With smartphone prices soaring to new heights due to DRAM shortages and a rise in input costs, it has become challenging for new homegrown brands to find their footing in the market. Yet Ai+, the new Indian smartphone brand on the block, is keen on taking the challenge head-on. Its newest entry-level offering, Nova 2 5G, costs just Rs 10,999 and offers a good mix of specs and features. We used the smartphone for a week and put it through a series of tests. Here is our review of the Ai+ Nova 2 5G.
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In This Article
Ai+ Nova 2 5G Review: Design and Display
Box Contents
- Smartphone
- 10W power adapter
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Clear plastic cover
- SIM ejector
- User manual
The Ai+ Nova 2 5G follows the design language of its predecessor. The plastic back panel has a glossy finish and sparkle accents. The square camera island has curved edges and rounded corners. It has a minimal bump to keep the phone from wobbling on a flat surface. The flat form factor offers a nice in-hand feel. We were apprehensive about the glossy back panel attracting a lot of fingerprints, but it was quite manageable.
The plastic frame houses the volume rocker and the side button on its right edge. The side button has an orange accent and doubles as the fingerprint sensor. The hybrid SIM tray is placed on the left edge. It supports microSD cards up to 1TB. The 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and speaker grille are positioned at the bottom of the frame. There’s IP64 protection on board. The smartphone weighs 205g, which doesn’t make it the heaviest in its category, but we would’ve preferred it to be lighter, given that it’s working with an all-plastic build.
The 6.75-inch IPS LCD panel has a 120Hz refresh rate. It used a waterdrop notch as a housing for the selfie camera. The surrounding bezels get thicker around the chin. The touch response rate is fine. Outdoor use under harsh sunlight often requires using your palm as a shield. The fingerprint scanner, mounted on the side button, is fast and snappy.
The viewing experience offered by the 720p is quite decent. The visuals have punchy colours, even though the images aren’t as contrast-heavy as their AMOLED counterparts. The lone, bottom-firing speaker produces a decent audio output, but it could use some more volume and a prominent low-end.
Ai+ Nova 2 5G Review: Performance and Cameras
Powering the Nova 2 5G is the Unisoc T8200 Octa-core chipset – a common sight in entry-level devices. This processor has a maximum clock speed of 2.3GHz. The smartphone comes in 2 RAM and storage variants.
- 4GB + 64GB: Rs 10,999
- 6GB + 128GB: Rs 12,999
We ran a couple of benchmark tests on the smartphone. Here’s how it performed:
- AnTuTu 3D Lite: 522,612
- Geekbench 6: 699 (single-core) | 1,741 (multi-core)
The Nova 2 5G summons enough power to take care of routine tasks like calling, texting, video meetings, media streaming, and web browsing. It is reliable enough to be used as a daily driver. Of course, the shortcomings of the price bracket apply to this device as well. The apps take some time to load, and the sluggishness is quite visible in general use. The biggest asset of this phone is 5G connectivity. 5G phones are hard to come by at this price point, so it is nice to see a device that doesn’t pester you with buffer periods when you’re binging on content.
While the Nova 2 5G can play major FPS titles like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile, the gameplay leaves you wanting a lot more. This isn’t a criticism of this device in particular, as this issue is pervasive across the entry-level segment. On the bright side, we did have a good time playing games like Subway Surfers and Block Blast.
Software duties on the Nova 2 5G are handled by Android 16 with Ai+’s custom nxtQ skin on top. Ai+’s commitment to delivering a clean software experience even on an entry-level device is commendable. There are no bloatware apps or pesky ads disguised as notifications and folders on this device. It has been promised 1 major OS upgrade and 3 years of security patches.
Parts of its interface are inspired by OxygenOS and HyperOS, but that’s not a bad thing. We like the special app icons, vibrant settings page, and snappy transitions. The software feels well optimised for the platform. There is a good range of themes and wallpapers for the lock screen and home page. We also like to see privacy features like app lock and hidden apps being offered on an entry-level phone. The NxtPrivacy Dashboard gives you the real-time status of app tracking and important permissions. While it lacks Google’s Circle to Search, it does offer Gemini Assistant out of the box.
The massive 6,000mAh Li-Po battery pack on this phone puts up a good display. On days with moderate to heavy use and 7-8 hours of screen time, we were left with a healthy 20-25% charge in the tank. If you’re more conservative with your usage, you can push the battery life to 2 days. The smartphone supports 18W charging but ships with a 10W adapter in the box. This adapter takes over 2.5 hours to charge the device fully.
The rear camera island of this phone houses a 50MP primary shooter and a 2MP auxiliary lens. Up front, an 8MP selfie camera is placed inside a waterdrop notch. The primary shooter takes decent images in outdoor conditions. The pictures appear clear, if a little washed out. If you’re shooting in bright conditions, some parts of the images may get blown out. This is something you’ll have to contend with on almost every smartphone in this segment. On the bright side, the camera does a good job of keeping the images sharp. Images taken in limited lighting conditions are dim and grainy, and the Night Mode doesn’t do a lot to salvage the situation.
Portraits taken by the main camera are detailed and well-focused, but lack a healthy background blur. The 8MP front-facing camera captures clear selfies with accurate skin tones. It does apply a smoothing texture, but it isn’t a deal-breaker. This camera can record 1,080p footage at 30fps. Meanwhile, the rear camera can record 4K videos at 30fps.
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Verdict
The Ai+ Nova 2 5G is an excellent deal at a time when good budget phones are hard to come by. At Rs 10,999, you’re getting 5G connectivity and a big display to put it to use by streaming content across OTT apps without any buffer. Another big highlight of this device is its bloatware-free software experience. The 6,000mAh battery pack can take up to 2 days to exhaust. The 50MP main camera is reliable in good lighting. Overall, the Nova 2 5G gives you your money’s worth.
Pros
- 5G connectivity
- Big display
- Good battery life
- Clean software
- Good main camera
Cons
- Mediocre audio output
- Slow charging
