The official Nexus 5 thread.

[antef]

Moto X.

I'm buying without contract so the value for the price and specs just isn't there. Plus I'd like bigger than the N5, not smaller.

 

[lothar]

I'm buying without contract so the value for the price and specs just isn't there. Plus I'd like bigger than the N5, not smaller.

Yeah, that's the only bad thing about the Moto X.
It seems Motorola is only interested in contract customers while stiffing their potential off-contract customers.

 

[antef]

Yep, the Moto X dev edition is $550. Not the best value. I'm thinking of three options:

1) Return N5 and wait for Galaxy S 5 GPe. This could potentially be a great phone but it'd be painful to wait and what if a GS5 GPe doesn't even come out?
2) Return N5 and get G2, deal with ROMs. In a year when 4.5 or 5.0 comes out, will probably have to replace it to get the new OS.
3) Keep N5, root/tweak, hope battery is tolerable.

 

[lothar]

Yep, the Moto X dev edition is $550. Not the best value. I'm thinking of three options:

1) Return N5 and wait for Galaxy S 5 GPe. This could potentially be a great phone but it'd be painful to wait and what if a GS5 GPe doesn't even come out?
2) Return N5 and get G2, deal with ROMs. In a year when 4.5 or 5.0 comes out, will probably have to replace it to get the new OS.
3) Keep N5, root/tweak, hope battery is tolerable.

#1 will be a long wait for the Galaxy S5 GPe...Probably June or July.
#2 doesn't make any sense to me. Personally, I just can't deal with the stupid back buttons or the cheap glossy back.
#3 Nexus battery is average(meaning it's tolerable). Nothing spectacular about it, but it's certainly tolerable.

Only #3 makes sense IMO.

 

[dawheat]

#1 will be a long wait for the Galaxy S5 GPe...Probably June or July.
#2 doesn't make any sense to me. Personally, I just can't deal with the stupid back buttons or the cheap glossy back.
#3 Nexus battery is average(meaning it's tolerable). Nothing spectacular about it, but it's certainly tolerable.

Only #3 makes sense IMO.

#1 is maybe, maybe not. There are rumors that the S5 is being pulled up to early Q1 2014 due to disappointing (for Samsung) sales. So a GPe version might still happen in Q1. The only problem is there is no way to know if this rumor is true or not.

 

[antef]

#1 will be a long wait for the Galaxy S5 GPe...Probably June or July.
#2 doesn't make any sense to me. Personally, I just can't deal with the stupid back buttons or the cheap glossy back.
#3 Nexus battery is average(meaning it's tolerable). Nothing spectacular about it, but it's certainly tolerable.

Only #3 makes sense IMO.

Thanks for your input...I'm really stuck on this so every opinion helps! The back buttons do make me mad, they are fine to use when holding the phone, but not when it's on a table. The gimmicky knock on feature shouldn't be required just to turn your phone on. I guess the thing about the N5 is it just doesn't blow me away - the camera is tolerable, the battery life is tolerable, and the screen is fine. KitKat is fine but still has its issues, running 4.2 isn't the end of the world. So I'm trying to figure out if the 5.2" screen and battery of the G2 are worth an extra $175 ($525 current price at AT&T). Those are really the only two features that draw me to it.

 

[s44]

So a GPe version might still happen in Q1. The only problem is there is no way to know if this rumor is true or not.

If it comes out that early, though, what new platform would it be on? It seems a bit too soon for Exynos 6, and we haven't even seen a roadmap for Qualcomm past S800. What, then -- Valley View!?

This is one reason I don't think there will be an early S5. Maybe the rumored "premium build" phone...

 

[antef]

#1 is maybe, maybe not. There are rumors that the S5 is being pulled up to early Q1 2014 due to disappointing (for Samsung) sales. So a GPe version might still happen in Q1. The only problem is there is no way to know if this rumor is true or not.

I just wonder if there will be new GPe phones at all. It targets a pretty niche audience and I wouldn't be shocked if HTC or Samsung decided not to do it again.

 

[lothar]

Thanks for your input...I'm really stuck on this so every opinion helps! The back buttons do make me mad, they are fine to use when holding the phone, but not when it's on a table. The gimmicky knock on feature shouldn't be required just to turn your phone on. I guess the thing about the N5 is it just doesn't blow me away - the camera is tolerable, the battery life is tolerable, and the screen is fine. KitKat is fine but still has its issues, running 4.2 isn't the end of the world. So I'm trying to figure out if the 5.2" screen and battery of the G2 are worth an extra $175 ($525 current price at AT&T). Those are really the only two features that draw me to it.

Hell to the no.

 

[Apex]

Thanks for your input...I'm really stuck on this so every opinion helps! The back buttons do make me mad, they are fine to use when holding the phone, but not when it's on a table. The gimmicky knock on feature shouldn't be required just to turn your phone on. I guess the thing about the N5 is it just doesn't blow me away - the camera is tolerable, the battery life is tolerable, and the screen is fine. KitKat is fine but still has its issues, running 4.2 isn't the end of the world. So I'm trying to figure out if the 5.2" screen and battery of the G2 are worth an extra $175 ($525 current price at AT&T). Those are really the only two features that draw me to it.

I'm curious as to why not just pick it up from Swappa or eBay? New G2 seem to run around $420 shipped or so for the AT&T version, with no tax. Heck, some of the others are dropping below $400. Compared to $349 plus tax and shipping, there's only a few bucks difference.

 

[soccerballtux]

Hell to the no.

sdcard too but N5 is much sleeker.

Better yet, get the Nexus 7. You'll be future proof for years to come and ahead of the N6 when it comes out

 

[antef]

I'm curious as to why not just pick it up from Swappa or eBay? New G2 seem to run around $420 shipped or so for the AT&T version, with no tax. Heck, some of the others are dropping below $400. Compared to $349 plus tax and shipping, there's only a few bucks difference.

Where are you seeing new G2s on eBay for $400? I haven't seen new ones going for less than $500. Also the concern of warranty - if I buy new, but from eBay, would LG honor the warranty?

 

[Apex]

Where are you seeing new G2s on eBay for $400? I haven't seen new ones going for less than $500. Also the concern of warranty - if I buy new, but from eBay, would LG honor the warranty?

I haven't tracked AT&T on eBay in the last few days, but I've tracked the Sprint ones, and they've been closing a few bucks under Swappa. I just picked up a Sprint G2 on Swappa for right about there.

Swappa's current (and recently sold) AT&T G2's:

http://swappa.com/buy/lg-g2-att

I've never had issues with voided warranties, regardless of where purchased or gifted from.

 

[antef]

I haven't tracked AT&T on eBay in the last few days, but I've tracked the Sprint ones, and they've been closing a few bucks under Swappa. I just picked up a Sprint G2 on Swappa for right about there.

Swappa's current (and recently sold) AT&T G2's:

http://swappa.com/buy/lg-g2-att

I've never had issues with voided warranties, regardless of where purchased or gifted from.

Thanks, I see a few listings on Swappa...did you buy completely new on eBay or just "mint" (opened but never used)? LG's warranty says it only extends to the original owner, I'm just not sure how they define that. Retailer on receipt? First activation?

 

[jimv1983]

Why? I thought their LTE was a saving grace where available.



Are you on a shared-data plan? ("Mobile Share," I believe)

No but that doesn't make any difference. With the Nexus 5 there is no check to see what data plan you have. It's all done in the software of the phone. AT&T probably doesn't even know you are doing it.

 

[Apex]

Thanks, I see a few listings on Swappa...did you buy completely new on eBay or just "mint" (opened but never used)? LG's warranty says it only extends to the original owner, I'm just not sure how they define that. Retailer on receipt? First activation?

I picked up mine on Swappa new, first activation on the phone. Registers on LG just fine.

I assume there's going to be a bit of risk (though low, since Paypal now has some pretty good protection for the buyer) over buying directly from the network. However, I paid $420 shipped, including the OEM QuickWindow case. From Sprint, that would have cost me $549.99 phone + $50 case + tax... almost $660. I have better things to do with $240.

 

[antef]

I picked up mine on Swappa new, first activation on the phone. Registers on LG just fine.

I assume there's going to be a bit of risk (though low, since Paypal now has some pretty good protection for the buyer) over buying directly from the network. However, I paid $420 shipped, including the OEM QuickWindow case. From Sprint, that would have cost me $549.99 phone + $50 case + tax... almost $660. I have better things to do with $240.

What do you mean by "registers on LG"? Are you talking about a warranty registration website? So there is a way to verify on day one that LG will accept/honor your warranty?

 

[lopri]

Using the Nexus 4 and 5 side-by-side for over 2 weeks, the most (and perhaps a sole) convincing reason to upgrade is Nexus 5's modems. While the N5 is an improvement over the N4 in almost every aspect, those improvements are incremental and, depending on one's perspective, negligible.

In all 3 major connectivity parts (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) the Nexus 5 has the most powerful modems I have experienced on mobile devices so far. They are F-A-S-T and extremely agile. I do not know whether this is a common feature of S800 (probably it is), or how well the new Apple stuff do in this area, but the way the Nexus 5 handles various connections is swift and graceful. Of course, the addition of LTE is perhaps the most significant upgrade over the Nexus 4, even disregarding its performance.

Conversely, if you are satisfied with the Nexus 4's communication performance, the Nexus 5 brings little new to the table. The Nexus 4 still feels amazing in my hand and performs well in everything I do, and IMO is better looking than the Nexus 5. Nevertheless, when the push comes to an end, Nexus 5's cellular/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth performance trumps the Nexus 4.

So it is my final verdict. You want to upgrade to the Nexus 5 from the Nexus 4 if you:

1) Want LTE.
2) Want the best cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth today. (this also has a more-than-incidental positive effect on battery life in the N5's sleep state, as has been observed by many)

 

[sweenish]

The S800 also includes new tech to make LTE less battery hungry. I forget the full name, something enveloping.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

The S800 also includes new tech to make LTE less battery hungry. I forget the full name, something enveloping.

True but it's unclear how much that actually benefits. There are S800 phones like the G2 that don't use power envelope tracking and S600 phones that idle great.

I think the main culprit in poor battery life on Android is a matter of preventing wakelocks. Wakelock use FAR more power than deep sleep and the screen uses yet more power. Therefore I argue that in daily use, you're not going to notice that much difference in power consumption by reducing idle power.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

In all 3 major connectivity parts (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) the Nexus 5 has the most powerful modems I have experienced on mobile devices so far. They are F-A-S-T and extremely agile. I do not know whether this is a common feature of S800 (probably it is), or how well the new Apple stuff do in this area, but the way the Nexus 5 handles various connections is swift and graceful. Of course, the addition of LTE is perhaps the most significant upgrade over the Nexus 4, even disregarding its performance.

Ehhh, what do you mean FAST? I don't have 802.11ac, but when I'm downloading through my home internet which is 25mbps, this thing is just as fast as my N4.

As for radio, well of course LTE is fast, but I found the Nexus 4 to get better reception. The Nexus 5 seems very prone to signal attenuation depending on how I hold the device. Of course we can argue that signal and bars don't mean anything, but if the db to bars ratio is pretty much fixed in AOSP Android, then clearly my N5 is performing worse than my N4.

 

[Tom]

Using the Nexus 4 and 5 side-by-side for over 2 weeks, the most (and perhaps a sole) convincing reason to upgrade is Nexus 5's modems. While the N5 is an improvement over the N4 in almost every aspect, those improvements are incremental and, depending on one's perspective, negligible.

In all 3 major connectivity parts (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) the Nexus 5 has the most powerful modems I have experienced on mobile devices so far. They are F-A-S-T and extremely agile. I do not know whether this is a common feature of S800 (probably it is), or how well the new Apple stuff do in this area, but the way the Nexus 5 handles various connections is swift and graceful. Of course, the addition of LTE is perhaps the most significant upgrade over the Nexus 4, even disregarding its performance.

Conversely, if you are satisfied with the Nexus 4's communication performance, the Nexus 5 brings little new to the table. The Nexus 4 still feels amazing in my hand and performs well in everything I do, and IMO is better looking than the Nexus 5. Nevertheless, when the push comes to an end, Nexus 5's cellular/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth performance trumps the Nexus 4.

So it is my final verdict. You want to upgrade to the Nexus 5 from the Nexus 4 if you:

1) Want LTE.
2) Want the best cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth today. (this also has a more-than-incidental positive effect on battery life in the N5's sleep state, as has been observed by many)

What do you mean by agile ? What phones aren't agile ?

 

[kevinsbane]

Ehhh, what do you mean FAST? I don't have 802.11ac, but when I'm downloading through my home internet which is 25mbps, this thing is just as fast as my N4.

As for radio, well of course LTE is fast, but I found the Nexus 4 to get better reception. The Nexus 5 seems very prone to signal attenuation depending on how I hold the device. Of course we can argue that signal and bars don't mean anything, but if the db to bars ratio is pretty much fixed in AOSP Android, then clearly my N5 is performing worse than my N4.

I find this true on my N5 as well, but that is more of a case of LTE coverage being more limited where I live and work; when I switch to 3G only on my N5, I get better signal strength than with LTE.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Between the N4 and N5, the N4 seems to be able to keep a wifi lock better than the N5. But LTE provides better building penetration for the N5.

 

[Radeon962]

I guess I'm in the minority as my N5 holds LTE here at the office, 4G at home or WiFi at home excellent and is faster in all respects when using any than my N4 ever was.