I adore Nothing . It ’s the first sword that redefined what it means to go sheer with hardware design , UX aesthetic , and marketing in the retiring few year . The bright streak has continued well into 2024 . The London - ground parvenu just pulled another surprise and beat big dogs like Samsung atrolling out the Android 15 update .
This company knows how to make a splashing in meaningful ways . TheNothing Phone 2a , in fussy , is my dearie . Digital Trends ’ follow-up fittingly labeled it as “ a magnificent bargain . ” The recentglow - in - the - dark residential area variant trimwas a true head - turner .
It ’s also surprising that despite going with a lucid design and meet glyph luminance , the company did n’t skip on meaningful features like wireless charging . But there ’s an engineering monetary value to be pay off . For Nothing sound , that cost is weak ingress protection .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
Undone by the standout perk
While researching the buyer persuasion and feedback on the official community forum and Reddit , I came across a few accounts that left me dead surprised .
“ Nothing telephone filling with water at back side , ” said one of thepostson Reddit . “ water supply went inside the phone 1 , ” said anotheraccounton the official Nothing Community forum . A straightaway hunt through the product pages unearthed the real issue .
Nothing ’s phones are not live and lag far behind the competitive measure .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
The current crop of Nothing smartphones is throttle to IP54 - grade dust and water supply resistance . It is “ somewhat ” acceptable for a twist like the Nothing Phone 2a , which cost about $ 350 , but not any higher .
Take , for deterrent example , the Nothing Phone 2 . It costs 450 pounds in the U.K. , which roughly translates to around $ 550 based on the current changeover rates . That ’s a high price to pay for a phone that is get at the IP54 service line .
Now , let ’s break down the mystery of those “ IPXX ” numbers for you , which signify how well a phone can do by dust and water . Here ’s the official chart from the International Electrotechnical Commission ( IEC ) .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
It ’s evident that the Nothing smartphones stand at Level 4 , which entail they can only hold out “ splash water ” but ca n’t wield body of water jets or concentration . That ’s middling defective as per modern standard .
Nothing ’s YouTube channel has avideowhere the Nothing Phone 2 can be seen essay against a jet of spraying water at a rate of 0.84 liters per bit . That ’s middling reassuring to see and instills some organized religion in the telephone ’s liquid resiliency , but the reality is not quite aligned with it .
I am not sure if the telephone can pull through liquid photograph that is not as angular as the science lab test show , especially when body of water is not focused only at the nub of the rear control board but can come in haphazardly from unlike directions .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
In a brusque while , I find multiple reports of Nothing Phone owner complaining about water droplets or fog - alike formation inside the transparent material body . Though it may not necessarily damage the main table , liquid accumulation around the lenses can visibly degrade the camera yield .
Many have faced a tough fate , where the phone just stop working for them stick with water exposure . For a few , fix were not an alternative because the brand had no lineal comportment in their state , so hangout services were out of the enquiry .
On top of it , Nothing ’s after - sales services , even in gist markets like India , have leave a sour taste in the mouths of a few owner .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
Ideally , if you are spending northwards of $ 350 on a phone , you merit easily .
It ’s good that the rearward field glass shell does n’t break well . Kudos for that , Nothing ! unluckily , water ingress is no less prejudicious in the short or foresighted terminus . Yet , countenance ’s presume that you are especially careful with your phone , know its limits well , and keep it forth from piss with a healthy amount of responsible wakefulness .
Hello dust, my old foe
What about dust ? Dust submission seems to be the top complaint for Nothing smartphone adopters right from the blade ’s first outing . Once again , the weak ingress protection is to blame here .
Notice the distinction between “ dust - protected ” at Level 5 and dust - tight at Level 6 in the chart below :
I excused the $ 350 Nothing Phone 2a for its “ budget ” individuality , but even that earphone does n’t place a in particular high touchstone . The all - metalOnePlus Nord 4offers much better IP67 protection at a lower cost than Nothing ’s dear phones .
The challenger gets tougher against other note value - centrical phones from Taiwanese brand , so I wo n’t dig into that defeatist grave accent . The fancy glyph light strips further complicate the post , as they make a pretty in - the - face show of the dust particles accumulating around the edges and the photographic camera module .
Once again , allow ’s cut Nothing some slack . A few dust speck never injure a speech sound ’s day - to - twenty-four hour period functionality , even though they can be an eyesore . However , there are complaints out there where users have obtain a USB failure warning due to particle accumulation in the USB port .
If I ’ve learn anything after using dozens of phones across all cost bracket , it ’s to never trust a crisp object and go to town with some adventurous DIY smartphone repair journeying . I ’ve damaged at least four porthole endeavor to clean up the goop in the USB recess .
Then , there are complaints about the QC measures . I ’ve also come across testimonies where emptor highlighted a visible gap in the form , especially between the meth jury and the surrounding frame .
I have n’t been able to figure out the weakest point where dust and H2O make their style inside the telephone ’s case . candidly , I am not interested with it , either . That ’s for Nothing to image out .
What I am concerned about is the assurance of seniority and lastingness smartphone buyer are get for the dollars they fork from their wallet . I would rather neglect out on a few cores , an extra television camera electron lens , or even a battery that does n’t charge at lightning - firm stop number .
Flash over substance?
I — and almost every smartphone buyer — would rather invest in a phone that can withstand the test of time . see no further than OnePlus — the place where Nothing CEO Carl Pei originally made a name for himself — and the tough press it got for the ill-famed dark-green argument issue .
The situation got so bad that OnePlus has had to launch a syllabus where it offer a lifetime screen warranty for whole plagued by green lines . Such is the situation that the green assembly line history is the first care people flag whenever they make out to me for a smartphone suggestion .
Having to drop your daily number one wood phone at a religious service heart and soul , move all the data to another phone ( not many have that privilege ) , mark it up all from the showtime , and spend hard - earned cash to get the phone back in running play shape is never a desirable option .
I know the depth of research and heedful elements Nothing stream into its smartphone innovation process . However , it should possibly pay attending to the ingress protection , rather than shifting around gimmicky LED light inside a transparent rearward shell .
It ’s not a question of aesthetics . It ’s an existential crisis if the earpiece ca n’t care water system vulnerability in the Lord ’s year of 2025 . It ’s a frightening precedent and a poor pick . The industry has moved on to the IP6x level of resiliency even in the budget section , so peradventure look at them instead of being occupied with societal spiritualist shaft .
When your telephone set pore so much on standout esthetics , visible dust molecule , and signs of a failed struggle again , melted exposure simply defeats the whole purpose . allow ’s inch toward a practiced future , one where Nothing phones continue to rig high - performance standard but do n’t amount with a dear caveat .
