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Should I buy a Nexus 4...?

H

Hadlander

Lurker
I currently have an iPhone 4 under AT&T, but after getting my Nexus 7 nine months ago, I've become more comfortable with Android devices. Plus, as far as devices go, I'd like to mix it up a little and get away from Apple products a bit. I've read TONS on the Nexus 4, and I like what I've read (pure Android, solid call quality, no contract). However, I've read a lot of things recently that are making me sort-of-reconsider, namely issues involving call quality/volume dropping on its own, the glass fracturing on its own, the less-than-ideal support from Google/LG.
Bottom line: Is the Nexus 4 a good, reliable phone that will last me a few years?

I should mention that I'm not planning on rooting the device (I'm not very tech savvy to begin with), and that I primarily use my smartphone to make calls and manage emails.

Thanks for the help!
 
Not sure if you meant to write the first nexus 4 nine months ago or not. .? Any way. I have nexus 4 and my wife has iPhone 5 and she has even said she regrets buying the iPhone and wishes she got a phone like mine. In nor rooted and have had no problems with calls/volume etc. Re the glass... I use the phone without a case and after 6 months it's is still in perfect condition but that just comes down to how you treat things right. It does slip easily if not careful.... Answer... Be careful.
 
Whoops, I meant, "After getting my Nexus 7 9 months ago...," meaning after using a Nexus 7 I've gotten more comfortable with pure Android, which has led me to consider getting a Nexus 4. Sorry for the confusion.
 
I couldn't be happier with mine. HD screen, support directly from Google, will always run the latest OS, quad core processor, 2GB RAM. It's about as future proof of a phone as you can buy right now.
 
Hadlander said:
I currently have an iPhone 4 under AT&T, but after getting my Nexus 7 nine months ago, I've become more comfortable with Android devices. Plus, as far as devices go, I'd like to mix it up a little and get away from Apple products a bit. I've read TONS on the Nexus 4, and I like what I've read (pure Android, solid call quality, no contract). However, I've read a lot of things recently that are making me sort-of-reconsider, namely issues involving call quality/volume dropping on its own, the glass fracturing on its own, the less-than-ideal support from Google/LG.
Bottom line: Is the Nexus 4 a good, reliable phone that will last me a few years?

I should mention that I'm not planning on rooting the device (I'm not very tech savvy to begin with), and that I primarily use my smartphone to make calls and manage emails.

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...

The Nexus 4 is an absolutely great phone. It's reliable, well powered (thought not on top of the tech world since it's 8 months old), and very sleek. Google gives it loads of software support since it's a nexus device. One thing that is well document is that this phone is VERY fragile. It is extremely easy to crack or shatter the back glass cover if dropped from even a small distance.
 
I've been toying with the idea of buying a "Google experience" version of the Galaxy S4 or HTC One, and I've ended up deciding that neither gives any significant improvement over my N4. Yes, they're a bit faster and the screens are a bit bigger, but these are small improvements for the lot more money. Right now I think the N4 simply has no competition. For the price of a mid range Samsung or HTC phone you're getting a phone that's as near perfect as I've ever found.

The only problem that I've encountered is that the camera requires a very steady hand and the auto-focus struggles to settle if, like me, your hands are a bit shaky. The glass back is less robust than it could be, but if it breaks just stick a vinyl back over it (or maybe use the vinyl back even before it breaks).
 
I've now had my N4 around 6 months (got it just before Xmas) and I'm still very happy with it. Its entirely stock and apart from a couple of minor quibbles with the music player (I could have chosen a non-stock player if I wanted), it's been great.

Re your worries: I have a habit of dropping phones but, except for a plastic screen protector, my phone is naked and - touchwood - no cracks or scratches front or rear .. yet. Having said that, I am a tad more careful with the N4 than I was with my previous phone. My guess is the N4 is as prone to cracking as the iP4 - my missus managed to shatter hers once: glass can crack.

I've never had a problem with call quality, reception doesn't appear to be too different to my missus' iP5 (can't compare directly as she's on a different network).

As for support, the only time I tried to contact Google was while I was buying. Support wasn't awesome - it took a couple of days for them to get back to me - but it wasn't horrific either: once they get back to me, they were helpful and refunded the delivery charge by way of an apology for the delay getting my phone to me.

Re the camera, the iP5 is probably marginally better, but the N4's camera is perfectly good.

So long as you like Android - my missus is a die-hard Apple-ite and hates it - I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with an N4.
 
Two more happy Nexus 4 owners here. My husband and I both got N4s in December.

I'm not a power user. My main uses are as a phone, email, responding to message boards, general web surfing. I have no performance complaints.
 
Best phone I've ever had. Wickedly fast and can handle anything I throw at it.
Only thing for me that let's it down is the sound quality. Only because my previous phone was an HTC one x with beats audio.
I'll only ever have a nexus phone from now on.
Get one. You won't regret it.
 
alexward said:
Best phone I've ever had. Wickedly fast and can handle anything I throw at it.
Only thing for me that let's it down is the sound quality. Only because my previous phone was an HTC one x with beats audio.
I'll only ever have a nexus phone from now on.
Get one. You won't regret it.
Click to expand...


Have you tried a sound mod for it? I think it was XLouder that I previously had, improved sound and quality a bit but it didn't work for all ROMs. Also, I use Google's Music app EQ to increase the music volume a little.
 
This is my first Nexus but will not be the last. I had many phones in my past but nothing can compare to owning a pure Google device. You can actually throw away the fear of wondering if you will see the next firmware update.
 
Undoubtedly a great phone, I love mine, probably the best phone on the market now besides the HTC One, IMO. However, given it's ridiculous price it trumps the HTC One.

There's no point in even comparing the top of the range Androids with Apples anymore, Apple is so far behind the curve. They used to innovate, now they copy. It'll all come round again though I'm sure.

Anyway, back to the point, would I buy a Nexus 4 now if I didn't have one. Answer, NO. You may not have been expecting that. I'd personally wait 2 or 3 months to see if we get word of the Nexus 5, it would be sad to get an N4 and then it gets trumped almost immediately.

However, you currently own an iPhone, so I'd probably recommend you going with an N4. It'll blow you away so much you probably won't care if the N5 comes out.

Note: I owned the iPhone 3, 3G and 4, before making the switch. IMO, that was the perfect time to make the switch. When ICS came out on the GNex, the iPhone was finally beaten. Android before that was just too slow, buggy and most of the handsets lacked the iPhone finish.
 
The only thing that I would say the nexus 4 lacks in is the camera. The color representation is no where near to that of the iPhone 5. But it ends at that. In all other aspects the nexus 4 gives a complete smartphone experience.
 
I've only had my Nexus 4 since Wednesday, but I absolutely love it. Best money I've ever spent on technology.
 
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