Some manufacturers of mobile devices manage to produce smartphones that are in the middle class of gadgets in terms of cost, while in terms of their characteristics and quality of work they can fully qualify for the flagship segment. One of these is the object of today's article - the Nexus 5 smartphone. We will talk about it in more detail.
Nexus line
First of all, it should be noted that the device belongs to the Nexus line from Google. This is a series of devices of different formats (in addition to a smartphone, it also includes 2 tablets - 7 and 9), which compete with some flagships in terms of performance. Some well-known manufacturer (for example, phones - LG, tablets - Asus and HTC) is engaged in the development and release of these gadgets, while the software is supplied by Google. In addition, the operation of the devices is characterized by high performance and response speed. This is achieved through the measures taken to optimize the operation of the gadget.
Smartphone LG Nexus 5
The device, which we will talk about in this article, also features speed, high performance and a lot of advantages over its competitors. This is achieved through a high leveltechnical equipment of the model, and by developing high-quality software (which has already been noted above). And the result, as they say, is obvious - the model has been successfully sold for almost 3 years, since its launch in 2012. And what is surprising - even now its price is at the level of 200-250 dollars. The parameters of the phone still allow us to talk about it as a competitive smartphone for successfully solving numerous everyday tasks of the user.
About what this device is, as well as how the Nexus 5 (D821) smartphone was able to conquer such a competitive market, read our article. In the review, we will give both “dry” information from the technical description of the model, and reviews of those who were lucky enough to hold the device in their hands, or even use it for a long period of time.
Appearance
In keeping with the tradition of writing such reviews, today we will start with the appearance of the device - with what we first see when we pick up our Nexus smartphone. First of all, it should be noted the material from which the case is made - it is black plastic with a matte texture. Due to this, it is pleasant and convenient to hold the phone in your hands - during use, the device does not fall out of your hands. The body of the model is made in one piece, the battery cover is not removed, and the SIM card is loaded into a special hole. This led to the fact that no backlashes or squeaks were observed during the work with the phone.
The shape of the device is similar to the Nexus 7 tablet - branded features of this line are visible. The front panel is ribbed, while the back has a smoothed shape. Behind the fact that the phone belongs to the well-known series from Google, the characteristic Nexus inscription on the cover of the device also gives out. At the top, you can see a protruding camera eye and a flash underneath.
In general, it should be noted that the appearance of the model is not original. From a distance, it resembles the classic “brick”, the shape in which numerous Chinese clones of flagship devices are made.
Display
As for the front surface of the phone - its screen, its size is 4.95 inches. Due to this, we can say that the Nexus smartphone belongs to the class of “mid-sized” smartphones - this value is optimal for working with the device.
The picture quality will please most users - the screen is bright enough (which allows you to work with the phone in the sun), and also has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. Together with FullHD technology, this makes the image on the phone with a density of 441 ppi quite rich and clear. The only drawback of the display, which was talked about in all reviews of the model, is slightly faded colors. Compared to the Galaxy S4, the Google Nexus smartphone can't capture all the richness of colors on its screen. However, this is not so noticeable in the daily mode of working with the device.
It is also necessary to emphasize the security of the screen, which is achieved through the use of high-strength glass Gorilla Glass 3, which can withstand bumps, scratchesand chipping during operation.
Processor
According to the official technical information about the model, the Nexus 5 is based on 4 cores of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the frequency of which reaches 2.26 GHz. The RAM of the device reaches 2 GB. With these numbers, it's no surprise that the smartphone can easily play even the most cumbersome games from Google Play without delay. Working with the phone menu also does not cause any inconvenience - everything works perfectly quickly.
As far as running multiple apps in the background at the same time - even then the LG Nexus 5 16GB (Black) performs great in terms of response speed. And in general, if the device is on sale even now, this is another evidence that it has a margin of performance and speed.
Memory
The amount of data that can be written to the phone should be written separately. So, unlike many Android devices, Nexus 5 does not have a slot for an additional memory card. This means that all the memory that is on the device is limited by the factory, standard amount. According to the specifications, there are only two modifications - Nexus 16 and 32 GB. It is impossible to increase the memory, but, however, this should be enough for an ordinary user, even taking into account the download of movies or TV shows directly to the device.
Camera
Regarding how the camera works on the phone, we could not find any complaints in the reviews. Of course, pick up the phoneon a professional level, it cannot, so those who buy a Nexus smartphone do not expect this from it. However, for creating amateur pictures, the camera on the phone is perfect. The reviews repeatedly praise the special HDR technology, the meaning of which is to create several photos, from which the one with the best color balance is “selected”.
If you believe the reviews describing the smartphone LG Nexus 5 (16GB), then it can be argued that this device allows you to take better pictures than the iPhone 5. For those who regularly use the “nexus”, it is certainly very pleasant to hear this.
In addition to the main one, the phone also has a front camera for “selfie” pictures. Of course, it does not provide a flash; and the image quality is much lower. The resolution of the matrix here reaches 1.2 megapixels - but even this is enough to create quite decent photos.
Battery
An important aspect in any phone review is the battery. It directly affects how long the device will work on a single charge. The “survivability” of the battery is determined by the simplest parameter, which is called “capacity”. The new Nexus 5 smartphone can last up to 2 days of active use without recharging due to a 2300 mAh battery. For comparison: the same iPhone has a battery with a capacity of 1500-1600 mAh, but it works no less due to more optimized consumption. On Android devices, things are worse.
Operating system
By the way, since we started talkingabout the OS, it should be noted that the Nexus 5 comes with a "clean" shell from Google. This means that the manufacturer does not modify the platform in any way, giving the user the opportunity to deal with the original system, which works as quickly and smoothly as possible. As for the version, this is Android 4.4.4, which, after launch, can be upgraded to modification 5.1 (current at the time of this writing). In general, the operating system is quite nimble - today it works an order of magnitude faster, and looks better than older versions.
Reviews
Given that the phone has fairly good parameters (meaning performance, equipment, screen and "survivable" battery), you can guess that customer reviews will be appropriate. And so it is - the phone really deserved a lot of laudatory recommendations from those who had a chance to work with it. Users note the high build quality, the absence of “glitches”, complete satisfaction with the device.
Negative feedback buyers report, for example, that not all applications are optimized for Android 4.4.4; and also that on some models there is a backlash of the sound control button. We also managed to find a couple of reviews in which people complained about the low weight of the device, due to which there is a fear of dropping it (especially somewhere on the street). Another “flaw” that we read about in the recommendations from the buyers is the charging port connector. Users who described it as negativeside of the phone, claim that it is too fragile and does not look as attractive as it could. Again, perhaps this is a subjective assessment of everyone - what should (ideally) be this or that gadget module.
In general, we can confidently say that the vast majority of owners are satisfied with the way their Nexus smartphones behave. The price in the domestic market is perhaps the only thing that can upset potential buyers. However, the device is clearly worth the money.
Competitors
In general, the model can be called a flagship, although in terms of price positioning it is rather in the middle class. Nexus competitors are Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z1 and of course LG G2. The latest phone is very similar to the hero of today's review, since it was developed by the same manufacturer, offered at a similar price and has similar technical parameters. The first two devices are a little more expensive - by 3-5 thousand rubles. Despite this, in some respects they are inferior to the Nexus 5.
Conclusion
The device that we talked about in this article can clearly be of interest to those who are looking for an inexpensive but powerful smartphone. Without too much pathos, with a completely simple design, the product from LG and Google can work wonders, showing high-quality images, optimized battery consumption, powerful battery and processor. The quality of the finish of the case, the glass of the display also "hold the mark" of the status of the flagship model.
Not to mention the implementation of the software, which apparently was handled by Google. Graphics on Nexus 5 is easy“flies”, and the phone quickly responds to every touch of the user. This is exactly what many Android devices lack.
The fact that the Nexus smartphone is an ideal value for money is also shown by sales, which have been going on for the 3rd year.
Therefore, if the model suits you in terms of its characteristics, and you are interested in purchasing such a device, you should not think about it for a long time! Get the Nexus 5 and you won't regret it!
