Google Nexus 5 deals and reviews

Google's Nexus line of handsets have generally set the standard for other manufacturers of Android phones, and have done so at a price its competitors have not been able to match. The Nexus 5 continues this tradition; in terms of specifications, rivalling the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, with a powerful quad-core processor, 5-inch screen and 8 megapixel camera. It is also the first phone to have the latest version of Android, named KitKat.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100	AndroidPit | Kris Carlon You simply cannot beat the price/performance ratio with this phone, thanks in large part to Google's willingness to earn nothing from their line of Nexus devices. Read full review
100	Expert Reviews | Chris Finnamore The Nexus 5 is still a fantastic phone for the money. The Full HD screen is excellent, the phone is seriously fast and, if 16GB of storage isn't enough, A 32GB version is also available. The Google Nexus 5's only drawback is battery life; it managed just 7h 22m in our video playback test, which is three hours less than we expect to see from a modern smartphone. Read full review
100	Digital Spy | Hunter Skipworth ... every other flagship Android phone has been spectacular in its own way. HTC nailed the design, while LG's G2 stunned us with its screen. The Nexus 5 takes some of the best from each, puts it all together and then sells it to you for less. It's quite an achievement. Read full review
100	The Gadget Show The Google Nexus 5 is an excellent choice if you want a high-end Android phone but don't want to spend £500. Read full review
100	Pocket-lint | Chris Hall The Nexus 5 is a great choice for those looking for a clean Android experience and who want a great display and plenty of power for the money. There is, however, still plenty of merit in other flagship devices; the choice now, is just that little bit harder. Read full review
100	PC Pro | Jonathan Bray The Nexus 5 is a superb smartphone: we like the design; it's as powerful as they come; the screen is great; it runs the latest version of Android; and the camera - although a weak point - is capable of producing good snaps and video if you're patient. Read full review
100	Stuff | Sophie Charara There's no question that for anyone looking to buy a handset outright, this is the best £300-£350 you can spend. Read full review
100	The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs Unless you want a bigger phone than 5in, or perhaps a slightly better camera and battery life, or expandable storage, the Nexus 5 is the Android phone to buy right now. Read full review
100	T3 | Thomas Tamblyn ... this is without a doubt the best Nexus yet, it's one of the best Android smartphones available and, in a rather odd twist, it's probably the best phone LG has made. Read full review
94	Mobile Syrup | Daniel Bader I can easily recommend the Nexus 5 to anyone not only looking for an Android phone, but a smartphone in general. With the changes made to Android 4.4.2, it's now my daily driver, and one of the best Android phones on the market. Read full review
90	Know Your Mobile | RIchard Goodwin For this price tag nothing else comes close to what Google has achieved with the Nexus 5. It might not be perfect (camera and battery, we're looking at you), but it's still better than 95% of the handsets out there. We're 100% sold and then some. Read full review
90	PC Advisor | Chris Martin Google and LG have done a fantastic job with the Nexus 5, producing a very desirable phone at an outrageously low price. It's the best value-for-money smartphone out there right now. Read full review
90	Trusted Reviews | Andrew Williams If you want a top-spec phone but don't want to pay the premium that usually comes with it, there are no better options than the Google Nexus 5. Unlike some other low-cost, high-spec Android phones, its quad-core processor has all the power of the most popular high-end smartphones. Read full review
90	TechRadar | Simon Hill and Max Parker There's a minimalist charm to the Nexus 5 that's hard to resist. It's comfortable to hold, the display looks great, it's extremely fast, and it never slips up or stutters. This is Google's invitingly priced vision of a premium Android smartphone. Read full review
90	SlashGear | Chris Burns The Nexus 4 stood the test of time since launch for many of the same reasons that the Nexus 5 prevails: price, quality hardware, and the promise of software updates direct from Google. It's easy to see the Nexus 5 having massive potential for success. Read full review
90	The Next Web | Martin Bryant As an overall (Google) experience, it's unrivalled on Android. Finally, a near-perfect fusion of Android hardware and software Read full review
90	ITProPortal | Sandra Vogel The Nexus 5 isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It has plenty of higher-end features like Wi-Fi support for 802.11ac, NFC, LTE, and extras like wireless charging and video out via the SlimPort microUSB connector. However, it also has a somewhat underpowered battery and a design some might call bland along with, most irritatingly of all, no microSD support. Read full review
90	International Business Times | David Gilbert The Nexus 5 is, for my money, the best phone on the market at the moment. It has a great design, superb screen and a really attractive price. Read full review
85	TechSpot | Tim Schiesser Other flagship smartphones may pack more features in one area or another, but the Nexus 5 shouldn't be overlooked. Top-end hardware, mid-range price and the stock Google experience is a satisfying combination no matter how you look at it. Read full review
84	pocketnow | Michael Fisher The Nexus 5 is a flagship phone with great performance at an outrageously good price, and that's pretty hot. So go tell all your Android-loving friends to buy this thing from Google instead of trading their freedom for carrier discounts, and maybe we'll all kick off a revolution together. Read full review
80	Australian PC World | Ross Catanzariti The Nexus 5 boasts an excellent screen, powerful internals and runs the latest version of Android, but is slightly let down by poor battery life, and a camera that can't quite match its flagship competitors. Despite a few flaws, the Nexus 5 offers impressive value for money and comes highly recommended. Read full review
80	Eurogamer | Damien McFerran However, for those of you that haven't joined the Nexus club as yet and are looking to purchase an Android phone, there really is no better option right now - especially not for under £300. Read full review
80	Recombu | Alex Todd It doesn't pack as premium a design or hardware as its launch partner, but it's still wholly equipped to deal with the average user's needs; from gaming, to photography, productivity and more. Read full review
80	IT PRO | Hung Nguyen The Nexus 5 is the pound-for-pound the best value handset available on the market. It delivers excellent performance and has a vibrant full HD display but is not perfect. LG has understandable had to cut costs in the camera department and there's no way to expand physical storage. Read full review
80	Forbes | Gordon Kelly Living with the Nexus 5 has confirmed its qualities as the best all-around Android phone. Buy one and you're bagging not only a bargain, but a bargain that will last. Read full review
80	Android Authority | Joshua Vergara I would probably stop short of calling the Nexus 5 a top-tier phone because, if it was truly trying to be, I'm sure LG and Google would have succeeded with flying colors. Instead, remember how much you're paying for an unlocked powerhouse and then think of the Nexus 5 as a smartphone that gives you the essentials – exactly everything you need – without much fuss at all. Read full review
80	Digital Versus | Florence Legrand The Nexus 5 is currently the smartphone with the most bang for your buck. It has a superb screen, it's flawlessly responsive and it has KitKat. This is definitely a phone for anyone who wants fun, convenience and high performance without breaking the bank. Read full review
80	Digital Trends | Andy Boxall The Nexus 5 is an amazing deal for its price, but its mediocre camera and understated design hold it back. Read full review
80	What Hi-Fi? The Google Nexus 5 could be the best value-for-money smartphone out there. If you're after a feature-packed phone for half the price of Apple, HTC, Samsung and Sony flagships, then buying Google's latest handset is a no-brainer. Read full review
80	MSN Tech | Dan Sung The Nexus 5 would be a stone cold, dead cert, absolute nailed on winner of phone of the year if it wasn't for that blinkin' camera. Everything else about it, from the design to the power within, is an absolute treat. Read full review
80	Coolsmartphone | Ravi Patel Pricing aside, the Nexus 5 is still a fantastic phone. But not quite an exceptional one. Read full review
80	V3 | Alastair Stevenson The Nexus 5 offers the top-end performance traditionally only seen on phones nearly twice its price. Read full review
80	Ubergizmo | Hubert Nguyen If budget is not a concern, and if you want the absolute best low-light photography or 'noble' materials like glass and aluminum, there are much more expensive options out there. If you want a great carrier-free phone with fast OS updates the Nexus 5 is the best there is. Read full review
80	Engadget | Brad Molen Whether or not it was the company's intent, Google is sending a message to smartphone makers that it's possible to make high-quality handsets without costing consumers the proverbial arm and leg. Read full review
80	Mobile Choice In the Nexus 5, Google and LG have conspired to produce a competent if not awe-inspiring device that admirably showcases the new Android KitKat OS. Whilst Android 4.4 itself isn't anything to write home about particularly, the incremental improvements and integration of search functionality across the platform are welcome. Read full review
80	Wired UK | Katie Collins ...the Nexus 5 is the perfect marriage of price and features and if you can afford it, you won't be disappointed. Read full review
80	CNET UK | Andrew Hoyle Its specs will make even its top-end rivals jealous, but it charges much less for them. This makes it a great value phone - so long as you don't mind its disappointing camera. Read full review
80	The Verge | Joshua Topolsky I would love to be able to recommend this device wholeheartedly, but I can't do that until Google sorts out the issues with the Nexus 5's camera. Read full review
60	Phone Scoop | Eric M. Zeman If you think the lower price point offsets the cheap design, mediocre battery life, and poor camera performance, then perhaps the Nexus 5 is what you're seeking. Read full review

Compare Google Nexus 5 specs side-by-side with other phones COMPARE SPECS

Dimensions & Form	Form factor: Touchscreen Bar Dimensions 137.84 x 69.17 x 8.59 mm (5.43 x 2.72 x 0.34 in) Weight: 130 g (4.59 oz)
Screen	Size: 4.95 inches diagonal Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels Screen Density: 445 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 70.8 % Display Type: True HD IPS+
Runs
Performance	Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 CPU: Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 GPU: Adreno 330 RAM: 2GB
Camera	Main Camera: 8MP with optical image stabilisation Secondary Camera: 1.3MP
Storage	Built-in Storage: 16GB, 32GB Expandable Storage: Not Available
Battery & Charging	Capacity: 2300 mAh Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: Yes Quick Charge: None
SIM standard	Micro SIM Compare SIM Only deals
Water & Dust Resistance	Not Available
Fingerprint Reader	None
References & More info	Official website GSMArena specs page