![Nothing Phone (2) deal](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ynUMVX6gGC9g4LZjrPdUW3-415-80.jpg)
One of my biggest pleasant surprises of 2023 was living with the Nothing Phone (2) – the second-gen handset from the UK upstart and one of my favourite phones of the year (I've certainly seen no better sub-flagship Android phone, if you can even call it that). Now there's even more good news: the Phone (2) has suddenly dropped in price as part of the best Black Friday deals.
So why is this such a good deal? For me, Nothing is onto Something as Not only does the Phone (2) deliver the Android basics really well, it adds additional fun features – primarily its Glyph lighting system on the rear of the phone, which can be used to show specific notifications in pre-programmed ways, or a decreasing light trail when tracking your Uber's progress.
Nothing Phone (2): was £579, now £499 at Nothing
Save £80: Nothing's 8+128GB second-gen model finally sees a price drop to under £500 for Black Friday. That makes this the best sub-flagship I've used in 2023 – and I think many others will agree.
As I wrote in my Nothing Phone (2) review from July of this year, which scored a rare 5-stars: "it impresses threefold: first it's so comfortable to hold and use, with a distinctive design; two, the improvements to everyday essentials (compared to Phone (1)), such as battery life and screen quality, are a real mark of quality; third, it adds a dollop of fun on top all of that, with features such as Glyph lights not just being a throwaway gimmick."
Take all that on board and what you've got here is ultimately a contender for one of the best Android phones on the market. Sure, its cameras can't quite compete with the top-tier models on the market, but then Nothing's handset is not nearly as pricey as the best flagships. In all other areas of performance, though, it holds its own.
If I was looking to buy a phone as part of the best Black Friday deals then this one would be a strong contender. There are others, from the half-price Google Pixel 7, to the £100-off Google Pixel 8, or if you're really creative (with trade-in) then you could nab a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra for £499. How about that for variety?
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Mike is the Tech Editor at T3.com. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 years and, as a phones expert, has seen hundreds of handsets over the years – swathes of Android devices, a smattering of iPhones, and a batch of Windows Phone too (remember those?). But that's not all, as a tech and audio aficionado his beat at T3 also covers tablets, laptops, gaming, home cinema, TVs, speakers and more – there's barely a tech stone unturned he's not had a hand on. Previously the Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for 10 years, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more. In addition to his tech knowledge, Mike is also a flights and travel expert, having travelled the globe extensively. You'll likely find him setting up a new mobile phone, critiquing the next MacBook, all while planning his next getaway... or cycling somewhere.