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nigameash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 6, 2008
518
119
Space: The Final Frontier
I think the best android phone would undoubtedly be the pure google phones (galaxy nexus, etc). I have never used android but I am curious as I do plan to buy a device in the future. Does the galaxy nexus provide the best android experience?
 

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
Having a Nexus gives you Google's purest vision of Android and the Galaxy Nexus is a nce handset to own but it's also coming up to being a year old and now lags behind other flagship Android handsets (like the SIII)

If I was to advise anyone considering a Nexus right now, I'd say wait until autmn/fall for the next generation Nexus phone. We must be only months away from a new handset (hopefully) and that will become Google's flagship Android handset for the next 12 months.
 

panerista

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,679
10,516
Austin, TX
I think the best android phone would undoubtedly be the pure google phones (galaxy nexus, etc). I have never used android but I am curious as I do plan to buy a device in the future. Does the galaxy nexus provide the best android experience?

The GN is really nice, but honestly, it's not meant to be the best phone on the market. Nexus phones are often called "Flagship" phones, but they are really just developers phones. Either the One X or the GS3 is probably the best Android phone on the market.
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,599
33
If your buying unlocked you can't beat the nexus. For 350 its a complete steal and it is amazing in jellybean. Very smooth and elegant. You also don't have to worry about updates amend you actually gt an even better track record of getting new features and os releases than even apple.
 

Calidude

macrumors 68000
Jun 22, 2010
1,730
0
Does the galaxy nexus provide the best android experience?
Absolutely since its a pure Android device, but its specs are not the best right now with 1.2ghz dual core. I'd wait for the next-gen Nexus. That will probably have a 1.4 ghz quad core or something of that nature. If you need a phone for cheap though, $350 is a bargain price for it and it will last you 2-3 years, easily.
 

Mac.World

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2011
1,819
1
In front of uranus
Right now the Galaxy S3 is the best phone on the market, other than not having Google Wallet to pay via NFC. You just can't beat a phone with 2gb of ram, fast cpu, awesome gpu with high pixel density display, and features like pop up play. A vanilla Android or JB rom can easily be loaded too.
 

Stuntman06

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2011
961
5
Metro Vancouver, B.C, Canada
It really depends on what you do with your phone. I switched from an HTC Desire Z to a Samsung Galaxy S3 (due to my old phone's battery dying). I was somewhat disappointed in going from the HTC Sense UI to the Samsung TouchWiz UI. Sense has so many more features that I used on my old Desire Z. I had to download different apps and widgets on my SGS3 to get similar and somewhat inferior functionality I had on my old Desire Z. I felt that HTC did a very good job at customising their Sense UI and actually adding value.

There are Android users who prefer the pure Android experience of Nexus devices. By pure, it seems to be something more stripped down to basics that you build your own customisation on top. If you like that, then manufacturer's skins are an extra unnecessary layer. Another advantage of pure Android on Nexus devices is that they will get updates faster. The reason is that when a new version of Android becomes available, manufacturers need to incorporate the skin into the new Android version. This takes some time and will result in a delay in rolling out an update.
 

NZed

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2011
1,136
1
Canada, Eh?
The ONE X or GS3. But i would recommend the GNex. Its still the best phone you can get in terms of software.

International version of the ONE X, with the Tegra3, doenst last a day without underclocking.
 

Ddyracer

macrumors 68000
Nov 24, 2009
1,786
31
I think the best android phone would undoubtedly be the pure google phones (galaxy nexus, etc). I have never used android but I am curious as I do plan to buy a device in the future. Does the galaxy nexus provide the best android experience?

The Galaxy Nexus is amazingly fast thx to JB. For an android handset, spec wise it lacks in the sound departement which hopefully the new nexus heals. Also the camera quality is too warm but its preference talking color reproduction. Front facing camera is quite good, flash is nice and bright.

And the back cover feels flimsy even when it's snapped on.
 

jojoba

macrumors 68000
Dec 9, 2011
1,584
21
I'm waiting for the next version of the Samsung Galaxy Note, rumours say it's coming in the fall.
 

Oohara

macrumors 68040
Jun 28, 2012
3,050
2,423
One thing to add to the Galaxy Nexus that it's the only Android phone that looks really good (with a back cover on, the back is fugly...). Personally I can't buy a phone with a terrible looking logo on the front.
 

gaiao

macrumors newbie
Jul 18, 2012
29
0
How is the camera on the galaxy nexus? Is it as bad as some people say? I'm on the market for a new phone and I can't decide between the galaxy Nexus and S3.... What is preventing me from getting an Nexus is the 5.0 mp camera...
 

boomboom2

macrumors regular
Apr 12, 2012
116
0
I have a Galaxy Nexus and camera is definitely my biggest knock on the phone. It's not awful, it's just very underwhelming for a device that's so nice otherwise.
 

batting1000

macrumors 604
Sep 4, 2011
7,451
1,840
Florida
Absolutely since its a pure Android device, but its specs are not the best right now with 1.2ghz dual core. I'd wait for the next-gen Nexus. That will probably have a 1.4 ghz quad core or something of that nature. If you need a phone for cheap though, $350 is a bargain price for it and it will last you 2-3 years, easily.

I don't see the current Nexus lasting any more than 1 - 1.5 years software / update wise.
 

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
I don't see the current Nexus lasting any more than 1 - 1.5 years software / update wise.

Any reason for that belief?

----------

How is the camera on the galaxy nexus? Is it as bad as some people say? I'm on the market for a new phone and I can't decide between the galaxy Nexus and S3.... What is preventing me from getting an Nexus is the 5.0 mp camera...

The camera on the Galaxy Nexus is VASTLY inferior to the Galaxy S III. My biggest gripe with the phone is the substandard camera I think they put on there.

It's good enough sometimes but the SIII is simply better in every way.
 
Last edited:

Wrathwitch

macrumors 65816
Dec 4, 2009
1,303
55
Personally I say it depends on what you want from a phone.

OneX and S3 are the powerhouse phones with the luxury upgrades.

Google phones are non skinned Android phones without all of the pretty bells and whistles that are designed for developers to use.

ChazUK, I love your kitty pic!
 

matttye

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2009
4,957
32
Lincoln, England
Get the phone with the best hardware, you can always install a stock Android ROM from xda at any time, but if you buy a pure google experience phone with inferior hardware, you can't magic better hardware onto it later.

Samsung's latest Touchwiz is the first overlay I'm not willing to give up for stock, as Samsung has added so many useful extras to it.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
I can't wait to hear/read rumblings of the next Nexus. I hope they deliver big, and I don't mean just specs. I mean, I hope it's available unlocked in Google Play just like the Nexus 7, and I hope there's no carrier exclusivity again (ugh, GN launch). Also hoping the price is right and larger storage options.
 

Calidude

macrumors 68000
Jun 22, 2010
1,730
0
I don't see the current Nexus lasting any more than 1 - 1.5 years software / update wise.
Wrong:

1) The Nexus S got Jelly Bean officially and its older than your timeline.
2) The Galaxy Nexus is a dual core 1.2 ghz phone with 1gb of RAM, which is more than the threshold needed for updates since it will capably drive an OS for at least 3 years more. Sure, it won't play high-end games, but it will run Android 6.0 or 7.0 just fine with those specs. Once phones get mature quad-core processors, they'll be able to be updated for 4 or even 5 years after they are released, since really, you don't need much to run nearly of a mobile OS's functions.
3) It's a Nexus phone. Support for that line is unparalleled in the Android world. Even when Google officially ends support for that phone, the community will continue porting new Android versions to it due to the resources the community has for this phone. For example, the Nexus One got Jelly Bean ported to it 3 weeks ago.

http://www.redmondpie.com/android-4.1-jelly-bean-for-nexus-one-now-available-via-custom-rom/
 
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