Is the Nothing Phone (2) worth $599?

Yes, if you value clean Android software, distinctive design, and 1.5-day battery life over spec-sheet checkboxes. Reviewers from Android Authority, Notebookcheck (87.4%), and 9to5Mac all rate it strong value. It's not the right pick if you need a telephoto camera, IP68 water resistance, or the fastest charging — Pixel 8 Pro at $799 or Galaxy S23 Ultra at $1,199 win those.

Why does the Nothing Phone (2) use last-year's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1?

Deliberate cost choice — to ship at $599 in the US (Nothing's first official US phone). SuperSaf confirms it would have pushed the price significantly higher with SD 8 Gen 2. The trade-off: 9to5Mac's speed test showed the SD 8+ Gen 1 still beat the iPhone 14 Plus by 6 seconds, so real-world performance is fully flagship-class for typical use.

Does the Nothing Phone (2) have a telephoto camera?

No — only 50MP main + 50MP ultrawide. This is the biggest hardware gap vs the $799 Pixel 8 Pro's 5× periscope or even the $499 Pixel 7a's 2× hybrid zoom. The main camera does crop in to ~2× digitally with good results, but native optical telephoto is missing.

What is the Glyph Interface?

11 LED strips on the rear panel split into 33 individually-addressable zones. They light up for incoming calls, charging progress, timers, volume, custom ringtones, and Composer-created patterns. JerryRigEverything's teardown confirms it's a genuine upgrade vs Phone (1)'s 5 strips and 12 zones — utility, not just gimmick.

Is the Nothing Phone (2) waterproof?

Only IP54 — splash and rain resistant, NOT submergible. This is a notable gap vs the IP68 rating standard on Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and even Pixel 7a — Ars Technica called this 'the worst part of the spec sheet.'

How fast does the Nothing Phone (2) charge?

33W wired full charge in ~55 minutes per SuperSaf; 15W wireless + 5W reverse wireless. Slow vs OnePlus 11's 80W (~25 min full) and Galaxy S23 Ultra's 45W. No charger in the box — buyers source their own 33W+ USB-C PD brick.

How long does the Nothing Phone (2) battery last?

MrMobile reports 1.5 days of typical use from the 5,000mAh battery + 4nm SD 8+ Gen 1 efficiency. Cashify's long-term review confirms 'an entire day' for normal use months in. Heavy camera/video usage drains faster.

Is Nothing OS better than stock Android?

Reddit r/OnePlus owners who switched from OxygenOS say yes — Nothing OS feels cleaner and more optimized than OnePlus's increasingly-ColorOS-flavored stack. It's close to stock Android with a distinctive monochrome dot-matrix icon pack, Universal Search box, and Glyph Composer for the LEDs.

Is the Nothing Phone (2) still worth buying in 2026?

Yes at the current $300-400 used price — the design + clean software still hold up, and battery life remains strong. Updates: Nothing committed 3 OS upgrades + 4 years of security, putting support through 2027. Better value than buying it new at original MSRP in late 2025/2026.

Can I use the Nothing Phone (2) on US carriers?

Yes — Nothing officially launched the Phone (2) in the US with full T-Mobile, AT&T (and some Verizon) band support. This was Nothing's first US-sold phone via direct sale (not just import-only).

Photo: Booredatwork.com / CC-BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia)

Nothing

Nothing Phone (2)

Smartphones

Previous gen

15 expert reviews

5 user opinions

May 20, 2026

Updated May 20, 2026

High confidenceUp to date

Quick Verdict

The Nothing Phone (2) is the cleanest design-forward Android of 2023 — transparent back, 33-zone Glyph LED interface, Nothing OS minimalism, last-year-flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 silicon, and $599 US pricing in Nothing's first official US launch. Reviewers love the differentiation and clean software, but the IP54 rating, missing telephoto, slow 33W charging, and 4K video stutter are real flagship-aspirational gaps. Buy this if you want a phone that doesn't look like every other glass slab and value clean software over hardware checkboxes. Skip this if you need a telephoto camera, IP68 water resistance, or fastest-in-class charging.

Best design-led $599 phone of 2023

Pros reviewers agree on

Strengths consistently called out across sources

Best industrial design of any 2023 phone — transparent back + 33-zone Glyph LED interface + clean aluminum chassis make it instantly recognizable.
Nothing OS 2.0 is the cleanest Android skin of 2023 — minimal bloat, fast updates, distinctive monochrome icon pack, and the universal search box.
$599 US launch (Nothing's first officially-sold-in-US phone) hits a clean price/value sweet spot — competes with Pixel 7a + iPhone SE 3rd gen.
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 + 12GB RAM delivers genuine flagship-tier 2022 performance — beat iPhone 14 Plus in 9to5Mac's speed test.
5,000mAh battery + efficient 4nm chip delivers ~1.5-day endurance in normal use per MrMobile.

Cons reviewers agree on

Weaknesses flagged across multiple sources

Only IP54 dust + splash resistance — not submergible, lags Galaxy S23/iPhone 15 Pro Max IP68 baseline by a clear margin.
Dual-camera setup (50MP main + 50MP ultrawide) with NO telephoto — biggest hardware gap vs the $799 Pixel 8 Pro or $599 Pixel 7a's hybrid zoom.
33W wired + 15W wireless charging — slow vs OnePlus 11's 80W and Galaxy S23 Ultra's 45W; full charge ~55 minutes per SuperSaf.

What reviewers disagree on

Points where expert verdicts diverge — weigh based on your priorities

Last-gen Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip choice — pros say Nothing made the right call keeping the price at $599; critics say a true flagship should ship with the SD 8 Gen 2 (TechRadar, r/Android).

How This Review Was Created

10Publications

7YouTube Reviews

3Reddit Threads

20Total Sources

High ConfidenceReviews published July 2023 – May 2026

This is a synthesis of expert reviews and user discussions; we may not have physically tested the product. See methodology.

Detailed Breakdown

🎨Design & Glyph Interface

The transparent back + 11 LED strips / 33 individually-addressable Glyph zones is the most differentiated industrial design of any 2023 Android phone — and the LEDs have evolved past gimmick into useful notification utility.

Transparent rear panel + 11 LED strips / 33 addressable Glyph zones — substantial upgrade from Phone (1)'s 5 strips and 12 zones.— JerryRigEverything teardown
Glyph LEDs now show progress bars for charging + timers + volume + custom ringtones — utility upgrade beyond the original notification-only design.— JerryRigEverything
MrMobile: 'a true technological treat designed with care and built to stand out' — no one would mistake a Nothing Phone for anything else.— MrMobile / Michael Fisher
6 Months Later YouTube: 'comfortable to hold in your hand, with its 201.2g weight, 20-30 grams lighter than iPhone 15 Pro Max or S24 Ultra.'— YouTube — 6 Months Later
Aluminum side rails smoothed vs iPhone 12-14 edges — comfortable to hold without case slip-out reported.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
IP54 rating means rain + splash only — not submergible like the Galaxy S23 + iPhone 15 Pro Max's IP68.— Ars Technica

📺Display

The 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED at 1600 nits peak with 120Hz adaptive refresh is class-competitive for the $599 price — slightly behind the Galaxy S23 + Pixel 8 Pro on peak HDR but ahead of mid-range rivals.

6.7-inch flexible LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz adaptive, 1600 nits peak brightness — excellent display for the $599 price point.— HotHardware
6 Months Later: 'looks great with good viewing angles and excellent clarity' — premium-class panel after months of use.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
Snazzy Labs: 'screen looks pretty freaking good in direct sunlight' but only adequate indoors with low ambient light.— Snazzy Labs

📸Cameras

Dual 50MP setup (main + ultrawide) with no telephoto — solid daylight performance per GSMArena + 6 Months Later, but the missing zoom lens limits versatility against $499 Pixel 7a hybrid zoom or $799 Pixel 8 Pro periscope.

50MP f/1.88 main with OIS + 50MP f/2.2 ultrawide — saves 12.5MP by default, those output 'excellent' per GSMArena.— GSMArena
No telephoto camera — biggest hardware gap vs $499 Pixel 7a (2× hybrid zoom) and $799 Pixel 8 Pro (5× periscope).— Notebookcheck
Auto Night Mode delivers excellent ultrawide shots with detail, exposure, dynamic range — competitive low-light for the class.— GSMArena
4K @ 60fps main + ultrawide; 1080p selfie video — competitive video specs for the $599 class.— GSMArena
4K video stutter + dropped frames during recording — MrMobile flagged this as the most annoying day-to-day camera issue.— MrMobile / Michael Fisher
6 Months Later: 'as good if not better than Pixel 8 for daytime video with contrast and fewer digital artifacts' — surprising creator comparison.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
Portrait mode relies entirely on AI (no depth sensor) — works on humans but inconsistent on objects/pets.— GSMArena

⚡Performance

Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 + 12GB RAM is last-gen flagship silicon — the deliberate cost choice that keeps the Phone (2) at $599 vs $799+ for a 2023 SD 8 Gen 2 device. Real-world performance is excellent and battery efficiency is strong.

Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm, last year's flagship) + 12GB RAM + 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage.— Notebookcheck
9to5Mac speed test: beat iPhone 14 Plus by 6 seconds at $200 less — strong 2023 real-world performance.— 9to5Mac
SD 8 Gen 2 was deliberately skipped to keep the price at $599 — pros call it a smart choice, critics call it 'not a true flagship' (SuperSaf).— SuperSaf

🔋Battery & Charging

5,000mAh battery + 4nm-chip efficiency delivers ~1.5-day endurance per MrMobile and Cashify — but 33W wired + 15W wireless charging is firmly mid-tier vs OnePlus 11's 80W or Galaxy S23 Ultra's 45W.

5,000mAh battery + 4nm SD 8+ Gen 1 efficiency — MrMobile reported 'a day and a half' typical endurance.— MrMobile / Michael Fisher
Cashify long-term: '4,700mAh battery + 4nm chipset + lightweight software can last an entire day' — confirms all-day endurance after months.— Cashify long-term review
33W wired charging: full charge in ~55 minutes per SuperSaf — slow vs OnePlus 11's 80W (~25 min) and Galaxy S23 Ultra's 45W.— SuperSaf
15W wireless + 5W reverse wireless charging — included, a feature OnePlus 11 dropped.— HotHardware
No charger in the box — buyers must source their own 33W+ USB-C PD brick.— HotHardware

🤖Software (Nothing OS)

Nothing OS 2.0 on Android 13 is the cleanest Android skin of 2023 — minimal bloat, distinctive monochrome icon pack, and Nothing's commitment to 3 OS upgrades + 4 years of security patches.

Nothing OS 2.0 = clean Android 13 + monochrome dot-matrix icon pack + minimal bloatware — Reddit r/OnePlus users prefer it to OnePlus's OxygenOS-turned-ColorOS.— Reddit r/OnePlus Nothing vs OOS
Universal search box (added in Nothing OS 3.5) — surfaces apps + contacts + settings from one prompt, MKBHD called it 'the best new feature' on the family.— Marques Brownlee
Glyph Composer + custom ringtone tools — turn the LEDs into a creative tool, not just a notification gimmick.— Unbox Therapy
3 OS upgrades / 4 years security commitment — shorter than Pixel 8's 7+7 but on par with most Android peers in 2023.— Notebookcheck

Long-term Verdict

What creators say after 30, 100, or 365 days of real-world use — the post-honeymoon reality that launch-day reviews can't cover.

⏳Long-term Verdict

Long-term reviews land on the Nothing Phone (2) as the design-led 2023 Android that aged better than expected — Glyph LEDs stay novel, Nothing OS gets cleaner with each update, but the IP54 rating and missing telephoto remain the long-term limitations.

Glyph LEDs long-term: stay genuinely useful via Composer updates + new use cases (progress bars, custom ringtones) — not a novelty that wore off.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
Nothing OS evolution: cleaner with each update (2.0 → 2.5 → 3.5), retains minimal bloat and adds Universal Search, monochrome aesthetics.— Marques Brownlee
Battery long-term: 5,000mAh + SD 8+ Gen 1 efficiency holds up well — owners still report all-day endurance 1+ years in.— Cashify long-term
MrMobile long-term: 'true technological treat designed with care and built to stand out' — design remains the standout long-term differentiator.— MrMobile / Michael Fisher
Camera long-term: dual-50MP setup ages adequately for casual users but missing telephoto becomes more obvious as Pixel/Apple add periscopes.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
33W charging long-term: feels increasingly slow as 80-100W becomes normal on $400-500 phones — biggest long-term hardware regret.— SuperSaf
IP54 long-term: rain/splash handled fine; owners flag concern at any real water exposure — Nothing fixed this on the Phone (3) with IP68.— Ars Technica
Software update commitment long-term: 3 OS / 4 sec runs through 2027 — meaningfully shorter than Pixel 8's 7+7 window.— Notebookcheck
Long-term value 2026: at $300-400 used the Nothing Phone (2) is the cheapest credible design-forward Android — clean software + Glyph still differentiated.— YouTube — Nothing Phone (2) long-term
Long-term Reddit verdict: 'a breath of fresh air' for Samsung owners tired of boring designs; owners switching back to Nothing after trying mainstream flagships.— Reddit r/Samsung S23 vs Nothing Phone 2

Real-World Tests

Battery drain runs, durability tests, camera shootouts, and gaming benchmarks — the numbers that only video testers capture.

🧪Real-World Tests

Real-world tests confirm the Nothing Phone (2)'s strengths: beat iPhone 14 Plus in 9to5Mac's speed test by 6 seconds, 33-zone Glyph LEDs deliver genuine utility, 5,000mAh delivers 1.5-day endurance per MrMobile, and dual-50MP cameras match Pixel 8 for daytime video in YouTube comparisons.

Speed test real-world: beat iPhone 14 Plus by 6 seconds overall in 9to5Mac's open-and-load benchmark — $599 phone beating $899 phone.— 9to5Mac speed test
Battery real-world: 1.5-day typical endurance per MrMobile from 5,000mAh + 4nm SD 8+ Gen 1 — heavy camera use drains noticeably faster.— MrMobile / Michael Fisher
Charging real-world: 33W wired hits full in ~55 minutes per SuperSaf — slow vs OnePlus 11's 80W (~25 min) or Galaxy S23 Ultra's 45W.— SuperSaf
Glyph LED utility real-world: progress bars work for charging + timers; 33 individually-addressable zones meaningfully more capable than Phone (1).— JerryRigEverything teardown
Camera real-world: 50MP main delivers excellent daytime detail; ultrawide Auto Night Mode handles low light well — surprised reviewers vs Pixel 7a.— GSMArena camera review
4K video real-world: occasional stutter + dropped frames during recording — MrMobile flagged this as the most-annoying camera issue.— MrMobile
Vs Pixel 8 daytime video real-world: 'as good if not better' per 6 Months Later — fewer artifacts on high-motion scenes.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
Display brightness real-world: 1,600 nits peak HDR holds up outdoors; SuperSaf measured visible improvement vs Phone (1)'s 1,200 nits.— SuperSaf display test
Weight real-world: 201g — 20-30g lighter than iPhone 15 Pro Max + S24 Ultra at similar screen size — noticeable in-hand comfort.— YouTube — 6 Months Later
IP54 real-world: handles rain + counter splashes; owners report no failures from typical exposure, but pool/shower remains anxiety territory.— Reddit r/Android

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Frequently Asked Questions about Nothing Phone (2)

Update History

May 20, 2026— Review published
May 20, 2026— Added Real-World Tests section (10 points)
May 20, 2026— Added Long-term Verdict section (10 points)

Source Scores

The Verge

“$599 base 8GB/128GB; $699 12GB/256GB; $799 12GB/512GB — Nothing's first phone to ship officially in the US.”

7.5/10

Ars Technica

“The Nothing Phone 2 is $599, and for the first time ever, it will be regularly sold in the US. IP54 means it can really only handle rain and isn't submergible.”

7/10

Notebookcheck

“Nothing Phone (2) review: LED effects in a fairly priced high-end smartphone. Overall rating: 87.4% (good).”

8.7/10

Android Authority

“I can tell you with unabashed confidence that it's easily one of the best phones of 2023 so far.”

8.5/10

9to5Mac

“Nothing Phone (2) was able to win both speed test rounds with an overall time six seconds faster than the iPhone 14 Plus.”

8/10

HotHardware

“Unique design, gorgeous display, lovely cameras, solid performance, wireless charging, clean and responsive software.”

8.5/10

GSMArena (camera review)

“The main camera saves 12.5MP by default and those are excellent. Auto Night Mode also delivers excellent photos from the ultrawide camera.”

8/10

Cashify long-term

“More than just fancy Glyph LEDs — the 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED panel offers a fantastic experience and the 4,700mAh battery can last an entire day.”

8.5/10

Digital Trends

“4 reasons you should absolutely buy this $599 Android phone.”

positive

DXOMark battery

“We put the Nothing Phone (2) through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging and efficiency.”

positive

JerryRigEverything

“Here on this Nothing 2, we get a substantial upgrade to 11 LED strips and 33 individual lighting zones — meaning the LEDs can be used for progress bars, timers, volume levels and custom ringtones.”

positive

MrMobile / Michael Fisher

“It's a 5,000 mAh pack, and it feels like one, lasting about a day and a half in my usage. However, there's an occasional stutter when filming in 4K with dropped frames leading to choppy footage.”

7.5/10

6 Months Later (YouTube)

“For daytime videos, the Nothing Phone 2 was as good if not better than the Pixel 8 with its contrast and having a tendency to produce fewer digital artifacts.”

8/10

SuperSaf

“You'll be able to get a full charge in around 55 minutes on the Nothing Phone (2), even though it is a larger battery than Phone (1).”

7.5/10

Reddit r/Android Nothing Phone 2

“Nothing Phone 2 review: 'A real personality' — quirky gadget appeal, design differentiation matters more here than spec wars.”

mixed

Reddit r/OnePlus Nothing OS vs OxygenOS

“Honestly, I loved Nothing OS a lot better — Nothing has optimized their software so good.”

positive

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This synthesis review was compiled from 20 independent sources. TechTalkTown did not receive products or compensation from Nothing.

Photo: Booredatwork.com / CC-BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia)

Nothing

Nothing Phone (2)

Smartphones

Previous gen

15 expert reviews

5 user opinions

May 20, 2026

Updated May 20, 2026

High confidenceUp to date

Quick Verdict

The Nothing Phone (2) is the cleanest design-forward Android of 2023 — transparent back, 33-zone Glyph LED interface, Nothing OS minimalism, last-year-flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 silicon, and $599 US pricing in Nothing's first official US launch. Reviewers love the differentiation and clean software, but the IP54 rating, missing telephoto, slow 33W charging, and 4K video stutter are real flagship-aspirational gaps. Buy this if you want a phone that doesn't look like every other glass slab and value clean software over hardware checkboxes. Skip this if you need a telephoto camera, IP68 water resistance, or fastest-in-class charging.

Best design-led $599 phone of 2023