Nothing Phone (1) vs Nothing Phone (2) Comparison: What’s Different
As widely known by now, Nothing’s highly anticipated successor to their inaugural product, the Nothing Phone (1), was revealed recently on the 12th of July. The Phone (2) was then quickly launched in a move that follows its predecessor, starting with exclusive drops just 3 days later and first made available in limited quantities before going on general sale on 22 July.
When the Nothing Phone (1) was released last year, it received huge interest from the public owing to its unique design which was previously unseen in the smartphone world. Fast forward a year later, the Nothing Phone (2) looks to build on the foundations set by its predecessor as the brand now aims to establish itself in the market with its distinct design and identity.
Having been on general sale for a couple of days now, buyers would probably be looking for more information on both phones to see if they are worth buying. Hence in this article we would look into showing the differences between both phones for further clarity on the subject.
This will include what has been changed/updated, what stayed the same, and the good and bad. We will also provide our own conclusions at the end to aid our readers in making a more informed purchasing decision between both models.
| Nothing Phone (1) | Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Release Date | July 2022 | July 2023 |
| Price (Launch) | RM2,399 | RM2,999 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Adreno 730 |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB | 256GB/512GB |
| Battery Capacity | 4500mAh | 4700mAh |
| Charging Speed | 33W | 45W |
| Screen | 6.55 inches, 1080x2040p OLED | 6.7 inches, 1080x2412p LTPO OLED |
| Cameras | 50MP Main 50MP Ultrawide | 50MP Main 50MP Ultrawide |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| OS | Nothing OS 1.5.3 | Nothing OS 2 |
| Colour Options | White, Black | White, Dark Gray |
| Glyph Zones | 12 | 33 |
Let’s begin with what has been maintained. The design of the phone has stayed true to its original sibling, which means that the eye-catching transparent look remains. The much talked about glyph patterns on the back of the phone also makes a comeback, albeit with some tweaks and enhancements.
Notably, the amount of Glyph Zones has increased substantially from 12 to 33. This now means that there are new uses for the LED strips, such as being a notification alert and physical volume indicator. These were some of the features that were missing and highly requested from users of the Phone (1).
The cameras are also basically the same on both phones, both sporting the same dual 50MP sensors on the rear. Imaging performance is also thus largely the same, which may be a little disappointing for avid photographers.
Most of the changes are on the inside of the phone. In terms of performance, the Phone (1) largely had upper-mid tier specs and performance. However, with the Phone (2), the specs have been bumped up to flagship tier, most notably in the CPU which now uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Because of that, users of the Phone (2) can expect flagship levels of performance from this device. Having a better GPU and more base RAM also helps in that regard. Besides that, the battery capacity has also increased over its predecessor, along with faster charging speed (45W vs 33W). The screen on the Phone (2) also sports a much better LTPO OLED panel as well.
Image Credit: 91mobiles
Nothing has also included multiple software enhancements with Nothing OS2, however most of these features are expected to be made available to the Phone (1) eventually. The ability to further customise the functions of the glyphs are a Phone (2) exclusive however, given the hardware requirements.
That being said, all the upgrades and enhancements do come at a cost, as the Phone (2) has received a price bump. It now starts at RM2,999, which is alot higher than the RM2,399 starting price of Phone (1). Bear in mind that the Phone (1) has dropped in price since its launch as well, to as low as RM1,499 even.
Overall, the Nothing Phone (2) builds on a product that is well loved, whilst also adding meaningful features and enhancements (many of which are highly requested) to make this unique product even better.
With the hardware improvements as well as the software enhancements to compliment the ecosystem, it is safe to say that the Nothing Phone (2) is the best product from the company yet and is quite the big upgrade from the Nothing Phone (1).
That being said, the price increase might make this phone a difficult purchase for some. Where Nothing (and OnePlus) succeeded was that they were able to provide compelling, unique phones that are arguably flagship killers at an affordable price.
In our opinion, even at its current RM2,999 price point the Nothing Phone (2) is still a phone to recommend purchasing. It fares competitively against other phones of this price and has its own unique identity to boot.
Should the phone get a substantial discount down the line like it’s predecessor did, then we would definitely say that it is a must buy for any Android enthusiast that is looking for something truly unique and has great value for money.
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