Google Nexus 5 in the flesh, first impressions

I posed a question to mostly everywhere in social media and to everyone I know – should I drop my Nexus 4 for the Nexus 5? Apparently, this article is the answer to that question. I got the Google Nexus 5 for a few major reasons: the 1080p IPS LCD display, the Snapdragon 800 CPU & the 8 megapixel camera packed with optical image stabilization.

Taking it out of the box, I already knew what I was going to get; this is the white variant with the white rear cover & the white circular earpiece that adds some character to the device. The rest of the device is just glass & hardcore plastic – which really feels good but more on that in the full review.

The button placements are basically the same when compared to the Nexus 4: volume buttons can be found on the left while the power button is on the right, the speaker is now on the bottom side beside the micro USB port and finally, the audio port is on the top left portion of the Nexus 5.

When we booted up the device, we immediately upgraded to Android 4.4.2 KitKat – which enables bug fixes and the camera to work a lot better. Initially, we have to say that everything with stock Android works buttery smooth, not to mention the gorgeous display projects content vibrantly.

Google LG Nexus 5 specs:
4.95-inch Tru-HD IPS+ LCD display @ 1080×1920 , 445pi
Gorilla Glass 3
Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz quad-core
Adreno 330 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB, 32GB internal storage
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0 LE
GPS w/ aGPS support
NFC
HSPA+, 4G LTE
8 megapixel camera with LED flash, OIS
Full HD 1080p video recording
1.2Mp w/ front-facing camera
Android 4.4 KitKat
Li-Ion 2,300mAh battery
130g (weight)
137.8 mm x 69.2mm x 8.6mm (dimensions)

Months ago or so, I really wanted HTC or Sony to make the next Nexus (Samsung if it weren’t for the plastic). The Nexus 4 is still an impressive device, but I think LG & Google failed to deliver things like long battery life, great camera performance & 4G LTE. Moreover, it was made of very fragile glass.

But now that I have the Nexus 5 in my hands, I feel like Google & LG has polished the Nexus brand. For a price of $349 in the US for the 16GB version, you definitely couldn’t go wrong. Sadly though, that specific deal isn’t available for us in the Philippines; we’ll be paying a higher price for the Google flagship or you can get it through Smart.

The biggest question now is, for a higher price, will the Google Nexus 5 still be worth considering? That you’ll have to find out in our full review, so stay tuned!

Bob Freking

Bob Freking occasionally contributes articles to the website. He is a UST Graduate of Commerce & Business Administration, Major in Marketing Management, and a full-time Sith Lord with three dragons.

18 Comments

John Schiefelbein says:

11 years ago

Just sold my Galaxy S3 unlocked phone from America and now thinking about getting Galaxy S4 Mini GTI 9192 here in the Philippines. Want a phone close to the specs of my Galaxy S3 with price under 16,000 pesos. what are 2 0r 3 of your suggestion. Don’t use internet much except for maps and I want ease of use I am not cell phone smart! Please help! Thank You John S.
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Joseph says:

11 years ago

I’m looking forward to more information in the full review. Regarding OIS, I wonder if it will have a significant effect on the camera’s output, especially video. It would also be interesting to see the resulting video compared to video of the same place, taken with other flagship phones, including flagships from local brands.
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meh says:

11 years ago

For $349 its worth it, but its not worth it for the Philippines price. I paid 25k for the Nexus 4 new, it wasn’t worth it. The same problems carry on to new device, slow/bad camera and poor battery life

The Note 3, LG G2, or Z1 are much better deals, the G2 can be had for 22k and the z1 is at 24k not bad considering what you get
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Pogz says:

11 years ago

I got my 32GB Nexus 5 in Black for only P21K!
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random says:

11 years ago

where did you get your 32gb nexus5 at that pricepoint, online store perhaps? :)
random says:

11 years ago

where did you get yours at that pricepoint, online store perhaps?

Mr. Curious says:

11 years ago

This is a terrible ‘first impression’ article.

The spec sheet alone could’ve told me more about the device than your vague opinion on how ‘Google & LG polished the nexus brand’.

I am a huge fan of yugatech. I really am, and I’m striving hard to believe you guys can still come out with good stuff. But you’re making it very difficult by allowing sub-par articles to be posted just for the sake of it. A lot of your recent articles show that the quality has tanked. Most of the said articles seem as if they were ads, unorganized, cluttered, and simply a jumbled collection of poorly evaluated ideas and opinion scattered messily throughout a page and repacked as an ‘article’.

I don’t know if this is a ‘new strategy’ you guys decided to implement. A mere quantity over quality approach to producing unorganized collection of thoughts called ‘articles’ (Since this approach is made famously successful by Samsung in version of producing ‘products’.) If so, then you guys are definitely doing a great job.

Otherwise,

Please really ‘do’ something about it.
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Money says:

11 years ago

More articles = more clicks = more money
jejefrek says:

11 years ago

+1 for this!!

eto ang point ko din! avid fan din ako ng yugatech ever since, until dumating tong dork na to. More on personal pref nga tong article na to, the hell dork, anong paki namin sayo? idagdag mo pa ang low quality pictures. zzzzzzzz.

Gman says:

11 years ago

They’re selling Nexus5 in widgetcity for only 21k for 16g. THat’s a good price.
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Jakult says:

11 years ago

nakakamura ka nga sa online retailers like widget city and kimstore. pero minsan pag nag pricedrop na sila yung binebenta nila ay mga returned ng customers or may defect at refurbished units na binebenta nila. hindi na selyado at halatang gamit na. i myself bought a unit from widget city and kimstore at mahirap na sila kausapin kapag gusto mo papalitan ang unit dahil 3 days lang replacement period nila. minsan sa 3 days di mo naman agad malalaman ang defect kung meron naman at labag sa DTI regulations ang 3 days replacement kung gusto mo talaga magreklamo. kaya advise sa mga gustong bumili sa online store ng gadgets dapat sealed ang items maski price drop or discounted binebenta nila kasi dun kayo magkaka problema.

jejefrek says:

11 years ago

Abe! Please lang pang cherry mobile or myphone lang ipareview niyo dito sa dork na to please!

Sayang ang ganda ng phone kung nonsense lang din ang magrereview!
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wew says:

11 years ago

@jejefrek uulitin ko ha, kung ayaw mo kay freking at sa mga articles nya edi wag mong basahin!pagopen ng article scroll down ka kaagad para makita ung author…kung c bob un edi deretso colse na agad!dami pang satsat eh parang bakla amf
leehongo says:

11 years ago

please don’t read if ayaw mo dun sa writer, akala mo kung sinong magaling,, ikaw kaya kaya mo magreview nang gadget? be thankful nalang kasi my mga reference tayo, if di ka satisfy, magbasa ka ng iba pang reviews.. sus, its so easy.
Abe Olandres says:

11 years ago

Bob bought his own Nexus 5 to review here.
Natsu says:

11 years ago

You’re so full of crap, you could pass for a toilet.

Harvey Harmandas says:

11 years ago

FTW
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JP says:

11 years ago

Really wish a 32gb version would reach our shores. Nexus FTW!
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