Google’s Nexus line of mobile phones and tablets have long been appreciated by critics and users alike due to their bloatware-free interface, killer specs, and a price that makes other manufacturers hang their collective heads in shame. Google’s previous phone, the
Nexus 4 offered specifications to rival then-flagship phones like
Samsung’s Galaxy S4,
Apple’s iPhone 4s, and
HTC’s one, while undercutting their prices by half. At Rs 50,000 ($400 if you’re lucky to get it from the US), the latest from Google is more expensive than its predecessor, but for mobile phone buyers who are used to dishing out a minimum of Rs 60,000 for top-end devices, the Nexus 5’s price tag should be a bargain.
Manufactured by LG, Nexus 5 retains the familiar minimalistic aesthetic of previous models, which is set in a curving, matte rubberised case, and is available in either black or white. The gadget boasts a beautiful 4.95 inch full HD screen which packs in a retina-piercing 445 pixels per inch and the Gorilla Glass 3 screen is impressively scratch-resistant; a blessing for those among us who have a habit of keeping our phones and keys/coins in the same pocket. Icons and small texts look sharp and high resolution photos, videos, and games appear remarkably bright and vivid.
Under the slick exterior, Nexus 5 runs on Android Mobile Operating System’s latest KitKat (4.4) version, which preserves the look and feel of previous Android versions, and the operating system is as user-friendly as ever, with the added bonus of Nexus lines of mobile devices always being the first ones to receive future Android updates. The phone is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor which runs on 2GB of RAM, resulting in your memory-intensive, multi-tasking, multimedia needs being handled with ease and a 2300mAH battery on board should last a day of fairly intensive use.
A couple of areas where Yantrick feels Nexus 5 can do better are its 8MP rear camera (the norm for latest flagship devices is a minimum of 13MP) and its rather limited maximum storage space of 32GB (no microSD card slot). However, he is willing to overlook these ‘indiscretions’ given the high-end specifications that Google is offering at such a reasonable price.
Yantrick’s verdict: Google’s Nexus 5 is gentle on your pocket and easy on your eyes. If you’re upgrading, then give the Nexus a high five.