Here’s why the Nothing Phone (2) is using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

Earlier this month, Nothing confirmed that they would be launching a follow up to the Nothing Phone (1) in the form of the Nothing Phone (2). Prior to that, there were rumors suggesting that the handset might end up being powered by last year’s tech, which means we might see the use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

It turns out the rumors were true as Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei has since announced on Twitter. Pei also took the time to explain why the company has opted to use the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and it seems to have essentially boiled down to cost.

There has been a lot of discussion ever since we announced that Phone (2) will have a Snapdragon 8 Series chipset. Well here's some news – it’s going to be the premium-tier powerhouse Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. A clear upgrade from Phone (1). Let’s talk about the key differences👇 pic.twitter.com/l5NwCxDAVa

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) May 18, 2023

According to Pei, the company felt that choosing the (cheaper) Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offered users a significantly improved experience while keeping the handset accessible. For context, the Nothing Phone (1) was actually powered by the Snapdragon  778+ 5G chipset, which means that while it might not necessarily be as powerful on paper as the other 2023 flagships, it will still be a massive improvement over its predecessor.

Pei claims that users can look forward to speeds twice as fast as the Nothing Phone (1) along with an 80% boost in performance. We can also expect better battery life, better camera capabilities, and better network connectivity.

Admittedly it is a little disappointing that the phone isn’t using the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, if it means making it more accessible to the masses, it’s not a bad thing.