When Apple and Samsung attach the ‘Plus’ moniker to their popular offerings, it usually means three things – a larger display, a bigger battery and a bloated price tag. For Nothing, however, the Plus tag means a lot more. A case in point is the new Nothing Phone (2a) Plus.
Released as an extended member of the Phone (2a) lineup without much hype, the Phone (2a) Plus is all about adding value to the tried and tested formula. Instead of being a bigger variant of the vanilla model, this one is all about having extra performance and extra value by paying a little more. Doesn’t seem like a bad deal, eh?
But the standard Phone (2a) is still a great deal for someone seeking a new phone in the budget segment. Despite its lower-spec chipset and a couple of downgrades, it continues to woo us with its tempting price tag. It even looks mostly the same as its Plus-named cousin.
So which one should you choose as your next smartphone? An answer to this dilemma can only be sought with a detailed Nothing Phone (2a) Plus vs Nothing Phone (2a) comparison.
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus vs Nothing Phone (2a): Exploring their specs
The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus is essentially a more powerful variant of the Phone (2a) and hence, there are a lot of parts sharing going on between the two. However, some improvements are also there.
Let’s start with the similarities.
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Display
Both the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus and Nothing Phone (2a) share the same 6.7-inch FHD+ resolution AMOLED display panel with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. The peak brightness is rated at 1,300 nits and the panel can display up to 1 billion colours.
Rear cameras
As far as shutterbugs are concerned, the Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus are equipped with an identical setup consisting of a 50-megapixel main shooter and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera. Hence, in terms of basic imaging and videography, both phones are likely to perform similarly in various lighting conditions.
Battery
Despite the beefed-up chipset, the Phone (2a) Plus relies on the same 5,000mAh capacity battery as the standard Phone (2a). Hence, with either of these variants, you should be able to extract up to two days of standby time on a full charge.
Design
To the eyes of someone less tech-savvy, both phones may appear identical. Nothing has retained the core design unchanged, including the eye-shaped dual rear cameras and the intestine-like pattern on the rear. The Phone (2a) comes in monotone shades of white, black and blue whereas the Phone (2a) Plus gets a dual-tone ‘metallic’ finish on its white and black colours.
Before you worry, both handsets feature Nothing’s iconic Glyph interface.
Now, let’s explore the differences.
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus vs Nothing Phone (2a): A look at their differences
Chipset
Earlier in 2024, Nothing released the Phone (2a) with a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset – a strictly midrange chipset that offers respectable performance for generic tasks and casual gaming.
With the Phone (2a) Plus, Nothing is offering a tailor-made Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset. On paper, this is simply an overclocked version of the Dimensity 7200 Pro chip that promises to deliver 10 per cent performance enhancements for the CPU and 30 per cent improvements for the GPU. In theory, this chipset should allow for better gaming performance.
While both phones offer the Nothing OS 2.6 experience, it is the newer Phone (2a) Plus that offers a new ChatGPT-based feature out of the box. The new News Reporter Widget reads news headlines aloud using Nothing CFO Tim Holbrow’s voice. However, users of Phone (2a) and Phone (2) can also get the feature by updating the Nothing Widgets app from Google Play.
Front camera
The Phone (2a) Plus ditches the 32-megapixel selfie camera from the Phone (2a) in favour of a new 50-megapixel selfie shooter. Nothing says that the new sensor not only enables sharper imaging but also allows 4K video recording at 30 fps.
Charging capability
Nothing has also upgraded the fast charging feature on the Phone (2a) Plus. Instead of a 45W wired system on the Phone (2a), the Phone (2a) Plus features 50W wired charging. Nothing says that a day’s power stamina can be filled in under 20 minutes with the compatible Nothing charging adapter.
Price
The Phone (2a) continues to retail at HKD 2,599 for the top-end 256GB variant.
The Phone (2a) Plus is a tad expensive at USD 399 (HKD 3,116) for the top-end variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus vs Nothing Phone (2a): Our verdict
Design: Tie
Display: Tie
Processor: Phone (2a) Plus
Cameras: Phone (2a) Plus
Battery and charging: Phone (2a) Plus
Price: Phone (2a)
With superior specifications, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus nabs the victory in this comparison despite its higher price tag. The beefier MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chip should allow for more intensive tasks and better gaming experience while the 50-megapixel front camera should keep selfie lovers happy.
However, the Phone (2a) series is all about value and if that’s all you consider while making a decision, the Phone (2a) with its lower price tag proves to be a better overall choice.
Overall winner: Nothing Phone (2a) Plus
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Nothing)
