The icons themselves are also about 20% bigger than was the case with the 4. I found this annoying initially, but after a few days hardly noticed at all. That said, the colours are vibrant, the definition crisp and interface fluid.
This is due to the 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and Adreno 330, 450MHz graphics unit (GPU), supported by 2GB of system RAM. Internal storage is 16 or 32GB, depending on the version. The battery is a 2,300 mAH unit that provides talk time up to 17 hours, standby time up to 300 hours and Internet time up to 8.5 hours on Wi-Fi, up to 7 hours on LTE, all with various caveats which mean you’ll never that, but they are a useful guide when comparing with other similar unachievable figures from other manufacturers. There is also built in wireless charging, if you get the wireless charger.
Rather than a revolution over previous models, the Nexus 5 builds incrementally on the integration and usability of the Nexus line. The front camera, a 1.3MP unit, seems to work a little quicker and be a little more accurate when used for the facial recognition security feature. It certainly required less training and refinement than the 4 did to work well. The main camera too now features optical image stabilisation, as well as better low light performance.
With all of the latest wireless connectivity standards, from Bluetooth 4 to all the Wi-Fi variations and native LTE support, the 5 has all you’ll need in terms of connectivity. NFC is also included for contactless payments.
Rather than a revolution over previous models, the Nexus 5 builds incrementally on the integration and usability of the Nexus line
Beyond the hardware then, it is all about the apps and despite the foible with Hangouts, it is impressively equipped from out of the box with all of the Google apps you may need.
So, overall, the Nexus 5 continues a fine tradition of the Android reference device. It is never the absolute bleeding edge of technology, but rather a careful blend of performance and features that makes it a competitive device, especially for the price.
And the price is an issue. Unlike the Nexus 4, the 5 is available directly in Ireland from the Google online, but the retail price in the US is $349 for the 16GB version and $399 for the 32GB version, which is very good value indeed. But in Ireland, the prices are €349 and €399, which is a significant difference, €96 and €110 respectively. There is no excuse for this.
Is the Nexus 5 a worthy upgrade for the 4, yes it is. Is it worth looking at as an alternative to the likes of the S5, Z1 and HTC’s One? Absolutely.
Here at TechPro, we always like to have the latest Nexus device as a reference point for all other smart devices, as the Android implementation is unsullied by vendor overlays and gives a good reference point for comparison, even with the likes of iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry OS. The review device was kindly provided by Google and we will be using it as our reference device for comparative smart phone reviews.
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