Unboxing the Nothing Phone 2a Plus: First Impressions of the Budget Glyph Experience

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Unboxing: First Impressions in the First Hour

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus arrives in characteristically minimal packaging. No plastic, recycled materials, and that distinctive transparent aesthetic Nothing is known for.

In the box:

Nothing Phone 2a Plus
USB-C cable (braided!)
No charger (expected at this price)
SIM tool
Minimal paperwork

Immediate thoughts: The phone feels more premium than its £349 price suggests. The transparent back isn’t just a gimmick—it’s genuinely striking.

The Glyph Interface: Does Budget Mean Compromised?

Nothing’s signature feature is present, but scaled back:

3 LED zones (vs 5 on Phone 2)
Fewer lighting patterns
Still customizable for notifications

Hour 1 test: Set up custom patterns for messages, calls, and app notifications. The lights are visible in daylight but shine in dim conditions. It’s not just aesthetic—it’s genuinely functional for quick glance notifications.

Build Quality: Premium Looks, Mid-Range Materials

Construction:

Gorilla Glass 5 (front and back)
Aluminum frame
IP54 rating (splash resistant, not submersion)

Weight: 190g—lighter than expected, doesn’t feel cheap

First impressions: This doesn’t feel like a £349 phone. The transparent back hides the mid-range internals cleverly. No flex, no creaking, solid button feedback.

Caveat: Fingerprint magnet. You’ll want a case (which defeats the aesthetic purpose).

Display: 120Hz Smoothness on a Budget

Specs:

6.7” AMOLED
120Hz refresh rate
1080p resolution
Peak brightness: 1300 nits

Initial scrolling: Buttery smooth. No lag, no stutter. Watching 120fps content on YouTube—this display competes with phones twice the price.

Outdoor visibility test (cloudy UK afternoon): Perfectly readable. Will test in direct sunlight later.

Performance: Dimensity 7350 Pro First Benchmarks

Ran quick benchmarks out of the box:

Geekbench 6: 1,102 single / 2,847 multi
3DMark Wild Life: 3,204

Context: This beats the Pixel 6a, matches mid-tier Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 performance.

Real-world test: Opened 15 apps, switched between them—no reloads, smooth transitions. For everyday tasks, this is more than sufficient.

Camera: First Shots

50MP main + 50MP ultrawide—no telephoto (budget constraint)

Quick test photos (indoor, natural light):

Main camera: Sharp, good dynamic range
Ultrawide: Slight distortion but usable
Portrait mode: Hit or miss on edge detection

Video: 4K30, stabilization is… okay. Not flagship-level but acceptable.

Night mode test: Will update after sunset shots, but preview looks promising.

Software: Nothing OS 3.0 (Android 14)

First boot: Minimal bloatware (thank you) Customization: Lots of widget options, theming Unique features: Nothing’s dot-matrix font for widgets, monochrome aesthetic options

Question: How long will updates last? Nothing promises 3 years of OS updates, 4 years of security. Decent for this price.

The Glyph Composer: First Experiments

Nothing’s app for creating custom Glyph patterns:

15 minutes of tinkering: Created patterns for WhatsApp, Slack, and calls
Limitation: Can’t sync to music (that’s Phone 2 exclusive)
Fun factor: High. This is genuinely entertaining.

Initial Comparisons (Memory, Not Side-by-Side)

vs Pixel 7a (£449):

Pixel: Better camera, longer updates
Nothing: Better design, similar performance, £100 less

vs Samsung A54 (£399):

Samsung: Better ecosystem integration
Nothing: More distinctive, cleaner software

vs iPhone SE (£429):

iPhone: Ecosystem, longevity
Nothing: Modern design, better specs on paper

24-Hour Battery Test: In Progress

Started at 100% at 8am:

2 hours screen time by noon: 78% remaining
Projection: Will hit 6-7 hours screen-on time

4,800mAh battery with 50W charging. Full charge test tomorrow, but Nothing claims 0-50% in 20 minutes.

First Concerns

No wireless charging: Deal-breaker for some
No official water resistance rating: IP54 is bare minimum
Camera processing: Over-sharpens occasionally
Glyph durability: How will these LEDs hold up in 2 years?

Who Is This For?

After 24 hours, this phone makes sense for:

✅ Android enthusiasts who want something different
✅ Budget-conscious buyers willing to sacrifice camera quality
✅ People who love customization and unique design
❌ iPhone users (ecosystem lock-in is real)
❌ Photography enthusiasts (flagship cameras win)
❌ Those needing wireless charging

The Verdict (So Far)

Best Budget Phone of 2025? Too early to say, but it’s a strong contender.

Stand-out feature: Design. Nothing (pun intended) else looks like this at this price.

Biggest compromise: Camera. It’s fine, not great.

Should you buy it? If you want a unique Android experience and can live with a good-not-great camera, absolutely.

Full review coming in 2 weeks after extended testing. Subscribe for the deep dive.

This is First Contact. We don’t have all the answers yet—just first impressions. Stay tuned.