By Google has officially announced (and released) the Nexus 5 by LG, a smartphone that many have no doubt been anticipating for months. All the teases are over, though, and the information is finally officially official. We knew almost everything there is to know about the Nexus 5 ahead of launch thanks to those aforementioned leaks.
(Click to Enlarge)
But now that we have the official tale of the tape it’s time to put it up against heavy hitters from across the mobile ecosystem. How does the Nexus 5 stack up to the likes of Apple’s iPhone 5S, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Nokia Lumia 1020? Let’s find out!
Nexus 5
This is the start of today’s show, of course. The Nexus 5 is a direct sequel to the Nexus 4. Made by LG, the Nexus 5 introduces increased resolution, a much better processor, bigger display sized and more. It’s a doozie for sure, and you can find out more about the when, the where and the how much right here. so let’s hop right into the silicon behind this beaut.
Specs
- 5-inch display with 1920×1080 resolution
- Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800, 2.3GHz
- 2GB of RAM
- 8 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front camera
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- 16GB / 32GB of internal storage
- WiFi ac, NFC, and Bluetooth 4.0 LE
- 2,300 mAh battery with wireless charging built-in
- microUSB with SlimPort
- and more
Software
Pure Android 4.4, baby. You can find out more details about Android 4.4 and what it brings here, but the ability to launch Google Now commands from the home screen, a translucent user interface, new SMS-driven Hangouts app, new Caller ID and business look-up features in the dialer, and more highlight the biggest, most visible changes for this rendition of Android.
Beyond all that, it’s promised to be unadulterated Android, with the promise of swift software upgrades as soon as they’re available. We’re still waiting to get our paws on this puppy, but just know that whatever firmware is loaded up on this thing is how Google intended Android to be run.
iPhone 5S
Apple’s latest crack at the smartphone market isn’t a huge leap over the previous entrant, but the iPhone 5S is still their top phone, and still one of the top phones in the market. A faster processor and a fingerprint scanner highlight the biggest of changes here, but what else is it bringing to the table?
Specs
- 4-inch 1136 x 640 display
- Apple A7 1.3GHz 64-bit processor
- 8 megapixel camera with hybrid flash
- FaceTime HD front camera
- 16/64GB of internal storage
- 1GB of RAM
- WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth
- TouchID Fingerprint Scanner
- and more
Software
The iPhone 5S was the first phone with iOS 7, Apple’s latest concoction for all their mobile products. iOS 7 was the first major departure from the classic Apple design language we’ve all come to know and love, with the bitten fruit company going with a more bright and cheerful palette of colors. They also emphasized more flat iconography.
The changes are mostly cosmetic, though, so there’s not much more functionality being added. Apple did make several of their premium App Store apps free at a recent press conference, and you can read more about all of that over at iSource.com.
Samsung Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is a bit dated compared to the rest of the phones on this list, but with it being Samsung’s undisputed flagship smartphone for 2013 we felt it was appropriate to include. The Galaxy Note 3 might have a few more bells and whistles, but the S4 still has a lot to offer.
Specs
- Android 4.2.2 with Nature UX/Touchwiz
- 5.0″ Super AMOLED with 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600
- 16/32/64GB intenral storage (MicroSD)
- 2GB of RAM
- 2.0MP front camera
- 13 MP rear camera
- WiFi, NFC, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0
- GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass
Software
Samsung’s Android-based TouchWiz (or Nature UX, as they have been calling it lately) is much more bold than ever before, with the South Korean company adding many new features for productivity, camera, multi-tasking, and more.
Things like multi-view, Air View, motion controls, Smart Stay and much, much more all come together to create a very fulfilling experience (although it is admittedly a tad bloated these days). A forthcoming Premium Suite upgrade will also add support for connectivity with the Samsung Galaxy Gear, the company’s companion smart watch that keeps you connected without you having to grope your phone all day.
Nokia Lumia 1020
The Nokia Lumia 1020 is a pretty damned good phone, with Joe Fedewa from WinSource calling it “the most amazing phone we have ever seen in the Windows world.” The phablet 1520 might take that crown by now, but the Lumia 1020 can still be considered one of the top smartphones of the year.
The biggest attraction is that massive 41 Megapixel backside illuminated sitting on the back, though other specs are good enough to make any phone user happy (and, as we all know, Windows Phone doesn’t require a heap ton of power to operate smoothly).
Specs
- 4.5″ 1280 x 768 display; 15:9 Aspect ratio
- Dual core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Processor
- 2 GB RAM
- 41MP rear camera
- 32 GB on-board storage
- 2000 mAh battery
- LTE GSM 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz
- 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC
Software
The Lumia 1020 launched with the latest version of Windows Phone, though some custom Nokia bits included very in-depth camera features (with that sensor? you might have expected that) and your typical crop of Microsoft and Nokia-provided services and apps. Windows Phone is Windows Phone is Windows Phone, pretty much.
Which one are you in for?
And there you have it — three of the best phones from the top 3 mobile ecosystems compared to the brand new Nexus 5. Let us know which one you’re in for. We have an idea, of course… but hey, you never know who might not be on the Nexus 5 bandwagon (we’re looking at you, unfortunate Verizon users). Drop a vote and a comment below!
[polldaddy poll=7524414]
a side by side comparison chart/grid would have been much easier to read.
i know…thats what i was looking for as well…
Duly noted, and updated!
I know they are here elsewhere, but photos of the N5 are missing from this article. All the other phones have pictures.
EDIT: All other phones are shown from the side. Only the N5 gives us front views only.
Here’s another comparison chart……… Considering some people might only be interested in comparing only the Nexus and iPhone.
Also, a comparison showing the off-contract price. That’ll tilt the poll significantly.
Can’t wait to start reading reviews. Please include screen responsiveness tests when you write them. Really hoping that 4.4 helps upgrade it.
I really want to know how the camera stacks up and how the battery holds out on this beast. I am so excited. I had plans to get things done around the house today but I have found myself on the computer way too much.
those are my 2 questions as well. I wont be ordering until tmo releases theirs as i would just like to pay them 20 a month instead of 400 right now.
My condolences to the single poor soul who voted for the iPhone.
LOL!!!!!
hahahaha
was this poll necessary? lmao i think Nexus brand will be making more headway with best-bang-for-your-buck. 0% for WP, 1% for iCrap…
nexus 5 because its a android fanboy site. so poll is nothing
Small correction, it’s not pure Android. Pure Android is AOSP and has no device specific drivers. What’s on the Nexus 5 and every other Android device is a modified version of the AOSP software. Looking forward to mine showing up at my door.
it’s pure android. it’s the way google intended with the device google intended it for.
Newsflash, GOOGLE DIDN’T CREATE ANDROID
Who said they did? Google bought it when it looked like a blackberry rip off and made it how they wanted. Stay on topic during discussions please.
Just… what the first guy said. However i think that Google has made their version of android better than stock AOSP
Its aosp with the proper drivers to run. No modifications that are nexus specific.
Wrong! Download the Android source code, build a ROM from it, and try to install it on a Nexus or any phone and you’ll find that it doesn’t work. Why? Because it’s not optimized for the hardware you’re installing it on. What does that mean? It means that you need to get the correct drivers for modems, lcd, radios, etc. Adding in those proprietary blobs changes it from pure AOSP code. In other words, not pure Android. Before you attempt to correct someone, know what you’re talking about! Even Google will and has said that the version of Android on it’s devices isn’t pure Android.
… that’s what I just said…
The solution to Verizon’s lack of Nexus is to leave Verizon…not leave the Nexus
I left Verizon to get a Nexus 4. Best choice I ever made.
LOL @ the iPhone specs
LOL @ the 2.3 Ghz quad-core Android monsters getting crushed by those puny specs.
LOL @ you for for putting the the word crushed and implying apple is crushing anything, the itoy SLIGHTLY performed better on a couple of Web browsing tests but that’s far from crushing lol
Same old argument again.
These devices are primarily web machines. You have to consider the device as a whole.
If Apple manages to design one of the best SoCs AND the most optimized software in top, they deserve credit for it.
My Nexus 4 is slower at web browsing than my wife’s iFruit 4S… That’s 2X800Mhz Cortex A9+512Mb RAM running Safari vs 4X1500Mhz Krait 200+2000Mb RAM running Chrome.
I’m seriously hesitating between this N5, a Note3 and a 5S.
None of the above. I’ll stick with my Note 3.
I know Right I’ll keep my Note 3 as well
definitely getting the 1020… It’s the best phone ever made, period… Anyone who says otherwise is a racist.
And the worse software ever made LOL…who still uses Internet Explorer?
Around 30% of world’s internet users. How do you know it is a worse software? Did you ever use it? Its not open, doesn’t mean its worse. It has No malware, no virus, no lagging, no fragmentation. Android is greatly improved and is open, thumbs up to it. But just because its free and open, other OS doesn’t become inferior. Its like saying my religion is the only greatest religion and other religions suck. Grow up.
By the way, that 1020 has the best camera among all the smartphones, available today.
And that’s all it has. If Micro$oft mobile is so great, then why are they trying to use dual boot with Android. Especially after their Scroogled and Bing it on challenges. As far as IE…
http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp
sorry the rumor is bullshit. why would Microsoft dual boot android. ha. sorry nothing perfect about android either. every os has flaws
I do and billions around the world uses fast IE 10/11+ and worst software goes to android
I’m definitely racist. How I hate the human race.
I thought you wanted the nexus 5 in previous articles, you change drastically dude.
No I want the Samsung Rugby flip phone… Keep up kind sir!
Good thing I have a nexus in my life.
How many dozens of malware will be programmed for this android Nexus phone ?
*Facepalm
All it takes to prevent malware is to be slightly tech savvy and have a bit of common sense. If you lack those two traits, then I agree, stick with apple.
Seriously?
probably a lot of malware…. there is so much malware right now that my phone has never been infected!!! It’s crazy, I blame Google.
Didn’t vote in this one. Really Quentyn, don’t you think this is a bit silly poll to be asking on an Android fan site? It’s akin to taking a straw poll at Republican national convention whom people would choose between Cruz, Clinton, Pelosi, and Reid.
Incidentally, even though I didn’t vote in this silly poll, I voted with my pocketbook and ordered a Nexus 5 about six minutes after it went on sale. :-)
ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!!!!!
Yes, you you you have been picked for biggest idiot of the week. Good job.
HAHA! LOVE IT! These polls are GREAT because all the Apple haters come out and demonstrate how they hate AN INANIMATE OBJECT THAT NO ONE WILL EVER FORCE THEM TO BUY! Can you imagine when these people walk into a party…”oh there’s again…put away your iPhone so the princess doesn’t have a cow…hopefully he will leave soon”.
Apple Haters are the new EMO kids.
You’re the new I moron
I think you mean iMoron. Let’s try harder in the future.
Exactly
Yes, yes you are
Let it out…I hit a nerve…it’s OK…we are here for you…the iPhone frightens you…we know
It’s your choice to use a phone locked down like fort Knox and brag about it on android fan sites
I use the Note 2 so can’t relate to that.
Then why the hell are you going on like an iSheep
The point…it does elude you…
Yodaspeak, elude you it does. ^.-
Did you just read the word ” iphone ” on his post, downvoted him , replied saying he had an iphone and agreed he was an imoron? dude , you need to read more careful next time.
This guy has the right idea
Spam?
I don’t hate Apple, I simply don’t care about them
I will be getting the Nexus 5, but use a 5s for work. I have a love/hate relationship with both platforms. They both piss me off in different ways :P
At least with an Android device you can find solutions to your problems.
For the most part, yes. But that also turns into a HUGE time suck. With the iPhone, you learn what is possible and learn to lie with what isn’t. And then you find out that after awhile, what isn’t possible doesn’t really matter so much. Most of the time anyway :P There is a certain freedom that comes with the lack of freedom you have… sort of like how some musicians compose albums on 8-bit computers. With Android, I spend more time screwing with my devices than I do actually using them.
HTC One…..phone of the year across multiple review/tech sites……..not even included in the poll. Because the S4 and 1020 are so much better choices…..
Wow, someone bitter that HTC is having major issues? The HTC One might be one of the best Android devices, but the comparisons are between the most popular devices. There are several other devices that could top those listed, but for arguments sake, the most popular were chosen.
It is splitting hairs
I’ve had along love for my N4 but already put in the other of my N5. Still trying to figure o what to do with my N4.
I will take it off your hands homie
Not only would I go with I nexus 5, I went with one.
Out of those I would go with the Nexus 5, but I went with the G2.. Since it is really just a higher end Nexus 5..
There should be a, I am on Verizon so I went with a note 3 when the unlimited data glitch happened answer…..lol.
I would go with a nexus 5 if I did not want to stay on Verizon. Service is way too good to walk from when you travel like I do it is nice to always have coverage.
This is a really bad poll. You should have included the One and G2. G2 is arguably the best phone in peoples hands right now.
I’ll have to wait till I receive my N5 to be able to judge it.
Was surprised to not at least see the HTC One on here given that it’s arguable a much better phone than the GS4.
I love the S4, but even this site list the one better then S4 last month.
I agree both should have been included along with the Note 3. Different category but a viable option none the less.
errr… i’d be surprised if iPhone or Nokia tops this survey since this poll is posted on… an Android site…?!? :)
The poll did seem pointless given the subject of the article being the new Nexus phone that has become a yearly event on Android forums :p
I wanted a phone free of carrier meddling. That left me with two options; the Nexus, or the iPhone. I wound up with the iPhone because of the larger storage option. If the Nexus had a 64GB option, I would have bought that instead.
Ordering my Nexus 5 next week! Assuming there will be white 32gbs in stock.
Verizon REALLY effed this up. I am so pissed that Im Leaving Verizon when my contract is up!! Verizon understand that some of your customers like PURE ANDROID!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And FIRE the A$$hole that made the decision NOT to get the Nexus 5!!!!!
Fire the person that decided Verizon doesn’t get the N5? You can’t fire Google…..bruh.
Actually, it was Verizon. I just read that Verizon are working on a phone for 2014. Maybe a VoLTE phone?
It likely wasn’t Verizon’s choice, though it likely is Verizon’s fault that Google leaves them out in the cold. To say Verizon botched the Galaxy Nexus experience is an understatement. And I’m sure it didn’t help that they gave Nexus 7 LTE customers a hard time with activation (they would only allow people that already had tablet data plans with Verizon to activate the Nexus 7, newcomers were shown the door).
Yeah, it seems like a mutual thing though. Verizon likes to hold up updates and add bloatware…and Google likes quick updates to Nexus devices without bloatware… Not sure who exactly is to blame here…
Why would you not include the G2 with this poll. That phone is arguably the best of all of them!
Because then if would look like the Nexus 5 with a better camera. :p
Nexus 5 has a very unique feature which the above phones. don’t have and that is no capacitive or hardware buttons. I will pick that because of that feature. From now on all android phones will have only the screen. Less weight and less bezels will also make android phones the lightest and slimmest.
Next galaxy phones will not have hardware buttons I feel.
no micro SD card!!!! that’s my biggest problem with Nexus. The pure google experiance is great and the many options with roms is great as well, but no micro SD makes me feel like I am being confined like if I had an iphone….
That’s why you can buy the GS4 GE edition. Especially with 32GB now available, I don’t know how you people fill these phones up. I know some like to use their phones for music, but do you really need more than a few GB’s of music with you at all times?
As for movies, I still think it’s silly to watch a movie on such a small screen, get a tablet if viewing movies on a the go is that important.
This is talking about the Nexus 5, iPhone 5S vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Nokia Lumia 1020
nothing about a GS4 GE edition & those google editions are only available in america as far as I know. SD card is nice because you can buy the 16 gig version, and once you start filling up on space you can expand but that isn’t an option on Nexus 5 or i-phone. I have a nexus 7 tablet with 16 gigs, and I am pretty much completely full with just apps & games no music or videos. Sure I use a OTG cable, but I don’t always have that with me…and it’s not supported unless you root
Is no SD card on a Nexus device something new to you? It’s not going to change….
Nah, Apple is like a douche, he look pretty, pass hours on it looks and he’s expansive Lolllllllllll
hi
J’ai actuellement un S3 16Go mais je vais le donner à une personne.
J’envisage donc d’acheter un nouveau téléphone. Mais j’hésite entre le S4 et le Nexus 5 qui va bientôt sortir (Je ne m’y connais pas trop en téléphone mais le S4 et le N5 sont les 2 seules qui m’ont tapés dans l’oeil).en attendant prochain prix ipad mini 2 & Galaxy Note 3 abonnement
Les deux sont bons, ça dépend si tu veux utiliser touchwiz ou androïde pur. Personnellement, j’irais avec le S4 étant donné qu’il est possible d’utiliser de la mémoire micro sd et que la caméra semble supérieur. Un avantage du N5, tu peux l’acheter hors contrat à bon prix.
PS. T’es mieux d’écrire en anglais si tu veux des réponses ;)
Read the press release for this phone, Google called It cutting-edge, the specs look pretty standard, so what is cutting edge?
Do google ever tell the truth?
Cutting edge doesn’t always mean hardware. It’s the first phone running Android 4.4, so at least in terms of software, it IS cutting edge.
Show me another phone with these specs and price point……… Don’t worry I’ll just wait here for an answer……….
Keith, get over the your ‘Roid-Rage, don’t just be a sheep. Talk about falling for marketing trick.
The parts are standard, off the shelf items, even the processor is an off the shelf product, still trying to find ‘Cutting Edge’.
“Cutting Edge’ is now the price? Okay, that’s a new spin on that:
If you have a job, and get paid anywhere near a liveable wage, Google make so much money out of selling ads to you, they could give you ten of the most expensive phones on the market every year and still make profit…. Sorry, have to take a break, sides still hurting, price is now deemed ‘Cutting Edge’.
Haemor-Roid is in terms of looks, is a copy of Symbian, the interface a copy of iOS. Where’s the G1 Inspired keyboard? Ripping off two OS is not ‘Cutting Edge’.
Android 4.4 is cutting edge, that’s like calling Windows cutting edge, nothing has really changed, it is just the same OS with a couple of tweaks. Things that should have been in the last one, like being able to run on more than 20% of the phones in the Android space. If that is ‘Cutting edge’, then really, you are setting the bar low. When will most Haemor-Roid Fanboys see it on there device, in six to twelve months. Very ‘Cutting Edge”.
It will always be impossible for Android to be ‘Cutting edge’ because they have to cover any and every bit of hardware out there, just like Windows. Products that have to cover legacy software and untold variations of hardware, by definition will never be ‘Cutting edge’.
And Google now claim the camera is better than a pro camera, they really sell you a line and you swallow it. Having worked with both Hasselbald and PhaseOne cameras, I can tell you this is utter Goog-shit
Google even call it Nexus, a replicant of the original with limited life span that are to be destroyed on sight.
The Haemor-Roid community are really misinformed, I suggest you learn how to make rational arguments based on facts, not press releases.
Why don’t you send a text about it?
Wow, you’ve got issues…
Wow, you’ve got no response….
Come on Keith, tell me how price is considered ‘Cutting Edge’… I’m still waiting….
Writing a lot of paragraphs and single-quoting the word ‘cutting edge’ doesn’t make you seem any more intelligent than your post.
I’m not going to sit here and defend Google’s marketing because I don’t see a point to but I dare you to look at any smartphone released by any company in the last few years, the marketing behind it, and tell me if it’s been all truth. There’s a difference between cutting- edge and bleeding-edge, which is closer to what you are defining and expecting.
Either way, how about you relax an go back to iLand, jump out of a Window, eat a Blackberry, or go play with your Symbian phones.
If you would have said the LG G2 was ‘Cutting Edge’ when it was first announced back in August, I may have considered you to have an argument, this is just a knock-off of that phone.
I thought with such critique of my use of paragraphs and quotes (which are correct), you may have come up with something ‘Cutting Edge’, but no still nothing. While we are criticising use of English, do you want to explain how to use an ellipsis to Keith, or is that my job as well? He’s had quiet a few stabs in the dark and got it wrong every time.
I asked anyone to name something cutting edge, you have come up with everything but a cogent ‘Cutting Edge’ aspect.
‘Bleeding-Edge’ (Notice how I am using single quotes because I am quoting what is written, not spoken out loud.) is ahead of the consumer market, NASA, CERN, F1, Etc….
‘Cutting Edge’ are consumer market firsts. The first 64-bit Arm processor in a consumer phone, is ‘Cutting Edge’ not ‘Bleeding Edge’. A small speed bump to a widely used standard off the shelf chip is neither.
Still waiting for one ‘Cutting Edge’ feature, it might be a long wait.
The only thing I don’t like about the Nexus 5 is the empty space under the screen, same with the Nexus 4. It seems bigger than most other phones, especially as there is nothing there.
I think it’s more a design choice that anything, they likely wanted to keep the screen centered to keep balance. It the same philosophy with the iPhones, that giant home button means the top of the phone has a lot of empty space as well.
notification light and something to hold onto when watching movies or playing games.
I wanted to post this other chart I found.
Wifi -Yes-Yes.. OK.. We all know phones have wifi these days.. but do they support a?b?g?n?ac?
http://i.imgur.com/c9yTJCv.png
There, I posted it. Happy Now !
Assume 802.11n at minimum and maximum. I’ve yet to see one that supports 802.11ac unless they just don’t feel like its important enough to mention.
What a dumb poll roflol. You post it on an android site! What do you think the results would be? Ahahahaha…..get real!