An Honest Review of Nothing Phone (1): What I Love and What Could Be Improved

I’ve been using the Nothing Phone (1) for 11 months now, and I’m here to share my thoughts on its design, battery life, speakers, display, Glyph interface, wireless charging, and haptic feedback.

Design

When I received the phone, I was impressed by its premium feel and sleek design. The transparent body is unique and eye-catching. I have been using the phone without any major issues, and have not experienced the green tint issue. The back cameras are good, but the front camera could be better. I also compared its performance with OnePlus 11 while playing hardcore games and found that the Nothing Phone (1) performed better, but the recent update to Nothing OS 1.5.3 has lowered its performance.

Battery Performance

Since I got the phone in July 2022, I have been getting 5-6 hours of screen on time, and sometimes even 7 hours. I have kept screenshots of my battery performance since I make videos related to the phone.

Speakers

The speakers are loud, clear, and slightly bass-heavy, which I find to be quite satisfying.

Display

The Nothing Phone (1) comes with an OLED display, and I have enjoyed watching movies and series on it. The only drawback is that the visibility decreases in direct sunlight. I mostly use dark mode, and it would be nice to have the option to use the peak brightness, but I understand that it’s limited to HDR content. The phone also tends to heat up and suffer from screen burn, so this is something that could be addressed in the Nothing Phone (2).

Glyph Interface

I have mostly used the Glyph Interface for my videos, and sometimes when I want to silence my phone. It’s a useful feature that has caught the attention of many people who have asked which phone it is. When I receive a call, the Glyph interface blinks with an effect that I love. However, the Music Visualization feature is not yet synced with music, especially with Spotify, and could use some improvement.

Wireless Charging

I have used reverse wireless charging to charge an iPhone 13, and it was able to charge 5% in around 10 minutes.

Haptic Feedback

The haptic feedback is impressive and satisfying, but sometimes when I receive a call and the phone is in my pocket, I don’t feel any vibration. This could be improved upon, but it works well when I have it in my hand.

Final thoughts

Overall, my experience with the Nothing Phone (1) has been positive, with its sleek design, solid build quality, good battery life, loud speakers, and OLED display. The Glyph interface is unique and useful, while the wireless charging and haptic feedback features could use some improvement. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Nothing Phone (2).