Nothing Phone 2 vs Nothing Phone 1: What’s different and should you upgrade?

The Nothing Phone (2) has officially been unveiled in India and globally. The Phone (2) brings several upgrades over its predecessor, while maintaining the same fundamentals. Apart from the upgrades to the specifications and glyph interface, the Nothing Phone (2) has also received a price hike.

The Nothing Phone (2) price in India starts from Rs 44,999 and goes up to Rs 54,999 for the top-end configuration. For comparison, the Phone (1) features a starting price of Rs 28,999. So let's find out why the huge gap in pricing between the Nothing Phone (1) and Nothing Phone (2).

Nothing Phone 2 vs Nothing Phone 1: Full Specs Compared

Nothing Phone 2 vs Nothing Phone 1: What are the differences?

While the core design of the Phone (2) is still the same as its predecessor, the former now features a rounded back, which makes the Phone (2) more comfortable to grip. Apart from the design, the Glyph Interface on the Phone 2 has also been upgraded. The Phone (2) is also slightly larger than its predecessor.

The Interface now features Essential Glyphs, which lets users assign specific apps to LEDs that stay lit. The Phone 2 also has 11 segmented LED strips with 33 total LED lighting zones as compared to 12 zones on the Phone (1) across five LED strips.

This enables more customisations, while the interface now also supports apps like Uber and Zomato. Additionally, LEDs on the Phone (2) can also be used as a countdown timer, a battery indicator, or a volume indicator.

Performance and Display

While the displays of both smartphones look identical on paper, the Nothing Phone (2)'s screen is brighter and slightly larger. Moreover, the Phone (2) uses an LTPO panel, offering a scalable refresh rate between 1Hz - 120Hz as opposed to standard OLED display on the Phone (1).

The chipset is arguably the biggest upgrade on the Phone (2). The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC makes the Phone (2) one of the fastest smartphones in the segment. This means better CPU and GPU performance across the board, offering fluid performance and an improved gaming experience.

Cameras

The camera system on the Nothing Phone 2 is similar as its predecessor, although the Phone (2) uses an upgraded 50 MP Sony IMX890 primary sensor. Both the Phone (2) and Phone (1) use a 50 MP Samsung JN1 sensor for the ultrawide camera, although Nothing says that gets Advanced HDR capabilities on the Phone (2).

Moreover, the Nothing Phone 2 can record 4K video at 60fps as opposed to 30fps on its predecessor. The selfie camera on the Phone (2) is also upgraded to a 32 MP sensor. Lastly, the Nothing Phone (2) will also benefit from the superior ISP courtesy of the Snapdragon 8 series chip.

Battery and Software

The Nothing Phone 2 has a slightly larger battery than its predecessor. Additionally, the 4nm chipset and LTPO display on the Phone (2) will also help with battery efficiency. There's no adapter in the box, but the Phone (2) offers faster charging support than the Phone (1).

The Nothing Phone (1) is also expected to get the Nothing OS 2.0 update in August, although the Phone (2) will receive an extra year of software and security updates as it arrives a whole year later.

Final Thoughts on the Nothing Phone 2 vs Nothing Phone 1

Given the upgrades, we believe that the Nothing Phone (2) is a worthy successor to the Nothing Phone (1). The Nothing Phone (2) will compete with flagship killers like the OnePlus 11R and Google Pixel 7a, while the Phone (1) offers excellent value in the sub-30K segment.

In our opinion, it isn't worth upgrading from the Nothing Phone (1) to the Phone (2). However, both smartphones are excellent standalone options in their respective segments. If you are in the market for a sub-30K smartphone, here's a look at our recommendations. However, if you are looking for something more premium, then the Phone (2) is wroth the extra price.