[Q] From a nexus s owner: galaxy nexus or windows phone? - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

I own a nexus s which I think is a great phone. I like android, but I also really like windows phone. I have enough save up to where I can either buy a windows phone and keep my nexus s or sell my nexus s and get a galaxy nexus. My question is this: is the galaxy nexus a big enough upgrade over the nexus s to warrant me passing up on windows phone? While I do wish my nexus s was a bit quicker, especially in the RAM department, I don't really know how the gnexus compares to it, and I would love to be able to switch between windows phone and android. (Not that I'm not satisfied by android, I'm equally intrigued by both operating systems.)

I hope you brought your asbestos underwear.
IMHO Android/Windows Phone don't even compare. Android ICS is light years beyond in usability.

Believe my Vibrant is pretty similar to the Nexus S and I'd been running CM7 on that. Upgrading to the Galaxy Nexus is a huge performance increase. It's just night and day at how much smoother everything is now.
I really didn't think my Vibrant with CM7 was that bad. But now when I go back and play with it, I wonder how I ever got anything done on that molasses POS.
I'm definitely very happy with the Galaxy Nexus.
As for Windows Phone 7, I never used one, but from the limited app store and hardware restrictions (all phones are single core with 800x480 displays), it doesn't interest me personally. Maybe Windows Phone 8, but not 7.

You probably won't get many unbiased opinions here on the Galaxy Nexus forum so I would take every response with a grain of salt.
My advice to you would be to go to a store and try out both the Galaxy Nexus and a Windows phone, then I'm sure you could come to your own decision. The only other thing to bear in mind is that the WP app market isn't as well developed but that will probably catch up over the next year or so.

I have both hd7 and galaxy nexus. The ui of hd7 is very fast, a lot faster than nexus I think.
However, hd7 does not support my language, no font, no keyboard,... IE 9 is not as good as expected, more problems than IE7. That's why I bought galaxy nexus.
I'm waiting for Tango update and will think again about which platform I should go with.

Related

Coming From Iphone 4s ?

u guys think that it will be a good choice for me or not ?
This is an Android forum and more importantly an Android phone...what do you think people are going to tell you? Haha j/k
If it was apps you were worried about Android Market will probably overtake App Store in a year or two so I'd say go for it
It's personal preference but I'm sure you definitely wouldn't regret it. You seen Ice Cream Sandwich?!?! Daymmmm!
Yes, it will be a good choice.
Imagine the screen size only, that's enough to laugh about iPhone 4S tiny screen
x.Orville.x said:
u guys think that it will be a good choice for me or not ?
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yea i know i the iphone 4s screen a little tiny calculator lol just selling mi 4s to get the nexus
From 4S to Galaxy Nexus.....it a huge jump. I would start with Nexus S first.
x.Orville.x said:
u guys think that it will be a good choice for me or not ?
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I went from the iphone to the SGS2 and it didn't work for me I was told to try a pure google phone for what my needs were, I have not bought it yet as I'm waiting to see if it's going to be recalled or maybe get a phone from a fresh batch, the apps are somewhat different then on an iphone for an example is the pandora app for say if you turn it landscape you won't get the playlist you listened to during your secion(like you can't look back and see what you listen to and see all the album covers, some apps are better in android then on the iphone some I prefer some I don't JAMOP ,
justabrake said:
I went from the iphone to the SGS2 and it didn't work for me I was told to try a pure google phone for what my needs were, I have not bought it yet as I'm waiting to see if it's going to be recalled or maybe get a phone from a fresh batch, the apps are somewhat different then on an iphone for an example is the pandora app for say if you turn it landscape you won't get the playlist you listened to during your secion(like you can't look back and see what you listen to and see all the album covers, some apps are better in android then on the iphone some I prefer some I don't JAMOP ,
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Dude. Use a period or two.
The iPhone is the top-of-the-line iOS device while the Nexus is the same for Android. The 4S won't have a successor for at least 6 months, while the Nexus could easily cruise a year. That being said, both will be outspecced pretty quickly by quadcore Android phones. Try the Nexus out, IceCreamSandwich is the main feature, as is the HD screen. If you don't like it, go back to the 4S, or wait for some new Android phones. The 4S and Nexus are almost on par in terms of hardware, and are both flagship devices. Either one is a great choice, just depends on your UI preference.
Sent from my Sensation using XDA App
I try to jump to a gs2 last summer but i dont liked and switched back to ios u guys think that the nexus will be outdated in a 3 or 4 months ? That's my main reason to get to phone when the gs3 come will be outdated or not ?
x.Orville.x said:
u guys think that it will be a good choice for me or not ?
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We can't make that decision for you !, I didn't like the SGS2 because of the OS matched up with the hardware, The hardware is all there but it doesn't really work together with it's OS, It's not like how apple puts together their phone everything works like a well oiled machine, it's just not there for some reason, it's all a matter of how one notices it. This is my opinion and I'm hopping for a better phone experience this time around with google as the hardware picker and maker of there OS ICS and definitely not samsung the plastiqek phone maker, I would have liked LG or HTC make it. JMO like it or not
I just made the jump from iOS (3Gs, 4, 4s) to an SGSII, and it will be hard to go back, for me. Customization and larger screens were my main reason for jumping, and I haven't been disappointed. iOS still wins for the ecosystem and interoperability elegance, but I am happy with my choice.
On a side note, my SGSII is going back (bought an unlocked Nexus S) because like the 4s, it is not compelling enough to use my upgrade on for two years. I'll see what comes out in 2012 for an upgrade.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
Hemlocke said:
I just made the jump from iOS (3Gs, 4, 4s) to an SGSII, and it will be hard to go back, for me. Customization and larger screens were my main reason for jumping, and I haven't been disappointed. iOS still wins for the ecosystem and interoperability elegance, but I am happy with my choice.
On a side note, my SGSII is going back (bought an unlocked Nexus S) because like the 4s, it is not compelling enough to use my upgrade on for two years. I'll see what comes out in 2012 for an upgrade.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
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I'm buying this nexus outright and saved my upgrade for the iphone 5, I want the iphone 5 early shipped to me.
If you like to customize and do things like put ROMS, kernels, over clocking and such.
Android is now the way to go.......maybe in the past it was iOS but now they are pretty even.
Android is a lot better now especially with ICS....at least they finally decided to implement hardware acceleration -.- which is what iOS did since the beginning making it feel so much more fluid than android.
Anyways, if you sell your iPhone 4s, i would say get the GSII and save a few hundred bucks, especially since the Galaxy Nexus is costing more than the iPhone 4s even sells for. Then use that money when the GSIII or iPhone 5 come out.
I have both the iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus.
The iPhone 4S has superior build quality, camera and video recording, games, and vastly superior battery life.
The Galaxy Nexus has the best display I've ever seen, even better than Retina IMO! I can't believe people are bashing Super AMOLED HD or saying Retina is still way better. I have no complaints about the screen, its jaw dropping. Android 4.0 is the best OS out IMO as well. IOS 5 is cool and all, but I can't help but feel that Apple isn't innovating as fast as they should. Google literally redesigned and improved every aspect of Android in one update. In these past 4 years iOS looks nearly identical to how it did when it first launched, as well as many of the stock Apple apps. Every Google app got a giant facelift and improvement: YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps etc. And they look beautiful on this screen. The phone is pretty big overall but I'm getting used to it and its awesome. Performance is very good as well.
I've had the phone for roughly half a day and battery doesn't seem that good yet but I'll reserve judgment for a few more days.
I honestly can't believe Google improved Android this much in just one update. Its amazing.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
I agree. People dog the 4/4s because they will shatter, but the build quality and materials are excellent. It doesn't feel cheap.
I liked the SGSII, initially, but it has always felt cheap and the big screen has terrible resolution. I realized that Android was what would keep me here. I'm looking forward to some premium look and feel Android devices to match the potential of Android OS.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
Just sell my 4s on ebay 588$ for it 16 gb ordering through expansys this week
x.Orville.x said:
I try to jump to a gs2 last summer but i dont liked and switched back to ios u guys think that the nexus will be outdated in a 3 or 4 months ? That's my main reason to get to phone when the gs3 come will be outdated or not ?
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In the smartphone game EVERY phone that comes out is eclipsed in 3-4 months as far as specs are concerned, that's just the nature of the beast now. The thing about the iPhone and the Nexus phones are that there is only one device made every year despite all the other ones that come out with newer faster hardware or whathaveyou. The Nexus phones were designed to have hardware and software work hand in hand more so than any other Android phone. Both of the previous Nexus devices are the only ones running 2.3.6 (to my knowledge - and the NS4G has 2.3.7) which is one update ahead of everyone else - brand new phones are being launched with 2.3.5. If you're gonna make the jump, you're going to want the pure Google experience.
qreffie said:
In the smartphone game EVERY phone that comes out is eclipsed in 3-4 months as far as specs are concerned, that's just the nature of the beast now. The thing about the iPhone and the Nexus phones are that there is only one device made every year despite all the other ones that come out with newer faster hardware or whathaveyou. The Nexus phones were designed to have hardware and software work hand in hand more so than any other Android phone. Both of the previous Nexus devices are the only ones running 2.3.6 (to my knowledge - and the NS4G has 2.3.7) which is one update ahead of everyone else - brand new phones are being launched with 2.3.5. If you're gonna make the jump, you're going to want the pure Google experience.
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The SG2 has been out for 7 months and is still one of the most powerful smartphones out there in terms of hardware.
gabster21 said:
The SG2 has been out for 7 months and is still one of the most powerful smartphones out there in terms of hardware.
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I was going to say that LOL but he's also mentioning a phone that come out once a year samsung puts out phones ever three months
That's because of the timing it launched in. With 4 cores around the corner things will change fast .
But I have to say this to OP, me personally I have no desires to go into contest of who has the longer piss, what matters to me is the user experience, as long as it is smooth and fast I don't care about hardware much as long as it would support the latest software. Because overtime all the wow effect will diminish and you'll be left with the software.
I would change from the iPhone to anything just because of the tiny screen.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
kindiboy said:
That's because of the timing it launched in. With 4 cores around the corner things will change fast .
But I have to say this to OP, me personally I have no desires to go into contest of who has the longer piss, what matters to me is the user experience, as long as it is smooth and fast I don't care about hardware much as long as it would support the latest software. Because overtime all the wow effect will diminish and you'll be left with the software.
I would change from the iPhone to anything just because of the tiny screen.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
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I left apple because iphone 4s wasn't an upgrade to me, I also wanted to try something different in life because I had the 2G 3G 3Gs 4 and wanted to see what else is out their and like I said the SGS2 was not for me and I would have turned back if someone didn't say give the google phone a try ( because of what I wanted in a phone ) So here I am waiting to purchase soon, just waiting for the first update and for the second batch to appear
from what I read on iclarified they said (speculation of course ) apple is working on a 4" phone That would be good and I hope they make both because a lot of people like using one hand when surfing and the iphone is great for that in size
http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=18327

Don't know what you've got, til it's gone.

Okay, so it's not gone but the half hour I was forced to spend with android was miserable. Today, despite my better suggestions, my cousin bought a GN. He's not much of a techie, so he asked me to flash android revolution onto his device. Okay, rom-flashing, I used to be an addict. I took his phone, tinkered around, and physically cringed at the sight of the lag. I struggled past my initial disgust, I mean I had to attempt to improve the mess he got himself into. So, I get on the comp, download the files, and realize just how tedious all of this is. I do everything, get it flashed, hand it back to him. I don't care to see it, I feel violated enough having done that. I had to preserve the sanctity of my smartphone integrity. He takes it back and is in awe, so, he shows me how much faster it is. I suppose that I'm spoiled by quality, but it seemed slow even then. Hardly any smoother. I mean, I honestly think the first Gen trophy would have been better, he said the rep told them they haven't carried a windows phone in 3 years. Verizon really needs some better options, I hastily rushed back to the warm confines of my functional OS with suggestions to just utilize buyers remorse and pick up a focus S, a noteworthy upgrade. After using my WP7 before he was sold, but ATT sucks in his region.
I have the same experience from a slightly different angle. I am a big wp7 fan and currently tote an HTC titan which I love. I also had an ipad, my sister had a Motorola XOOM, she is a big fan of apple stuff so suggested we swap tablets, I agreed and am now the proud(?) Owner of a XOOM, and the thing drives me nuts, it lags, the browsing experience is laggy and horrible, the keyboard lags in the browser the interface is messy, I loathe the bloody thing but my sister will not swap back. People keep telling me I should flash the latest nightly eos ics version on my XOOM, but I run my own 24/7 business and don't have enough hours in the day to spend mucking about with something that should not deliver this sort of experience out of the box. On the upside, it supports flash so it is good for the bbc player, for everything else, I use my titan.
I find the OP a bit too convenient, I've used a GN and it was a great experience. I have no idea why you would want to flash that phone!
Now if this was the Verizon GN then it's no secret that this is Verizon's doing, you can read about it on any tech website. So in that case the mistake would be investing in anything other than the unlock GN, nothing to do with the actual "real" device or ICS.
Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
@adesonic I suggest you swap back the tablets in her sleep. WP is great but as far as tablets go, there's the iPad and the rest. I'm not even sure ICS on the Xoom would make it that much better.
Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Honestly, i know exactly how refreshing it is to use a WP7 device coming from months of nerd raging, flashing and all sort of sufferings. Now i'm a 24/7 WP7 user and i feel fine with this, BUT: don't you ever phisically cringe whenever you have to plug your phone to a pc just in order to sideload an app? Ok, you shouldn't need that often, but what about multitasking? Don't you ever phisically cringe when you, for example, are using both the XDA App (painful to use on WP7 to say the least) and the browser, and when switching between the two you have to stare for a few seconds at a black loading screen before the XDA App reloads, generally wiping the text you just typed? What about having to pay in order to have a decent YouTube app on your phone? What about having to pay in order to have a decent gps navigation experience (unless you're on a Nokia device)? Both worlds are painful at some extent. Right now for my kind of usage it's way less painful to use a WP7 device, but you cannot expect that every single user will feel the same: we all have different needs.
On a side note, guess what kind of users are generally browsing XDA right now? I'll better take cover before another troll war starts rocking the topic...
Android's for customizing and hacking... out of the box, it's colorful bull****. If I would have to use TouchWiz or that LG-UI everyday, it would drive me insane!
I have a Samsung Omnia 7 (Stock ofc, but with some hacks e.g. tethering) , Samsung Galaxy SII (MIUI) and an Asus Eee Pad Transformer (revolver ROM). The device I use regularly is, as you might be able to guess, the Omnia 7.
The Transformer is only used as an E-Reader and for Movies (but it does that quite good!), the Galaxy SII is for flashing around and customizing. Not even music or anything on it, call me crazy
And my Windows Phone, well thats to actually get the work done.
Again the GN is pure android out of the box (unless it's from Verizon) and it works great. Since that's the phone mentioned in the OP I have to defend it. I would still rather buy a Lumia 900 or Focus S if they were sold in Europe but I can recognise ICS as a great OS.
Sent from my Samsung Omnia 7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
z33dev33l said:
Okay, so it's not gone but the half hour I was forced to spend with android was miserable. Today, despite my better suggestions, my cousin bought a GN. He's not much of a techie, so he asked me to flash android revolution onto his device. Okay, rom-flashing, I used to be an addict. I took his phone, tinkered around, and physically cringed at the sight of the lag. I struggled past my initial disgust, I mean I had to attempt to improve the mess he got himself into. So, I get on the comp, download the files, and realize just how tedious all of this is. I do everything, get it flashed, hand it back to him. I don't care to see it, I feel violated enough having done that. I had to preserve the sanctity of my smartphone integrity. He takes it back and is in awe, so, he shows me how much faster it is. I suppose that I'm spoiled by quality, but it seemed slow even then. Hardly any smoother. I mean, I honestly think the first Gen trophy would have been better, he said the rep told them they haven't carried a windows phone in 3 years. Verizon really needs some better options, I hastily rushed back to the warm confines of my functional OS with suggestions to just utilize buyers remorse and pick up a focus S, a noteworthy upgrade. After using my WP7 before he was sold, but ATT sucks in his region.
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What is a "GN" ? Did he also sign a contract for a piece of hardware, or can he use whatever he finds on craigslist with his carrier ?
Apparently there are wp devices being sold, I see one or two a week on my local craigslist.
How convenient, Zee can't answer his lies in the Q&A forum, so he comes here for confirmations.
Smh, i tested my Nexus S against a Focus S, and my Nexus S running stock ICS not modded in anyway was smoother at everything. Shocking! ICS is really astonishing.
Also the 720p display on the GN is forcing the GPU to work 2.4x harder.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
I've seen a lot of reviews of gn and haven't seen any lag. Are you sure it was the Samsung galaxy nexus ?
Sent from my T8788 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
karan1203 said:
I've seen a lot of reviews of gn and haven't seen any lag. Are you sure it was the Samsung galaxy nexus ?
Sent from my T8788 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
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http://www.bgr.com/2012/01/16/galaxy-nexus-users-plagued-by-random-reboots/
This was posted 6 minutes before your post.
A lot of people don't mention the GN's lag because they're comparing it to other android phones. 3 or 4 years in and google still can't create a gpu accelerated UI? Tragic.
vetvito said:
How convenient, Zee can't answer his lies in the Q&A forum, so he comes here for confirmations.
Smh, i tested my Nexus S against a Focus S, and my Nexus S running stock ICS not modded in anyway was smoother at everything. Shocking! ICS is really astonishing.
Also the 720p display on the GN is forcing the GPU to work 2.4x harder.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
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Focus S against Nexus S? kidding me?
Do a Nexus S vs Titan.
drupad2drupad said:
Focus S against Nexus S? kidding me?
Do a Nexus S vs Titan.
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He also mentioned android's new hardware accelerated UI in the other thread -_-... At the rate they're going, that'll be coming around when they're running through the alphabet for names a second time.
The Galaxy Nexus is amazing. Its smooth and the UI is incredible. I absolutely love the face that it has soft.buttons, and they made multitasking amazing in it.
But I cannot use a phone that big, ever. Its truly huge. Also the camera leaves something to be desired.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
drupad2drupad said:
Focus S against Nexus S? kidding me?
Do a Nexus S vs Titan.
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Does that really matter? I don't think that the additional 100 MHz packed by the Titan would matter that much. Anyway, be it smooth or not in the UI, it's quite sure the Nexus S won't be as consistent as a WP7 device (regardless the hardware) in terms of smoothness throughout all the OS and especially when using third party apps.
Answer Android UI is hardware accelerates. Why does Z need to tell Android shards to validate his choice of Windows Phone?
Polly gonna go in carrier stores play more tomorrow abduction thwarting Windows probes are thwarting only ones I'm sure I won't touch because if you have a first gen device there's almost no reason ti buy a new one anyways.
Played with all the AT&T new Windows phones. They didn't incite or when interest me.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
The OP is talking about lags and having to root to make it better, your post is about the size and camera....troll much?
EDIT: he changed his post right quick!
N8ter said:
Answer Android UI is hardware accelerates. Why does Z need to tell Android shards to validate his choice of Windows Phone?
Polly gonna go in carrier stores play more tomorrow abduction thwarting Windows probes are thwarting only ones I'm sure I won't touch because if you have a first gen device there's almost no reason ti buy a new one anyways.
Played with all the AT&T new Windows phones. They didn't incite or when interest me.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
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Even most android fanboys aren't lying about the addition of hardware acceleration.
While I'm happy with my Lumia 800 and focus flash (titan broke, damn HTC and their crappy build quality) perhaps you should wait for the lumia 900. I wish I could've gotten some hands on time with that marvel of cellular technology at CES.
It is hardware accellerated. Stop living in 2010.
The UI latency you keep bringing up is invisible to most consumers and really, I didn't notice it when I spent over an hour in every carrier store Saturday morning/afternoon and played with the Galaxy Nexus. The UI is amazing, and it's smooth as hell. It also has 32GB internal storage and treats it the same as WP7 and iOS (everything on the same storage, no more small App partitions). It's an amazing device. I just think it's too damn big. Updates come way faster to the Galaxy Nexus than to any Windows Phone. With Android having a good UI now, I'm actually considering getting that device (I had sort of sworn off of it after the Vibrant, which is why I got the HD7). Android 4.0 has Native MTP support as well, which negates the need for USB MS as the device can sync natively to Windows Media Player (Music, Podcasts, Pictures, Video) - something not even WP7 can do (needs a redundant app for that). That has always been a negative for Android, but it's gone now...
The Lumia 900 will have the same crappy hardware as basically every other Mango device, it will just be huge, use a now "getting kind of old/overused" design, and have LTE - which isn't even available to most people here (so waste battery life for a capability that isn't possible to use, thanks but no thanks). It will even still have a WVGA resolution in a qHD and (becoming) 720p world, which looked terrible as all hell on the Titan screen when I played with it (made the Focus Flash screen look like a Retina Display by comparison).
The main issue is the OS, the device builds are not top notch but that's a different beast. The OS has grown boring to me, and I will be forced to carry 3 devices if I continue to use WP7. That's become unacceptable to me. I'm going to another platform so I can either use one device (if iPhone, I can ditch my iTouch and Android phone) or two (if Android, then I can carry my Android device and my tiny iPod Touch) instead of the situation I'm in now. I'm leaning towards iPhone, because of iMessage, FaceTime, and the fact that 80% of the people I know use iPhones now.
And yes, HTC is notorious for their crappy build quality. The only value they bought to Android was Sense, back when the Android UI was TRULY terrible. Other than that, their devices aren't anything to write home about.
The only area of pause with the Galaxy Nexus is the Camera and lack of a Camera Shutter button.
T-Mobile 3G here is giving me edge speeds with a full 3G signal, so I need to switch carriers next month when I switch phones, as well. I'm tired of their terrible network. Went home for a week last week and couldn't even make a call 90% of the time, or send a text. Had almost no reception. They should have let AT&T buy them.

Thinking of upgrading to GSM Nexus from iPhone 4s. Some input..

I have been a longtime iPhone and Android user and currently I am using the iPhone 4s. It's a great phone, but I tend to miss Android and all that it offers.
Here is my question.. Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it? I have been going back and forth on it and I think I would really like it, however I can never seem to keep an Android phone because nothing is really new with it.
Here is an example. I had the Verizon Thunderbolt, it was a nice phone, fast and really allowed Android to shine. I then saw the T-Mobile Sensation come out and it was a dual core with nice specs. Another really nice phone. But again, noting super new with Android. Not to mention T-Moble's network blows around here.
I hoped to ATT and I love the coverage and have tried the iPhone 4, 4s (current) and Skyrocket.
So, will Android 4 on the Nexus be new and improved enough to make the switch?
I should pay attention, I see the subsidized Verizon phone still is $300. Maybe $600+ is an ok price.
Honestly I only think paying full price for the GSM Nexus is worth it if you get the $30 Walmart plan on T-Mobile.
I personally have been using my GNex for about a month now and I bought it from one of the on-line retailers (paid $750BTW) and I would do it again in a heart beat. I personally have TMoUSA and the service is good in my area, everyone's mileage will vary. I had the iPhone and have not looked back after going with android
"Worth it" is completely arbitrary based on the person.
For me, it would be worth it. I hate iOS and all it stands for. I also don't being treated like a criminal for wanting root. I also think the iOS theme is butt-ugly.
I'm running pre-alphas of CM9 and they are working flawlessly. This bodes well for the future of the device.
Depends on your budget . I don't think you'll see too much of a difference in terms of performance though... and the GPU isn't that great compared to the iPhone. If you want more input, I suggest you using the search option in this forum and search something along the lines of Galaxy Nexus vs iPhone 4s
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
The Galaxy Nexus is a really good phone, IMO the best Android out there (but then I'd never again buy a non-Google phone -- these are locked worse than the iPhone).
I love the big screen (came to it from a Nexus S) and ICS is a big improvement in terms of UI.
Having said that, the iPhone 4S still offers a smoother and more consistent user experience, IMO.
mycomputerisjunk said:
I should pay attention, I see the subsidized Verizon phone still is $300. Maybe $600+ is an ok price.
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You can get an unlocked 16gb Galaxy Nexus from negri electronics for about $625 shipped nowadays.
No one can tell you how "worth it" it is. Everyone has different qualifications. I'd be inclined to say that if you're going to be staying w/ AT&T and paying through the nose for service, its harder to swallow the ~$625 for an unlocked device.
It becomes more worth it when you go to a prepaid plan and cut your service cost in half every month.
So I would definitely recommend you walk into a Verizon store so you can play with it in person and make your assessment on whether or not you think Android 4 is good enough to justify your payment for the unlocked device. Obviously don't pay attention to the network speeds or anything as you'll be using on AT&T, but its a good idea to see it in person first.
mycomputerisjunk said:
Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it?
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I paid $650 ($689 after tax)for a non-subsidized CDMA so I think so.
well coming from the SGS II(epic 4g touch)...........I LOVE THIS PHONE!!!....i got the CDMA(32gb) version with Verizon. Android 4.0 is a HUGE step from gingerbread, you'll love it. I would recommend going with Verizon though
Ye love it too, and the experience is definitely more changed than ever from 2.x to 4.0(eg. better than ever), so by those means, yes it's worth it.
However with an iphone 4s i would probably wait another year before upgrading.
You could watch Swappa if you're interested in trying to save a few hundred and go lightly used. There isn't much on there now, but may be more in the coming months. Beware of people maybe trying to unload their phones due to signal issues (CDMA at least). I've collected very mixed data on CDMA signal issues (I can't speak for GSM). Many people report 0 problems, and some report chronic problems even after phone swaps. I've seen some fixed after a swap, and in my case I had a tech swap my SIM card which helped a lot, and then updating to 4.03 radios *hopefully* fixed the problem.
Assuming my signal issues are fixed now and don't return, this phone is by far the best I've ever owned. A major jump forward coming from a Droid Incredible. CM9 is also amazing.
http://swappa.com/search?q=galaxy+nexus
Apples and oranges.. One is a fancy phone that runs apps, the other is a mini computer.
If you like customizing your phone past wallpapers and folders then it should be a clear and obvious answer
Sent from my Google phone
I mean...
dude i mean i got the gnex the day it came out and it was complete garbage i hated it it sucked so bad i lit it on fire..i mean i come from a rich background so i can afford to do those kinda things..
jk im not queer, but anyways i have the gnex and i love it. i hate ios and apple entirely and when i see all these kids at my school with iphones i just get heated. anyways..if you have the money to use on a gsm version by all means do so
mycomputerisjunk said:
I have been a longtime iPhone and Android user and currently I am using the iPhone 4s. It's a great phone, but I tend to miss Android and all that it offers.
Here is my question.. Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it? I have been going back and forth on it and I think I would really like it, however I can never seem to keep an Android phone because nothing is really new with it.
Here is an example. I had the Verizon Thunderbolt, it was a nice phone, fast and really allowed Android to shine. I then saw the T-Mobile Sensation come out and it was a dual core with nice specs. Another really nice phone. But again, noting super new with Android. Not to mention T-Moble's network blows around here.
I hoped to ATT and I love the coverage and have tried the iPhone 4, 4s (current) and Skyrocket.
So, will Android 4 on the Nexus be new and improved enough to make the switch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes...........
The trouble with asking this kind of question in a galaxy nexus forum is your going to get a very biast opinion as everyone here, well mostly everyone here owns one and android users love android and apple love apple products.
Really the best advice is go and use one in a store and make up your own mind and of course watch some youtube videos about ics and gnex vs iPhone 4s. Then you be armed with the knowledge to make the right decisiin for you and your needs.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I'd suggest going to your local Verizon store and play around with their Galaxy Nexus demo for a bit. I waited and cried about this phone not being released then when it finally was and I picked up I found myself questioning why and what about the phone was I going so crazy for and at the moment I'm a little regretful for not playing with the phone first and just ordering it online.
It's a nice phone and I know I'm a picky person but there was imo more bad than good and the stuff I think is bad may not necessarily be bad but just not as good as it should or could have been for the price and usually when I upgrade, which is once every few years when Verizon grants me a discount, I like to get the best I can get to last me those few years and the Galaxy Nexus isn't the best for me.
To be specific on the things I personally didn't care for were the camera, the battery life which is common in 4G phones but was a little worse in this phone than other 4G phones I've used. The screen was a let down, the colors and grainy banding in low light levels just looked horrible and the whole 4.65" largest screen thing was misleading to me as you hardly ever use the full screen because of the softkeys and worst of all for me was no USB Mass Storage which I used allot in my previous phone but that last one was my fault for not researching the phone more thoroughly prior to purchase.
I've always been an android user so I can't say anything bad about iOS devices although I have and use an iPad 2 and iPod touch 4 I can't imagine them being any worse as a phone.
If you can wait until the Samsung Galaxy S3, it's a beast. IMO, the Galaxy Nexus is already an outdated phone, and it will be more apparent when new phones start rolling out ICS.
Of course, there's a slew of other phones coming out in the next few months, so you'll have lots of options. That's just my opinion.
Only if you promise not to make threads about multi tasking or battery life if you end up not liking it. Which I am very sure you will like it.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.
I've never owned an iPhone so maybe I'm not qualified to give my opinion, but I have handled various iPhones through the years. My buddy who's owned a couple summed it up best. The iPhone is a beautiful phone with an environment where everything "works." It's a device with a very closed, simple OS but amazing apps, where android is a very powerful, open (if you get something from the nexus line anyway) OS with decent apps. The apps make iPhone and the OS make Android.
If you crave freedom and are a power user, this is the phone for you. I've only owned android devices but I think apple makes a good phone. The problem lies in that if you want it do something that apple hasn't envisioned for the phone, then you are out of luck. Also, the iPhone 4 and up have great screens... but having owned 4inch screen and up phones for the last 2 years, it's pretty much impossible for me personally to go down to something under 4 inches. The thing just feels utterly tiny and limited with that little screen real estate.
As an aside, where Android has caught up with the UI on ICS, they really need to step up the game with their tablets. This is an area the iPad has every Android tablet beat, not even including the horsepower under the hood... device layout! I'm talking about the 4:3 format the iPad uses. Every powerful android tablet is in 16:9, and if you aren't watching movies it's a terrible aspect ratio. It's harder to hold and you give up a lot of usable area in portrait and in landscape. It works for computers with a dedicated keyboard and mouse, but on a huge touchscreen device, it's just awkward.
Edit: Biggest reason I will never own an iPhone is iTunes. Hate the program... huge bloatware on the computer and Apple forces you to use it if you want any sync with your computer. iCloud alleviates it somewhat, but it's just another way to trap you into the Apple ecosystem.

[Discussion] Galaxy Nexus vs Nexus 4 - which would you choose today, and why?

I have an opportunity to get a 16GB Galaxy Nexus BNIB (brand new in box), literally never opened or used, for what I consider to be a really good price at this point given the age of the device. I know that as of a few days ago Google posted the 4.3 factory Android image for the Galaxy Nexus and I've been reading up on how it seems to have breathed new life into the previous flagship device for the Nexus smartphone series.
Now, with yesterday's price drop on the Nexus 4 I have to say I'm on the fence as of this moment. I'm not absolutely sure which one to get given I know the Nexus 4 will be $250 (plus tax/shipping, so about $283 and change according to Google Play), and I can get the Galaxy Nexus for $150 - no it's not some online deal, no it's not on eBay, no I can't point you to where they're that cheap, it's literally a one-time thing from a friend that worked for Google last summer and was given the GN and he never even bothered to open it (he's an iPhone person).
I guess I should say that I'm fully aware of the community of support for the Galaxy Nexus, it's huge and it continues to grow even in spite of the age of the device. It's probably only bested these days by the still awesome community of support for the HTC HD2, probably my fave device ever but that one has long since gone off my radar.
So to make a long blah blah blah help me make a decision post short, here's the real question:
If you had the chance to get a Nexus 4 16GB for $250-ish, today, or a Galaxy Nexus 16GB for $150, today, brand new never opened never touched used etc, which would you choose, and if you can say why then say why.
I'm honestly leaning towards the Galaxy Nexus for several reasons:
- I like the build better and the curved aspect of the shape/display
- I'm not a big fan of the backside glass on the Nexus 4 even in spite of it being Gorilla Glass
- the Galaxy Nexus obviously has pretty much the same or similar features as the Nexus 4 overall (meaning from a functionality standpoint)
- the Super AMOLED display (which with this one I'm considering being brand spankin' new means it doesn't have any burn-in whatsoever which does happen with AMOLED displays; I had a Galaxy S Captivate that after 1.5 years finally started showing the burn-in consistently)
- the removable battery which is probably the biggest most amazing plus of all for the Galaxy Nexus
- the pogo dock (using the contacts on the side) for the Galaxy Nexus (I know it's just for audio and charging but even so it saves wear and tear on the microUSB port (yes I'm aware it's insanely expensive but whatever)
and some other reasons as well but that covers it. So, is the Nexus 4 with a slightly increased resolution (1280x768 vs the GN at 1280x720), the quad core CPU (which isn't a big selling point to me, really), and whatever else it features that much of a better buy over the Galaxy Nexus I'm considering?
One thing that worried me about getting a Galaxy Nexus at this point would have been the age, and the wear on the internal Flash-RAM since it doesn't support a microSD card. I know that with Android 4.3 now available and TRIM finally in action, that's part of why some people are saying their Galaxy Nexus devices are "like new again" because TRIM is cleaning things up - with this brand new never used Galaxy Nexus I could buy, it would be even better and last longer because again a) it's never been used and b) I'd put 4.3 on it within an hour of opening the box, so that's a win-win if I've ever had one.
Anyway, I am seriously curious what other people might thing, so instead of asking this in the Nexus 4 forum where people would probably just flat out call me insane to want a Galaxy Nexus over that device, I figured I'd propose the question here where the Galaxy Nexus community lives.
What say you... the Galaxy Nexus brand new for $150 or the Nexus 4 for $250-ish. I really can't commit to either at this moment so I'm still on the fence.
Regarding 4G:
The 4G aspect potential for the Nexus 4 which I know can be put to use (I use the T-Mobile $30/month plan and I'm in Las Vegas where T-Mobile has outstanding coverage now) is not a consideration as I don't care about 4G at all, period, to any degree whatsoever. Obviously the Galaxy Nexus can't support that at all, but it is HSPA+ capable and again, T-Mobile here in Las Vegas has outstanding coverage so in that respect, from the actual provider perspective, the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 4 are the same for my intents and purposes.
The potential 4G capability of the Nexus 4 is therefore irrelevant and not a "buying point" for me at all. Just wanted to make that aspect clear in my considerations.
Thanks.
Nexus 4. I love my Gnex but for the price it will last you much longer. The Gnex although going strong is starting to show its age. And with the N4 soooo cheap I'd say go for it.
if you're getting a new phone, get the nexus 4. the extra $100 is worth it.
Guess I missed another aspect of the Galaxy Nexus that I am interested in:
Ubuntu Touch development uses the Galaxy Nexus pretty much as the reference device in terms of smartphones, and I would love to be able to do some work with that too, so that's another plus towards the GN.
Hrmmm... I see that they're working with the Nexus 4 as well, go figure.
br0adband said:
Guess I missed another aspect of the Galaxy Nexus that I am interested in:
Ubuntu Touch development uses the Galaxy Nexus pretty much as the reference device in terms of smartphones, and I would love to be able to do some work with that too, so that's another plus towards the GN.
Hrmmm... I see that they're working with the Nexus 4 as well, go figure.
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Click to collapse
Still, you should go for the N4. Even if the Gnex is going strong now it is not going to last forever. It's slow dual core (compared to the new CPUs), slow GPU and 1 gb of ram are already showing their age. Combine that with the already leaving devs and google's now-crap-support and you should have enough reasons to buy an N4.
PS: I love my gnex but if I had the option to buy an N4 or even the N5, which is coming soon, I'd go for the new one
I'm still sad that I got the GNex last August when the N4 was right around the corner for the same price. It has me salivating for an N5 in a couple months!
I recently was in the same situation but was looking at a used Nexus 4 at the time and went with the Galaxy.
What should you do? Well, I think its more of what do you want to do with your phone.
I don't play games that are very demanding on a phone (if any), I mostly use it to browse sites / message when I'm away from a PC.
So for what I need the GNex does it fine.
If you want more power, well this price drop should effect the value of other second hand phones and you could get something better then the N4. (or a cheaper the new N4)
I've still not found a way to keep enough available memory so that my services don't eventually go into restarting loops, necessitating a reboot. My wife just got a GS4 with 2GB of ram (same amount as the N4), and it's much nicer. Haven't seen it pause for 5 seconds to reload the home screen widgets and icons when exiting the browser, that's for sure.
I think everyone with gnex should w8 until nexus 5 come out.
N4 isnt the Upgrade we're all looking for. Performance on gnex is still decent, sure getting aged a bit but still enough to handle everything for our daily needs.
I agree with the memory point, 1 gig isn't enough anymore these days. You simply getting redraws all the time using facebook or chrome.
For me it's gnex, lg can't make quality phones. Besides, the nexus 4 doesn't have lte either, so it doesn't worth "upgrading". But if buying a new phone, I think nexus 4 is better since price wise they are same, why not the newer one.
If you can wait till Nexus 5 but Nexus 4 is much smoother in every aspect. Yes 4.3 made my GN smoother but it even boosted Nexus 4 performance as well.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
Nexus 4 has the better GPU. So I'd choose that.
Get the N4, future proof with 1.8GB of RAM. The 700 on GN is getting cramped. That's the only reason I sold mine last week for surprisingly good 200€ (was without any sings of usage though) and ordered a 250€ 16GB N4 on Play Store via German VPN, so with shipping and all that it'll be 265€ (ordered 2, we're splitting costs).
So you'll be off basically even cheaper. If you worry about the glass back, get a dBrand back sticker, looks great and protects the device.
If the Nexus 4 is still available by the end of the year, i'll get that one (Google recently chopped off 100 Euros off of the price of the N4).
I love my GNex and will most likely not sell it because it has been a very solid performer that still gets the job done.
I don't care all that much for gaming and the like, but the increase in raw processing-power and the amount fo RAM are what does it for me.
Of course, the user-replaceable battery on the GNex is a big plus, but the problem is, that in the future we are going to have to live with built-in batteries (I don't like it either, but that's the way things are looking at the moment).
Strongly considering selling my 2012 nexus 7 and then paying cash for the rest to get the 8gb nexus 4. Its such a good deal at $199.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4
madd0g said:
So you'll be off basically even cheaper. If you worry about the glass back, get a dBrand back sticker, looks great and protects the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had never seen or heard of those, but that yellow one is awesome (big fan of yellow and black schemes here), thanks for the info.
I'm still on the fence, remarkably, but I think I'm leaning more towards the Nexus 4 at the moment since I do want to participate in that Ubuntu Touch testing and development. The increased horsepower of the Nexus 4 (quad core, 2GB of RAM, etc) just make it the better device even in spite of me ending up paying almost twice as much (since the GN for me would be $150 brand new as noted). And according to that spreadsheet they use for tracking progress, it's the only device that currently is fully functional as far as the aspects they've worked on (Bluetooth doesn't work on anything of course, and some other hardware like the gyroscope, etc hasn't even started development yet).
Decisions, decisions...
I really hate N4... So I choose my Galaxy Nexus....
Nexus 4 no doubt.It has better battery..more rams mean more speed , not to mention the better gpu.And with google chopped off 100 bucks of its price itll be a good deal for you mate.
Sent from my SMART Galaxy S4 i9500 via Tapatalk 2
was going to get an iphone 5 instead of my nexus , but after i knew google dropped down the price on the nexus 4 , i think i will get that ,, what do u think guys ??
Nexus 4, if I can choose straightly without losing anything.
I would replace my GNex for Nexus 4 if I no need to add something else. I know it's impossible.
However, GNex is really an amazing device. Gonna use it for another year and I'll see what's next.

Has everyone switched platform away from the G'Nex?

I see more less and less interaction everyday.
Where is everyone flocking to? Nexus 4? Are they staying true to the nexus brand?
How about the HTC One/SGS4 with vanilla android?
I sold it for 200€ and got a N4 from German Play Store for 265€ with shipping. New nexus doesn't intrigue me, specially because it seems it's going to be bigger from those Google videos.
I still use my GN, but it is an aging platform (by smartphone standards) and I've been eyeballing the Note 2 more and more. I'll likely make the jump to the 2 after the 3 is released and the price drops...I still can't justify a $350+ price tag for even a used Note 2. Luckily, Beanstalk 4.3 and Lean Kernel make the GN a nearly flawless performer and much easier to stick with.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I switched from my Galaxy S3 to my Galaxy Nexus after my S3 died. It was very inexpensive to get a used 32GB Verizon model.
I have to say the Galaxy Nexus feels dated and incredibly slow compared to a modern phone like the S3.
After the next Nexus device is announced, I'll likely buy out of my Verizon contract and switch to a T-Mobile month-to-month plan and grab the Nexus phone.
CDMA is suffering.
switched to HTC one months ago. I use my gnex as a mp3 player now
My GN more-or-less abandoned me...the cell radio stopped working. I thought about sending it to Samsung for repair but decided it was probably better to put the money toward a new phone. I went with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition. I'd have rather stayed with the Nexus line, but I really wanted to have a removable battery and microSD card support, which the S4 has. And the Google Edition version is the next best thing to a Nexus in terms of promised OS updates. So far, it's been a great phone. But, if my Galaxy Nexus hadn't given up the ghost, I'd still be using it. It's a great phone.
id wait if your looking at the N4, it sucks compared to the Galaxy Nexus. the Galaxy was a beautiful thing. wait to see what the next nexus is like
How exactly does the Nexus 4 "suck"?
One of the few legitimate criticisms I hear about it is that it has no removable battery compared to the Galaxy Nexus.
I'm guessing the response will be something like "it's made by LG and therefore I will dismiss it as being a bad phone."
Got the N4 today and it's a jewel compared to the GN, specially the screen and extra RAM is awesome.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Try customizing first
I bought my GNexus a year ago. I felt this device very good in my hands. The moment in which I started to think about some other devices I started to customize my GNexus first. So I unlocked bootloader, I rooted it and then tryed many kernels and ROMs. The result was that I had a better devices at zero cost.
So this is what I'd like to recommend to anybody who's willing to change GNexus.
Sorry for bad English
I'm still on the nexus but I have been so impressed with Carbon ROM I haven't flashed anything in months and thankfully I have had no issues.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
I'll be sticking with mine another year. I bought the wife an N4 a couple days ago and love it. We've moved to using VZW as our sole source of internet so the GNexus is really just a hotspot. With 4.3 the phone runs better than it ever has and without another unlocked phone on VZW everything else is garbage.
I still use my GNex, I don't have much issue with it. I have preordered an Omate Truesmart watch though, which I'll replace my GNex with in October when it ships. I'll most likely buy the new Nexus 7 for movies and such. Then I can use the watch as a hotspot for it should I need to.
I got the N4 as a freebie upgrade on contract then sold it for $300 wasn't impressed at all with n4 , still on gnex until nexus 5 comes.
Sadly I still have mine. I hate the battery life and it's really slow. My next upgrade is in May and if the rumors are true about the S5 being aluminum instead of plastic I'll probably get that.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Weakest part of the GN for me has always been the GPU, it was already a year old when the phone was launched. The CPU is good still good enough now for what it has to do, for a 2 year old phone. Shame Ti bailed out of the market.
I probably would have upgraded ages ago, but apart from regular phone stuff the only other thing I really need it to do is be a music player. And thanks to nexus louder mod, I haven't felt the need to change it.
deniros said:
Weakest part of the GN for me has always been the GPU, it was already a year old when the phone was launched. The CPU is good still good enough now for what it has to do, for a 2 year old phone. Shame Ti bailed out of the market.
I probably would have upgraded ages ago, but apart from regular phone stuff the only other thing I really need it to do is be a music player. And thanks to nexus louder mod, I haven't felt the need to change it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally think the omap 4 laggs worse than the old single core scorpion processors, I have a gnex and I find on stock 4.2/3 I have constant freezes, lag and such, had an old galaxy exhibit 8 months ago as well and it ran 4.2 better than the gnex in my opinion
Sent from my Nexus 4 [NEO @1.836 GHz] on [PSX v4.1 4.3]
IRX120 said:
I personally think the omap 4 laggs worse than the old single core scorpion processors, I have a gnex and I find on stock 4.2/3 I have constant freezes, lag and such, had an old galaxy exhibit 8 months ago as well and it ran 4.2 better than the gnex in my opinion
Sent from my Nexus 4 [NEO @1.836 GHz] on [PSX v4.1 4.3]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my own personal experience, I think the Galaxy Nexus's horrible lag issues (which people here like to deny the existence of) are due to the I/O stack being terrible.
On every Galaxy Nexus I have tested, doing anything that puts even mild stress on the I/O stack causes the entire system to jank around. Putting enough stress on it can cause it to lock up entirely.
I agree that earlier single core Android devices I own will handle better than the Galaxy Nexus in certain situations, because they don't jank up after mild I/O taxation.
I have a launch day GNex, and being on verizon, i have yet to find a phone worth changing to.
I've learned to deal with the lag and bad battery, but Roms BAMF, PA, Purity, and now CM 10.2 has made this phone usable.
The GalNex is slow as hell on really any version of Android.... I mean it's best IMO on 4.3, I can type and the keyboard generally keeps up... For once.
I would have had to trash the GalNex because of the battery, but instead I was able to buy a new one... I think an important part of having a phone last is being able to replace the battery.
Then again, if I switch to the GSM Nexus line, $350 every year or other year isn't so bad, and the battery situation would more or less be remedied since I'd be getting a new phone often.
Hell maybe I'll just go iPhone
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

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