Open sales of Nothing Phone (2) begin next week (this time including the North American market), so we’ve looked at that and some alternatives. We’ve found plenty of good value for money mid-range devices, and some great entry-level phones too.
Il-Ġermanja
Nothing Phone (2) pre-orders are ending as open sales begin on Monday. You can pick up the 8/128GB base unit for €650, check out our review for more details on the phone.
Instead of the sequel, you can pick up the original Nothing Phone (1) in 8/256GB trim for under €400. You don’t get the new, faster chipset (SD 778G instead of 8+ Gen 1) or the camera improvements, but the original is also a bit smaller and lighter (6.55″ OLED versus 6.7″ LTPO OLED).
Nothing OS offers a pretty clean Android experience, save for some Nothing-exclusive widgets and Glyph controls. But you can also get Google’s take on Android with the Pixel 7a, bundled here with a 30W charger. Note that the display is much smaller at 6.1 inches and is a 90Hz non-LTPO OLED. , the 13MP ultra wide has lower resolution than the 50MP unit on the Nothing, plus the battery life (76 hours) on the Pixel isn’t quite as good.
How about a Poco F5 instead for €240 less, despite having double the storage space. While the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 isn’t technically a flagship chipset, it comes very close to the 8+ Gen 1. This phone has a 6.67-inch 12-bit OLED display (non-LTPO) and a basic 64-bit camera. + 8MP. The larger 5,000mAh battery lasts longer (118 hours) and also charges faster (67W).
The Samsung Galaxy A54 has the best update schedule of the bunch: 4 OS updates and 5 years of security patches (versus 3 years for the Nothing). The Exynos 1380 is a good chip but definitely not flagship and while the 6.4″ 120Hz AMOLED is nothing special, the 50+12MP is pretty good (the main module, at least). The 5,000 battery mAh offers plenty of battery life (119 hours), although it is slow to charge.Unlike the other phones mentioned so far, the A54 has a microSD slot and a higher IP67 rating.
The Nokia X30 will receive 3 OS updates (up to 2 now that it has Android 13). It is powered by the Snapdragon 695 for 5G connectivity and you get a 50+13MP camera with OIS on the main module. The 6.43″ AMOLED display at 90Hz is average, the 4,200mAh battery (94h life) with 33W charging is below average.
The Ulefone Armor 21 is one of those extra rugged phones: it is IP69K rated (i.e. resistance to hot water jets), can survive up to 1.5m/5ft under water (for 30 minutes), has been subjected drop tested from 1.5m/5ft onto concrete and complies with MIL-STD-810H. This is a chunky phone, 18.1mm thick and weighing 400g, but it’s clearly a work phone. It has a 24MP night vision camera (with 2 IR LEDs) alongside the 64MP day camera, plus an accessory connector for a Ulefone endoscope or microscope.
Finally, the Galaxy A14 siblings. The 5G model is more expensive, despite having half the storage (both have microSD slots). However, the 5G model also gets a more powerful chipset (Dimension 700 vs. Helio G80) and a 90Hz LCD (both 6.6″ FHD+). The 4G model contrasts with a 5MP ultra-wide-angle camera (vs. none). Both have 5,000mAh batteries with 15W charging.
UK
Nothing Phone (2) pre-orders are ending as open sales begin on Monday. You can pick up the 8/128GB base unit for £580, check out our review for more details on the phone.
Instead of the sequel, you can pick up the original Nothing Phone (1) in 8/128GB trim for just £320. You don’t get the new faster chipset (SD 778G instead of 8+ Gen 1) or the camera improvements, but the l The original is also a bit smaller and lighter (6.55″ OLED versus 6.7″ LTPO OLED).
Nothing OS offers a pretty clean Android experience, save for some Nothing-exclusive widgets and Glyph controls. But you can also get Google’s take on Android with the Pixel 7a, bundled here with a 30W charger. Note that the display is much smaller at 6.1 inches and is a 90Hz non-LTPO OLED. , the 13MP ultra wide has lower resolution than the 50MP unit on the Nothing, plus the battery life (76 hours) on the Pixel isn’t quite as good.
The Redmi Note 12 and Redmi Note 12 Pro cost £60 apiece (note: both are 5G models). The Pro has 2GB more RAM to go with its more powerful Dimension 1080 chipset (compared to Snapdragon 4 Gen 1). Both phones have 6.67-inch 120Hz FHD+ displays, but the Pro one is a 10-bit panel. The Pro also gets a better camera with a larger 50MP (1/1.56″) sensor and OIS, as well as 67W faster charging (vs. 33W), so it hits 50% battery from 5,000mAh in 15 minutes instead of 22. The Pro has stereo speakers, the non-Pro has a microSD slot instead (both have 3.5mm jacks).
The Samsung Galaxy A34 is around the same price, even with a 1080 Dimensity. It has a 6.6″ 120Hz AMOLED display and while its 48MP main camera may have a small 1/2″ sensor, it also has OIS (which the non-Pro Note 12 lacks). The 5,000mAh battery beats both Redmis by over 30 hours in stamina, though it’s slow to charge at 25W. The A34 is getting flagship software support (4 OS updates, 5 years of patches) and has an IP67 rating (compared to IP54 on the Redmi).
Also this time around is the Motorola Moto G73 with a Dimensity 930 and a 6.5-inch 120Hz IPS LCD. It has double the storage (both it and the A34 have microSD slots), plus a 3.5 mm jack and stereo speakers. The 50+8MP camera is pretty basic (there’s no OIS either), while the 5,000mAh battery is only slightly faster at 30W. The phone also has basic water resistance.
The Nokia G60 comes with what HMD calls the “3-3-3 promise”, which is 3 OS updates, 3 years of security patches and 3 years of warranty. This phone runs on a Snapdragon 695, has a 6.58-inch 120Hz IPS LCD, a 50+5MP camera (no OIS), and a 4,500mAh battery with 20W charging.
Here is a strange combination from Nokia UK. Combine the Nokia T21 tablet with a Nokia 2660 Flip phone. The T21 is an aluminum slate with a 10.4-inch (2,000 x 1,200px, 15:9) IPS LCD with Unisoc T612 chipset, stereo speakers, and 8,200mAh battery with 18W charging.
Finally, an action camera to capture your adventures this summer: a GoPro Hero 11, bundled with a free extra battery and a microSD card (32GB). For an extra £50 you can get the Accessory Pack, which adds extra mounting hardware.
Istati Uniti tal-Amerika
While the original wasn’t available in the US (not really), the Nothing Phone (2) is here and open sales begin on Monday. You can pick up the 8/128GB base unit for $600, check out our review for more details on the phone.
For less than that, you can get a OnePlus 10T in a 16/256GB configuration. This too is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and also has a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, though note that the Nothing panel is of the LTPO variety. The 10T also has a plastic frame (versus the Nothing’s aluminum), not to mention light effects. The 10T also has a basic 8MP ultra-wide camera (compared to 50MP), but it wins the charging race as it goes up to 125W (but lacks wireless charging).
There’s also the OnePlus 11, the 16/256GB variant costs as much as a 12/256GB phone (2). OnePlus, however, uses the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and has an LTPO display – with QHD+ resolution to boot (versus FHD+). And in addition to the 50MP main and 48MP ultra-wide angle, it also has a 48MP camera with 2x optical magnification. The 5,000mAh battery only supports 80W wired charging.
The Motorola Edge+ (2023) (aka the Edge 40 Pro elsewhere), is down to $700. This phone has the fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and here it’s paired with a speedy 6.67-inch (FHD+) OLED display from 165Hz. You get a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultra-wide angle, plus a 2x vertical camera with just a 12MP sensor this time around. The 5,100mAh battery supports both 68W wired and 15W wireless charging.
While the Pixel 7a can already be found for under $500, there are deals like this one that keep the Pixel 7 around: A 128GB drive bundled with Pixel Buds A-Series can be yours for $568. The gems themselves are currently $69 on the Google online store.
Prime Day may be over, but Prime deals aren’t. Subscribers can get the Motorola Edge (2022) for just $250 (that’s $500 without Prime). This phone has a 6.6-inch 144Hz OLED display, a 1050 Dimensity, a 50+13MP camera, and a 5,000mAh battery with 30W wired and 15W wireless charging. That’s a tough hardware combo. to beat at $250.
There are cheaper ways to get a 5G phone, of course. The price of the OnePlus Nord N200 continues to drop: it was $170 earlier this month, now it’s $150. The phone itself isn’t much to write about, but with a 6.49 IPS (FHD+) LCD inches at 90Hz and a 5,000mAh (18W) battery covers the basics.
Finally, there’s a 4-pack of Apple AirTags to help you keep track of your stuff. Both Amazon and Walmart have the same 11% discount.
Indja
The Nothing Phone (2) will also arrive in India, although sales will start a few days later than in the rest of the world (the start is scheduled for July 21st). You can pick up the 8/128GB base unit for ₹45,000 from Flipkart. Check out our review for more details on the phone.
The Samsung Galaxy F54 is similar to the A54, but has a larger 6.7″ OLED display (120Hz FHD+) instead of a 6.4″ panel and a larger 6,000mAh battery. Also, the main camera has a 108MP sensor for lossless zoom. The F54 is powered by the same Exynos 1380 chipset.
The iQOO Neo7 gets even bigger with a 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, paired with a Dimensity 8200 and a 5,000mAh battery with 120W charging. The camera setup is as basic as it gets in this range in price with a 64MP main (1/1.97″, OIS) and only a pair of 2MP helpers.
Infinix Hot 30 5G is also up for pre-order and can be found on Flipkart. It pairs a large 6.78″ 120Hz IPS LCD with a Dimensity 6020. This too has a basic camera (50MP, 1/2.55″, no OIS), and the 5,000mAh battery charges at just 18 W. However, it is quite cheap for a 5G phone, only ₹12,500.
The Poco M4 5G is similarly priced (₹11,000) and only has a 6.58″ 90Hz IPS LCD, as well as a much older Dimensity 700 chipset. However, the 50MP camera and 5,000mAh battery (18W charging) are essentially the same.Both phones have microSD slots and 3.5mm jacks, but only the Infinix has stereo speakers.
Realme Narzo N55 and Tecno Camon 19 Neo both cost ₹10,500. Both have large IPS LCDs, 6.72″ and 6.8″ respectively, though the N55’s runs at 90Hz. Both have very similar chipsets, Helio G88 and G85, respectively, and also similar cameras: 64MP and 48MP. Their batteries have a capacity of 5,000mAh each, but the Narzo charges at 33W, while the Infinix only goes at 18W. Keep in mind that these are 4G-only phones.
The Honor Pad 8 may be a year old, but it’s pretty cheap for a 12-inch tablet (it has a 2,000 x 1,200px, 15:9, 60Hz IPS LCD). It has a total of 8 speakers, so it’s great for multimedia. The Snapdragon 680 isn’t great at gaming, so AAA titles are out of the question. The 7,250mAh battery could have been bigger or at least faster to charge (it supports 22.5W charging).
The Lenovo Tab M10 Gen 3 is smaller with a 10.1″ IPS LCD (1,920 x 1,200px, 16:10, 60Hz) and uses an even less powerful Unisoc T610 chipset. There are only two speakers on board and the battery it’s even smaller and slower (5,100mAh, 10W).
We’ll finish with a couple of simple feature phones: the Nokia 105 and 106. Note that these are this year’s updated 4G models. Both can serve as basic entertainment with a microSD slot and MP3 support, as well as an FM radio receiver.
What really caught our attention, however, is that while these are super cheap, they do support UPI, the Unified Payment Interface. This allows the user to send and receive payments on the service, which had over 300 million monthly active users at the end of last year.
Ibda Thread ġdid