Google and LG have teamed up again to offer the Nexus 5, the latest smartphone to offer a completely unadulterated Android experience. How does the Nexus 5 stand up to other smartphones on the market, in terms of features, specs and overall user experience?
The Nexus 5 costs $349 for 16GB of storage, so for the price, it stacks up quite well against the competition. The Nexus 5 does not look like a “budget” phone on paper — it packs substantial specs on par with any other flagship on the market, and thanks to LG’s display prowess, has a big and beautiful 1080p screen.
There are a few flaws that prevent the Nexus 5 from being the best smartphone out there, but they are few and far between. For those of you who said TL;DR to my full review, here are the top 11 features of the Nexus 5.
11) Camera
The Nexus 5 features a better camera than its predecessor, and with the updates made to KitKat from Android 4.4 to 4.4.2 have made it even better. Both the Nexus 4 and 5 feature an 8-megapixel main shooter, however the latter has been updated with optical image stabilization, or OIS.
Much more effective than digital stabilization, OIS consists of a spring behind the main camera on the Nexus 5, which reduces the blur caused when taking a photo with shaky hands or in motion. However, the autofocus on the Nexus 5 is touchy, and most photos appear to come out blurry on the first try, especially portraits or those with human subjects.
While it might take a while for the autofocus kick in, the Nexus 5 camera’s shutter speed is good, so instead of taking one good shot, its pretty quick and easy to take three or four, with at least one acceptable shot finding its way into the bunch.
Unfortunately, photos on the Nexus 5 are less robust than on many other flagships, including the iPhone 5S and the LG G2. That being said, it also costs a lot less, and certain components of the Nexus 5 were inevitably going to be plucked from the bargain bin to reduce its overall cost.
10) Not Available On Verizon Wireless
The Nexus 5, like the Nexus 7 tablet and the 4 before it, is not compatible with the Verizon Wireless network. Since the Nexus 5 has the hardware necessary to work on Verizon’s network, it looks as if the provider is stubbornly blocking the Google phone for one reason or another.
Whether or not it’s the Nexus 5’s fault, the fact that stock KitKat is not supported by the most popular U.S. wireless provider is causing heartache among Verizon’s Android fans. While this may be a deal-breaker for Verizon customers, there is hope that future Nexus devices will be supported in the upcoming year.
SVP of Android Sundar Pichai told The Verge that Google was working with Verizon “on a set of projects for 2014.” While the Nexus 5 may not appear on Verizon, the eventual release of a Nexus device running Android 5.0 hopefully will.
9) No MicroSD Card Slot Or Replaceable Battery
The Nexus 5 features a plastic rear shell, unlike the glass back on the Nexus 4. However, it is not removable, which means the battery cannot be easily replaced by a consumer. Manufacturers sometimes prefer the non-removable approach, since it allows for a larger capacity battery, however many consumers are irked since lithium polymer batteries, like all rechargeables, degrade over time and eventually lose their ability to hold a charge.
Google has said that a microSD card reader would not appear on a Nexus device, as it does not mesh with the search giant’s approach to Android. While 16GB and 32GB are large enough to hold more than a few apps, more is always better. Just ask that little girl from the AT&T commercials.
8) Build Quality
The Nexus 5 consists outwardly of glass and plastic. It is all slab. While the a plastic rear shell might break less than the glass back featured on the Nexus 4, it makes the Nexus 5 almost too light, and unbalanced in hand.
The camera lens awkwardly protrudes from the back of the Nexus 5, and the white version has a glossy plastic that makes it much harder to hold than the rubberized ring that surrounded its predecessor.
All of these gripes are easily fixed by purchasing a case for the Nexus 5. However, depending on the case, users may notice that the Nexus 5’s ceramic buttons do not protrude enough from the side to be comfortably pressed. Otherwise, the ceramic buttons are a huge step up over the Nexus 4 and plastic buttons found on most other Android devices.
7) No Touchless Control
Many smartphones have exclusive features, and it stands to reason that not all of those features are going to end up on a sub-$400 smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One have infrared remote control blasters and can control an entire home theater. The LG G2 features Knock Knock, where a double tap on the screen awakes the phone from sleep. Neither of the aforementioned features made their way to the Nexus 5, and we’re okay with that.
However, Touchless Control, the always-on voice technology introduced by Motorola with the Moto X, is a major step forward for Android. It makes Siri look like a silly toy by comparison and is one of the more glaring omissions from the Nexus 5.
The Nexus program is Google’s way of setting the standard for Android, gently pushing its hardware partners to innovate. Since Mountain View decided to omit the Touchless Control from its Nexus device, its sending the signal to other manufacturers that its fine to do the same, potentially shuttering the advancement of truly hands-free technology.
The “OK, Google” hot-word works if the Nexus 5 is awake and on the home screen, but it’s not the same as being able to command your smartphone from across the room.
6) Battery Life
The Nexus 5 has slightly more capacity than its predecessor (2,300 mAh up from 2,100), but barely lasts a whole day with heavy usage. The Nexus 5 has three major factors working against its battery — the 4.95-inch 1080p display, LTE compatibility and Google’s gentle (but firm) insistence on using GPS and WiFi to determine a user’s location at all times.
Its not terrible, but those looking to play games, stream movies or browse the web at LTE speeds are going to be able to drain the Nexus 5’s battery very quickly. Fortunately, Android 4.4 KitKat arrived with the addition of Android Runtime, or ART. Compared to the Dalvik Runtime currently employed on most Android devices, ART completely changes the way that the OS operates.
While it causes apps to take up slightly more space, ART allows them to open more quickly, and is more power efficient than DRT. Here are a few more tips for prolonging battery life on the Nexus 5, and embedded below is a video on how to enable ART on Android 4.4 KitKat.
5) 4G LTE
Google has endowed the Nexus 5 with LTE compatibility. A notable flaw in the Nexus 4, 4G-LTE is significantly faster than HSPA+ or 3G. While these speeds come at the expense of battery life, so does everything else worth doing on a smartphone.
Video streaming from Netflix is crisper, apps and games download faster, and web pages open up quickly. While it depends on network coverage, LTE coupled with Chrome makes web-browsing on the Nexus 5 so fast and easy, we sometimes prefer it over our desktop PCs.
4) International Availability
The Nexus 5 includes support for most radio bands worldwide, making it an excellent phone for international travelers and those who do business overseas. While the International Business Times named the Moto X as the best Android smartphone of 2013 the Motorola flagship is only available in the U.S.
3) Price
For $349, the Nexus 5 is a killer deal. Despite the flaws mentioned above, the Nexus 5 is truly more than the sum of its parts. Compared to other devices that cost nearly double, LG and Google have created a smartphone that challenges the notion of a “budget smartphone”.
There are two other contenders that bear mention when it comes to smartphone buyers on a budget — the Moto X (starting at $399) and the Moto G (starting at $179). While those outside of the U.S. are unable to purchase the Moto X, the Moto G costs a little more than half of the Nexus 5 and will see a worldwide release.
The Nexus 5 wins in terms of overall hardware value, with a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 4.95-inch 1080p display and 16GB of storage for $349. While the Moto G compares more favorably to the Nexus 4, it costs little more than half of the 5 and is still a great value.
2) Display
One of the most remarkable features of the Nexus 5 is how beautiful its display was. While the Nexus 4 featured one of the poorest displays in its class, the Nexus 5 features minimal bezel and a super-bright 1080p display.
Displays are where LG truly shines as a smartphone manufacturer, and the Nexus 5 is no exception. The Nexus 5 also features Gorilla Glass 3, a big improvement over earlier incarnations of the touchscreen. The Nexus 5 has numerous times escaped from my pockets filled with sand, coins and even car keys and has each time come out unscathed.
Streaming Netflix is remarkable. Games look great and even webpages featuring dense text are clearly visible, and require less zooming to read than on 720p devices. Users with small hands may find the Nexus 5 too large, but I found it the perfect balance between a smaller phone and a true “phablet” like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
1) Stock Android, Updated By Google And Free Of Carrier Bloatware
Outside of its low price, one of the best things about buying the Nexus 5 is the stock version of Android 4.4 KitKat that it bears. Google made some questionable decisions with the update, including making Hangouts the default text messaging app (and thereby once again jamming Google+ down consumers’ throats), but Android 4.4 KitKat is fast and largely an improvement over its successors.
Not only will the Nexus 5 receive OS updates faster than any other Android device, it also has a few exclusive features. The “OK, Google” hot-word works from anywhere on the home screen, as well as within Google Now. Accessing Now is also easier and just a bit faster, as it now is available on the left side of the screen in addition to a long-press of the home button.
Carrier bloatware, including potentially unwanted and unremovable apps, take up valuable storage space and can oftentimes slow down the Android experience for users. The Nexus 5 is void of all that, and unlike other Android phones, is practically guaranteed to be upgradable to Android 5.0.
Nexus 5 Review: Conclusion
There have been hardware issues reported in some devices, including GPS issues and buttons that rattle when the phone vibrates. LG and Google have addressed some of these issues in a version of the Nexus 5 that has been slightly tweaked. However, the Nexus 5 is largely a reliable, fast and easy to use smartphone.
LG and Google began to shift the smartphone market towards lower-priced, full-featured devices with the Nexus 4, which was offered direct to consumers for under $300 without the need to extend or start a two-year contract with a service provider. They have successfully followed up with the Nexus 5, which offers a gorgeous display, speedy processor and stock Android 4.4 KitKat.
Follow Thomas Halleck on Twitter @tommylikey
