Good standard features, I like the extra functions on the power button. But it lacks oomph. It just looks... meh, for me.
I'm gonna wait for US carriers to fully support the Nothing Phone (2). I was tempted to replace my 4-year-old Galaxy S10+ early this year with the Phone (1) since I've been hearing stories of it working on T-Mobile, but I can wait a few more months for an upgrade (and a black colorway).
For me, the aesthetics. I've always thought the iPhone 4 looked GREAT with the flat front and back, and the straight-edged sides. The Phone (1) drew inspiration from that, and added transparent glass on top of it. Fast-forward to Phone (2), and although I'm not feeling the grey, I'm happy they're keeping the same ethos.