Why is Nothing Phone (2) more expensive than Phone (1), and should you buy it?

By now, you would have read some Nothing Phone (2) reviews online to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t work for the phone. Our own review is out, and you should definitely give that a read as well. It’s clear that the company’s second-generation Nothing Phone (2) comes with a handful of upgrades over the Phone (1), as any successor should. But one look at the starting price (Rs 44,999) and you wonder why the phone is so expensive and whether the upgrades add up to justify the price hike.

Nothing Phone (2) is pricier for a reason, or two

The biggest reason the Nothing Phone (2) is priced several notches higher than the Phone (1) is because of the chipset. The new model is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. This flagship-grade chipset puts the Phone (2) in a completely new segment with a completely new set of rivals, such as the OnePlus 11R and iQOO Neo 7 Pro.

Apart from the chipset, the pricing of Phone (2) is also attributed to Nothing’s deliberate positioning of the phone right from the beginning. Way back in January, the company said that Phone (2) will be a more premium offering compared to its predecessor, ensuring fans know what they should be ready to expect. It was never going to be priced similarly to the Phone (1).

But has Nothing offered enough in the Phone (2) to justify the hike? Well, yes and no. Yes, because you get a more capable chipset and a slightly more premium design language. It is definitely a powerful phone now that’s capable of handling intensive tasks and high graphics gaming, much more than its predecessor could. The 3D curved rear panel also adds a touch of premiumness to the overall build quality.

But Nothing’s decision to not include a 45W charger in the box is questionable, especially when rivals are offers faster charging bricks along with their phones. Considering the premium you’re paying, a bundled charger would have been nice to see. And apart from the chipset, software, and front camera, the Phone (2) offers minor upgrades over its predecessor.

Should you buy Nothing Phone (2)?

Despite following a similar design language as its predecessor, the Nothing Phone (2) is still a very unique-looking phone. The phone’s transparent back and LED lights are something worth flaunting, and Nothing is trying to keep things fresh by adding some Glyph improvements. Additionally, the phone now offers far better performance along with a clean Android software experience that makes it a worthy successor.

However, there is no denying that the phone is pricier than people expected, making it a tough sell given what the competition offers in this segment, including a fast charger in the box. We would recommend buying the Nothing Phone (2) after a price cut or discount, which can be expected during the upcoming Diwali festive sales.