Nexus 5
Verdict
Key specs
Critic consensus
“It's a year since Google made a splash with an impressively spec'd smartphone at a bargain price. The Nexus 4 wasn't a financial success perhaps but making a profit off selling hardware is rarely the first thing on Google's mind. The pure Android experience was the major selling point and getting more people into their cloud services must've been worth the investment - the Nexus price is clearly subsidized, the way Amazon subsidizes its Kindle tablets so it can make profit on selling content.Judging by our popularity chart, users are responding to Google's offer with enthusiasm. The Nexus lineup has traditionally premiered every single major version of Android in its purest form, clean of custom skins like Sense, TouchWiz, Xperia and Optimus UI and has been on a fast-track for OS updates ever since. Google has done well this time to match that with stellar hardware for a price that no one can possibly beat.”
“Price is what really sets the Nexus 5 apart—you're getting the same internals as every other flagship, but at half the cost. Couple that with minimalistic good looks, decent build quality, and the latest version of Android, and you've got a real winner. The two things you're really sacrificing to get to that low price are the battery life and the camera. Fixing the battery isn't rocket science—they needed to include a bigger one—but Google needs to take a long, hard look at what it's doing with its cameras. If Google wants to build all of these products around pictures, they should figure out how to ship a smartphone with a world-class camera, even if that means raising the price a bit.”
“Google has learned from the OEMs. It has learned from previous smartphones in the Nexus line, there are no obvious omissions here, like the lack of LTE in the Nexus 4. Google has even reserved a few goodies for the Nexus 5 alone.The really important things have been nailed. What you are compromising on when comparing the Nexus 5 with the rest of the premium market is the camera and the battery life, but you get a cutting edge processor with a wonderful display.”
“If you want a top-spec phone but don't want to pay the premium that usually comes with it, there are no better options than the Google Nexus 5. Unlike some other low-cost, high-spec Android phones, its quad-core processor has all the power of the most popular high-end smartphones. That the Nexus 5 is actually more powerful than the rival HTC One and Galaxy S4 speaks volumes about both its value, and how quickly things move on in the mobile game.”
Watch before you decide
What people say
Only a few ratings so far, not enough to show a trend yet.
4 ratings so far
This phone is .by far the best phone I've ever owned .. Although I will agree the battery life is poor. But buying a new battery and replacing the factory one is 100% difference. I've had so many different kinds of phone from sony xperia ,Amazing Galaxy, Htc and this phone by far beats them all ....
If the camera were only up to par with other flag ship phones...
They fail to mention that if your nexus 5 needs repairs, they will refuse to fix as it comes unlocked when purchased! Not impressed AT ALL! Now I'm without a phone because of this!
In Depth
The LG Nexus 5 improves upon many of the shortcomings of its predecessor while still remaining well below the price point of a typical Android flagship phone. The smartphone comes in two different colours: black and white. In terms of aesthetics, most reviewers concur that it’s unremarkable. According to Engadget, the simplistic design does little to stand out from other smartphones despite some “visual flourishes.”
Regardless of its simplistic design, it offers impressive specs. The phone boasts an impressive 1080p 5” IPS Plus screen which, according to Ars Technica, is “bright and beautiful” though max brightness might be too bright indoors. In addition to a brighter screen, there’s also an updated camera.
When tested against the Nexus 4, critics found that the 5 offers better low-light photography and decent optical image stabilization. Unfortunately, most reviewers are still unimpressed with the camera. While there are a slew of features to make images pop more, like HDR+ mode, Wired notes that most night-time shots were “a mess,” action shots were blurry and shutter speed was slow.
Under the hood, the phone sports a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and up to 32GB of onboard storage. While Gizmodo did find the phone to be “fast as hell” they also note that the speed isn’t always obvious as most apps do not require large amounts of processing power. In addition, this handset also allows for wireless charging and supports LTE so users can connect to 4G networks.
Aside from the hardware upgrades, this is also the first phone to ship with Android 4.4 (KitKat). Techspot notes that the OS offers a more refined interface, performance optimizations and messaging integrated into Hangouts. Like all Nexus devices, this one offers the stock build of the Android OS without any additional UI skinning and, like all Google experience devices, will offer regular software updates.
One area that critics agree is unimproved is battery life. Due to a slimmer design, the battery is actually smaller than its predecessor. This has led to a shorter battery life. Know Your Mobile clocks the battery at around 8 hours of standard use. While not impressive, it does stack up to other smartphones like the HTC One.
Despite some qualms with the camera and battery life, most experts agree that the LG Nexus 5 is an impressive flagship phone. TechRadar comments that offers “extreme bang for your buck.” NDTV Gadgets also mentions that it “ticks all the right boxes in terms of hardware specifications.”
What people actually want to know
When was the Nexus 5 released?
The Nexus 5 was released on November 1, 2013.
How long does the battery last on the Nexus 5?
The Nexus 5 has a 2,300 mAh battery.
Does the Nexus 5 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Nexus 5 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the Nexus 5 have NFC?
Yes, the Nexus 5 has NFC. You can use Google Wallet, Apple Pay, and tap-to-pair with Bluetooth accessories.
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