Google Pixel telephones are favorites right here at Android Authority, providing nice cameras, loads of AI tips, and a few unique software program options. These weren’t the primary Google gadgets, although, as the corporate enlisted the assistance of companions to provide Nexus-branded telephones within the late 2000s to mid-2010s.
We’ve already ranked Pixel telephones, however which Nexus telephones had been the perfect and which of them had been the pits?
We’ve ranked these telephones based mostly on quite a few elements, together with essential and industrial reception, options/specs, pricing, the significance of every launch, and our personal emotions. For sure, that is purely for enjoyable. However do hold forth together with your opinions within the feedback under!
Which was the perfect Nexus telephone?
122 votes
Nexus 6
The primary and solely Motorola-produced Nexus is on the backside of our record, and this rating is extra resulting from its huge departure from earlier Nexus telephones.
Maybe the largest situation with the Nexus 6 was its steep $649 price ticket at launch, a full $300 greater than its predecessor. Motorola’s Nexus was additionally very chunky and awkward to carry, whereas we criticized the telephone’s battery life in our assessment on the time. The telephone additionally lacked a fingerprint scanner a full yr after the iPhone 5s debuted its touch-based scanner. This omission was reportedly a late resolution and the scanner was alleged to be positioned on the again the place the dimpled Motorola brand was located.
It wasn’t all dangerous, although. The Nexus 6 delivered sooner HDR+ images for improved image high quality. It additionally provided a QHD+ display screen, that blazing (however nonetheless 32-bit) Snapdragon 805 chip, quick wired charging know-how, and wi-fi charging. So that you undoubtedly received a number of premium extras, nevertheless it was a polarizing change from the inexpensive Nexus telephones of yore.
The nice
- Excessive-quality, pixel-dense display screen
- Wi-fi charging assist
- Brisk efficiency
- Improved digital camera expertise
The dangerous
- Very costly for a Nexus
- No fingerprint scanner
- Too massive and awkward for most individuals
- Disappointing battery life
Nexus One
The primary Nexus system launched again in 2010 as Google teamed up with HTC. The consequence was a telephone that undoubtedly appeared of its time, primarily as a result of presence of a trackball for system navigation. The Nexus One additionally stood out within the US again then because it was offered off-contract by way of Google’s storefront, coming in at a substantial $529.
Surprisingly sufficient, show provide points meant just some gadgets had OLED screens, whereas the remaining used LCD panels. Might you think about that taking place right this moment with the Pixel 9 or Galaxy S24? Anyway, the Nexus One was a really succesful telephone on paper resulting from its 1GHz Snapdragon S1 chip and 512MB of RAM. The telephone had a few key weaknesses, although, equivalent to a 1,400mAh battery that delivered disappointing battery life. One other main draw back was the measly 512MB of expandable storage when telephones like the unique Galaxy S provided 8GB of expandable storage that very same yr.
The Nexus One was a strong first effort nonetheless and gave us a style of fresh, unfettered Android at a time when producers had been beginning to closely pores and skin the platform. It was additionally the inspiration for the well-received HTC Need, though the aforementioned {hardware} weaknesses remained.
The nice
- Inventory Android expertise
- Quick updates
- Speedy efficiency
- Expandable storage
The dangerous
- Disappointing endurance
- Solely 512MB of inner storage
- Costly
- Didn’t launch with multi-touch assist
Nexus S
The sophomore Nexus smartphone noticed Google swap from HTC to Samsung, and the consequence was a major enchancment. One of many largest upgrades was the transfer to 16GB of storage, dwarfing the earlier telephone’s 512MB allotment. We additionally received a bigger and barely curved OLED display screen, a extra aesthetically pleasing design, and a good degree of efficiency. This was additionally the primary telephone with NFC, enabling contactless funds, simpler accent pairing, and extra.
For higher or worse, the telephone shared loads of DNA with the unique Samsung Galaxy S which launched roughly six months earlier than. In contrast to the Galaxy S, although, the Nexus S lacked a reminiscence card slot. The Nexus telephone additionally lacked the Galaxy S’s 720p video recording capabilities, solely providing SD recording high quality. You’d assume Google would solely enhance on a six-month-old telephone, however right here we’re. This system additionally had a single-core Hummingbird processor when the primary dual-core smartphones had been mere weeks away. Though, in all equity, Android solely gained multi-core CPU assist months later with the tablet-exclusive Honeycomb replace. Lastly, a couple of areas received the Nexus S with an LCD display screen as a substitute of an OLED panel.
The nice
- First telephone with NFC
- Loads of inner storage
- Extra trendy design
- Smooth OLED show
The dangerous
- No HD recording
- No reminiscence card assist
- Extra highly effective telephones launched simply weeks later
- Some markets had LCD display screen as a substitute of OLED
Galaxy Nexus
One of many few Nexus telephones formally accessible in my native South Africa was the Galaxy Nexus, owing to Samsung’s presence out there. I used to be lucky sufficient to make use of the telephone on the time and I actually appreciated the marginally curved 720p OLED display screen (that includes a really refined vertical curve) and the absence of {hardware} navigation keys. The Galaxy Nexus shipped with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and I bear in mind being actually impressed by the mix of Android 4.0’s darker colours and the OLED panel’s deep blacks.
Maybe the largest draw back to the Galaxy Nexus was the digital camera expertise, that includes a low-resolution 5MP snapper at a time when 8MP sensors had been turning into commonplace. I believed the telephone nonetheless took handsome photographs whereas zero-shutter lag assist was an amazing addition, nevertheless it wasn’t among the many finest digital camera telephones on the time. The shortage of a reminiscence card slot was an excellent more durable capsule to swallow, even when 16GB or 32GB of storage was on faucet. Reviewers additionally lamented the absence of FM radio assist, which was a fixture on smartphones on the time.
The Galaxy Nexus arrived in two distinct flavors: a world GSM/HSPA+ model and a Verizon mannequin with LTE assist. This significantly sophisticated issues when it got here to community assist, knowledge speeds, battery life, and updates. I’m glad the prime Android telephones right this moment don’t undergo from this drawback to the identical extent.
The nice
- Stunning OLED display screen
- Android 4.0 was a game-changer
- No {hardware} navigation buttons
- A great deal of storage for 2012
The dangerous
- No reminiscence card slot
- Digital camera {hardware} may very well be higher
- Verizon variant was gradual to get updates and had worse battery life
Nexus 5X
The Motorola Nexus 6 was lambasted for its excessive price ticket again in 2014, so we had been very completely satisfied when the Nexus 5X was launched alongside the Nexus 6P the next yr. The Nexus 5X picked up the place 2013’s Nexus 5 left off, providing a extra inexpensive proposition at $379. The Nexus 5X introduced an higher mid-range Snapdragon 808 SoC, a extra pocket-friendly 5.2-inch LCD display screen, a quick rear fingerprint scanner, and a much-improved digital camera expertise.
Sadly, this cheaper price ticket got here at a price. The telephone shipped with simply 2GB of RAM and 16GB of base storage in comparison with the Nexus 6P’s 3GB/32GB base configuration. Evaluations on the time additionally lamented the slower HDR efficiency, the shortage of a burst mode and OIS, and the shortage of wi-fi charging. Then there was the truth that some fashions suffered from bootloops — dammit, LG.
The nice
- Return to low cost price ticket after costly Nexus 6
- Very quick rear fingerprint scanner
- Small design in comparison with Nexus 6
- Good digital camera expertise and picture high quality
The dangerous
- Bootloop situation affected some house owners
- Slower digital camera efficiency than Nexus 6P
- Normal efficiency was a step under Nexus 6P
- No wi-fi charging
- Simply 2GB of RAM
Nexus 6P
The HUAWEI Nexus 6P joined the LG Nexus 5X because the final Nexus telephones ever launched again in 2015. The HUAWEI system, specifically, was the most effective Android telephones of all time upon its launch. There was a premium steel design, a pointy OLED display screen, a big battery, and a fingerprint scanner for the primary time within the collection. The telephone additionally made an enduring affect resulting from its images credentials, taking nice snaps because of a mix of Google’s improved HDR+ photograph smarts and a 12.3MP digital camera. This combo would go on to be a fixture on many subsequent Pixel telephones.
Sadly, the Nexus 6P had an Achilles Heel, and that was a bootloop situation. Google acknowledged on the time that this was a {hardware} situation, and it’s thought that the Snapdragon 810 chip was accountable. This resulted in a profitable class motion settlement being filed towards Google and HUAWEI. Toss in iffy assist for varied charging requirements, no wi-fi charging assist, a barebones digital camera app, and a scarcity of optical picture stabilization (OIS), and it’s clear why the primary and solely HUAWEI Nexus isn’t the highest decide in our e book.
The nice
- Excessive-quality display screen
- Good battery life
- Fingerprint scanner for first time on Nexus line
- Nice digital camera high quality
- Steel design
The dangerous
- No Qualcomm Fast Cost assist
- Bootloop situation which resulted in a settlement
- No OIS for the digital camera
- No wi-fi charging
Nexus 4
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
Google and the Nexus line actually discovered their toes in 2012 with the LG-made Nexus 4. Nearly the entire issues we affiliate with the Nexus line will be discovered right here, equivalent to flagship energy, inventory Android, quick-fire entry to updates, and an affordable value. In actual fact, I’d argue that the Nexus 4 was a “flagship killer” a full yr earlier than the OnePlus One.
We praised the 2012 Nexus for its inexpensive $299 price ticket, its design that featured a so-called Crystal Reflection again cowl, and its quick efficiency. The system additionally had wi-fi charging, which was turning into a scorching ticket merchandise on the time. It’s no surprise the telephone made it onto our runner-up spot.
Sadly, one of many largest weaknesses of the Nexus 4 was its lack of LTE assist. This got here at a time when carriers and rival producers had been shortly adopting the high-speed 4G normal. LG and Google’s telephones additionally provided lackluster digital camera high quality and a barebones digital camera app. This was additionally the primary Nexus telephone with no detachable battery, whereas the shortage of a reminiscence card slot was additionally regrettable. Lastly, some folks reported that the Nexus 4’s rear cowl broke with out the system being dropped.
The nice
- Loads of horsepower
- Low cost value
- Cool design
- Wi-fi charging assist
The dangerous
- No LTE
- Middling digital camera high quality
- No detachable battery
- Fragile rear cowl
Nexus 5
Was the Nexus 5 peak Nexus? It’s exhausting to argue in any other case, as Google and LG delivered a flagship-tier smartphone for less than $349 again in 2013. This was nearly a yr earlier than the OnePlus One launched and popularized the “flagship killer” moniker. The Nexus 5 picked up the place the Nexus 4 left off, providing a screaming-fast Snapdragon 800 chip, 2GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB of storage, and an FHD+ IPS show. This telephone additionally provided LTE and a sturdy again cowl, which had been each lacking from the Nexus 4.
The Nexus 5 wasn’t with out its faults. For one, the digital camera expertise was improved over the Nexus 4 as a result of introduction of HDR+ by way of an replace, nevertheless it was nonetheless disappointing. Then once more, this was par for the course for Nexus telephones within the early 2010s. The telephone additionally delivered common battery life and lacked a microSD card slot. However regardless of these points, the Nexus 5 nonetheless ranks as the perfect Nexus in our e book.
The nice
- Low cost value
- Incredible efficiency
- Wi-fi charging assist
- Clear tackle Android
- HDR+ processing for higher images
The dangerous
- Digital camera high quality nonetheless wasn’t nice
- Common battery life
- No storage growth
