The Nothing Cellphone’s truthful worth, formidable design and unbelievable price-to-performance ratio make it one of the interesting units I’ve utilized in a very long time.
The telephone isn’t formally accessible in Canada, however with Nothing’s recent launch of a U.S. beta test, there’s hope it’d quickly be accessible right here. In the event you handle to import one, I can affirm it labored effectively on Bell’s and Telus’ networks in Ontario.
The way it felt to make use of
Nothing’s collaboration with Teenage Engineering results in incredible-looking merchandise.
The mannequin Nothing despatched us options 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and whereas it isn’t the highest spec, it felt good to make use of and, usually, is snappy sufficient. What is instantly noticeable is the Nothing Cellphone’s nice size-to-weight ratio. At 193.5g, it clocks in at barely lighter than the iPhone 14 Plus (203g) with a really comparable in-hand really feel. I discovered it a fairly interesting display screen for watching movies or studying social media feeds on the sofa, however it was massive in my pocket.
For its worth, there’s nothing on the market prefer it. The corporate is neatly giving all the pieces it’s obtained with its first telephone to make a very good impression, and it’s working. Coming from the thoughts of Carl Pei, it’s not stunning that the Nothing Cellphone is operating the identical playbook as OnePlus. It’s a very good technique, and if Google weren’t constantly discounting the Pixel 7, it will seemingly be the most effective deal in telephones.
The metallic sides are premium, the design is stellar (for those who’re into sci-fi), and there’s a succesful chipset underneath the hood. The telephone additionally has good haptics, which may be hit-and-miss within the mid-range house, so it’s good to see right here.
The opposite standout function is the Glyph gentle, which is enjoyable to make use of and funky to indicate off, however past being a notification gentle, there isn’t a lot to do with it in regular use. It’s the very first thing individuals seen in lots of instances, so it helps the telephone make a splash in a crowded telephone market. It may also be used as a large flashlight for movies, and it’s enjoyable to customise to offer contacts particular gentle patterns, however on the finish of the day, I don’t like placing telephones face down because it runs a threat of getting a scratch on the display screen.
A telephone constructed with the appropriate tradeoffs?
Earlier than I get into the cons, I ought to make clear (if it’s not already clear) that I really like this telephone.
My principal ache factors with the telephone stem from just a few private points and the truth that Nothing is a brand new entry into the handset market. For example, the Nothing Launcher is super minimal to the purpose the place the Nothing (1) seems like a Pixel with a customized climate app. This isn’t essentially a nasty factor, however mood your expectations accordingly.
Different design inconsistencies embody the system’s use of greys all through. For example, the Nothing widgets in darkish mode are darkish gray, whereas the folders and different darkish facets of Android are gentle gray. As a design nerd, I hoped small visible points like this wouldn’t be an issue, however as an alternative, it nonetheless feels a little bit fractured. It’s not unhealthy because it’s principally the identical great-looking model of Android as Pixel telephones, however don’t count on the software program to match the cyber-punk aesthetic of the {hardware} with out numerous modding.
The opposite concern a number of different reviewers have already touched on is the Nothing Cellphone’s digicam. Beneath good lighting circumstances eventualities, it’s nice, however as with different telephones on this worth vary, it’s slower than the flagships I’m used to. With this in thoughts, catching fast-moving topics like automobiles and other people strolling generally is a drawback in auto mode. As a photographer, I benefit from the color science, which is a pleasant base for enhancing, and the truth that the video has a enjoyable pink gentle on the rear to indicate individuals once you’re recording like an actual digicam is a enjoyable contact. The video mode additionally appeared respectable within the few situations I attempted it.
The very last thing I want the Nothing (1) featured was some stage of water resistance. Since many telephones sport at the least IP67 in 2023, this isn’t a bit of thoughts I like sacrificing.
The place that leaves me
After strolling away from the Nothing Cellphone 1, I miss it. The telephone felt prefer it was made for me. The dimensions and design are good, and my love for Teenage Engineering makes the design aspect of me drool over this system. The reviewer inside me feels actually pleased with the value/efficiency ratio of this telephone. If I had been a gamer, possibly I’d be tempted to get the 12GB RAM mannequin, however for me and my normal social media habits, the 8GB model works simply high quality.
If you will get your palms on a Nothing Cellphone and also you don’t suppose you’ll have to experience it for greater than two years, then I believe this can be a stellar system. In the event you do need to purchase a telephone to speculate three years or extra into, then the Pixel 7 nonetheless seems like a safer alternative if you will get it on sale.
Regardless, I do know I’m ready for this telephone to grow to be accessible in Canada as a result of our market is ripe for disruption from a brand new contender. I additionally hope that the subsequent Nothing telephone can construct on this aggressive ‘model and substance’ method and never give in and chase the flagship crown like OnePlus did years ago.
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