How good is the Galaxy Nexus really?! - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Hi,
as of right now I'm the owner of a LG Optimus One and I'm ready to upgrade to a better android device. Now I'm pretty much decided on either a GNex or a Motorola Atrix.
Well while I was researching on which phone I should get I saw a LOT of people hating on the gnex in reviews, benchmark comparisons etc. They said things like: QThe Gnex isn't nearly as good as the GS II, it's very laggy!" or "The gnex gpu sucks, it's the same one the Samsung Galaxy has".
So overall what do you guys say about that? I mean especially that thing with the GPU is concerning me. I really like to play games on my phone and so the gpu is kinda important for me, but what are you guys experiences?
Also, would you guys choose the Atrix 4G or the samsung galaxy nexus? I want to keep the phone for at least 2-3 years and want to be able to play games etc.
Thanks in advance
Edit: One of the biggest complaints I've heard was about the display: It's supposed to use a Pen-Tile technology and therefore it doesn't actually have a 720*1280 resolution but something way lower. What is that all about?
Also, I have average sized hands, do you guys think I'd have problems using the Galaxy Nexus?

Reedddd said:
Hi,
as of right now I'm the owner of a LG Optimus One and I'm ready to upgrade to a better android device. Now I'm pretty much decided on either a GNex or a Motorola Atrix.
Well while I was researching on which phone I should get I saw a LOT of people hating on the gnex in reviews, benchmark comparisons etc. They said things like: QThe Gnex isn't nearly as good as the GS II, it's very laggy!" or "The gnex gpu sucks, it's the same one the Samsung Galaxy has".
So overall what do you guys say about that? I mean especially that thing with the GPU is concerning me. I really like to play games on my phone and so the gpu is kinda important for me, but what are you guys experiences?
Also, would you guys choose the Atrix 4G or the samsung galaxy nexus? I want to keep the phone for at least 2-3 years and want to be able to play games etc.
Thanks in advance
Edit: One of the biggest complaints I've heard was about the display: It's supposed to use a Pen-Tile technology and therefore it doesn't actually have a 720*1280 resolution but something way lower. What is that all about?
Also, I have average sized hands, do you guys think I'd have problems using the Galaxy Nexus?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, benchmarks for GNex is definitely lower for a few reasons, the amount of pixels and also, the GPU is definitely not as superior as GSII's. But, it doesn't affect the performance on the phone, as stock ICS has an incredible speed. As for gaming, I would leave that to people who actually play games on their GNex.
With that being said, if you are deciding between Atrix and GNex, both of them share the exact same GPU.
As for the display, the pentile on GNex is NOT noticeable as the higher resolutions took care of that problem. FYI, Matrix 4G also uses pentile and its resolution is much lower than that of GNex.
For the average sized hands, this phone is comfortable in your hands, it's not wide, in fact, pretty narrow. However, the screen is pretty long (vertically), so you may have problems navigating from top to bottom of your screen using one hand (while using your thumb obviously).
Hope that helps.

Reedddd said:
Hi,
as of right now I'm the owner of a LG Optimus One and I'm ready to upgrade to a better android device. Now I'm pretty much decided on either a GNex or a Motorola Atrix.
Well while I was researching on which phone I should get I saw a LOT of people hating on the gnex in reviews, benchmark comparisons etc. They said things like: QThe Gnex isn't nearly as good as the GS II, it's very laggy!" or "The gnex gpu sucks, it's the same one the Samsung Galaxy has".
So overall what do you guys say about that? I mean especially that thing with the GPU is concerning me. I really like to play games on my phone and so the gpu is kinda important for me, but what are you guys experiences?
Also, would you guys choose the Atrix 4G or the samsung galaxy nexus? I want to keep the phone for at least 2-3 years and want to be able to play games etc.
Thanks in advance
Edit: One of the biggest complaints I've heard was about the display: It's supposed to use a Pen-Tile technology and therefore it doesn't actually have a 720*1280 resolution but something way lower. What is that all about?
Also, I have average sized hands, do you guys think I'd have problems using the Galaxy Nexus?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Atrix uses pentile, but I don't think it's a bad thing personally. People hate on the Atrix, but it's one of my fav phones. Wish I had it as a backup, but it doesn't compare to the GNex. Get the Gnex. Find a super cheap Atrix and get that too. Atrix is one of the best multimedia devices. MicroHDMI and their implementation of all that and the lapdock is simply amazing and I hope Google implements it in all of Android once them buying Moto is a done deal. Don't know if that's even possible.

Just came from my GS2 to the GNex. The screen and dev support is amazing. Go for this phone!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

2 words: its supercalafrachalisticexpealidocious.

I came from a sgs2 and the gn is less responsive. It's a tad slower at everything from my experience but there's not much in it.
I'm on 4.0.2 still and the newer updates are meant to sort out some speed issues so I'll wait and see .
Haven't looked at benchmarks. I don't play games on my phone so no need to. Don't need to run a benchmark to see how quick twitter opens!
I got the gn for stock ics. Its leagues ahead of gingerbread, let alone Touchwiz, which I'm not a massive fan of.
Not used a Motorola before but it should come down to do you prefer Blur or stock, not what gets a few more points in a benchmark.
Unless you flash custom roms. But if you care about bleeding edge tech that much on Android you'll be disappointed every few months because that's how often a better spec'd phone comes out.

the size is pretty much perfect. it even feels smaller (or more narrow) in your hands than the s2 believe it or not. you don't hold the s2 in your hands like you hold a nexus. the s2 cannot rest because it was built without ballace and it's light as a feather, it is a slippery fish. in size both are extremely close anyway, we're talking millimeters.
the nexus is quite fast, i never had much lagging on stock and i have none on a custom rom. it's not as good as a s2 for gaming though, with 3d-games i experience some lagging, most games run fine though without. that and the missing sd card are some kind of a bugger. still i'd never consider going back, im loving the sleek and modern look and its interface (real ice cream sandwhich as it was conceived with quick-responding software buttons). the rom culture is great, too. the s2 is crippled in that aspect, samsung may have released the kernel-sources but to my knowledge many of their drivers are still not functioning. so you can choose between gingerbread, hellish samsung ics-fake hackjob, or ported ics-rom with alot of issues. on a nexus the bleeding edge is in the growth of its rom culture, who cares about googles ota's when you can have something like AOKP with almost weekly updates or CM9 with nighly updates, gummynex, cna, etc.

I came to the GN from the sensation because I got bored of waiting for AOSP roms. (complete ones.)
Specs wise Sensation SHOULD be superior. but in my hands the GN feels much faster. I've tried benchmarking them both, sensation got higher marks, but the GN feels faster doing eveyrthing. pr0n streaming, gaming and texting.

fortesquieu said:
First of all, benchmarks for GNex is definitely lower for a few reasons, the amount of pixels and also, the GPU is definitely not as superior as GSII's. But, it doesn't affect the performance on the phone, as stock ICS has an incredible speed. As for gaming, I would leave that to people who actually play games on their GNex.
With that being said, if you are deciding between Atrix and GNex, both of them share the exact same GPU.
As for the display, the pentile on GNex is NOT noticeable as the higher resolutions took care of that problem. FYI, Matrix 4G also uses pentile and its resolution is much lower than that of GNex.
For the average sized hands, this phone is comfortable in your hands, it's not wide, in fact, pretty narrow. However, the screen is pretty long (vertically), so you may have problems navigating from top to bottom of your screen using one hand (while using your thumb obviously).
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The atrix and gnex do NOT share the same gpu. They don't share much of any hardware. That being said depending on what the op wants both are capable phones. I would lean more on the GNex of course for lots of reasons. Also, both phones have great sound chips. I tend to favor the ti sound chip because it puts out cleaner bass for some reason and also the battery hit is substantially less on gnex. Otoh, the atrix has probably the best mono speaker out there. Plenty of volume and clarity and a little bass for how small the speaker is. The gnex also has a dedicated video chip which sips less battery than comparable phones. If reception is most important, the atrix wins hands down pulling down a signal and pulling down data in less optimal conditions.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.

Why does everyone who is looking to buy this phone need to start a new thread asking the same thing that had already been asked and answered in almost every other thread in the GN section.
If anyone is interested in getting this phone, take some time to read through the first couple of pages in this section. You will see everything you want to know about this phone had already been asked, answered, and beat to death. You will even find out things you won't want to know.
Not hating on the OP but people just need to read a little bit as there is so much info here already.

My friend has the Atrix. Pentile LCD implementation on that phone is horrible. Put both side by side and the decision will be made for you.
Pentile super AMOLED implementations on the Galaxy S and Nexus are beautiful.

I have a lot of graphics intensive games on my gnex, and they look amazing. No lag, super smooth, tons of detail. Especially games like Shine Runner, Dead Space, Riptide Gp, and Sprinkle. With its 4.65" display and hd rez, the gnex is awesome for gaming. Its as good or better than my old iphone 4S for gaming.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Having come from a Blackberry Bold 9000, this Nexus is freaking awesome. Even more awesome unlocked and rooted and customized to the n'th degree.

Related

[Q] Anyone upgrade from a Vibrant? Your input needed

Ok...I sold my Vibrant which i liked ALOt...I need a phone and undecided between gs2 and nexus...I'm concerned that the screen with same res may not look as good as my vibrant ...so how is the screen compared to vibrant? Is the gs2 heavier? How would you compare it to the older Galaxy s (Vibrant)? Any input would be great!
The nexus has the older weaker gpu and a weaker audio and not sure its worth the premium...why they put that gpu in is just retarded. anyway this phone would cost me a whopping $749 shipped for old gpu and sub par audio.
I came from the vibrant... my reply to you is that the Galaxy II is the phone I wished the Vibrant had been. It's fast with the Stock ROM, the GPS is reliable and locks quickly, data speeds are fast and web browsing is just about as good as it is on my laptop.
I rooted and froze the required apps to get away from the tethering restriction and am playing with custom kernels to get better performance and battery life. I'd like to see Cyanogen Mod for this phone and will install it but for now for me the Stock ROM with the Synergy/Bullet Kernels does the trick!
I can't comment on the Galaxy Nexus as I don't have one but these are my thoughts on the SGS II from Samsung on Tmobile
good
I agree the S2 is what I expected of the Vibrant... I swore I would never do Sammy again but glad I gave them a second chance..
ronin4740 said:
I came from the vibrant... my reply to you is that the Galaxy II is the phone I wished the Vibrant had been. It's fast with the Stock ROM, the GPS is reliable and locks quickly, data speeds are fast and web browsing is just about as good as it is on my laptop.
I rooted and froze the required apps to get away from the tethering restriction and am playing with custom kernels to get better performance and battery life. I'd like to see Cyanogen Mod for this phone and will install it but for now for me the Stock ROM with the Synergy/Bullet Kernels does the trick!
I can't comment on the Galaxy Nexus as I don't have one but these are my thoughts on the SGS II from Samsung on Tmobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is the display though? Larger screen and same resolution....I read some complain about fuzzyiness and blurry video?
I also came from vibrant....defintly the phone to get...like said before me this is everything you wish the vibrant was....my hope is that it has the same dev support as vibrant and so far it looks like were headed in that direction....i was also swaying toward nexus but its a watered down version of this phone the only thing bettet is the screen res...i have the lines on my screen but not really a issue cause to see them you have to set phone up to see them....kinda glad cause just gives me a reason for warrany if need be ....get this phone
+1
Had the Vibrant and hated it...swore off Samsung too. Compared side by side with HTC Amaze....well...you see the outcome
sgastel said:
I agree the S2 is what I expected of the Vibrant... I swore I would never do Sammy again but glad I gave them a second chance..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SGS2
i loved my vibrant but i needed to upgrade to a bigger screen and since GS2 was in the market i grabbed it despite the lower res the screen looks fantastic i recommend u to stop
at the t mobile store and take a look at it, it,s also fast i rooted it and put custom rom now the phone is from another galaxy ^_^.... i was originally gonna get nexus but i don't wanna wait/and pay over 800$ for it SGSII is a great choice i made and i don't regret it
i upgraded from the vibrant to the SG2...i wasnt sure if i wanted to because i loved my vibrant and felt the upgrade wasn't necessary...then i found someone selling it on craiglist for $450 (great price, brand new) so i decided to sell my vibrant...it was a great decision...like everyone else said, its what you wish the vibrant was supposed to be...everything functions the same with improvements (gps, front camera, 4g, camera flash)...it was a great choice...and if your a guy who likes to root and do all that stuff its a great choice because ODIN is something you are familiar with...the SG2 is pretty much the vibrant with enhancements and a bigger screen...well worth the money, especially if you kept your vibe in great condition and are looking to sell it...i sold mine for about $200 so SG2 only cost me an extra $250..no regrets
Loved my vibrant. Got a super-sweet deal on my sgsII. A good choice. The thing I miss most is all the TeamWhiskey flavors for the vibrant. As soon as I get that it will be perfect.
STi489 said:
Ok...I sold my Vibrant which i liked ALOt...I need a phone and undecided between gs2 and nexus...I'm concerned that the screen with same res may not look as good as my vibrant ...so how is the screen compared to vibrant? Is the gs2 heavier? How would you compare it to the older Galaxy s (Vibrant)? Any input would be great!
The nexus has the older weaker gpu and a weaker audio and not sure its worth the premium...why they put that gpu in is just retarded. anyway this phone would cost me a whopping $749 shipped for old gpu and sub par audio.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why did you sell your Vibrant if you liked it so much?
I also had a Vibrant, and really liked it. Awesome phone, EXCEPT that I really wanted a camera flash. I have kids, and I use the camera a lot, so a flash comes in real handy.
Anyway, to answer your question about the screen, the GS2 screen looks amazing, and I haven't noticed any degradation in visual quality, even though it's the same resolution on a larger screen. For me, it's a non-issue.
Weight? Non-issue. The GS2, though wide, is very light. And thin.
In terms of everyday performance, it's a great phone. Mine's rooted, and I'm running the Bombardier ROM, by TriCH. Great ROM, super smooth, no issues, and the phone is quick!
But does the performance blow away my Vibrant like I thought it would? No.
That being said, having the larger screen, camera flash, and solid GPS performance makes the upgrade completely worth it.
p.s. As far as graphics performance, I've actually had some stuttering during a few games (puffle launch, Angry Birds) that I did NOT have with my Vibrant. Go figure.
I loved my Vibrant, but my needs simply outstripped the processor and ram available to me.
I am in love with my SGS2.
There are only 2 catches I think you need to know about.
First are the issues with the lines on the screen--if you search this forum you'll find a lot about it.
Second, and most importantly to me, the DAC is just not the same as the Wolfson we had in the Vibrant. No Voodoo sound. However, none of the offerings we seem to have available to us now in the ballpark of processor and ram come close to what supercurio was able to give us there.
I have read about the screen issues with brightness on low...But i tend to keep my screen bright...I got rid of Vibrant because i wanted a larger screen and flash....I really want the Galaxy Nexus but i don't thinki can wait...Going to tmo to check out gs2....The studdering on angry birds is concerning..I don't play many games ..pretty much just pokerist...But there shouldn't be any issues running a game like angry birds.
STi489 said:
I have read about the screen issues with brightness on low...But i tend to keep my screen bright...I got rid of Vibrant because i wanted a larger screen and flash....I really want the Galaxy Nexus but i don't thinki can wait...Going to tmo to check out gs2....The studdering on angry birds is concerning..I don't play many games ..pretty much just pokerist...But there shouldn't be any issues running a game like angry birds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you read the other section?
you only need to install spare part, and disable old apps compatibility mode, which causes that problem in 2D games
I'm still inside 14days and trying to decide if I'm going to keep my SGS2. It took me a long time to get my Vibrant to the point where I was happy with it and I'm not sure if the flash and front camera are worth the $.
My other concern is that swype is awkward to use with one hand because this phone is so much wider than the vibrant. That plus continuing bluetooth problems are probably the two biggest reasons I would return this phone.
Even though the resolution is the same as vibrant it still looks really nice but YMMV.

Those of you that own a Galaxy-Nexus; are you happy ?

Curious the opinion of real owners of a Galaxy-Nexus, are you happy with your purchase ? Is it your favorite Android phone of all time ? I know only the European owners can tell me about the phone, which is slightly different than the CDMA version coming to the U.S., but overall do you like the new Nexus ?
I am looking to possibly leave the U.S. carrier Sprint, I have their Galaxy S 2, rooted with nice ROM, LOVE this phone, but hate Sprint service. Last few Sprint phones my Wife and Brother have as well, the worst network this year, 3G speeds in Chicago are like 1x Edge speeds at best, texting and receiving pictures is a pain, half don't go through, dropped calls have been happening more often the last couple of months.
So I might make the switch to Verizon, everyone I know with Verizon service swear by it as being rock solid, #1 call service, no dropped calls, very solid network. I use my phone a lot for business, and need a network that is faster and more stable.
And I am a huge Android fan, owned both the Nexus-One and Nexus-S 4G, and those were my favorite Android phones at the time I owned those. But Sprint is killing me.
It's a very solid device! You won't be disappointed!
Yes.
10char
I have had my SGN for a few days now. I got it from Expansys, who provided extremely good service in getting it to me! I am still learning how to use Android (this is my first android so it is slow learning ).
But the large, bright screen, ability to enlarge text (so my weak eyes can read it), ease of use, is a winner for me. So far, I have not run into any problems, so I am real pleased!
Extremely happy! I've been on android since getting the G1 on day one. This is by far the best device I've ever owned. You can look at all the youtube videos and reviews you want but once you get the phone in your hands you'll be blown away!
Love the device.
Hard to know whether it's ICS or the phone itself which stands out. ICS was very good on the Nexus S, but only really played with it as an SDK port. Hopefully will have chance to play with my old S when it officially gets ICS.
The screen (despite the weirdness on low brightness) is stunning, the OS is incredibly smooth and slick - it impresses me MUCH more than iOS which I've always loved for it's transitions and smoothness. Web browsing is also excellent - incredibly fast. Call and Audio quality are also excellent
The only drawback is that it's a little on the large side (sometimes hard to grab the notification bar with one hand)
I've come from the Nexus S, I'm not sure a GSII (once it gets ICS) would be much of a noticeable/fantastic upgrade though. Maybe more a sidegrade - although the shape of the GN, lack of hard/soft buttons & Screen curve do make it look massively pretty. It's also MUCH less common than the GSII & comes with pure Android - definitely a plus!
You won't be unhappy upgrading from a 2.3.x GS2 but as soon as the ICS official or custom ROM's hit it may well be a closer call!
Have had my GN for 9 days now and loving it. I have no regrets on buying it and highly enjoy both the hardware and vanilla android.
I do see what people say if the screen brightness is really low its doesn't look that great but I typically keep my screen set at 50% so its not a issue for me.
If I had to really point out a single thing that is probably the biggest drawback is the damn speaker is so quiet its basically useless unless your in a quiet environment. Driving down the highway with the music on quietly (drive a 08' bmw and its quiet inside) theres only a couple ringtones that are barely audible. My iphone speaker was loud enough to hear in all but the loudest places.
galaxy nexus
Love the screen love the size, the Chrome type browser is fantastic, however there are issues, why would you launch a new phone with no manual.Customer care at Samsung are unaware of the model of phone. The bug volume bug is now fixed but there is no flash which is ridicolous one of the primary reasons you chose android. Also the phone dialler ui is crap its all over the place and its complicated just for the sake if it.. Iam used to htc phones and in my opinion the tweak to the original ui is just the most simplistic thing to use..
I LOVE it! Especially when you can go to Wal Mart and get on a T-Mobile $30/m prepaid plan that gives you unlimited data and texts and 100 minutes with no contract, you'll end up breaking even in no time from Sprint.
It's not perfect but it's a fantastic device. Easily the best I've ever owned. Very happy with it.
I only wish they included gorilla glass. People can laugh at gorilla glass all they want but the fact for me is, my nexus already has 3 scratches on it. While my 1.5 y/o vibrant still looks brand spanking new.
Some who are coming from a GSII are disappointed. But that's really a lateral move, so otherwise, quite fantastic!
Very zippy. A great improvement over my N1 in terms of speed and function. Though I will miss the illuminated LED trackball.
What about voice/call quality!?
For example - huge improvement with a Razr over my ole' Droid Incredible.
What about the GNex?
seanmcd72 said:
What about voice/call quality!?
For example - huge improvement with a Razr over my ole' Droid Incredible.
What about the GNex?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my experience i find it better than the nexus s...
I had a galaxy s II and I enjoy the nexus more..
The Galaxy Nexus feels a lot better in the hand.. and I love the display and I particularly enjoy the lack of capacitive buttons on the front. Just staring at a 4.65" monolithic display with nothing to break up the sleek look.
Ice Cream Sandwich is really what brings it all together for me, though.. it's such a huge improvement over gingerbread.. it's hard for me to use the gmail app on gingerbread now..
This is easily the best android device I've ever owned.. even though the Galaxy S II has better specs, this device feels like it is in another league to me.
How are the network/wifi speeds? Is it 4G capable? Still trying to choose between this and the LG Optimus LTE.
I am really considering getting a Nexus to upgrade from my HTC Desire but I'm not sure if I should wait for a mobile phone with better hardware specifications (e.g. Quad-core processors) to be released if that is the case very soon or if I should just go with the Nexus.
I think it would be a big upgrade from my awesome Desire. The idea of a stock Android Google/Samsung phone makes things very exciting, as well. The only thing holding me back are the reviews going on about how the Nexus is the best Android phone on the market but isn't good enough to be a flagship phone because of it's hardware but it appears to be a wonderful device.
Did anyone here that owns a GSN come from a phone like the HTC Desire at all? I am trying to figure out this years Christmas gift to myself, you see!
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium
lathanub said:
I am really considering getting a Nexus to upgrade from my HTC Desire but I'm not sure if I should wait for a mobile phone with better hardware specifications (e.g. Quad-core processors) to be released if that is the case very soon or if I should just go with the Nexus.
I think it would be a big upgrade from my awesome Desire. The idea of a stock Android Google/Samsung phone makes things very exciting, as well. The only thing holding me back are the reviews going on about how the Nexus is the best Android phone on the market but isn't good enough to be a flagship phone because of it's hardware but it appears to be a wonderful device.
Did anyone here that owns a GSN come from a phone like the HTC Desire at all? I am trying to figure out this years Christmas gift to myself, you see!
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPGRADE I had an Inspire (a model up i think) and this phone is a HUGE upgrade! besides there wont be another nexus device for a good while yet so you will have less development options on them.
overall yes.
I'm looking forward to a lot of apps being updated to function on ics.
I don't get the same speeds as I was pulling on my skyrocket, but I would never know if I didn't run speedtest. My google music and everything else runs fast and smooth.
no regrets...
I'm very happy. The only bad thing abt the phone. It's written Samsung at the back...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

Galaxy Nexus or iPhone 4s?

Hey Guys...I have an iPhone 4s But I am really curious about the Galaxy Nexus.
Has anyone gone that route? Has anyone gone from a iPhone 4s to the Nexus? What are your thoughts? I am not new to Android......I had a Bionic a Thunderbolt before my iPhone..... Just wanted to get some input as I can trade my iPhone for a Nexus straight up...
I just did the trade. Its got its pros and its cons. You do get the bigger screen but make sure you check it out cause the screen can be overwhelming. It was for me. The camera is the worst compared to the iPhone. I really miss the camera. Battery is about the same for both (meaning they suck). Nexus is because of the lte though. If you have a Mac then you are going to miss I cloud cause it all worked great. Twitter lags badly on nexus if you use that but I think that's due to incompatibility with ics.
The positives though, screen looks amazing with the vibrant colors. Great for games. I love the hacking community. All in all its a great phone. I really miss my iPhone and siri but I love this big guy. Make sure you really play around with a nexus before trading.
Also the first nexus I got had real bad vertical lines on it when it was dim. I returned it and got a new one which is more bearable but still there.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
ruben8448 said:
I just did the trade. Its got its pros and its cons. You do get the bigger screen but make sure you check it out cause the screen can be overwhelming. It was for me. The camera is the worst compared to the iPhone. I really miss the camera. Battery is about the same for both (meaning they suck). Nexus is because of the lte though. If you have a Mac then you are going to miss I cloud cause it all worked great. Twitter lags badly on nexus if you use that but I think that's due to incompatibility with ics.
The positives though, screen looks amazing with the vibrant colors. Great for games. I love the hacking community. All in all its a great phone. I really miss my iPhone and siri but I love this big guy. Make sure you really play around with a nexus before trading.
Also the first nexus I got had real bad vertical lines on it when it was dim. I returned it and got a new one which is more bearable but still there.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Thank you.....so I see a lot of pros and cons for both phones......but if you had to do it over again would you?
My Bionic lasted about 16 hours for normal (for me) use. My iPhone last about 2 days between charges. But I do take a lot of pictures with my phone and like to carry it in my pocket....so not sure the Nexus will fit in my jean pocket.....
jamezr said:
Thank you.....so I see a lot of pros and cons for both phones......but if you had to do it over again would you?
My Bionic lasted about 16 hours for normal (for me) use. My iPhone last about 2 days between charges. But I do take a lot of pictures with my phone and like to carry it in my pocket....so not sure the Nexus will fit in my jean pocket.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Nexus fits fine in my pockets lol
I love the nexus definitely but if I had to do it again I don't think I would. I really do love the iPhone. Especially if you plan in taking a lot of pics. They have a thread on here with peoples pics on their nexus and you can see the difference in quality between the 2. If you go for Verizon lte version then you get a huge boost in speed.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
jamezr said:
Hey Guys...I have an iPhone 4s But I am really curious about the Galaxy Nexus.
Has anyone gone that route? Has anyone gone from a iPhone 4s to the Nexus? What are your thoughts? I am not new to Android......I had a Bionic a Thunderbolt before my iPhone..... Just wanted to get some input as I can trade my iPhone for a Nexus straight up...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did, though I still have the i4S as well so it was not really a switch. I'm basically using two phones now
It depends what do you do mostly on the phone. Both devices are great, there are some fields where i4S literally trumps GNexus like the camera, so if you often take pictures with your iPhone, you will be really disappointed, but otherwise it's mostly a matter of display/OS preference: huge GNexus display with Android, or tiny iPhone display with iOS. I could live with any of those devices if I was forced to use only one, so if you are draw to Nexus screen, and you won't miss iOS only features like iMessage, go for it..
For me there isn't any question - I ditched iOS last year and haven't looked back. I preferred even the screens of the Captivate and the Fascinate over the iPhone due to the brightness and color saturation. I soon learned, though, that the screen was only the beginning. There is so much more you can do with Android than with iOS - you can run custom ROMs, kernels and themes, making your phone look and function just about any way you want. I could go into details, but you're better off discovering for yourself. While the display alone would have made me pick the Galaxy Nexus, with the vast possibilities Android offers over iOS, it's a foregone conclusion in my opinion. Oh, one more thing... The Gnex has LTE 4G Internet, while the iPhone is only capable of 3G - you have to experience it to truly appreciate the difference. My advice is obvious - Gnex ftw
Has anyone seen John Connor?
Wtf do you think
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Do you honestly think you're going to get an overwhelming response telling you to get the iPhone... on a hacking forum... in the Galaxy Nexus subforum?
4s offer battery
GN offer 4g and large screen
both OS got apps.
my co-worker got a 4s and i got a GN... each day my GN at least charge once at work while he playing games without fear of getting low battery...
Samsung Focus S
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Sorry 2 posts went through
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I hate the lack of customization, tiny screen, and undersaturated colors on the iPhone.
And the Nexus is integrated much better with google products.
Iphone 3g.
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I had 4 then 4s then razr then went back to my 4s. Once I got the GN only thing I miss is the camera I find android much better OS for customization which I really enjoy doin with my phone. All comes down to preference of course.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
I own both right now if you need a camera go with the iPhone also if you play lots of games the iPhone will likely be your phone of choice. Everything else is about the same or better on the nexus. Ics is light years ahead of the iphones iOS 5 but like the guy Said up top this is an android hacking development forum for this phone.... so your not going to get the best results, I can say that the galaxy nexus received better reviews. Do some more research look at reviews and iPhone 4s vs Galaxy Nexus videos
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At first I was going to give you a hard time and tell you that if you even have to ask you should get the iPhone. But then I remembered that when I went from the iPhone to the Nexus One, I absolutely hated and regretted it. But here I am 3 years later and on my 4th straight Android phone and I will tell you that you are going to love it. No matter what, just give it time.
If people knew how to use the camera on the gnex there wouldnt be much difference. The fast shutter mode is what causes the inconsistent pictures. If you hold the camera button and let it focus, it will take a great picture.
Apple as a company, has a far different mind set when compared to companies like Google.
Apple stands behind their product.. period!.. and they are more interested in quality and innovative products.. (hardware and software wise).. than in mass production of low quality items that have potential to become very popular in the short run.
If you were like me.. desperately waiting for the GNEX since their announcement in October.. you would have seen how miserable Google was and still is.. when it comes to controlling and showing some interest for perfecting their flagship device. They are miserable in that. After all they are a search Engine company at their core that rely on advertisements.
Apple is not like that.. They cater to their home market FIRST.. They dictate their terms to the carriers.. and they never NEVER compromise on design and functionality.
If Apple doesn't do something.. (like 4G LTE).. yet.. then there is a good solid reason why. (the answer is pretty obvious when it comes to the current generation LTE chips)..
iOS is far more advanced and better integrated than Android will ever be. .. that is because at the core level.. Android relies on Java to linux conversion.. and has a severe draw back when it comes to Graphics rendering.
This is why Android phones MUST have dual core processors and higher RAM..
Thanks to clever marketing.. this gets disguised as if Android is making quantum leaps with packing more power into smartphones..
But reality is in front of you. The Galaxy Nexus has severe lags in many cases..
an underclocked iphone 4s will run pretty much ANYTHING much MUCH better than any android device.. period!..
Not to mention.. an iphone 4s out of the box will give you a 170 Linpack score... a score that others can only dream of.
If you love tinkering with your phone.. if you love installing custom roms (that still suck at many levels).. and if you love to be on a constant quest to de-bug your phone and installing third party apps just to make your phone function the way it was supposed to out of the box.. then Android is for you.
If you are more interested in having a bug-free.. slick interface and integration with all apps and the OS... along with a state of the art hardware.. then Apple it is.
My biggest concern with the iphone 4s was the screen size and 3G speeds.
Trust me.. smartphones currently do not necessarily NEED 4G speeds. I would still have loved a slightly larger screen size on my iphone.. but I love the fact that the phone is compact and slick. 3G speeds on Verizon are plenty enough to stream you-tube videos without much delay even in HD.... same with the Browser.. all thanks to intense optimization in ios.
For what it is worth.. I used to be an android developer.. and I used to tear apart Android ROMs and build them from scratch.
I've jumped over to the iphone 4s.. and I'm never looking back.
androidbuff123 said:
Apple as a company, has a far different mind set when compared to companies like Google.
Apple stands behind their product.. period!.. and they are more interested in quality and innovative products.. (hardware and software wise).. than in mass production of low quality items that have potential to become very popular in the short run.
If you were like me.. desperately waiting for the GNEX since their announcement in October.. you would have seen how miserable Google was and still is.. when it comes to controlling and showing some interest for perfecting their flagship device. They are miserable in that. After all they are a search Engine company at their core that rely on advertisements.
Apple is not like that.. They cater to their home market FIRST.. They dictate their terms to the carriers.. and they never NEVER compromise on design and functionality.
If Apple doesn't do something.. (like 4G LTE).. yet.. then there is a good solid reason why. (the answer is pretty obvious when it comes to the current generation LTE chips)..
iOS is far more advanced and better integrated than Android will ever be. .. that is because at the core level.. Android relies on Java to linux conversion.. and has a severe draw back when it comes to Graphics rendering.
This is why Android phones MUST have dual core processors and higher RAM..
Thanks to clever marketing.. this gets disguised as if Android is making quantum leaps with packing more power into smartphones..
But reality is in front of you. The Galaxy Nexus has severe lags in many cases..
an underclocked iphone 4s will run pretty much ANYTHING much MUCH better than any android device.. period!..
Not to mention.. an iphone 4s out of the box will give you a 170 Linpack score... a score that others can only dream of.
If you love tinkering with your phone.. if you love installing custom roms (that still suck at many levels).. and if you love to be on a constant quest to de-bug your phone and installing third party apps just to make your phone function the way it was supposed to out of the box.. then Android is for you.
If you are more interested in having a bug-free.. slick interface and integration with all apps and the OS... along with a state of the art hardware.. then Apple it is.
My biggest concern with the iphone 4s was the screen size and 3G speeds.
Trust me.. smartphones currently do not necessarily NEED 4G speeds. I would still have loved a slightly larger screen size on my iphone.. but I love the fact that the phone is compact and slick. 3G speeds on Verizon are plenty enough to stream you-tube videos without much delay even in HD.... same with the Browser.. all thanks to intense optimization in ios.
For what it is worth.. I used to be an android developer.. and I used to tear apart Android ROMs and build them from scratch.
I've jumped over to the iphone 4s.. and I'm never looking back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yaaaaawwnn.
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[Q] Need Buying Advice (Sprint) GNex or GS3?

I basically need to decide between these two phones, on Sprint. The pros and cons from my point of view are the following:
Pros
----
GNex: better aesthetics (imo), no physical buttons, Nexus device thus great ROMs/Community, no annoying partition scheme for the 32GB
GS3: better specs, larger screen (possibly a con, lol), sdcard slot, potential for great community due to widespread distribution and popularity, better camera, more overall space
Cons
----
GNex: no sdcard slot, slower specs
GS3: physical/capacitive buttons, and while it has excitement around it now, who knows if there will be a dev community 6-9 months from now or how long it will take to get ROM updates with new versions of Android (incl. jelly bean) with fully functioning parts, seems to split the 32GB up into 16/16 for apps/media, which I hate, I want it all for whatever I want (or say, 32GB all for apps, then put media on sdcard!)
Other thoughts
--------------
-I do not live in an LTE launch area, and honestly, likely won't for at least 9-12 months if not longer. I have awesome wifi at home/work though so Sprint's crappy 3G is bearable, most of the time.
-I have an EVO 3D now, and finally, as of like a month ago, I have a working ICS rom with camera that is AOSP, but for most of the last 12 months I've had to decide between Sense (which I hate), ICS without features (such as camera/bt), or Gingerbread. I REALLY don't want to end up in that situation again
-I much much much much prefer AOSP roms and will be rooting/flashing the moment anything is available for the GS3 or the moment I get home for the GNex
-I've had various phones (see sig), but my N1 was hands down my favorite phone
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I appreciate any thoughts and commentary!
In short, I want the best specs I can get on Sprint, but desperately want an active dev community and plenty of ROMs, and though the GS3 has better specs, it's too early to know for sure about the community months from now, and plus, I like the software buttons and the look of the GNex. I am indecisive :-/
edit: the only real concern I have about the specs is gaming or media playback (via plex)
Played with it for 2 hours and I could not deal with the touch wiz crap. Felt like I was on the GS2 all over again. I like my GNexus that I picked up yesterday.
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If you want an aosp device the gnex is the obvious option. Especially with this jelly bean port we have for the sprint nexus its amazing.
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I'm not in the US but I have both the GN and SGS3 (i9300) version. Just to let you know the size of the SGS3 isn't that much bigger than the GN. It looks like you are looking for a AOSP experience so I would say you should go with the GN, I loaded JellyBean on it and it is super smooth, but don't get me wrong the SGS3 is a beautiful devices and I'm sure somebody will be porting AOKP or CM9 over to the Sprint version soon as it is already on the i9300.
I hate touchwiz as well so I loaded a custom ROM and used Nova Launcher. Good luck in deciding but you won't regret either device.
From the responses from you guys, I am definitely leaning towards the GNex. I have been browsing around the Sprint development section on here, and there's definitely a lot of activity (which doesn't surprise me). And AOSP is very much my cup of tea, I have no desire for TouchWiz. I know the GS3 will have ports and all, but the Sprint one doesn't seem to have anything in terms of JB yet, whereas the GNex JB porting seems all but completely done already.
My EVO 3D has the Qualcomm MSM8660, 2 cores at 1.2 GHz at stock speeds, and the GNex has the TI OMAP 4460, also 2 cores at 1.2 GHz at stock. I know when the GNex first came out, some people were disappointed in the processor. Have any of you found it to be insufficient? I know it can be overclocked, and I'm sure I will so long as it doesn't cause too much battery loss, but is it sufficient for higher-end games? I looked at the GPUs (Adreno 220 vs. PowerVR SGX540), too, but my knowledge of mobile GPUs is practically nonexistent...
I think the OMAP is plenty powerful, I haven't really found a want for more CPU power ESPECIALLY after Jelly Bean. Device just fly's now.
The main difference between the GS3 and the Gnex is going to be the GPU. Now I don't really game on mobile devices (hardcore gamer on PC and consoles all my life, so the "great" mobile games don't do anything for me only the crazy ones do like Edge or Osmos) but it has been brought to my attention multiple times of people having only just enough performance for high end games.
I've played a little shadowgun, mostly just to test USB OTG and a PS3 controller lol, and that game runs smooth enough. Could use a little more power here and there though.
I think the other benefits of Gnex far outweigh this though. Even more so if you buy retail since it's almost half the price for, what I think, is a much better phone and mobile experience.
I came from a gs2 and this phone is a breath of fresh air. No more waiting for OTAs either!
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And like the guy above me said, its about mobile experience not necessarily newest tech
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It depends on your usage, if directed to games, go for GS3, in my view, any kind of use out of it, go with GN.
The GN screen is even dimmer than the SGS3. That is a serious con. Battery is much much lower also. Plus no SD and only 5Mpx camera (which produces bad video).
Still, the GN is awesome in other things, like the on screen buttons and updates. It probably will also get Android 5.0. The back cover is better to hold.
I think the next Nexus will be a LOT better. Im sure it will have an IPS display, like the Nexus 7, plus quad core with JB will be awesome. It if were here today I would have bought it over the SGS3.
For development and if its your main purpose, Nexus hands down.
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i too am in the same situation i have always love the gs series however they never realease ota's chances of you getting jb on it a high however you won't get it until 5.0 is released while the nexus will have it months and months before it but the camera is kinda a deal breaker for me i don't use the camera so that isn't a issue for me..
Trust me when I tell you, since you do a lot of hacking, Nexus will be the best choice hands down. Yes, it has slower spec and no sd card... I was complaining too, but after few days, that doesn't seem to matter for me anymore.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Confessions from a Nexus 5/former Galaxy Nexus User

When I got my Galaxy Nexus (GN) it was sheer happiness. I was using a legacy Nokia Symbian candy bar and this was my first foray into unmolested Android. While all was not perfect with the GN, I was still mostly pleased. Then the fateful day occurred when I dropped the GN a little too hard and the screen shattered even though the phone was protected by a Diztronic TPU case. I now needed a new phone, but I knew the Nexus 5 (N5) would be out soon, so I kept using my shattered GN until the N5 was available and when it arrived, I realized cracking my screen was a blessing in disguise.
Without further ado, my quick major comparisons to the GN:
The N5 is FAST. REALLY FAST. It makes my GN feel like an unfinished prototype/research model that should have never been brought to market.
The N5’s GPS locks on quickly. REALLY quickly. My GN could take a minute or more at times to get a lock and, by then, my wife, annoyed, would whip out her iPhone and tell me my phone sucks.
The N5 has “awesome battery life.” While its battery life is average in general, compared to the GN it is legendary. The GN’s screen and data connection would kill the battery and it would rarely last till the afternoon if I frequently used both. With the N5 I can make heavy use of my screen and data connection and my battery will likely last the day.
Qi support. This makes number 3 above even better and there’s no jamming of Micro-USB ports into the phone and hoping I didn’t have the port upside-down (particularly when it’s dark/at night). When I’m at my desk, my phone is always charging. When a call comes in, I simply pick up the phone and then put it back down to charge when I’m done—nothing to plug in/I’m untethered. When I leave my desk for an hour or three, I have no fear of using or pushing the phone as hard as I’d like as I know I’m probably fully charged, because the phone was sitting on the charger, and I’ll have more than enough battery life for whatever I might encounter. Qi is simply elegant and something the iPhone can’t do.
LTE. While I got decent “4G” speeds on the GN—around 8Mbps down—the 20+/30+Mbps I get now alongside far better PING times is a great improvement.
The N5 has almost zero lag. It’s really that fast. My GN was almost all lag. Project Butter improved things, but the GN still has lag all over the place. I’m sure the N5 will start to slow down as newer software makes greater demands of the hardware, but, for now, this thing flies.
If you’re still using a GN, stop. It sucks, particularly when compared to a modem smart phone. Get the N5 and stop having your wife/girlfriend tell you your phone sucks, because it does.
Cheers.
GN sucks? Off course if you are comparing it to a 2 year newer phone with much better specs... Compare the Galaxy Nexus with Galaxy S2 (similar hardware) or even with newer phones but without those overwhelming specs and GN still rocks.
Maybe not everyone is rich and can affort paying up to 300$ per 2 years for a new phone... We all know that Nexus 5 is better than Galaxy Nexus in everything, I would like to say "Thank you mr obvious".
The point is, I'm happy with my GN, it has poor batery, awful speaker sound and s*tty Wi-Fi antenna but aside that it is a great phone which doesn't lag at all if you equip it with a good kernel and a stable rom. Well, it lags in heavy games or apps but I'm sure a bad optimized app will also lag in the Nexus 5.
I agree with Rayaxe. Of course the Nexus 5 is a much better phone in every aspect, but why does that suddenly mean the Galaxy Nexus sucks?
And I can say, aside from games (I don't really play very demanding games, so I wouldn't know), my phone with KitKat and Mpokang flies. It hasn't lagged at all, not once, and I can multitask without problems (in 4.3 it was painful, compared to 4.4). So I also agree that with a good ROM and kernel that's not an issue.
I still want to get a Nexus 5 (which at the moment is a bit difficult for me, because of my country's massive currency devaluation), but certainly not because I got tired of my GN or feel that it's old/sucks, etc.
AnnS said:
I agree with Rayaxe. Of course the Nexus 5 is a much better phone in every aspect, but why does that suddenly mean the Galaxy Nexus sucks?
And I can say, aside from games (I don't really play very demanding games, so I wouldn't know), my phone with KitKat and Mpokang flies. It hasn't lagged at all, not once, and I can multitask without problems (in 4.3 it was painful, compared to 4.4). So I also agree that with a good ROM and kernel that's not an issue.
I still want to get a Nexus 5 (which at the moment is a bit difficult for me, because of my country's massive currency devaluation), but certainly not because I got tired of my GN or feel that it's old/sucks, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but the Galaxy Nexus does suck.
I'm agree with your comparison. Nexus 5 is much much better than GNex.
But I think it's rude to say GNex sucks.
When GNex just launched, it's also great, isn't it?
Nexus 5 will be in a same position I believe, when the newest Nexus will get launched in the year 2015!
I still love my GNex. Gonna use it for 1 more year.
My wife is still under GN contract and the GN is still nice and getting it done.
This is like the most stupid sentence you could write.
It's like, I remember, when the Game Boy Advance came out and in the shop where I went to buy it a guy told me for 10 minutes how it was the best console ever, how awsome it was etc.
Two years after the Game Boy SP came out and the same guy told me that this was the best console ever and blablabla.
I mean, it's obvious, the upgrade of a phone has to be better than the old version (if it wasn't what kind of upgrade would it be?!), but this doesn't mean that the previous version then sucks.
And maybe you were saying the same about the N1 when the GN came out...
Thank you all for the support of GNex in this forum. I have also switched to N5.
Are you serious? I have a newsflash for you: the Xbox one is better than the Xbox 360. This is just dumb to say dude, no offence. I still love my gnex, it rocks. Its flying and of course it wont play asphalt 8 on max. But its a 2 year old phone.. This is a stupid comparison and a bad conclusion. Sorry to say that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium HD app
I think you should buy an I-Phone 5S
mrgnex said:
Are you serious? I have a newsflash for you: the Xbox one is better than the Xbox 360. This is just dumb to say dude, no offence. I still love my gnex, it rocks. Its flying and of course it wont play asphalt 8 on max. But its a 2 year old phone.. This is a stupid comparison and a bad conclusion. Sorry to say that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
, I can play Asphalt 8 with graphics on Low without any lag (in medium it laggs a little bit) and I don't notice any difference in graphics (maybe some lights but irrelevant), the gameplay isn't affected even a bit so why should I care? I am not playing in a TV to tell the difference, in a small screen with a large resolution for its size (like GN) the graphics will always be good for the eye (at least for me and I'm not blind).
Asphalt 8 with Low Graphics > PSP Graphics... so, our Galaxy Nexus can preform really well in gaming, it's not that crap.
I think it's hypocritical to be a fan of the Nexus philosophy and upgrade every year cause of the specs. The original intent of the Nexus line was to show that it isn't about the hardware but the software ultimately delivers. That's why every Nexus phone up to the Gnex had subpar specs, and why people chose to buy Nexus devices cause of the philosophy. The only way I'm changing phones is when this one croaks and I haven't felt limited enough to ditch this phone for my uses. Especially over specs when realtime usage besides gaming is only milliseconds apart from $150 phone vs a $350-$700 phone. Anything, KitKat shows there's still potential to tap. Our brothers with the Nexus S, the HD2s would agree as much.
This thread is stupid. Gnex<3
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lonestrider said:
I'm agree with your comparison. Nexus 5 is much much better than GNex.
But I think it's rude to say GNex sucks.
When GNex just launched, it's also great, isn't it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought this phone due to it's hype. And frankly the S2 I feel is a better phone till today. And from launch this phone had lag issues on ICS and also grainy displays.
Battery life was also rubbish from day 1. I didn't feel it back then because I had no data plan. Speaker is also another lousy aspect of this phone. I've also had stock 4.0.1 totally made me go into a bootloop.
I went through 2 screen replacements, a battery and motherboard replacement. And today my phone reboots after using 3-5 GB of space. Does it suck? I'm afraid it sucks hard.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I came from an iPhone 4 to a gnex when it first launched, I have to say I loved the large screen of the gnex at first because iPhones always feel tiny an narrow in comparison an still do to this day but everything else sucked about gnex.
Wow. I didn’t expect all the negativity and blind support for the GN, but I’m glad to see many here also agree with my assessment of the GN’s performance. My intention wasn’t to create a “GN sucks” thread, but, rather, to share my experience as a GN owner and enlighten my fellow GN owners as to how taken aback I was and how much better the smartphone experience is with the N5. I didn’t realize how good Android could be/how poor of a performer the GN is until I received the N5. Yes, one should expect the latest and greatest to perform better than an older model, but I chose to share my experience with the community because I am a part of the community and I wanted my fellow GN owners to know how significant this was for me, a GN owner.
As for the GN zealots, I apologize if I insulted you—feel free to keep your legacy device/I won’t make further commentary on this—but, again, the smartphone experience of a GN, compared to the N5, well, sucks, and after using the N5 I feel I was fortunate to have the display of my GN crack. Maybe you’ll get lucky as well .
you're comparing the n5 to a 2-year old phone. of course it will suck in comparison to the n5. the n5 will probably suck in comparison to whatever device is released this time in 2015.
on a tangent, though, i really wish these phones wouldn't get so big. i'd actually like a high-end phone that's not 5" or some craziness like that. i really wouldn't want to have to get an iphone just to get a high-end phone that is around the size i prefer.
naturalblue said:
on a tangent, though, i really wish these phones wouldn't get so big. i'd actually like a high-end phone that's not 5" or some craziness like that. i really wouldn't want to have to get an iphone just to get a high-end phone that is around the size i prefer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I didn’t get the N5 I would have gotten the Moto X, which it probably as close as you’ll get to a modern Nexus with a smaller screen.

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