LG Nexus 4 Smartphone Reviews and Deals

LG Nexus 4 review

The new Nexus

The Google Nexus range is a line of reference smartphones and tablets running pure Android - no manufacturer interfaces or other embellishments. What that means is you get upgrades as soon as Google releases them rather than having to wait for manufacturers to smother it with their own skins.

Previous Nexus hardware was made by HTC and Samsung but the Nexus 4 comes from LG. This was slightly concerning when first announced as LG has a somewhat shaky track record with Android, having previously released some buggy, low quality devices which ended up being withdrawn from sale.

Thankfully that’s not the case with the Nexus 4. Build quality and design are immediately impressive - although it is made from plastic and rubber the N4 feels like a premium model and its jet-black chassis is quietly attractive. There is a sparkly effect on the rear panel which feels at odds with the understated fascia, but it’s not something you’ll be looking at very often.

The N4 is a sealed unit so you cannot change the battery (the microSIM pops into a slot in the side). That does make it feel solid but the inability to swap in a spare power cell may annoy some.

Quick reactions

The N4 boasts a powerful collection of hardware under its modest exterior. The processor is a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 and it’s backed up by 2GB RAM. That’s some impressive horsepower for a pocket device and its impact is felt throughout.

The Nexus 4 zips along at a rapid pace, opening apps and moving between screens without the irritating pauses that have dogged Android for so many years. Part of the credit must go to Google, though, which has greatly improved performance of its operating system recently with Project Butter.

As a Nexus smartphone this of course runs the very latest Android Jelly Bean OS, which brings a number of improvements to the table. Performance is, as mentioned, much better, you also get the excellent Google Now personal assistant tool and widgets on the lock screen. If you’re moving from Ice Cream Sandwich the differences aren’t quite as pronounced, but anyone still stuck on Gingerbread or older will be impressed by the changes, especially the smart ‘Holo’ UI theme.

Elsewhere the N4 is packing the usual array of features you’d expect to see on a high-end handset. There’s a slew of environmental sensors - accelerometer, compass, light sensor, gyroscope and barometer - and GPS for navigation.

Two cameras are fitted, a 1.3 megapixel sensor on the front and 8 megapixel to the rear. This is one of the N4’s weaker areas however. Picture quality is good provided you have plenty of light available, but its LED flash is not quite strong enough and low-light performance suffers.

There are some nice touches on the software side though. The camera loads very quickly and can be opened instantly via the lock screen. We also really like how options are accessed - you simply long-press anywhere on the display to bring up a circular menu. It’s much faster and more intuitive than traditional menus.

For connectivity we get Wi-Fi support (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth and NFC, plus a microUSB port for charging and old-school wired access. Mobile data is supported up to the latest 3G DC-HSDPA standard, which provides real-world speeds of over 10Mb on supported networks (Three is deploying it across the UK).

Storage and display

There are two variants of the Nexus 4 available with 8GB and 16GB of on-board storage. If you’re going to be loading up with movies and music the 16GB model is most definitely worth the extra money, but you should also get used to the idea of cloud storage, because the Nexus 4 does not offer expandable memory.

Like the non removable battery, this might be a deal breaker. The ability to add storage is a key advantage of Android over the iPhone and it’s frustrating when this option is not available, particularly on the 8GB version where just 5GB of memory is left available, which could be quickly consumed by apps alone.

This is the most disappointing part of the Nexus 4, though every other part of the phone is so good it’s still worth considering even if you normally rely on a memory card. And you may well change your mind once get hands-on, because it has a killer display.

The gorgeous 720p screen is one of the best we’ve seen on any smartphone. Its 320 ppi pixel depth makes for some incredibly sharp visuals; that’s just a notch under the 326 ppi of the iPhone 5 but in practice it’s just as good, if not better, than Apple handsets. The LCD technology also lacks the fuzziness of the Galaxy S3’s SuperAMOLED screen and provides pure whites and incredibly deep blacks.

You’ll also appreciate how there’s very little distance between the display and its protective layer of Corning Gorilla Glass, and how the glass smoothly curves off at the edges. Both these touches add to the premium feel and your enjoyment of the Nexus 4.

Conclusion

Value for money is the key selling point of the Nexus 4 but for a change it doesn’t mean you have to compromise. The Nexus 4 has everything you’d expect of a high-end flagship for half the price, and there’s no waiting around to get the latest software updates either. The omission of a removable battery and microSD slot are the low points, but these aren’t major flaws and not something everyone will care about. If you’re in the market for a new smartphone the Nexus 4 should be right at the top of your shortlist.

LG Nexus 4 specification and features

Model

LG Nexus 4

Manufacturer

LG

Operating system

Android

Colours

Black

Mobile internet

WiFi

Yes

3G

Yes

HSDPA

Yes

Size

Size

134mm x 69mm x 9mm

Weight

139g

Features

Talktime

15 hrs

Standby

390 hrs

Touchscreen

Yes

QWERTY keyboard

No

Camera

8 megapixel

Video

Yes

GPS

Yes

Bluetooth

Yes

Music Phone

No

FM Radio

Yes

Quad Band

Yes

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