Nexus dimensions 5. Detailed specifications

The appearance of new devices in the Nexus line is always accompanied by very active discussions, because the main feature of each new product is to provide the most relevant, “top-end” hardware characteristics while maintaining a relatively low cost. This is especially true for the US market. In our area, the difference in cost between "white" (certified) devices and the current flagships of the main manufacturers is not so significant. Therefore, in the process of choosing a new device, a completely logical question arises: save a little and get official support from Google and priority OS updates, or donate a little more and get a slightly better set of software and hardware features?

In any case, like its predecessor LG Nexus 4, developed in close cooperation with the South Korean company LG Electronics. Despite the rather significant changes, the novelty is still one of the most interesting smartphones based on the Android operating system. And to a greater extent for software developers, because. LG Nexus 5, which we will get to know later, acts as a reference device with Android 4.4 KitKat on board and allows you to “polish” the program code with the highest quality.

Specifications

Manufacturer	LG/Google
Type, form factor	Smartphone, monoblock
Communication standards		850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
		800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 MHz (lanes 1 / 2 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8)
		800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz (lanes 1 / 3 / 5 / 7 / 8 / 20)
High speed data transfer	GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps), LTE cat.4 (up to 150 Mbps) )
SIM card type
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974): 4 Krait 400 (ARMv7) ARM cores, up to 2.26GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 28nm HPM manufacturing process
Graphics adapter	Qualcomm Adreno 330: 450 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 3.0 and DirectX 9.0c
	4.95", 1920 x 1080 pixels (445 ppi), True HD IPS+, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 10 points, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3
RAM	2 GB: LPDDR3-1600 32-bit dual channel
card reader
	1 x micro-USB 2.0 (SlimPort) 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
Multimedia
	Microphone
	Main		8MP, 1/3.2" BSI sensor, f/2.4 aperture, OIS, autofocus, dual LED flash, 1080p 30fps video recording
	Frontal		1.3 MP, fixed focus, 720p 30 fps video recording
Communication options			802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz) (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot)
			+ (Android Beam)
	Navigation		GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity and light sensors, pressure sensor, digital compass, Hall sensor, notification LED
Battery	Li-Ion, non-removable: 2300 mAh, 8.74 Wh, 3.8 V
Charger	Input: 100~240VAC e.g. at 50/60 Hz Output: 5V DC e.g. 1.2 A
	Wireless charging (compatible with all Qi devices), external display connection via SlimPort adapter
	137.84 x 69.17 x 8.59mm
Operating system	Android 4.4 KitKat (Android 4.4.2 KitKat update available)
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and equipment

The retail version of the smartphone comes in a small cardboard box with a bright visual design. The degree of its information content is low and allows the user to get acquainted with only a small part of the device, a brief description of some of the advantages of the Android operating system and summary technical characteristics.

Delivery set includes:

• quick user guide;
• safety information brochure and warranty card;
• a special paper clip to remove the SIM card;
• a small charger with a detachable USB ↔ micro-USB cable, also used for synchronization with a PC.

The headset and other accessories, including branded silicone cases and devices for wireless battery charging, must be purchased separately.

Appearance, design

Compared to its predecessor, the look of the LG Nexus 5 has undergone drastic changes and, unfortunately, has lost many really interesting and beautiful design elements, such as an elegant “sparkling” back, chrome edging along the body contour and protective glass with ergonomically curved edges. The novelty is now dominated only by strict lines and classic monotonous surfaces. Although the general outlines of the case, which are mainly associated with the rounding of the upper and lower faces, have been preserved. Remained unchanged and the typical arrangement of controls with the absence of any logos on the front side. All this as a whole allows us to determine whether the device belongs to the Nexus line.

Be that as it may, the LG Nexus 5 looks quite nice, while it looks much more interesting live than in the photographs. To a greater extent, this impression is achieved due to the coating used for the back and sides - it is a velvety soft touch, which is distinguished by a pleasant rubberized structure that prevents the device from slipping in the hands. In addition, such a surface is very practical and resistant to minor mechanical stress. For example, on our test sample, which has been in many IT editions, not a single scratch appeared on the case. Fingerprints are also not a problem. Although they appear instantly, they are removed with the same speed with a microfiber cloth.

The body of the smartphone is non-separable and is a monoblock design with a very tightly closed back cover, which does not allow self-replacement of the battery. Of course, with a special desire and the availability of improvised means, it can still be removed, but in this case, most likely, the guarantee will be lost. The main material is a very durable black polycarbonate plastic (there is also a model in white and red back cover design), complemented by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass on the front side. The build quality, if you do not take into account the slightly protruding SIM-card carriage, is very good, and thanks to the high rigidity of the case, you can forget about the manifestation of any characteristic squeaks even with relatively strong impacts. The only thing that can be achieved is the appearance of barely noticeable streaks on the display with impressive pressure on the protective glass.

For additional smartphone protection, Google offers to get a branded silicone case, which is available not only in classic colors (black and gray), but also in a pair of brighter ones (red and bright yellow).

Location of elements

The structure of the front panel is practically no different from other Android devices. In the upper part there is an unusual round slit for the earpiece (its color matches the color of the back panel of the smartphone), which almost does not fill with dust. On the left side of the speaker is the "peephole" of the front camera, and on the right - light and proximity sensors. The lower part contains only a multi-color notification indicator. There are no touch buttons in the LG Nexus 5, since they are all on-screen.

The back side of the smartphone, as already noted, is represented by a non-removable soft-touch cover, in the central part of which there is a vertical glossy Nexus logo, and under it, in the lower part, the LG logo. Next to the latter there are a number of explanatory inscriptions, including the model name, country of manufacture, certification marks and an identification number issued by the FCC agency. In the upper part on the left is the main camera module, which protrudes slightly beyond the body cover and is highlighted by a large external protective lens.

The smartphone controls are placed in the usual places: on the left is the volume rocker, and on the right is the power / lock button and the slot for installing a micro-SIM card using a supplied paper clip. True, their ergonomics have become somewhat worse compared to those in the LG Nexus 4, in particular, for users who prefer to operate the smartphone with their left hand, because. The power key has noticeably moved up and you have to reach for it. By the way, all the buttons are made of ceramics, which is emphasized by special attention. They have a very clear pressure and have a well-felt contour.

The top side contains a headset/headphone jack (mini-jack 3.5 mm) and an additional microphone hole, and the bottom side has a micro-USB 2.0 connector with SlimPort technology support and two relatively large perforated grilles: the main speaker is hidden under the left one, under the right - a microphone.

The fifth generation of Nexus smartphones comes with a 4.95-inch IPS display (LG's full name is True HD IPS+) with fairly small side bezels. The matrix resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD), and the pixel density, which reaches 445 ppi, is more than enough to get a well-detailed picture and very smooth fonts, which, by the way, have become thinner in Android 4.4 KitKat. The display is protected by durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with an effective anti-reflective filter and high-quality oleophobic coating.

The display provides very good color reproduction, able to please the display of the right shades with a natural level of saturation. But its contrast is low, which is why there is practically no black color - dark gray with a perpendicular look and just gray with a diagonal deviation. The backlight of the display, adjustable both manually and automatically, has a fairly wide range and provides comfortable work with a smartphone in a dark environment and under the bright sun. Its uniformity is good, but in some places, at the very edges, you can still notice slight highlights that are visible only on a dark background.

The display's touch substrate is capable of handling up to 10 simultaneous touches without any hitches. Sensitivity is excellent, but there is no possibility to work with gloves. Finger sliding on the protective glass is very smooth.

The display settings are rather meager and are presented only with basic functions that allow you to adjust the brightness of the backlight, select a wallpaper, turn on the screensaver, change the size of the system font and display the image on a compatible TV via a wireless connection.

The main speaker of the smartphone LG Nexus 5 has a relatively good sound. Its main drawback is a low volume margin, which is why in a very noisy environment you can easily miss a call. But the location of the speaker is very good and it is not muffled when the smartphone is on the table. However, it becomes much easier to cover it while watching videos and games.

Sound settings are limited only by the equalizer built into the Play Music audio player. In the system settings, there is only the ability to configure the volume level and activate some notifications.

The rear camera module is based on a very high-quality 8-megapixel 1/3.2" BSI sensor, complemented by fast optics with an f/2.4 aperture and an optical image stabilization system that is always active. There is also a bright LED flash and fairly fast autofocus .The maximum photo resolution is 3264 x 2448 (8 MP) at 4:3 aspect ratio and 1920 x 1080 (2 MP) at 16:9 wide aspect ratio.Video recording is available in MPEG-4 format at up to 1080p 30 fps.

The front camera is represented by the usual 1.3-megapixel module with a fixed focus. The viewing angle of the camera is small, but quite sufficient for video communication. The maximum photo resolution is 1280 x 960 and video is 720p at 30 fps.

The camera application has a very simple and relatively user-friendly interface, however, it cannot boast of a special set of functions. The user can only control exposure, white balance and flash modes. You can also select one of the shooting modes: in motion, night scene, sunset and party. The main photographic innovation in Android 4.4 KitKat was the appearance of a significantly improved HDR + mode, which allows you to get rid of highlights and dips in the shadows in very contrasting scenes.

Shooting examples

Movie examples

Daytime shooting, 1080p 30 fps.

Evening shooting, 1080p 30 fps.

The photographic abilities of the LG Nexus 5, despite the rather simple camera application, are quite good and in most cases allow you to get a picture that will have high-quality color reproduction and acceptable detail. And thanks to optical image stabilization, there is practically no blurring of the frame even under poor shooting conditions. However, in low light conditions, detail drops noticeably. The quality of the video recording is also quite high and there is practically no shaking in it.

HDR+: left - off, right - on

User interface

LG Nexus 5 is the world's first smartphone to come pre-installed with Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, which brings quite a lot of innovations. Among the main ones, we note the new proprietary “launcher” Google Experience (soon to be renamed Google Now Launcher), support for wireless printers and the introduction of an experimental virtual machine ART (Android Runtime). OS updates are fast enough and at the moment for all retail models of LG Nexus 5 it is possible to upgrade to version 4.4.2, while the tested engineering sample is limited to version 4.4.1.

The lock screen in Android 4.4 KitKat has remained the same in functionality, but has changed a little visually. Now a camera icon is displayed at the bottom of it, dragging it to the left you can launch the corresponding application. Nearby is a small stylized arrow required to call Google Now. There is also the possibility of adding various widgets on the lock screen, switching between which is carried out by swipes. The main innovation of the lock screen was the full-screen display of the cover of the audio composition being played and playback controls.

The notification panel is divided into two parts: the notification panel itself and a rather extensive quick settings panel, but without the possibility of personalizing them.

The desktop is responsive and displays only those windows that have any shortcuts or widgets. Application shortcuts have become larger, respectively, on one screen they can fit up to 16 units, and not up to 25, as before. The number of shortcuts at the bottom of each of the windows remains the same, i.e. five: four customizable and a fixed shortcut to call the list of installed applications, where the list of available widgets is no longer displayed. To add them, you need to make a long tap on an empty desktop space. From there, you can also select a wallpaper and go to the Google Now settings.

Google Now, by the way, is now a full-fledged part of the OS, and not one of the interesting features. It always opens with a swipe to the left of the main desktop window (there is also a call with a swipe up from the Home button).

One of the important changes was the transformation of the Hangouts service into a full-fledged SMS messenger with support for funny Emoji emoticons and the ability to create group chats, including video chats. You can use other similar programs for this purpose.

The main application of the smartphone - "Phone" - has changed a bit. It has become more functional and acquired the function of a smart caller ID. For example, if the number of an incoming call is not in the contact book, then the operating system will match it with the Google Maps database for a possible determination. In addition, all the most relevant contacts are displayed during the dialing process.

The settings menu remains the same. However, one feature has been added. It provides the ability to work with virtual printers and HP printers that support wireless connectivity.

Hardware platform and performance

The hardware platform of the LG Nexus 5 is practically no different from the LG G2. It also uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor in the "top" modification MSM8974. It includes support for a full range of wireless technologies, including 4G LTE Advanced. The processor is manufactured in accordance with the 28-nm HPM (High Performance Mobile) process technology and is equipped with four proprietary Krait 400 (ARMv7) cores, each of which is capable of operating at frequencies up to 2.26 GHz. The L2 cache is 2 MB.

Responsible for graphics processing integrated graphics core Qualcomm Adreno 330, operating at clock speeds up to 450 MHz. Among the supported APIs, it is worth highlighting OpenGL ES 3.0 and DirectX 9.0c.

The smartphone also provides 2 GB of 32-bit dual-channel LPDDR3-1600 RAM and a 16 GB drive (only 12.5 GB is available to the user) or 32 GB without the possibility of expansion via microSD cards. Unfortunately, there was no place for the innovative GRAM graphics memory. But there is support for the SlimPort technology already familiar to the Nexus line, which allows you to output video and sound to the big screen using a special adapter connected to the Micro-USB port.

In general, LG Nexus 5 shows very decent results in terms of performance, however, they are noticeably inferior to those of both LG G2 and other models based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. The reason for this lies in the fact that the processor has a low heating threshold, at which the clock speeds of the cores begin to decrease. It is because of this that many demanding games begin to noticeably slow down soon after launch. A similar situation can be observed, for example, in Real Racing 3 and Dead Trigger 2.

However, this only applies to games. The operating system itself and its other functions work as quickly and smoothly as possible. Activating the experimental ART virtual machine (Android Runtime), instead of the traditional Dalvik, speeds up the launch of supported applications, although this is almost invisible visually.

Lowering the CPU heat threshold, which was a problem in the LG Nexus 4, kept the case temperature at a very comfortable level. It is felt that the smartphone is heated, but does not start to burn fingers. During the stability test, the processor temperature did not exceed 36.1°C.

Communication and communications

The smartphone is able to work in all modern mobile networks (GSM, WCDMA and LTE), which makes it a universal device. The quality of the 2G connection is good in both directions: there are no interruptions or independent resets, and the voice transmission is quite clear, but depends on the location of the user / interlocutor and the capabilities of the nearest telecommunications station. It was not possible to test 3G and 4G.

The speaker, despite the unusually compact hole, is quite loud and allows you to hear the interlocutor without any problems even in a noisy environment. Voice detail is nice. No defects were found during testing.

The set of communication capabilities of the novelty is very rich and includes almost all the necessary interfaces and standards. So, in addition to standard Bluetooth V4.0 wireless modules with support for the A2DP profile and dual-band (2.4 / 5 GHz) Wi-Fi with support for 802.11a / b / g / n / ac protocols and Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Fi Hotspot, NFC (Android Beam) and DLNA/Miracast standards available. It is a pity that there is no IR transmitter to control various household appliances.

Unfortunately, the data transfer rate over Wi-Fi in the home network turned out to be not very good and this is most likely just an engineering problem. The receiving speed does not exceed 11 Mbps, while the sending speed reaches 24 Mbps (with a total wire line of 100 Mbps of the 802.11n standard). But the search for access points and connection to them is very fast, and the established connection has good stability and does not try to “fall off” when strong interference occurs.

The performance of the GPS module, which supports A-GPS and GLONASS, is very good. It takes a few seconds to search and connect to satellites, and the accuracy of determining the user's location reaches 4 meters in an open area.

Offline work

The LG Nexus 5 uses not the most capacious (by flagship standards) battery - only 2300 mAh, while the original LG G2 has a battery capacity of 3000 mAh, which is almost 30% more. At the same time, it is non-removable and cannot be replaced without the help of a service center.

The autonomy of the LG Nexus 5 is at the level of most Android smartphones, providing a full day of work with a fairly intense load, though not including gaming entertainment, in which the percentage of charge begins to evaporate instantly. A more measured use of the capabilities of the device allows you to achieve results in a day and a half.

When gaming, the LG Nexus 5 runs out of power in 2 hours and 40 minutes (Dead Trigger 2, 100% display brightness, Wi-Fi and GPS enabled), while HD video playback looped through MX Player (50% display brightness, included Wi-Fi) is carried out for 7 hours. The time to fully charge the battery from the supplied charger is about 2.5 hours.

Undoubtedly, it is one of the most interesting smartphones on the market. A special role in this is played by the excellent ratio of the cost of the device to the set of features provided. Of course, in our area the price tag for it is noticeably higher than in the US - 4444 UAH ($500) against $350 excluding local taxes. In any case, the smartphone offers a perfectly assembled and at the same time very pleasant to the touch case, a good Full HD IPS display with a diagonal of 5 inches, a productive hardware platform in the form of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, support for all modern communication standards (2G, 3G, 4G ), a pretty good camera with an optical image stabilization system and, of course, always the most up-to-date version of the Android operating system, and much more.

Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages. The most annoying of them is the low temperature threshold of the processor, due to which the LG Nexus 5 is not able to reach its full potential, which can be observed in demanding games. It is also worth noting the low capacity of the battery used, the insufficiently high quality of the main speaker and the impossibility of expanding the built-in memory.

Advantages:

• nice appearance using practical materials;
• good build quality and high body rigidity;
• small weight and size indicators;
• good IPS display with Full HD resolution and high-quality anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings;
• the current version of the operating system;
• productive hardware platform;
• support for 2G, 3G and 4G communications;
• a fairly good main camera with an optical image stabilization system and support for HDR + mode;

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Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	69.2 mm (millimeters) 6.92 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft 2.72in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	137.8 mm (millimeters) 13.78 cm (centimeters) 0.45 ft 5.43in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	8.6 mm (millimeters) 0.86 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.34in
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	130 g (grams) 0.29 lbs 4.59oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	82.01 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.98 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black White Red

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
CDMA CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) is a channel access method used in communications in mobile networks. Compared to other 2G and 2.5G standards such as GSM and TDMA, it provides higher data transfer rates and the ability to connect more consumers at the same time.	CDMA 800 MHz CDMA 1900 MHz
CDMA2000 CDMA2000 is a group of 3G mobile network standards based on CDMA. Their benefits include a stronger signal, fewer network outages and interruptions, analog signal support, wide spectrum coverage, and more.	1xEV-DO Rev. A
UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 800 MHz UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE 700 MHz

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) System on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974AA
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	Krait 400
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 0 Cache (L0) Some processors have an L0 (level 0) cache that is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such a memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption.	4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes)
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	2048 KB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	2300 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 330
Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications.	4
GPU clock speed Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	450 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	2 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates.	dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	800 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	5 in 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	2.45in 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.36in 110.69 mm (millimeters) 11.07 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	441ppi (pixels per inch) 173ppm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	72.51% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Sony IMX179 Exmor R
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer better image quality despite lower resolution.	4.54 x 3.42 mm (millimeters) 0.22in
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels to be used per unit area, thus increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high light sensitivity (ISO) levels.	1.391 µm (micrometers) 0.001391 mm (millimeters)
crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the ratio of the diagonals of the full frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photo sensor of the specific device.	7.61
ISO (light sensitivity) ISO values ​​determine the light sensitivity level of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values ​​mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions.	100 - 800
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger.	f/2.4
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. There is also an equivalent focal length that provides the same field of view with a full frame camera.	4 mm (millimeters) 30.45 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30 fps (frames per second)
Specifications Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom Optical Image Stabilization geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode Macro mode

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.

4.0

Specifications Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data exchange, energy savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of the profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.

A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) GOEP (Generic Object Exchange Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) SDAP (Service Discovery Application Profile) SDP (Service Discovery Protocol)

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

HDMI

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours.	2300 mAh (milliamp-hours)
A type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-polymer (Li-polymer)
Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network.	17 h (hours) 1020 min (minutes) 0.7 days
2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	300 h (hours) 18000 min (minutes) 12.5 days
3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network.	17 h (hours) 1020 min (minutes) 0.7 days
3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	300 h (hours) 18000 min (minutes) 12.5 days
Specifications Information about some additional features of the device's battery.	Wireless charger Fixed

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines.	0.484 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards.	0.486 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.96 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard.	1.05 W/kg (watt per kilogram)

Contents of delivery:

• Telephone
• Charger
• USB cable
• Clip to remove the SIM tray

Positioning

I immediately want to apologize for the fact that the review-operating experience comes out quite late, since almost six months have passed since the announcement of the Nexus 5. Nevertheless, the device is more than relevant now, as it operates on one of the fastest chipsets, has excellent camera, and generally decent technical characteristics. In addition, the device is already available not only in black and white, but also in red, a 32 GB version has appeared. Well, and most importantly - the price, a distinctive feature of the entire Nexus line: the gadget can be purchased from 15,000 rubles (PCT). For example, in this price range it is easy to find only "gray" devices with similar parameters. Don't forget the most interesting feature of the Nexus 5 - getting the latest Google Android software!

I am glad that the situation with the unavailability of the Nexus did not repeat itself: the year before last, 4 was sold anywhere, but not here.

I would not like to drag out with a tedious preface about how and where this wonderful device came from, what “merits to the Fatherland” it has, orders and regalia, since most of you have already read and watched reviews on third-party resources more than once. Below is a video review and a modest test.

Design, dimensions, controls

The appearance of the Nexus 5 is clearly not the best that Google and LG have to offer users. The previous device looked much more attractive and original: glass on both sides and a nice three-dimensional texture. The Nexus 5 uses conventional plastic, topped with a soft touch, a soft, velvety material. The shape of the case is rectangular, the upper ends are slightly convex, the edges are slightly rounded. The back surface is flat, only to the sides it has a sloping shape. The camera module looks very strange: in my subjective opinion, it does not fit into the overall design of the device at all. When the Nexus 5 first appeared in the photo, it seemed to me that this was some kind of concept, dummy, or, if you like, a gadget on which a new version of Android was being tested.

In short, my opinion is this: if you decide to buy a 5-ku, then take a closer look at the device in white or red, black is too primitive. Although people take the Nexus 5 not for its appearance, but for its excellent value for money. Personally, I would prefer the Nexus in the guise of the previous version, only a little thinner.

Dimensions Nexus 5 - 137x69x8.59 mm, weight - 130 grams.

Model	Dimensions, mm	Weight, g
Nexus 4	133x68x9.1	139
Nexus 5	137x69x8.59	130
Samsung Galaxy S4	136x69x7.9	130
Sony Xperia Z	139x71x7.9	146
Sony Xperia Z1	144x74x8.5	170
LG G2	138x70x9.1	143
HTC One	137x68x9.3	143
Apple iPhone 5S	123x58x7.6	112

Due to the fact that the device has a small thickness and sloping edges, it lies perfectly in the hand and does not slip. In terms of ease of use, I can compare it with the Samsung Galaxy S4 - it is also thin, light and relatively narrow, but glossy, therefore more slippery.

Fingerprints on the "back" remain (if we consider the "five" black), erased easily. For a month of use (plus some other “use” time by other browsers), not a single scratch appeared on the smartphone screen, even a small one. The surface of the display appears to have been coated with an oleophobic coating, as prints, although they remain, are removed without problems. In addition, it is worth noting the fact that the finger glides across the screen very smoothly - the touch layer is comfortable and pleasant to use.

The gadget is assembled perfectly (the case is non-separable): there are no backlashes, squeaks, it does not make a crunch sound when twisted. Despite the fact that the rather large peephole of the camera protrudes slightly above the body, the lens glass remained without chips or scratches.

In general, the device is made practical, but not too original.

On top of the speaker is designed in the form of a circle with a mesh.

Often you have to choose the angle of the phone so that the sound hits exactly into the ear. Maybe this is a feature of my non-standard ears :-) The volume of the speaker is high, mainly medium and low frequencies are heard, the intelligibility is not bad and it strongly depends on which device they are using to communicate with you, well, and on the quality of the network too. There is no rattling at maximum volume and no echo. You are heard loudly, but the timbre is sometimes not the best: the interlocutor hears mumbling in most situations. Unfortunately, this is noted by many Nexus 5 users. There is a front camera.

Complaints are caused by the operation of the indicator light, which is built into the lower area of ​​the front panel. Perhaps an inadequate sample of the phone came across, but the LED almost never blinked: in rare cases, when it missed messages, it allowed itself to function.

The proximity sensor behaved correctly, but still there were cases of inadequate behavior, a couple of times even accidentally pressed the rejection of the call with the ear or cheek. The light sensor is impeccable: it accurately and smoothly adjusted the brightness level of the backlight of the screen matrix.

The power button, located on the right, seems to me to be a little high, you have to reach with your thumb. The button stroke is small, pressing is soft. On the left is the same type of volume rocker. Rumor has it that they are made of ceramics. Oh miracle!

Sim tray is on the right. To remove it, you need to install a needle or a special injector in a small hole. Below is a micro-USB, to the left of it is a speaker, and to the right is the main microphone. It looks like there are two speakers on the bottom end.

On the top end there is a second microphone and a standard 3.5 mm jack. Behind - the camera and flash.

Comparative dimensions:

Nexus 5 and iPhone 5

Nexus 5 and Meizu MX3

Nexus 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4

Nexus 5 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Nexus 5 and LG G2

Display

In LG Nexus 5, they did not experiment with the screen diagonal, so they set the standard diagonal for today - 5 inches (to be precise, then 4.95 "). For me, this is the maximum, i.e. if the screen is more than five inches, then use one hand The physical size of the display is 62x110 mm, the bezel is 12 mm at the top, 16 mm at the bottom, and 3.8 mm each on the left and right. (72.8%), Note 3 (74.6%) and the leader is LG G2 (75.7%).

TFT Super IPS + matrix from Japan Display, resolution typical for a modern Android smartphone in the price range from 15,000 rubles - FullHD - 1080x1920 pixels. Density - 445 dpi. Of course, individual pixels are invisible at this resolution. Protected by third generation Gorilla Glass.

Below are some photos showing the screen quality of the following devices: HTC One, Nexus 5, Meizu MX3 and LG G2 (right).

At right angles, Nexus 5 has a slightly more saturated color reproduction, then HTC One, LG G2 and Meizu MX3. At angles, the HTC One's screen performs best, followed by the Nexus 5, MX3, and LG G2. The display of Meizu MX3 gives the maximum pure white color (true, but rather goes into cold shades), then HTC One, Nexus 5 and LG G2. HTC One has the best black color, then Meizu MX3, LG G2. But the Nexus 5 copes with black color worst of all, especially under slight tilts of the screen.

In general, I can say that the display of the Nexus 5 is better than the display of the LG G2 (in fact, copies of the Nexus) - nicer color reproduction, more viewing angles. I would say that the Nexus 5 screen is not the best, but not the worst in the FullHD display market.

Capacitive touch layer (Synaptics S3350B controller), no air gap. It works out up to 10 simultaneous touches. The sensitivity is very high.

In the sun, the screen, of course, strongly “blinds”, but the image does not lose color.

Things are better in the shade. In general, the brightness of the backlight is not the greatest.

Has Asahi Kasei AK8963 accelerometer and InvenSense MPU-6515 gyroscope

Battery

The device uses a non-removable lithium-polymer (Li-Pol) battery with a capacity of 2300 mAh, 8.74 Wh, type - BL-T9.

I got the following results:

• HD video playback (720p, H.264) at maximum brightness and volume with sound output to headphones: just over 5 hours
• Music playback in headphones at maximum volume: just over 35 hours
• Game only (high brightness and volume): up to 3 hours
• Wi-Fi surfing only (high brightness backlight): about 6 hours

The battery situation on the Nexus 5 is ambiguous. For the first few weeks, I tweeted that the device holds a charge just brutally, showing the result of 12-14 hours of active use (permanent Wi-Fi, push mail, twitter, and much more). But gradually (probably due to the installation of more and more applications), the battery began to “deflate”. This has become especially noticeable in recent days: calls “eat” energy very strongly. Only on them and SMS the device worked for no more than a day and a half. Now the Nexus 5 "lives" about the same as the average Android smartphone, i.e. one day.

With Antutu Tester, my sample refused to function. Below are many screenshots.

Communication options

Very briefly: there is LTE, which works in Russia (devices bought from us are definitely “friendly” with LTE), there is Wi-Fi standard 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (Broadcom BCM4339 controller, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, DLNA , Miracast and PassPoint support, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi HotSpot), Bluetooth 4.0, NFC (Broadcom BCM20793M controller).

During testing, there were no problems with communication, Wi-Fi worked stably, as well as GPS, however, the accuracy of the latter was constantly in doubt (often you had to wait up to a minute for the device to give out coordinates more accurately). There is nothing more to comment in this section.

A little information about USB:

“Via a microUSB 2.0 port with USB On-the-Go 1.3 (USB OTG) support, it is possible to connect a USB flash drive, just like a keyboard or any other USB device through a special USB OTG cable. This connector also supports the SlimPort standard thanks to the Analogix ANX7808 transceiver, which allows you to connect your phone to a separate display via HDMI or VGA with the appropriate adapter cable. When the device is connected to a PC, a message may be displayed about the possibility of using the USB 3.0 interface, but in fact this is just a controller feature, while the USB 3.0 contact lines themselves are not separated in the connector, and a standard microUSB 2.0 connector is used.

Memory and memory card

RAM LPDDR3-1600 (manufacturer - SK Hynix, model H9CKNNNBPTMRLR-NTM) - 2 GB. Free is usually about 1 GB.

There may be 16 GB or 32 GB of Flash memory inside. In our case, this is a 16 GB Sandisk SDIN8DE4 NAND Flash. Of this volume, about 12 GB is available. If this is not enough for you, then I advise you to take a closer look at the model of the device with 32 GB, since you will not find a slot for a memory card here. 16 GB is enough for me on almost all devices (iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad, Meizu MX3, even Galaxy S4 with 8 GB Flash), since I don’t put toys on, I rarely shoot videos.

Camera

The Nexus 5 has an 8 MP main camera module with optical image stabilization using the InvenSense IDG-2020 two-dimensional gyroscope. The sensor has a size of 1 / 3.2 "and a pixel size of 1.4 microns, a lens with an aperture of F2.4 is sparse, given that many Chinese devices supply their cameras with F2.2 and even F2.0 lenses. There is a 1.3 MP front camera small single section flash.

The effectiveness of optical stabilization is not very high, and in practice there is very little sense. For example, it would be possible to implement "long" shutter speeds (1/2, 1/3 seconds), but they are not here. Partially, OIS helps, but in most situations, the work is noticeable only in video mode, and even then some devices stabilize electronically much better (such as the Sony Xperia Z1).

If we talk about the quality of photography in normal mode, then the Nexus 5 shoots well, at the level of any Android-smart, more expensive than 15,000 rubles. However, it is this model of the device that is equipped with a software thing called "HDR +". This is not just HDR - pulling out dark areas and darkening bright areas - but a whole technology for getting a cool picture. HDR+ can and should be compared to the Cortex app on iOS. Both functions take several frames, analyze photos and glue them together. The result is a clean, high-quality, noise-free image. However, if Cortex does this up to 4 seconds, then HDR + takes 1-2 seconds, or even less (it all depends on the lighting level). Below are shots on the iPhone 5 and Nexus 5 (right).

Everything is fine with the white balance of the Nexus, which cannot be said about the photo on the iPhone.

Below is a comparison of photos on the Sony Xperia Z1 (manual mode), iPhone 5 (centered, Cortex) and Nexus 5 (HDR + mode).

In this case, the photos came out cleaner on the iPhone 5, and the sharpness is higher.

In addition, I compared footage shot on the LG G2, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Nexus 5 in low light conditions:

In my opinion, there are a lot of artifacts in the SGS4 photo, noise is noticeable in the Nexus 5 photo, and the LG G2 applied a lot of “cleaning”, so the picture turned out to be somewhat soapy.

The following shot was taken near the window:

Again, in my opinion, it was better to convey the color and contrast of the Nexus 5, then the LG G2, and closes the Galaxy S4. Detail (you can call it sharpness) is slightly higher on the frame from the Nexus 5.

Nexus 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - up to you.

An unpleasant feature of the Nexus 5 camera can be a pink spot in both photo and video modes.

Video 5 shoots in FullHD resolution 30 fps, regardless of the lighting level. The quality is good, there is stabilization, the sound is mono (very strange, given the second microphone), clear, without overload. There is auto focus.

In conclusion of this section, I would like to say that the camera on the Nexus 5 with HDR + mode is currently my priority, perhaps only the Nokia 1020 or Samsung Note 3 shoots better.

I will not describe the interface, because it is extremely simple.

Day shots*:

In room*:

Insufficient lighting*:

Google's Nexus line is designed to demonstrate to the general public a kind of ideal of an Android smartphone: they all had top-end or near-top hardware at the time of their release, the latest version of the Android OS (and a guaranteed "right of the first night" when updates are released), and - importantly - the price is noticeably lower than that of modern devices with similar characteristics. The new Nexus 5 continues this glorious tradition. Let's try to figure out together how good the new brainchild of Google and LG is.

Nexus 5 video review

Specifications

Last year's Nexus 4 was more or less similar in performance to the LG Optimus G and was equipped with the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor at that time. The only serious complaint about it was the small amount of internal memory (8 or 16 GB) without the possibility of expansion using microSD cards. The latest Nexus 5 is predictably based on the same platform as the LG G2 and equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, making it theoretically more powerful than the two hottest Android flagships of 2013 (I'm talking about the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, of course). ). Memory is also easier this year than last year (customers can choose between 16GB and 32GB storage), though there's still no expandable storage option. The camera, like last year, has a resolution of 8 MP, but uses a new sensor and is equipped with an optical image stabilization module.

Overall, the Nexus 5 looks more balanced than the Nexus 4: it's amazing how twice the amount of memory can change the perception of a product, isn't it?

Specifications Google Nexus 5
Operating system	Android 4.4
SIM card type	micro SIM, one
Dimensions and weight	138x69x9 mm, 130 g
Display	IPS, 4.95 inches, 1920x1080 pixels (pixel density 445 ppi), Gorilla Glass 3
CPU	quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (2.26 GHz, Krait 400)
Graphics	Adreno 330
Memory	2 GB RAM, 16/32 GB flash
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Miracast
GPS	Yes
Camera	8 MP, HDR+, panorama shooting, video recording 1920x1080, optical image stabilization
Front-camera	1.3 MP
Battery	2300 mAh lithium polymer
Additionally	Qi wireless charging support

Appearance and design

The Nexus 5 continues the tradition of minimalist design dating back to the Nexus S days: from the front, it looks like just a piece of black glass without any buttons or logos. The only elements that stand out are the round speaker grille and the indicator LED under the screen (but, of course, it is only visible when lit). Like the SGS4, the Nexus 5 has very thin bezels around the screen and therefore looks small for its size.

The soft-touch plastic back looks good and feels great in the hand. Fingerprints and small scratches disappear by themselves when carrying the device in your pocket. Most of all, I like the fact that the LG logo, firstly, is located on the back panel, and secondly, it does not differ from it in color.

The volume and power buttons on the Nexus 5 are made of ceramic. They look really good, but to be honest, the side buttons are the last thing I pay attention to on a phone.

Judging by the numbers in the spec sheets, the Nexus 5 should be thicker than the Galaxy S4, but in fact the devices are the same thickness.

By the way, pay attention to how matte plastic is more pleasant to look at than glossy.

In general, I liked how the Nexus 5 feels in the hand: it does not seem too big, and at the same time, due to the “grasping” texture of the plastic, it does not strive to slip out of the palm of your hand. In other words, a nice device.

Screen

One of the weakest points of last year's Nexus 4 was the screen: it was rather faded and also had not the best viewing angles. The Nexus 5 has a noticeably better screen, with whites no longer inverted or yellowing when viewed from an angle, although black levels still leave much to be desired.

Nexus 5 (IPS) vs Galaxy S4 (SuperAMOLED) black level comparison

In fact, of course, comparing any LCD screens with AMOLED is not entirely correct, since AMOLED has black pixels simply turned off. But the Nexus 5 has high black levels even compared to the iPhone 5C.

Nexus 5 vs. iPhone 5C Black Level Comparison

But the maximum screen brightness of the Nexus 5 is noticeably higher than that of the Galaxy S4:

Yes, the Galaxy S4 really can't display pure white.

The rest of the color reproduction, oddly enough, is close to the Galaxy S4 in film mode: nice calm colors. Unless the Nexus warms the image less and displays a purer blue.

Sound

The weakest side of the Nexus 5, in my opinion, is the sound quality, and this applies to both the system speaker and the headphone output.

The speaker sounds just ugly, besides it is poorly located (if you hold the smartphone horizontally, for example, while watching a video, it is very easy to block it with your finger).

The headphone output produces a clear, but completely flat sound. In a direct comparison with the Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia T, the new Nexus was in last place, and by a wide margin. The volume reserve is completely insufficient for full-fledged listening to jazz and classical music in high-quality T-PEOS H-100 hybrid headphones, and an attempt to programmatically amplify the sound in PowerAmp led to an overload of the smartphone's output circuits and the appearance of a characteristic wheezing (Galaxy S4 at the same time produced a noticeably louder sound without any wheezing). In general, audiophiles and music lovers can pass by.

As usual, the audition was carried out in the PowerAmp player. The standard Play Music player produces an even sadder sound, although, it would seem, where is it sadder?

Finally, the list of complaints is completed by a strange headphone jack, in which one of my headphones refused to stick all the way. The same earphones fit perfectly into all other devices with a 3.5mm jack, so the problem is clearly on the side of the Nexus 5.

Camera

Nexus 5 has a brand new 8-megapixel camera module with optical image stabilization. The camera, to be honest, behaves rather strangely: it performs well when shooting in poor lighting conditions and indoors, but in daylight it does not behave in the best way (to the point that daytime shots sometimes look noisier and “blurred” than evening).

You can find full-size shots taken with the Nexus 5 camera, as usual, in a separate gallery.

The Nexus 5's camera has an excellent HDR mode, which delicately works out shadows and highlights without lifting up local contrast to the ceiling. In my opinion, the HDR implementation of the Nexus 5 is currently the best of any Android smartphone and certainly cannot be compared to the dark horror in HTC smartphones.

Nexus 5 shoots video in FullHD (1920x1080) resolution at 30 fps. Video quality can be called very decent, and optical image stabilization effectively eliminates the effect of shaky hands. The impression is spoiled only by autofocus, which regularly decides to refocus at the most inopportune moment.

In fact, the only thing I don’t like about the Nexus 5 camera is the speed of its work. The app is slow to launch (although not as slow as the Exynos-powered Galaxy S4), and the autofocus speed could also be noticeably improved.

Performance

Nexus 5 is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2 GB of RAM. These are top-end specs at the moment, so it's no surprise that the smartphone delivers excellent performance both in benchmarks and in everyday use.

It is worth noting that LG and Google have set a low temperature for the overheat protection, as a result of which the Nexus 5 starts to lower the processor frequency already at 60 degrees (in other smartphones with Qualcomm processors, the threshold temperature is usually set in the range of 75-80 degrees). As a result, the smartphone practically does not heat up under load, but almost never reaches theoretical maximum performance.

During the first "cold" run of the AnTuTu benchmark, the device showed a result of more than 30 thousand points:

With each subsequent run, performance dropped noticeably until it stabilized at about 18,000 points.

However, in everyday use, the negative effects are imperceptible - Nexus 5 perfectly coped with any programs and games that I ran on it.

The results of the Epic Citadel graphics benchmark can also be called excellent: the smartphone showed 56.7 fps in High Quality mode and 54.7 fps in Ultra High Quality mode.

autonomy

Despite the relatively low battery capacity (2300 mAh), the Nexus 5 shows good autonomy - it is able to confidently last the whole day and reach the finish line with a small margin (15-20%). As you can see in the screenshots below, 2 hours and 20 minutes of screen time, of which I played Kingdom Rush and Kingdom Rush Frontiers for an hour and a half, drained the battery by up to 47%, while games ate more charge than screen activity itself.

In the dry matter

The Nexus 5 is a very good smartphone, but far from perfect. Its main advantage is the flagship characteristics, and at a far from flagship price. The advantages include an excellent screen, good subjective speed and "bare" Android without the terrible proprietary software that other Android smartphones are stuffed to the ears.

Personally, as the owner of the Samsung Galaxy S4, I was most disappointed with the quality of the headphone output, and the SGS4 works somewhere 20-30% more. The camera in the Nexus 5 also has far from the best shooting quality today, although it’s hard to call it bad. So I would advise the residents of Russia to take a closer look at the Galaxy S4 on the Qualcomm processor (i9505) - in my opinion, this smartphone is better than the Nexus 5 in terms of its characteristics.

So in the end, the Nexus 5 is a smartphone that could have been a near-perfect Android device, but didn't because LG and Google didn't pay enough attention to the little details. It's a pity.

5 reasons to buy Google Nexus 5:

• today's top specifications;
• high-quality screen;
• camera with optical image stabilization;
• "naked" Android, and with a guarantee of timely updates;
• minimalistic design and practical body materials.

2 reasons not to buy Google Nexus 5:

• poor speaker quality and mediocre headphone output;
• a strong drop in performance even with slight heating.