, Mediatek also has a more powerful and newer model, but it will provide good performance for most tasks.
How satisfied were we?
The version we tested, with 12 gigabytes of working memory provided an excellent experience.
The device is able to manage several open applications at the same time smoothly, without slowdowns or jumps.
In fact, even the 8 GB configuration is expected to be sufficient for most users, but may encounter difficulties in high load situations.
Alongside this, the phone comes with the Nothing OS 2.5.1 operating system, based on Android 14, with a dedicated and noteworthy interface, without unnecessary apps.
One of the prominent features of Nothing OS is the use of simple and clear icons, based on basic geometric shapes.
However, you can also opt for a clean Android design, for those of you who prefer.
Compared to aluminum, the plastic may give a particularly cheap and less luxurious feeling/Wala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Despite the low price, you will find here support for NFC, a fingerprint sensor under the screen and support for two SIM cards.
On the other hand, a notable shortcoming is the lack of support for eSIM - a technology that was recently (and belatedly) launched by all the cellular companies in Israel after a demand from the Ministry of Communications.
This is a technology that allows the use of a virtual SIM card, instead of a physical SIM card.
And there are many advantages, among them: there is no need to change SIM cards when moving between operators or traveling abroad, where the cost of connecting to a local operator will be cheaper.
Besides, the water and dust resistance of the Nothing Phone (2a) is only IP54, which means the device is resistant to splashes Water lightly, but it is not recommended to immerse it in water or expose it to a lot of dust.
Despite the low price, you'll find NFC support and an under-screen/wallah fingerprint sensor here!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Camera
The main camera setup of the Nothing Phone 2a includes two sensors: a wide 50-megapixel camera that includes support for optical stabilization (OIS).
The second camera is also of 50 megapixel quality, and is used for wide-angle photography.
In its front part there is a single selfie sensor with a quality of 32 megapixels, which provides video recording in Full HD resolution only.
The results of the daylight shots are impressive.
A good level of details and colors can be found when using the main camera, and slightly less in the wide angle camera, which creates a bit of distortion (as in other phones).
In addition to that, even when enlarged on the computer, the images look high-quality and retain the colors and sharpness.
In low light conditions, the quality of the images decreases slightly, but the behind-the-scenes photography system adds more lighting to the image.
By the way, I found that a little patience is necessary to get a good picture (a few seconds of stability).
Photography with the Nothing Phone (2)/Wala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Photography with the Nothing Phone (2)/Wala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Photography with the Nothing Phone (2)/Wala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Photography with the Nothing Phone (2)/Wala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
Photography with the Nothing Phone (2)/Wala!
Technology, Yanon Ben Shoshan
In the bottom line
The Nothing Phone 2a on the one hand offers all the good that Android has to offer, and in an attractive case, small and comfortable to hold.
Its screen is wonderful, relative to its price it is impressive in performance and the camera is good.
This is clouded by things like a plastic case, and the fact that it doesn't have eSIM support and its water resistance is pretty basic.
Ready to accept these limitations?
This is an excellent choice for you.
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