Google Nexus 4 Pro Reviews

Specs-wise, the Google Nexus 4 is an impressive smartphone. Sure, it may not be the best in any particular category, but it's a very well-balanced package with an incredibly powerful processor and a gorgeous IPS screen. When it comes to its design, we do appreciate some of the delicacies of its premium exterior elements, but it doesn’t really come off as something totally invigorating to cause us to drool over it. Still, we can’t help that the majority of its finer qualities are found with the pure vanilla Android experience it’s sporting. Sure, it’s not a totally new version of Android that we have here on the Nexus 4 per se, but hey, we’re not complaining about the new features found with this “new flavor” of Jelly Bean.

As long as the storage capacities suffice, the Nexus 4 is the definition of a bargain. You quite simply get the performance and features of a high-end smartphone for half the price you would expect to pay. Unless you're set on an iPhone, the Nexus 4 is an unbeatable deal.

The iPhone 5 and Nexus 4 are similar in some respects like screen quality and cameras. However, they differ in design and storage options but mostly in software and price.

LG's Google Nexus 4 is a powerful unlocked smartphone with a beautiful, minimalist design, fast performance, and the latest version of Android.

In general, the device is excellent and reliable -- its internal speeds are zippy and smooth, the camera is packed with new features, and Android 4.2 is indeed sleek. The Nexus 4 is one of the best LG phones out there alongside the Optimus G, and for such a recognizable phone, it's extremely affordable. In addition, if you're already a T-Mobile user, the Nexus 4 is the carrier's best offering next to the Galaxy S3. But aside from natively sporting Android Jelly Bean, the Nexus 4 doesn't offer up anything significantly new. If you ask yourself, what does this phone do to expand and progress the Nexus brand? The answer is, nothing much. Though it's fast, the Optimus G also has a quad-core CPU and the AT&T model is 4G LTE-capable to boot. Compared with the Samsung Galaxy S3's design, the Nexus 4 looks all too common. And if you're concerned about what Google said about LTE and battery life, look no further than the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD. Plainly put, while the Nexus 4's HSPA+ speeds are respectable, its lack of LTE capabilities will definitely leave users feeling behind or slighted.

The LG Nexus 4 and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean are a very strong combination. LG’s flagship hardware is capable of a smoothness we’ve only really seen hinted at with the effects of Project Butter until now; on the S4 Pro chipset it simply flies. Meanwhile, the gradual refinement of Android itself is more than welcome, and though Photo Sphere is undoubtedly a gimmick, features like Gesture Type make a noticeable difference to the usability of the phone. That makes it all the more frustrating that so few people will have access to Android 4.2. With so few devices updated to even the previous version of Jelly Bean, the saga of Android fragmentation shows little sign of ending. Google’s strategy to address that appears to be more affordable hardware, though it remains to be seen whether the company can make unlocked devices popular in a way that it failed to manage at the start of the Nexus project. None of that takes away from how capable the LG Nexus 4 is, however, and how keenly priced. Nexus devices are already appealing, being as they are at the front of the line for new Android updates, but until now there’s always been a compromise somewhere along the way. With the Nexus 4, the compromise is as small as its ever been, and the fact that it’s so very affordable makes it strongly recommended for those wanting the best of Android today.

Probably. As of right now, it is officially my favorite phone by a healthy margin. It's just so fast, so smooth, and the software is great. At times it feels like things open faster that you even think them. Even it being limited to HSPA+ (not LTE) doesn't really hurt it much, at least not in NY. Gamers will certainly love it, but really it's for everyone who hates lag and delay. That's probably most of us. The only thing that really gives me pause is battery life. On paper, the 2100 mAh should power it through the day no problem. As it is right now, this is not a phone I could take on a long trip where outlet access is spotty. That honor still goes to the Motorola RAZR MAXX HD, which is still very fast and will get you almost two days of real use on a single charge (and it's only 0.2mm thicker than this phone). We're hoping that's something that will be fixed in the upcoming software update (which will hit before the phone ships), and if that's the case, we're probably talking 4.5 stars and our unreserved "Go buy it now!" Fingers crossed.

There is a lot to be excited about the Nexus 4. It's equipped like a flagship Android handset, but priced like a mid range phone. This is a huge point for anyone who wants to buy this smartphone outright, rather than taking a contract from someone like O2, who has a launch exclusive on the handset, for around £31 a month for 2 years. The Nexus 4 is £239 for the 8GB model and £279 for 16GB. Compare that to the price of a HTC One X at around £420 for 16GB, or the Samsung Galaxy S III at £410 for 16GB and you can't help thinking the Nexus 4 is something of a bargain. What you get is a handset that's been exquisitely designed, fully loaded with hardware and an excellent display, yet remains uncluttered with apps and features you might never use. There are some holes, certainly, but it's a wonderful experience in day-to-day use. The weakness for us comes in with the camera. It's just not as much fun to use and feels slow compared to the best out there: we just want it to perform better. The battery life could be better and should be, but for a phone of this size and power, it's a common problem. The Nexus 4 is an enticing proposition. It might not be loaded with the consumer refinement that you'll get from the Samsung Galaxy S III's software tweaks, or the diversity of integration that you'll get from HTC, but it undercuts both on price nicely. If you're a heavy phone camera user, you might have cause to complain, but otherwise, the Nexus 4 is worth being excited about.