The Nothing Phone (2) is coming soon, and is arguably one of the most anticipated releases in the Android phone sphere. Teased by company CEO, Carl Pei, as a premium handset, we've already seen a number of leaked renders and proposed specs for the device.
Now, a Geekbench listing for the phone has gone live – and I have mixed emotions. First, it confirms previous rumours which suggested that the Phone (2) would pack a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. In this case, it appears to be a slightly underclocked variant, too.
That's a decent chip. Sure, I'd have liked to see a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in there for an enhanced experience, but you won't notice too much difference unless you're gaming non-stop. It also confirms the 12 GB of RAM, which has been reported. That's said to be in addition to a minimum of 256GB of storage and a 5,000mAh battery.
The scores themselves are firmly middle-of-the-road. 1,253 in single-core performance and 3,833 in the multi-core stakes is nothing to really write home about, but it's a decent showing.
It does get the better of handsets like the Google Pixel 7 – though we know those devices aren't optimised for Geekbench testing – and shows a modest improvement over the original Nothing Phone (1). I'm also very aware of the limitations of Geekbench scores.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times – a good Geekbench score doesn't necessarily mean a good phone. The same can be said in reverse – just because the Phone (2) hasn't set the world on fire here, doesn't mean it won't be a great handset overall.
But it does feel a little underwhelming. Those scores are a significant chunk lower than the best phones on the market – devices like the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14. And while I'd never have expected Nothing to go toe-to-toe with them, the gulf between them is wider than I'd hoped.
Ultimately, the pricing will be the determining factor. Rumours have suggested that the new model will start around £599 in the UK. At that price, I think the Phone (2) has a lot going for it – decent performance and a quirky design. If it strays much higher than that, though, it could be a much tougher sell.
