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Nexus 5 alternative choice

If the N5 doesn't live up to your expectations which phone would you prefer instead even if cost were not a factor?
Is there another carrier flagship phone that you are satisfied would be flexible enough for you to be able to do all of the following?
root, rom;
restore to stock rom if necessary;
return to store after restoring stock rom;
upgrade via carrier upgrade plan after restoring stock rom?
make a potential carrier warranty claim after restoring stock rom?

If the Nexus 5 doesn't list up to my expectations, I will go back to my Galaxy Nexus. It may not be the most state of the art device but with CM ROM's and faux123's kernels, I can't go wrong with it.

jcsww said:
If the Nexus 5 doesn't list up to my expectations, I will go back to my Galaxy Nexus. It may not be the most state of the art device but with CM ROM's and faux123's kernels, I can't go wrong with it.
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That's actually the phone I own also but I've got it pretty heavily loaded over the last 2 years. I really think I need at least another gig of ram to run well and a faster processor wouldn't hurt. The non-removable 2300 battery on the N5 is just a real disappointment. I've only owned nexus devices so far and I'm a bit concerned that a carrier flagship may not be flexible enough.

NCguy said:
That's actually the phone I own also but I've got it pretty heavily loaded over the last 2 years. I really think I need at least another gig of ram to run well and a faster processor wouldn't hurt. The non-removable 2300 battery on the N5 is just a real disappointment. I've only owned nexus devices so far and I'm a bit concerned that a carrier flagship may not be flexible enough.
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A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery. I am not a fan of LG stuff in the first place and I avoided the Nexus 4 for various issues. With T-Mobile not announcing another Sidekick anytime soon, I need to upgrade. I don't like the physical home buttons on phones so that has kept me away from the S4 and other phones. My original Galaxy Nexus actually got damaged due to heavy rain I got caught in and I couldn't get another from my carrier. I ended up getting an S4 to trade my mother for her Galaxy Nexus.

To be honest, nothing beats the Nexus experience to me, and I can't even think of other choices with what I have experienced. When I think of a Nexus Phone I don't really give a huge deal for the hardware internals, because it's not really meant to be a show off with the latest hardware and the largest battery. Samsung soon will hit a 1000 cpu cores into their Exynos bully maybe, and yet their Touchwiz phone LAG and stutter. A properly minimally optimized OS over a good deal of hardware is what Google brings, not to forget the minimal design of the phone, and oh for a damn good price - I wouldn't ask for more.

jcsww said:
A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery. I am not a fan of LG stuff in the first place and I avoided the Nexus 4 for various issues. With T-Mobile not announcing another Sidekick anytime soon, I need to upgrade. I don't like the physical home buttons on phones so that has kept me away from the S4 and other phones. My original Galaxy Nexus actually got damaged due to heavy rain I got caught in and I couldn't get another from my carrier. I ended up getting an S4 to trade my mother for her Galaxy Nexus.
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I played with the LG G2 for over an hour, and decided it was too Samsung 'cheapie' plastic to suit me. The HTC One Max would be my next phone, despite an S600 chipset, based on durability and useability, and those speakers would come in quite handy at times.

prob moto x

If the Nexus is a no-go on Verizon I'll likely wait until the Moto Maker site goes live for VZW and at least get 32 gigs of internal storage. Feels really good in the hand and super smooth
Sent from my VZW SGS3 rockin' Jelly 'Beans' Build 17 using Tapatalk 2

No choice but to keep it if i go n5.. i currently own a note3 and waiting to return for a n5... if i dont like it.. then too bad for me
Sent from my SM-N900T using xda app-developers app

jcsww said:
A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery.
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+1 - love just been able to swap a fully charged battery. Extremely convenient... though from the leaks it looks very unlikely. Though I'm quite over my S4 atm and wanna try something different - the N5 looks like it could be a good choice.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

beaver2233 said:
+1 - love just been able to swap a fully charged battery. Extremely convenient... though from the leaks it looks very unlikely. Though I'm quite over my S4 atm and wanna try something different - the N5 looks like it could be a good choice.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
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That it does. That's why I have been looking forward to it. The camera sticking out a bit also bugs me about the phone also. These two things are bugging me very much. With the time I get out of my Galaxy Nuxus battery on normal use, it might be fine for me for normal daily use. If I need to go out of town though, camping, or some where I just can't get to a charger, I'll have to hold on to my Galaxy Nexus to make sure I've got something I can stretch out for a couple of days.
The wireless recharging for the Nexus 5 is something that really caught my attention as a good thing. Being able to just sit my phone down on my desk when I get in and have it charge is awesome! The screen also looks very nice for slightly under 5 inches. Hopefully the announcement and launch kicks off today.

Who buys carrier branded crap phones with their ugly logos ... Nothing can beat a Nexus in Android world.

kirdroid said:
Who buys carrier branded crap phones with their ugly logos ... Nothing can beat a Nexus in Android world.
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Amen brother! Been on the nexus line since the nexus one. Hell sometimes I still miss the trackball. Lol

jcsww said:
A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery. I am not a fan of LG stuff in the first place and I avoided the Nexus 4 for various issues. With T-Mobile not announcing another Sidekick anytime soon, I need to upgrade. I don't like the physical home buttons on phones so that has kept me away from the S4 and other phones. My original Galaxy Nexus actually got damaged due to heavy rain I got caught in and I couldn't get another from my carrier. I ended up getting an S4 to trade my mother for her Galaxy Nexus.
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yeah me too about the battery thing. I like to have a removable batt so I can buy an extra and swap it if my other one drains. But I think powerbanks are also helpful for non-removable batteries as well. #confusing hahaha

The Nexus has always been a developer only phone. But as it is for the camera that megapixels don't matter, so it is for the battery that the mAh won't matter. We have previously seen that the phones with an extra large capacity battery yet not perform as per the expectations. Atleast Google doesn't stuff their phones with bloatware like Samsung. A Nexus always comes with a minimal OS coupled with a balanced hardware at an unrivalled price. A non-removable battery & no expandable memory have always been the let downs, yet 32GB is enough for me for storage & a battery lasting just over a day is well enough for me. Nexus ftw !
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium

LG G2 Google Play edition.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

beaver2233 said:
+1 - love just been able to swap a fully charged battery. Extremely convenient... though from the leaks it looks very unlikely. Though I'm quite over my S4 atm and wanna try something different - the N5 looks like it could be a good choice.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
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I'm currently on an OG Note, recently bought a new battery and I have little problems with it. I'm mainly bored with it now and the USB port has some problems (€10 to fix). Minor issues and I'm sure I could use the phone for another year without ever really being bothered by it. I don't play games, so I don't really need all that raw power the new devices have. I have been looking for a new device for some time, just to have a new gadget and all.
I work for HTC indirectly so I have a One lying around here that I can use, but I can't root it so I have no use for it. I can't get used to the new Sense and their strange softkey layout (though that's more the fault of developers that don't keep to the design guidelines of Android, than it is HTC's).
I also had the S4, which I liked overall, but I found it too expensive, it had useless functions which I didn't want to pay for. Especially since you lose a lot of them when you put a stock rom on it. It has an AMOLED screen which, after two years of the Note, I'm not very happy about (uniform colours are a pain, and it degrades too fast). And it looks just like any other Samsung device (and I'm bored now). - I did get hooked on the infrared functionality though. I miss that every day.
Then the Z1 came along, looked refreshing and the waterproof stuff is a giant pro. Useless camera, but the rest was pretty good. Unfortunately the screen dissapoints.
So now I'm waiting for the Nexus 5. Absolutely no useless functions. Just a good and powerfull device that can last for another two years. No screwing around with roms and stuff and a good price.
If it dissapoints, I might go for an S4 as they're now in the pricerange of the Nexus 5 or I'll stick to the Note for another year, to see if something better comes up.

If not the Nexus 5, I'd go for the Oppo N1.
With out of the box CyanogenMod, IPS 5.9 inch display, and top-notch camera optics and dual user-controllable flash.
I have (had) the S4 and sold it today. I was extremely dissapointed with it in just about every way, and with the addition of Knox locked bootloaders being sneaked in by Samdung, that iced the "sell it now" cake for me.
I'm actually back to using the SIII in the meantime, and even with piss-poor driver support, it runs CM very well.

my choise is between Nexus 4 or Nexus 5

lombardo8 said:
LG G2 Google Play edition.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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Actually, as far as the hardware goes, I am quite impressed with g2. That display seems so much larger than other phones of the same physical dimensions. Battery, processor, storage, etc. no limitations except no wireless charging. (except verizon version)
A play edition would be very tempting. Unfortunately it doesn't seem likely with the N5 being a somewhat close cousin. If the N5 had the exact same g2 hardware it would be a no-brainer for me even at a much higher cost.

[Q] If not a Nexus 5, then what?

I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!

elias4444 said:
I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!
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If you like the Nexus 5 32GB White, it's shipping pretty quickly (within a couple days), although it says 2-3 weeks.

LG-G2 obviously
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app

elias4444 said:
I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!
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Click to collapse
In my humble opinion, the only other phone to even consider right now besides the Nexus 5 is the Moto X. I have both phones, and still prefer the Moto X over the N5 for a variety of reasons. It really is the ultimate smartphone to me. The N5 is great and has its own merits, don't get me wrong, but the Moto X is the complete package. Motorola absolutely nailed it with that thing. I've also owned the HTC One and GS4, and neither can touch the X.

elias4444 said:
I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!
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Click to collapse
I'd say the s4 and HTC one are as good or better than the n5. With that said I have an n5 in the mail. I didn't get the s4 or one mainly because the bootloaders are locked and you can't do much with them with out a lot of mickey mouse. If you're into messing with your phone and having fun with it the n5 is hands down the winner. I looked at the s4 for a long time and with all the crap Samsung and the carriers were doing with it I wouldn't get it for the world.

elias4444 said:
I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!
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Click to collapse
Warning: A lot of writing
Well, we're in a Nexus 5 forum and bias is to be expected. However, I've had a Gnex, Nexus S, and am currently rocking a Galaxy Note 2. A Nexus 5 is due to arrive today for me. I've somewhat been at a cross for the last couple of days. I am pretty sure it's because I keep reading about the defects, faults, and comparisons of the N5 to others.
But, because of this, I am wondering if I've made the right choice. There are two other choices that cannot leave my head and that's the LG G2 and the Moto X. The two are completely different phones and it's almost like the Nexus 5 is the perfect balance between the two. Perfect isn't what I'm looking for, more like an even balance of the two.
On one side, the G2, you have an exceptional device with many internals similar to the Nexus 5 but with specs such as higher batter capacity, higher megapixel camera, IR blaster, larger size screen, etc. However, with the G2 comes the four different variants for US carriers, LG's skin, and minimal developer support. I don't even know if it'll be updated for long. It's what drove me nuts about my Note 2 although I loved its hardware. My problem with the G2 is the unknown support lifetime and small developer community. I consider it due to its superior (especially battery) hardware aspects of it.
Then, you have the Moto X. I can't say there's much of a difference in terms of software development due to locked bootloaders, but the stock software is amazing. No one has any complaints of it. It's either you love it and can't live without it or you simply have no use for the feautures. It's not a bad phone at all. It has lower end specs, but performs CLOSE, but not as fast as a Nexus 5. It has been confirmed to be updating to KitKat. The problem with the Moto X is a much smaller, yet friendly, developer community. There also seems to be a huge lack of accessories for the two devices and that's a bit of a big deal.
It seemed like the Nexus would acquire some features of the Moto X like touchless controls and an extermely efficient battery. But, that wasn't the case. We know because it's a Nexus device that it's going to get support from its userbase for quite some times and that means a lot for me. But it seems like there is just so much wrong with the phone hardware wise that I'm stuck. I don't want a crap battery (coming from Note 2 of course) and a lower-output speaker but I'd really appreciate constant developer support and guaranteed updates.
TL;DR There is no perfect device at the moment. Each device will require you to sacrifice something that you believe is worth sacrificing. You sacrifice accessories, developer community, update lifetime, and other small things for the Moto/G2. But, with each of those devices you gain something a Nexus can't give you with a larger battery and better battery life, smaller or bigger screen size, handy software features (touchless, knock knock, etc.).
Price isn't a factor for me either and I know you can root these devices but that comes with broken features and instability. I'd be great to have a G2 with stable 4.4 and touchless controls. That's the perfect device, IMO.
I know I rambled a bit too much and a little off topic, but I needed to kind of let this out somewhere. Heh. Seriously though, it's an amazing time for us smartphone lovers. You don't lose in either choice you make. We're just picky. Good luck!

elias4444 said:
I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!
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Click to collapse
Well, you've dithered this long, what's another 2-3w?

For the longest I decided to get the Moto X. I had seen the specs for Nexus 5 and all the leaks but I was set on the X. That was until the Nexus 5 was launched and I made my decision in less than 30 minutes of launch. I'm in love with my Nexus 5 and don't regret my decision at all. Loving the bigger screen but if I could not have gotten the Nexus 5 I definitely would've gotten the Moto X. Love the form fit. Never would have considered the S4 or HTC One. I prefer as close to vanilla android as I can get and the Moto X is pretty amazing. But then again so is the Nexus 5. I would've waited for either.

elias4444 said:
I keep dithering back and forth between buying the Nexus 5 or "something else." My wife has the Nexus 4, and I'm looking to replace our outmoded land-line with a cellphone of my own now. We use T-Mobile and I'm quite the technology addict, so I'm always on the lookout for something "high end."
Google is currently saying 2-3 weeks for Nexus 5 orders, which unfortunately gives me plenty of time to consider other options. Are there any? Does the Galaxy S4 or HTC One even come close to the Nexus 5, technologically speaking? I've also read good things about the Galaxy Note 3. If you could pick something "not the Nexus 5," what would it be?
Any opinion is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everyone loves the HTC One. I think the GS4 is better. Technologically speaking, the GS4 is as good as the Nexus 5. I just prefer the Nexus 5. My girlfriend prefers her GS4 to my N5. They are both great phones. Also, as someone else mentioned, the G2 is supposed to be pretty good, but I haven't given it a try. "Technologically speaking," you will not find a better device than the Note 3. It's huge, though, so you should make sure you're comfortable with it. I would rather have the Nexus 5 for my phone and a Nexus 7 as a tablet rather than a single phablet like the Note 3. Funny thing is, the N5 + the N7 is about the same price as the Note 3.
_MetalHead_ said:
In my humble opinion, the only other phone to even consider right now besides the Nexus 5 is the Moto X. I have both phones, and still prefer the Moto X over the N5 for a variety of reasons. It really is the ultimate smartphone to me. The N5 is great and has its own merits, don't get me wrong, but the Moto X is the complete package. Motorola absolutely nailed it with that thing. I've also owned the HTC One and GS4, and neither can touch the X.
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ms0chez said:
For the longest I decided to get the Moto X. I had seen the specs for Nexus 5 and all the leaks but I was set on the X. That was until the Nexus 5 was launched and I made my decision in less than 30 minutes of launch. I'm in love with my Nexus 5 and don't regret my decision at all. Loving the bigger screen but if I could not have gotten the Nexus 5 I definitely would've gotten the Moto X. Love the form fit. Never would have considered the S4 or HTC One. I prefer as close to vanilla android as I can get and the Moto X is pretty amazing. But then again so is the Nexus 5. I would've waited for either.
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I personally hated the Moto X. I found it poorly made and laggy. It is definitely not a future-proof device. It's behind the GS4 and HTC One, both of which predate it by 4-5 months. But if you are looking for something future proof, you should either get the Nexus 5, which is guaranteed to receive the latest software updates for at least two years, or the Note 3, which has better hardware than any other phone on the market. Or, if you can wait until April, get the GS5 when it comes out.

got-killed: you make some good points for each phone. But i have to say the things that really led me to get the Nexus 5 (aside from really wanting a new phone and having no upgrades available yet through AT&T) to upgrade from my Galaxy S3 are:
1) Developer support, as you mentioned, but also updates direct from Google, without any software really being locked down and the source always available, which also means BETTER custom ROM's.
2) The screen is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
3) .... did i mention updates directly from Google?
But in all seriousness... yes, the Moto X has some nice features.... but i honestly can't imagine myself using them very often. Touchless operation.... I had enough trouble with Touchwiz waking my phone when i received a text message, and accidentally unlocking the phone through my pocket (which you'd be surprised just how well these screens work through a layer of cotton and denim). Kinda like the whole "Pocket Detect" feature the S3 has, where it'll automatically lock the phone if it seems like you've put the phone in your pocket. Nice... but yea... easier to just hit the button on the side of the phone and not worry about IF it locked.
Not sure what you mean by the Nexus 5 not having an energy efficient battery. The battery in the Nexus 5 is ever so slightly bigger than what's in the Moto X, and also has an ultra-low power bonus CPU core to greatly minimize battery usage while the phone is asleep. I can't say i use my phone heavily... but it's already doing much better than my GS3 ever really did. Can get 14 hours on a charge with nearly an hour of screen time, and still have upwards of 20% battery life left, depending what i was doing with the phone.... and that was only on it's second charge so far.
And yes... the speaker is a fair bit quieter than on that of something like my previous Galaxy S3.... but the side-by-side comparison between the two, it's no contest. I'd MUCH rather have the superior sound quality from the Nexus 5's speaker than what the S3 has. The sound is rather tinny on the S3. Watching a video of Sungha Jung playing his acoustic guitar is not only practically ear-splittingly high pitched on the S3, but the lower tones when he's drumming on the side of the guitar with his wrist while playing are for the most part non-existent from the speaker. The Nexus 5's speaker can output tones a fair bit deeper than the S3's speaker can, and the highs aren't as squeal-y. And i'm sure, either be it from the development community or from Google themselves, we'll probably see some sort of mod to make the volume louder from the N5's speaker.

Picking a phone is very personal choice. Go to the store and play with the models you can, go to an AT&T store to check out the Moto X.
Personally it comes down to this, if I were to buy a phone on a subsidized, or JUMP, plan it would be the Moto X. But being that I usually buy a phone and hold onto it for a couple of years, and I am buying in cash, the nexus made much more sense to me.
While the moto x is great, imho, it isn't future proof. How will it perform in a year or two, what about the developer community. Add to that, you couldn't get the 32 gb model on T-Mobile, and I went with the Nexus 5.
But, I will admit, it is much more comfortable in my hand and pocket than the Nexus 5.
I don't regret my decision at all.

Thank you everyone for your input and ideas! You're a GREAT community here!
After thinking about it some more, I actually cancelled my Nexus 5 order. Not because I don't want the phone anymore, but because I realized my real issue here is that I'm just not comfortable with brand new tech that barely hit the market. I've felt a little let-down with my 1st gen Nexus 7 getting slower and slower over time and it's made me a bit gun shy to run out and buy the "next big thing" the moment it hits the market (like I did with my tablet).
I'll spend some time researching all the suggestions posted here before I dive back in. Honestly, the MotoX never even crossed my radar, but it sounds like it has a solid following and deserves some consideration.
Thank you again! And please feel free to keep posting your ideas! I'll keep coming back and reading them.

As per sig i have 3 devices. .just got the nexus 5 today and its going back tomorrow and I will buy the G2...I should have went with it in the first place but I couldnt resist the white nexus.
Nice device just not for me..if you want a 5 inch device...s4 hands down..or if you want to go a bit bigger G2.
Note 3 is a beast of a device...nuff said there.
Sent from my S4,Note 3 or Nexus 5

elias4444 said:
Thank you everyone for your input and ideas! You're a GREAT community here!
After thinking about it some more, I actually cancelled my Nexus 5 order. Not because I don't want the phone anymore, but because I realized my real issue here is that I'm just not comfortable with brand new tech that barely hit the market. I've felt a little let-down with my 1st gen Nexus 7 getting slower and slower over time and it's made me a bit gun shy to run out and buy the "next big thing" the moment it hits the market (like I did with my tablet).
I'll spend some time researching all the suggestions posted here before I dive back in. Honestly, the MotoX never even crossed my radar, but it sounds like it has a solid following and deserves some consideration.
Thank you again! And please feel free to keep posting your ideas! I'll keep coming back and reading them.
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Just remember someone like you, I gather, will be stuck with what you get out of the box(OOB). The nexus/playstore editions have the least bloat and get OS updates the quickest... that is IF you decide to go with an Android device, but as I intimated before, you've dithered so long now, why hurry? Go look around some more until you're sure of what you want/need/are comfortable with.
Personally, I REALLY like nexuses for their non-bloatwareness, although when I bought my last phone the nexus 4 there was nothing but the n4 really, the the One and S4 hit the play store, but I decided to go with the n5 again. Maybe next time something different especially if mfgs. like ASUS step into the ring and also limit bloat plus update fairly regularly(I have shield(tegra 4) FYI which has already gotten one OS update so far, I also have the n7(2013 version snapdragon v. your tegra3 2012 version), also most of my desktop and home networking is also ASUS(motherboard(P9X79, I build my own), router(AC66U), monitor))...
Good luck, and I'll just re-iterate you've waited this long, so just don't jump into anything willynilly, but also I'd suggest not terminally procrastinating...

elias4444 said:
Thank you everyone for your input and ideas! You're a GREAT community here!
After thinking about it some more, I actually cancelled my Nexus 5 order. Not because I don't want the phone anymore, but because I realized my real issue here is that I'm just not comfortable with brand new tech that barely hit the market. I've felt a little let-down with my 1st gen Nexus 7 getting slower and slower over time and it's made me a bit gun shy to run out and buy the "next big thing" the moment it hits the market (like I did with my tablet).
I'll spend some time researching all the suggestions posted here before I dive back in. Honestly, the MotoX never even crossed my radar, but it sounds like it has a solid following and deserves some consideration.
Thank you again! And please feel free to keep posting your ideas! I'll keep coming back and reading them.
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I owned the first generation Nexus 7. Bought it the day it was released. It is the only device I've owned that really did slow down like you said. It is too early to speak for the Nexus 5, but this problem did not exist on the GNex, Nexus 4, Nexus 10, or second generation Nexus 7. I ran into the problem with AOSP based custom ROMs on my GS3, but not with stock TW or TW based custom ROMs. The first generation Nexus 7 just didn't have great hardware, and it showed after lots of use, especially on the 8gb version. I don't think you should have that fear going into the N5, but I think you're being smart holding off until you're sure. I jumped the gun with the Moto X and got just above half of what I paid when I resold the PoS.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I bought a N5 for experiment and I will stick with my Z1. Better camera, quality, waterproofness, better screen even though z1 is bad for yellow tint N5 is worse. With the N5 you simply get what you pay for but I would pay a little more for the premium glass/aluminum finish phones like the One or my Z1

I have had the HTC One and I currently have the Note 3 and the Nexus 5 (My 3rd Nexus over the past few years). I really enjoyed the Note 3 but the size got to me. I have not had the N5 long enough to really form an opinion other than the battery life sucks compared to the Note 3. Also the N5 seems a little less polished than the One or Note. So far the best every day phone was the HTC One that opinion might change with more time with the N5. Just my .02.

force70 said:
As per sig i have 3 devices. .just got the nexus 5 today and its going back tomorrow and I will buy the G2...I should have went with it in the first place but I couldnt resist the white nexus.
Nice device just not for me..if you want a 5 inch device...s4 hands down..or if you want to go a bit bigger G2.
Note 3 is a beast of a device...nuff said there.
Sent from my S4,Note 3 or Nexus 5
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Click to collapse
So wait.... you're saying if you want a 5" device, you shouldn't even consider the 4.95" Nexus 5 and instead get the 5" GS4... but if you want something a bit bigger, you should get the 5.2" LG G2? Really nitpicking over .25", aren't we?
And i'm really loving the people who insist on constantly pointing out the battery life of the Nexus 5 sucks in comparison to *insert phone here*.... especially when that phone is the Note 3. Yes, the Note 3's screen is nearly an inch larger than the Nexus 5's.... but the battery is also 39% larger. That's like somehow expecting a V6 Jeep Cherokee to perform just as well as a V8.
Don't get why everyone's saying the battery is crap, anyway. I don't think it's THAT bad... and i'm coming from a Galaxy S3.... where it seemed if you did anything more than some texting and web browsing, you would basically be lucky to make it through an 8-hour work day and still have a decent amount of battery life left. first two days with the N5, and i've gone 14 hours with similar usage as i had on my GS3, and still had 20-40% battery life remaining.

Nexus 5 or One Plus One ?

The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks

TarunN5 said:
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
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Hardware wise the OnePlus is the better one clearly, software wise (the relationship between OnePlus and Cyanogenmod is kinda cooling off) i think the Nexus 5 has the better firmware. Especialy if the Oppo software (color rom) may be implemented on the OPO in the future, though development may compensate that off course. Me personaly i prefer a phone that i can buy instead of hoping on a invite and i don`t know how complaints and defects are beeing handled by the chinese company. Check out the OnePlus One Forum here on XDA for more info.

Oneplus' warranty return process is a bit of a joke apparently. @Theshawty can attest to that. That said, he's had both and would probably say get the OPO. Not sure what it will be like for AOSP though.

gee2012 said:
Hardware wise the OnePlus is the better one clearly, software wise (the relationship between OnePlus and Cyanogenmod is kinda cooling off) i think the Nexus 5 has the better firmware. Especialy if the Oppo software (color rom) may be implemented on the OPO in the future, though development may compensate that off course. Me personaly i prefer a phone that i can buy instead of hoping on a invite and i don`t know how complaints and defects are beeing handled by the chinese company. Check out the OnePlus One Forum here on XDA for more info.
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I have a few friends who have invites with them, so that's not the issue. Like you pointed I am wary of how the customer service will be. Never had to use LG's service though, haven't had to send this to the shop!!
Any color on how the device is to use ? Usually the hardware specs are only 50% of the job done, phones usually pop up with small problems when using them everyday that you don't get in the instruction manual!!
Would be great to hear some guys who have used both

Stikc with da N5 bro

I own both, both are great phones but 1+ is a better phone. Stock CM11 software works like a champ. No issues. Bigger screen, great camera, very elegant big phone, 64g memory. You can also run experimental lollipop but in US/Canada everyone has a problem with VM notification, kinda works in Europe. Glitches remain. Overall - get One Plus.

Obviously between the two, the one plus one is the better buy (bang for the buck)

TarunN5 said:
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive had the OPO and decided to go back to my N5. The best thing i found about the OPO is the battery life, its an absolute beast, but i am not a fan of the software on it. I know its cyanogen mod, but theres so many bugs and glitches that it just doesn't do it for me as a daily driver. The other reason i sold it is because of the size. OPO might only seem like a tad bigger, but i hated not being able to use it with 1 hand.
Ended up selling it, going back to the N5. Not happy about the battery life, but its stable, comes from a reputable company and warranty is great. Thats another thing, if you need to RMA the product you'll fine quite the wait.

TarunN5 said:
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to make the same decision a few weeks back and decided to go with the N5, reasons:
(1) Phone size: The N5 feels better in my hand, OPO is too big (my hands are not small )
(2) OS: I wanted to go with stock Android, hence N5 easier choice, whereas you can flash stock Android also to OPO I assume
(3) OPO itself: OPO just launched and its their first phone, hence customer service etc. is not that great (you got XDA though for help), the phone itself is better than the N5 hardware wise
At the end I chose the N5 with the thought that I normally use any phone 2-3 years and I would estimate that the One Plus Two (or whatever name it will have) will launch some time end of next year/beginning of 2016, hence fits into this timeline.
btw: also thought about N6, but same issue with size (and price tag)

rootSU said:
Oneplus' warranty return process is a bit of a joke apparently. @Theshawty can attest to that. That said, he's had both and would probably say get the OPO. Not sure what it will be like for AOSP though.
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Click to collapse
I'd say the OnePlus One IF (and only IF) you can get a fault free version. Their warranty return process (and the whole "support") is a joke.

It would be a side grade at best. However if you don't one hand your phone and want something bigger it might be worth the swap. More battery and more storage space (64GB version) are the advantages, the SoC is a tad faster but nothing you would notice as N5 is already as fluid as it gets.

Thanks guys, I think I'll wait for a bit and try to use my friends One Plus for a few days. But seems the general opinoin is to stick with the Nexus

I'm using OPO n it's amazing earlier used Nexus4. as many said already 5.5in may be a bit big in size but after using a day r two u'll love the display of 5.5 in.
I'm fully satisfied with OPO. Don't know guys who said OPO is too big what they say about Nexus6
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app

Two years of Nexus 5 - what's your next phone?

Soon the first owners of the Nexus 5, which includes myself, will own their device for 2 years. This is often the timespan after which many users start looking for their next phone, since many mobile phone plans have a runtime of 2 years before you might be eligible for a new 'sponsored' phone.
What are you considering to be your next phone, are you waiting for the release of a certain model or are you still happy enough with the N5 to postpone this decision for a while?
Greetings,
Dirk
Sent from my Nexus 5 CAF using XDA Free mobile app

Was just getting the itch for a switch in the last few months. Battery life is compromised and I'm not a big fan of Android L. To further push the issue my screen looks pretty crappy after going swimming with the phone in my pocket last week.
I'd like to be able to wait and see what the 2015 Nexus 5 is going to look like but if I had to upgrade right now, I think I'd get the LG G4. Or if I wanted to go a cheaper route while waiting for a phone I'm more in love with to be released, I'd probably grab a used iPhone 5/5S off Craigslist.

Honestly with all the snapdragon 810 devices out there I am in no rush to switch. The 2016 chip lineup will be much better.
That being said, if my n5 breaks, and I need a new phone immediately, I'll either get another n5, or another sub $300 phone like the one plus one or xiaomi mi4.

I kinda wanted the xperia z4/z3+ but it would appear that having a toaster would be a better option with that stupid chip they've put in it
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

One of the reasons I got the N5 was to buy it off contract, so no 2 year update requirement. Luckily the phone will easily last 3+ with its excellent specs, performance and software support.
I'd be open to updating earlier if the next Nexus device is able to offer similar value as this device. Otherwise, all the devices in the last year have been disappointing (battery life going backwards, unnecessary "MORE PIXELS" upgrades, over heating issues and fragile designs) and no upcoming device looks to be changing that trend either.
I'm glad I haven't needed to buy a new phone recently because I would not be happy with my choices. Buying a Nexus 5 on launch day may just turn out to be the best, and most well timed, purchase decision of my life thus far. This is especially true as I had no idea what I was getting into at the time as I had never owned an Android device prior and there was zero reliable information available on launch day. A complete leap of faith.

Nexus 5 2015.

if the new nexus 5 got a decent prince and is near the size of the current nexus 5, the nexus 5 2015. If not, i wait for next year.
---------- Post added at 09:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 AM ----------
bblzd said:
One of the reasons I got the N5 was to buy it off contract, so no 2 year update requirement. Luckily the phone will easily last 3+ with its excellent specs, performance and software support.
I'd be open to updating earlier if the next Nexus device is able to offer similar value as this device. Otherwise, all the devices in the last year have been disappointing (battery life going backwards, unnecessary "MORE PIXELS" upgrades, over heating issues and fragile designs) and no upcoming device looks to be changing that trend either.
I'm glad I haven't needed to buy a new phone recently because I would not be happy with my choices. Buying a Nexus 5 on launch day may just turn out to be the best, and most well timed, purchase decision of my life thus far. This is especially true as I had no idea what I was getting into at the time as I had never owned an Android device prior and there was zero reliable information available on launch day. A complete leap of faith.
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Yeah. Before i jump on the Nexus bandwagon, i was feeling let down (had samsung's phone) when each new phone had a new android version when mine was never updated. With the nexus 5, i look at new phone and think "meh".

Hopefully Nexus 5 2015, if the rumors are true. If not, I will probably wait another year (I was lucky, and get new N5 few days ago from RMA).

Might be the OnePlus Two or the next Nexus. The decision was way easier, if I knew, whether the next Nexus will feature the SD 820 or not.

californicated said:
Might be the OnePlus Two or the next Nexus. The decision was way easier, if I knew, whether the next Nexus will feature the SD 820 or not.
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Their insistence on using the 810 where all others have failed has made that a non-buy from me. I find it quite arrogant of them to think that they won't suffer from the same issues as other manufacturers are, and quoting Qualcomm's marketing (the COOLEST snapdragon YET! lol) isn't helping.
Unfortunately I imagine the next Nexus device to also be using the 810 since it will be heavily discounted. One of the reasons why I'm quite unimpressed with the latest batch of devices.

Eager to see what Google has to offer this year.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I've had mine for a year + a month, and I'm quite happy with it. But as many of you have experienced the battery life isn't that great so I'm gonna find myself a oneplus One but still keep my n5 for a while.
Envoyé de mon Nexus 5 en utilisant Tapatalk

I've replaced 4 screens so far on my nexus 5 because I can't ever decide on a better 5 inch phone without branding on the front :laugh:
Unless Motorola releases something like an updated Droid Maxx carrier-unlocked and with a monster battery, I'll likely be waiting for the new Nexus 5
I'd love to consider other phones but I find brand logos on the front way too tacky after being a longtime Nexus user and before that a Motorola user.

I've had the Nexus 5 since December 2013. Up until a few months ago I thought I'd never want a new phone for a couple more years.
Unfortunately recently my battery doesn't seem to last as long as it used to.
I'm waiting to see what this year brings; I'd love a Nexus this year but the battery has to be of at least 3000mAh otherwise a no go. Either that or I'll try to get my hands on an invite for the upcoming OnePlus 2.
Ben36 said:
I kinda wanted the xperia z4/z3+ but it would appear that having a toaster would be a better option with that stupid chip they've put in it
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I've always liked the appearance of Xperia devices (I seem to remember you from the Xperia S sub-forum). Along with the toaster chip, I'm not a huge fan of DRM restrictions placed on Sony devices when unlocking the bootloader (that is if you can unlock it.. My xS had non-unlockable BL).

Got my N5 in the first shipment as well. I was one of those watching Sony to see if the Z3+/Z4 was going to be great. Nope. I'm actually still happy with the N5 and am not really excited about anything out there right now. Waiting to see if the next ~5" Nexus is going to impress me. If my N5 died I'd probably see if I could hunt down another N5 or even MAYBE live with the size of an N6 while I await another smaller Nexus.
I have larger than average hands but I just can't see myself with a phablet and actually be happy with trying to jam that thing in all my pockets. The N5 is already borderline sometimes.

dkconor said:
I've had the Nexus 5 since December 2013. Up until a few months ago I thought I'd never want a new phone for a couple more years.
Unfortunately recently my battery doesn't seem to last as long as it used to.
I'm waiting to see what this year brings; I'd love a Nexus this year but the battery has to be of at least 3000mAh otherwise a no go. Either that or I'll try to get my hands on an invite for the upcoming OnePlus 2.
I've always liked the appearance of Xperia devices (I seem to remember you from the Xperia S sub-forum). Along with the toaster chip, I'm not a huge fan of DRM restrictions placed on Sony devices when unlocking the bootloader (that is if you can unlock it.. My xS had non-unlockable BL).
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Yup, I used to have an XS! Lol. To be honest, I've been using android m. Completely stock and not having root hasn't bothered me at all. And i like the idea of waterproof, expandable sd and awesome camera
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I got mine on launch week. I am desperately awaiting the new Nexus. Battery life on my phone has been abysmal. I might pick up a Nexus 6 if I do not think what is released will last a full day. I'd just like something to last from 6am to 11pm without needing to charge under normal usage without having to turn anything off, or flash custom ROMs/kernels, fiddle with setting, etc. After a couple years in the modding game I'd just like a Nexus that works to my needs without having to mod or cripple the phone or fiddle around endless settings. Such a phone must exist.

So we all are basically having the same thoughts - unless we get a definite improvement in battery life and maybe camera and waterproofness, there is no real need to think about a new phone right now. After 2 years I am quite happy with my N5 and I feel no urge to find a replacement. A replacement should be an improvement - and I dont see big improvements over the N5 in any recent model.
Personally I love the openness of the Nexus devices, so my next phone will most probably be a Nexus again. But not the N6, because battery performance is the issue that bothers me most. So lets have a look at the N5 2015.
Sent from my Nexus 5 CAF using XDA Free mobile app

Srandista said:
Hopefully Nexus 5 2015, if the rumors are true. If not, I will probably wait another year (I was lucky, and get new N5 few days ago from RMA).
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What you mean when you say you say you got a new N5 few days ago from RMA? That wasn't part of the free replacement program was it? I called about that a few days ago and they told me that service had been canceled in June.

Johnny Broccoli said:
What you mean when you say you say you got a new N5 few days ago from RMA? That wasn't part of the free replacement program was it? I called about that a few days ago and they told me that service had been canceled in June.
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Well, I did RMA my Nexus 5 at 4th of June in France, and they immediately sent me new (refurbished) device. Once I got it, I tested it, and after that I just sent them my broken phone, same process, as when I RMA me phone before.
I don't know, if there was some changes since then.

Is nexus 5 still worth buying it ?

Hi guys, so im thinking to buy a nexus 5, i like its design and performance but idk about camera ?
Im coming from htc one m7 so you guys tell me if nexus 5 is still worth buying it ? if no meaby suggest me a good phone under 300 $
p.s not one plus x since dont ship on my country

still worth getting. camera might not be as good but its the same quality as the iphone 6. google also just put out a big update for the camera app last night. in other words still worth buying.

Agree. Yes, absolutely. I have one, now used by my wife, and it's a great phone.

ricky_mcadam98 said:
still worth getting. camera might not be as good but its the same quality as the iphone 6. google also just put out a big update for the camera app last night. in other words still worth buying.
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yeah i agree, just im reading online, people are saying that camera is not so good, especialy front camera !

Yup, cameras are not great but I've been buying used N5 phones in various states of damage (bricked, ,smashed screen, dead camera, etc.) and putting the pieces together to make completely functional phones. For phones with a smashed screens, I purchase replacement screens (LCD, mi-frame, digitizer) from aliexpress. These replacement screens aren't as bright out of the box as the original but they are about 1/3 of the price of an original LG screen.

I've had my Nexus 5 for two years now. It has been such a good device. An absolute bang for the buck when I got it.
But it's been two years... You're most likely going to only find used Nexus 5 devices now, and the battery life on these devices will have deteriorated by now. Additionally, official Android support will probably be dropped in 2016 (there is still a fair amount of developer support here on xda though).
If you do decide to get a Nexus 5, don't be disappointed that the battery only lasts with 3 hours of screen on time and that regular official Android updates are probably going to disappear in 2016.
As of right now, perhaps look at the WileyFox Storm for a new budget smartphone.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I have 2 of them technically (I broke a sceen a while back) and I still love the phone. Honestly the only thing that has irritated me is that it doesn't have a micro sd slot.
I swore I'd never buy a phone without a microsd card again, but I recently ordered a 5x from the play store.
This time, I'm also going to really miss wireless charging...but since usbc charges so much faster it probably won't matter to me all that much.
For a while anyway...up until the battery life starts going to crap. My n5 batteries are atrociously bad now on life. I tried switching the unbroken phone back to the battery that was not broken, and well, it's still bad.
I probably won't keep the 5x for very long, I've just been tired of waiting for a new phone that has everything I want.
The Sony Xperia Z5 (And maybe even the compact) really was so close to a perfect replacement for me...but I'll be damned if I put up with a micro-usb port on a phone that does not have wireless charging.