Nothing Phone (2) vs Samsung Galaxy S23: form or function?

With the announcement of the Nothing Phone (2), we wanted to see how it really compares to one of the best Android phones on the market.

The Nothing Phone (2) is available to pre-order now in the UK, America and across Europe with a starting price of 579/$599/679.

All Android lovers will be familiar with the Samsung Galaxy S23, the vanilla model of the Galaxy S23 series. This phone has been on the market for a while now and has a higher starting price of 849/$799.

Today, we’re going to look at some of the key differences between these phones so you can decide which device is right for you.

Nothing Phone (2) comes with a Glyph interface

One of the major features of Nothing Phone (2) is the inclusion of a Glyph interface. This feature is currently exclusive to the Nothing Phone series and is an array of LEDs embedded in the clear back of the phone.

The lights can be customized to flash when you get a call or notification, can act as a fill light for the camera in low light situations, and can even display countdown timers and app status updates from apps like Deliveroo and Uber. This feature is not available on the Samsung Galaxy S23 as it features a more traditional color block design.

Samsung Galaxy S23 has a larger camera array

Both phones feature a variety of cameras, but the Galaxy S23 has more sensors. It comes with a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP 120-degree ultrawide sensor, and a 10MP 3X telephoto lens. We found these cameras to perform very well, with the 50MP lens using pixel-binning technology producing well-lit, detailed shots in both low and well-lit environments.

The Nothing Phone (2) only has a dual camera setup, using a 50MP Sony IMX890 main sensor and a 50MP ultrawide lens. It features an advanced 18-bit IPS (image signal processor) that allows the phone to process camera data up to 4,000 times faster than its predecessor. We’ll have to wait and see how it performs in our full review.

Nothing Phone (2) has a bigger battery

The Samsung Galaxy S23 comes with a 3900mAh battery, with Samsung claiming it can support up to 22 hours of video playback. We found that the Galaxy S23 was able to last a full day under normal use, with the battery draining to just 6% after an hour of HDR playback on Netflix. However, it didn’t shine in terms of charging speed, with a full charge taking 1 hour and 20 minutes.

We don’t have the battery test results of the Nothing Phone (2) yet, but we do know that it comes with a 4700mAh battery. Nothing claims that it can be fully charged in just 55 minutes and comes with support for 15W Qi wireless charging and 5W reverse charging.

Samsung Galaxy S23 is more powerful

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S23 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which is the latest generation you can find from Qualcomm’s range of smartphone processors.

The Nothing Phone (2) instead wields a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 of the previous generation. This implies that Samsung will have the edge when it comes to performance horsepower, but we’ll have to confirm that via benchmark tests in our next Nothing Phone review (2).

Samsung Galaxy S23 is available in multiple colors

The Nothing Phone (2) is available in just two colors: black or white. Thanks to the inclusion of the Glyph interface and its unconventional back panel design, it doesn’t look like a boring phone, but it’s limited in terms of customization.

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S23 with a multitude of color options, though it’s worth noting that color availability will depend on your region and mobile operator. It can be found in lavender, cream, ghost black, green, lime, and graphite, so you should be able to find a color that works for you.