Nothing Phone 2A Plus Brings Upgraded Specs To Budget Android Lineup

Well, that was quick. The roughly four-month old Nothing Phone (2a) has gained a "Plus" model with slightly more power, more gloss, a higher price tag, and same limited cell network support in the U.S. Has anyone asked what Carl Pei's sales strategy is for this side of the world? The (2a) Plus is looking to be a great buy, but once again, it feels like American shoppers keep getting the shaft.

Like it's "older" (2a) stablemate, Nothing's new Phone (2a) Plus is definitely spec'd to be among the best upper low-budget smartphones one can buy with fresh design elements and a unique Android UI experience. For under $400, buyers will be treated to improved performance, faster wired charging speeds, and an upgraded camera, among other things.

Most prominently is how the new device rocks the Nothing-exclusive MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G chipset; that's a very solid gaming-friendly mid-range processor for the price, folks. The company claims it's almost 10 percent faster than the Dimensity 7200 Pro on the (2a) plus up to 30 percent greater GPU performance. 


As mentioned, wired charging speeds for the 5,000 mAh battery gets a bump from 45W to 50W (no wireless charging, though). The selfie camera is a 50 MP unit, which is a nice leap over the 32 MP unit on the (2a). Nothing has subsequently tweaked the portrait algorithm for improved facial hair and eye processing.

The London-based company has kept the 6.7-inch OLED display, as well as the Glyph notification system found on the (2a), but the Plus introduces two matte metallic backplate colors (black and gray), which actually look pretty snazzy. 

Initially launching at the company's store in Soho, London on August 3, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus will be available in the U.S. beginning August 7 for $400 (12 GB RAM/256GB storage). As has been the case more often than not, U.S. phones will be sold under the Nothing Beta Membership, which sounds fancy, but merely means limited  network coverage. For example, only T-Mobile users get 5G support, but only for those with 5G Ultra Capacity coverage, whereas AT&T and Verizon customers only get to enjoy band 4/5/66 4G LTE. If you plan on using the phone on Verizon, you need to contact customer support to add the IMEI to its database.