After a lot of teasing, Google has finally unveiled the LG-made Google Nexus 5. It carries super-charged specs and the latest Android 4.4 KitKat OS, but does it come out as the most powerful Google phone to date. Let’s find out by pitting it against the Google Edition of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Let’s take a look at the specs first:
Display
In terms of display size, the Galaxy S4 wins by having a full 5-inch display. The Nexus 5 comes second at 4.95-inches followed by the HTC One at 4.7-inches.
When it comes to resolution all three devices sport Full HD (1080 x 1920) screens. At this point, the HTC One packs the densest at 469ppi, followed by the Nexus 5 at 445ppi and Galaxy S4 at 441ppi.
Display type also varies among these devices. The Nexus 5 has True HD IPS Plus, the One has Super LCD3, while the S4 has Super AMOLED. All of them are protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass, however, the One sports an older Gorilla Glass 2 while the rest have Gorilla Glass 3.
CPU
The Nexus 5 sports Qualcomm’s latest and most powerful CPU to date, the Snapdragon 800 coupled with an Adreno 330 GPU. The S4 and One both sport Snapdragon 600 CPUs and Adreno 320 GPU, however, the S4 has a slightly higher clock speed at 1.9Ghz compared to the One’s 1.7Ghz.
Camera
If we’re going to play the “megapixel” wars, the S4 takes the lead in terms of pixel count with its 13 megapixel shooter. This is followed by the 8 megapixel camera on the Nexus 5 and the 4 megapixel on the One.
In terms of camera performance, we’re yet to find out how Nexus 5 fares. It’s also worth mentioning that the Nexus 5 and the One both have Optical Image Stabilization for less blurry shots.
As for the front-facing camera, the One takes the lead with the 2.1 megapixel camera, followed by the S4 with 2 megapixel, and the Nexus 5 with 1.3 megapixel.
Internal storage
The Nexus 5 offers 16GB of internal storage at its minimum and 32GB at its maximum. The HTC One on the other hand only offers a 32GB variant while the S4 maxes out at 16GB.
In terms of expandable storage, the S4 takes the cake by offering microSD card support for up to 64GB while the rest went without expansion options.
Battery
The S4 wins in this department by offering a 2,600mAh battery which is 300mAh more than the Nexus 5 and HTC One can offer.
Thinness, weight and build
The S4 wins again by having the thinnest body at 7.9mm, followed by the Nexus 5 at 8.6mm and the One at 9.3mm.
As for its weight and build, the Nexus 5 and S4 tie at 130g thanks to its plastic body. The HTC One may be the bulkiest of the bunch at 143g but you get a more premium aluminum build in recompense.
Price
The S4 is the most expensive at $649, followed by the One at $599. The Nexus 5 is obviously the most affordable starting at $349 for the 16GB and $499 for the 32GB.
Conclusion
Being a Nexus device, the 5 already has Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box. The Google Edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 will be getting it soon as well. So which pure-blooded Google smartphone is the best? In terms of value for money and much updated specs, definitely the Nexus 5.
However, for those with personal preferences that go beyond what the Nexus 5 can offer, then it’s either the HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4.
nexus for their processor !!