[Experience] 'Transparent Phone' Nothing Phone 2... A Different Charm from Flagships

Various Notifications with Rear Lighting... Check Charging and Volume
Unique Sensibility Instead of Uniform Design

The first impression of the Nothing Phone 2 is that it feels fresh. It is a typical bar-shaped smartphone, but it features a transparent design with a glass back that reveals the inner components. This is why it has earned the nickname "transparent phone."

Nothing is an IT startup founded by Carl Pei, a Chinese-Swedish entrepreneur and co-founder of the Chinese smartphone company OnePlus. The company started with the goal of bringing fun back to technology. Last year, it gained global attention by launching the Phone 1, which featured an innovative design with visible internal components. It recorded a cumulative global sales volume of 800,000 units. At that time, it was not officially released in Korea and was only sold through Coupang Rocket Direct Purchase, with some models selling out within two hours of release, demonstrating its popularity. While it is difficult to compare with Samsung and Apple, this is a meaningful achievement for a new brand.

Nothing Phone 2 rear glyph lighting turned on [Photo by Oh Su-yeon]

The Phone 2 inherits the "transparent phone" design of its predecessor, Phone 1, while enhancing usability. Beyond a simple design element, the transparent back improves functionality. When the phone is placed face down and a text or call comes in, lights on the back illuminate to notify the user. This feature is called "Glyph." The Glyph can be customized according to personal preferences. For example, by setting different lights for saved contacts, you can tell who is calling just by looking at the back. Additionally, the Glyph lights indicate charging status and music volume adjustments. The lights gradually fill up as the battery charges.

Fun and Nothing's unique sensibility can be felt throughout. The screen features a simple black background with monochrome icons and a dot-matrix font that stands out. The USB Type-C cable and SIM pin provided with the purchase are also made from transparent materials, matching the phone's back.

The dimensions are 76.35 mm wide, 162.13 mm tall, 8.55 mm thick, and it weighs 200.68 g. It is slightly larger and heavier than the Galaxy S23 Plus. The rounded back provides a comfortable grip.

Nothing Phone 2 Home Screen
Photo by Oh Su-yeon

The mobile application processor (AP), the brain of the smartphone, is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Samsung uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in its Galaxy S23 series released earlier this year and the recently launched Galaxy Z Flip and Fold 5, while the Flip 4 uses the same Gen 1 as the Phone 2. It is somewhat disappointing that an older generation AP is used. Also, the water and dust resistance rating is IP54, which is not very high, offering protection only against splashes. The camera performance is emphasized. The rear features a 50-megapixel dual camera, and the front camera is 32 megapixels. The main sensor has been upgraded to the Sony IMX890. The battery capacity is a large 4700mAh. RAM options are 8GB and 12GB.

The retail price is 699,000 KRW for the 8GB/128GB model, 899,000 KRW for the 12GB/256GB model, and 1,099,000 KRW for the 12GB/512GB model. It comes in two colors: White and Dark Gray. Compared to the Galaxy S23, the performance is somewhat lacking, but considering the S23 256GB model retails at 1,155,000 KRW, the price is reasonable.

While the Phone 2 has some shortcomings in directly competing with Galaxy and iPhone, it certainly offers a different charm from the two major manufacturers. For consumers who are tired of the same design every year and want to try a smartphone with personality, it is worth considering as an alternative.