The latest Google Nexus smartphone, the Nexus 5, has a high chance of not making its way to Malaysia – at least not officially. Hence when we spotted the Nexus 5 on display at Sandisk’s MWC 2014 booth, out came the camera for a quick hands on session, on top of a comparison with the old Nexus 4.
The LG Nexus 5 is one of the finest Android smartphones to date, offering exceptional specs at even better prices. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz quad-core chipset with 2GB of RAM, and an option of 16GB or 32GB of non-expandable storage. Other specs include an 8MP rear camera with OIS and improved HDR+ mode, 1.3MP front camera, 2,300mAh battery, NFC, and Adreno 330 GPU.
Design wise, the Nexus 5 looks nothing like the older Nexus 4. The glass back cover has been replaced with a polycarbonate red shell…if you could call it red. Officially, this is the new Red colourway of the Nexus 5, but under different hues of light the red back cover Nexus 5 could even come off as poppy red and even orange.
At the front, the new 5-inch Full HD IPS display is miles better than the Nexus 4’s display, which had poor viewing angles as well as lacking in contrast. Colours are more vibrant on the Nexus 5, and the Full HD display is always a plus.
In terms of build quality, the Nexus 5 feels rather chunky and thick but does not feel heavy. In fact, the matte plastic shell gives more confidence for the user with its durability compared to the glass-backed Nexus 4.
It’s also rather surprising to note that the despite the larger display, the Nexus 5 is not much larger in terms of dimensions compared to the Nexus 4. Compared to the much-improved hardware, the slight bump in the physical size is more than acceptable.
Unfortunately we weren’t able to spend more time with the Nexus 5, so these images would have to do until – fingers crossed – the device is officially available in Malaysia.
