Clicky Keys and a Brighter Screen Define the Minimal Phone 2

Physical keyboards once shaped how people handled their phones every day. Soft keyboards took over as screens grew larger and every maker chased the same glass rectangle. Minimal Company refused that trade. Its second phone, the MP02, packs a full QWERTY layout into a smaller aluminum body while upgrading the parts that held the first model back.

Metal dome switches, which provide that pleasant, purposeful click when you press down on them, are a major component of keyboard keys. They glow in such dimly lit spaces thanks to backlighting, allowing you to see what you’re doing. Long-press shortcuts allow you to access the actions you use most frequently without having to navigate thru menus, and keys are very customizable. You can re-map them to your heart’s delight. Plus, the layout is rather decent because it’s not too wide to feel claustrophobic, yet it’s large enough to get your thumbs on. The display is a good 3.92 inches above the keys. The OLED panel has a resolution of 1080 by 1240 pixels, and it does refresh 90 times per second. That’s a significant advance over the original E Ink panel because it has greatly improved the color of previously washed-out and grayscale photographs as well as animations that used to crawl around. Scrolling and brief films are no longer as tedious as they once were, but reading is still functional.

The MediaTek Dimensity 8300, which comes with either 256GB or 512GB of storage and an 8GB LPDDR5X memory on base versions, is the brains behind the operation. You are limited to what you have because there isn’t a micro SD card slot. Conversely, the Founders Edition features 512GB of storage, 12GB of RAM, and a lovely matte orange finish known as Ember.

With USB 3.2 speeds and the potential to drive an additional screen if wanted, the USB-C is pretty helpful. Despite the little size reduction, the phone’s battery capacity remains 3,000 mAh, which is useful. Charging speeds with a cable have increased to 27 watts, while wireless charging remains at 15 watts. NFC, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, dual speakers, dual microphones, a top-mounted headphone jack, a SIM card, and an eSIM complete the package. A 5G radio is currently deployed, and cameras have been improved. The front camera now has 20 megapixels, while the rear camera has 50 megapixels with an aperture of f/1.8. The side-mounted fingerprint reader just simplifies the entire unlocking process, and the colorful notification LED provides a good indication of who is attempting to contact you.

With a single flick of the wrist, you can turn off your cellular data and location services thanks to a small hardware switch up top. Many tasks may be completed without opening a separate app because software is built on Android and provides a single hub for calls, emails, messages, and reminders. There are features like Focus Hours and daily screen time limitations to give you some extra control if you want to try reducing the amount of time you spend on your phone. Additionally, the bootloader can still be unlocked if you need to install a different system in the future.

Its current measurements are 122.6 by 72 by 9.48 millimeters, which makes it somewhat smaller than it was previously. Prices start at $599 for the 256GB model, $675 for the 512GB model, and $899 for the Founders Edition. Standard finishes are Onyx black and Pearl silver. A protective case, three screen protectors, a 27W charger, and some detailed packaging are extras given to early backers, with shipping scheduled for December 2026.