Today we go over smart devices and what they can do for us, we go looking at specs, features, sound, display and other interesting facts. When choosing a smart device its best to see when the OS was last updated and see if the companies take user input.
Design
Starting with the iPhone 5S, it’s not hard to see that Apple’s offering is not exactly a huge phone. This may be a plus for many potential customers, as the iPhone 5S’ moderate size means it’s easy to store in a pocket and the phone doesn’t wander off in the phablet category. In terms of visual appeal, there’s nothing revolutionary here. You know how iPhones generally look, and the iPhone 5S sticks to that same design concept. Basically, you know what the phone will look like before ever seeing it. Solid build quality and an aluminium finish are traits that recommend the iPhone 5S. Despite not utilizing cheap plastic, the iPhone 5S still manages to be relatively light while also feeling sturdy and solid.
The Nexus 5 is strikingly different though. The first notable difference is that it’s considerably bigger. It also feels weaker in terms of build-quality, having a modest plastic finish. It’s light though, so if weight is an important factor for you, the Nexus 5 will deliver in that regard. The only distinct feature of the Nexus 5 is the freakishly big camera on its back. The lens is standard size, but LG thought the camera should scream “huge” for some reason. Whether this feature is appealing or not depends on taste, we didn’t like it too much though.
Display
The iPhone 5S brings a 4 inch retina display that sports a 1136×640 resolution, capable of 326 PPI. It’s definitely sufficient, but don’t expect to be blown away by the iPhone 5S’ screen. It’s good, but it’s not great, and for what the phone costs, you’d probably expect something bigger and better.
The Nexus 5 on the other hand has all the aces up its sleeve. It comes with a 4.95 inch display, running at 1920×1080 resolution with an impressive 445 PPI ratio. Not bad, not bad at all LG. The Nexus 5 also brings crisps colors and sharp images to the table, so in this regard, LG has no real competition.
Hardware and Battery
Things get interesting when it comes to hardware. The iPhone 5S is no nuclear power-plant, but it’s definitely fast in its own terms. The iPhone 5S comes with an A7 chip running on a 64 bit architecture, clocked at 1.3 GHz. 1 GB of RAM is included, and as far as storage capabilities go, the iPhone 5S has a 16GB, a 32GB and a 64GB version, but no possibility for microSD storage expansion. Battery life isn’t especially great on Apple’s offering, and the iPhone 5S only comes with a 1570 mAh battery, that despite being small, still offers mediocre life-time.
The Nexus 5 kicks serious butt in this regard, having a Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor with 2.3 GHz clock, a processor that’s more than capable of handling anything you throw at it. 2GB of RAM ensure that the Nexus 5 has plenty of juice. Internal storage isn’t great however, as the Nexus 5 only has 16GB or 32GB of built-in storage but no microSD support. The battery is a lot better though, with a 2300 mAh battery providing a good enough life-time.
Camera, Software and Price
An 8 MP rear camera with built-in LED flash and a 1.2 MP front camera are included in the iPhone 5S. The rear camera is surprisingly good, and there’s nothing to really complain about. Video recording is great, so that’s also a huge plus. Software-wise, you’re getting Apple’s latest, mainly iOS 7, and obviously, the iPhone 5S can be upgraded to any version of iOS without any problems. Price? Well, the iPhone 5S unfortunatelly still holds a steep price, and at over $600 carrier-free, it’s not exactly a bargain. Its price is unlikely to drop in the nearby future, so if you want to wait for some future discounts, you might have to whait awhile.
The LG Google Nexus 5 has a similar 8 MP rear camera, and a 1.3 MP front camera. No huge differences here. Right now, the Nexus 5 has Android 4.4.2 support, so again, you’re getting the latest and the best. Where the Nexus 5 really shines is its cost. At around $350 carrier-free, the phone is a bargain and then some. It’s almost half the price of an iPhone 5S, and well, it’s actually superior in most aspects.
Conclusion
There’s no way to put this nicely. The Nexus 5 completely wrecks the iPhone 5S in almost all regards. Yes, the iPhone 5S has better build quality and slightly better camera capabilities (although on paper the two cameras are the same), but that’s pretty much all it has going for it. With a bigger and better display, more powerful hardware and almost half the price, the Nexus 5 stomps the iPhone 5S into the ground. Of course, if you really want iOS and an Apple product, then you’ll go with the iPhone 5S, but then again, your mind was set even before reading this comparison. What we recommend is pretty obvious at this point. Go with the LG Google Nexus 5, it’s still not ready to roll over and die to Apple’s onslaught.
