Pricing and availability: The Nothing Phone 1 is hard to come
Phones priced under $500 will look better and better throughout 2022, with Samsung, Google and new competitor Nothing offering all three phones at roughly the same $450 price point. increase. All three of these phones promise a smooth and enjoyable experience at a low price. The Google Pixel 6A has already received rave reviews, with CNET’s Lisa Eadicco calling it “her best budget Pixel ever.” Meanwhile, I was impressed with the value of her Nothing Phone 1 – not to mention the flashing taillights. Then there’s the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, which got excellent reviews thanks to its price, display, and camera.
Highlights
Design and display: nothing flashes
Let’s start with the big guys. The Nothing Phone 1 will be available in the UK and Europe, but a US rollout is unknown at this time. While he hasn’t said anything about wanting to launch a phone in the US, he needs a network partner to make it compatible with his 5G network in the US. As of this writing, there are no plans for a proper US launch. However, people in the US can easily get the Pixel 6A and the Galaxy A53 5G. All three phones start at very similar prices. Based on UK prices, the Pixel 6A is $450, the Galaxy A53 is $450 and the Nothing Phone 1 is $472. In the UK, all three phones start at £399. Easy.
Comparing the two, the Pixel 6A looks more premium than the plastic A53, but it’s the Nothing Phone 1 that stands out visually. This is due to the transparent back that not only provides a unique view of the internal components, but also allows glowing LED “glyphs” to pulse when notifications are received. It’s definitely a gimmick and you might not mind it at all, but it’s certainly fun and it’s nice to have something quirky at this price point. The Pixel 6A is the smaller of the three, with a 6.1-inch display versus the Nothing’s 6.55-inch screen and the A53’s 6.5-inch screen.
While many phones seem to have fallen into oblivion in recent years, all three of these midrangers have very distinctive designs. The A53 keeps things simple with its plastic back, raised camera unit, and metal edges. The Pixel 6A retains its more expensive sibling’s signature camera bar, and while the back is technically plastic, it struggles to distinguish it from the glass backs of the 6 and 6 Pro.