Nothing Phone (2) review: LED effects in a fairly priced high-end smartphone

The Nothing Phone (2) is somewhat heavier and slightly longer than its predecessor, but it also offers a larger screen and significantly more performance. Once again, the Nothing phone is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides, with the transparent back revealing the cable channels and wireless charging spiral. The rear glass is now curved so that the Nothing Phone (2) fits comfortably in the hand.

The sides are made of an aluminum frame that is reminiscent of current iPhones with its angular design and pill-shaped buttons. The Phone (2) comes in either Dark Grey or White. 

The workmanship is pleasing: clean material transitions and small gaps create a high-quality look. However, we noticed in the course of our review that the smartphone can warp after prolonged exposure to the sun and the gaps then become larger. The warping subsides once it cools down, but previous reports about water and dust under the back of the predecessor make us wonder.

The housing is protected according to IP54, so the protection against splash water has been slightly improved compared to the predecessor. You shouldn’t go swimming with Nothing Phone (2) though.

We like the fact that Nothing prints the device’s CO2 footprint on the package and attempts to keep the environmental impact of the smartphone as low as possible via various measures, such as recycling materials in the device and plastic-free packaging. A detailed sustainability report on the Phone (2) can be found on the website.

The glyph interface is the design highlight of the smartphone. Underneath the transparent glass back there is a pattern of white LEDs that can simulate a count-down timer and display notifications, of which the number and function has been significantly expanded in the Phone (2). You can now use the Glyph Composer to create your own ringtones, and some third-party providers such as Uber are now using the function, for example, to display the time until the driver reaches their desired location.