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Nexus 5 vs iPhone 5S vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Nokia Lumia 1020

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.

 

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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

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

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

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

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!

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