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So, Nexus 4 versus a google edition Galaxy S 4
- Thread starter sentinelsx
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Take out the money and build quality factors, and tell me which one would you buy and why.
Ready. Set. Go! I want to hear your opinions
(Remember price and build stays out of this)
Taking out price, defeats whole topic. If both phones same price, of course the G.E. S4, but they aren't.
Nexus 4 @ $349 vs G.E. S4 @ $649 or 75% higher price, is a hard pill to swallow. Yes the S4 is a better phone, but is it 75% better ? NO
Keep in mind, the S4 is a 2013 phone, the N4 a 2012 device, of course the six month newer phone is better. The S4 should really be compared to the upcoming Nexus-Five due in October, rumors point to a 5" 1080p screen, 3000mAh battery, Snapdragon 800 processor, all running on Android 5.0, and supposedly still low price point at $400.
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Very well put. That's actually another reason why I would not spring for the GS4, with release schedules being roughly as they have been in the past, the next Nexus will be released a few months after the stock GS4. Combine that with I don't see anything compelling that the GS4 has over the Nexus, and I have very little reason to get the GS4.
I just wonder what the availability of a GE GS4 and now rumors of a GE HTC One mean for the Nexus program......
It seems like they'll either quit the smartphones all together and focus Motorola in that area, or permanently stay in the middle-tier specs and price wise.
With OEM flagships coming with stock Android, I wouldn't get my hopes up for a Nexus phone with high-end specs.....maybe this year, but I wonder about the future.
Fair enough.
There's nothing message board about it, it's based on FACTS. You may not find value in the added features but it doesn't diminish the fact with 2 devices running the same OS, the limiting factor is going to be the hardware and the S4 is superior in every facet. Again, YOU may find the performance of the Nexus 4 satisfactory--doesn't mean it's the best.
And yes I have owned/used a Nexus 4, in addition to an iPhone 5, Galaxy Note 2, and now HTC One and found the Nexus 4 to be the worst of the 4. It certainly wasn't bad, quite good in fact, best Android I'd used to that point but have since found superior performance on other handsets and can only imagine how the S4 will scream.
Speaking of a message board answer...
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Fixed that for you. And no, I'm not trying to troll or instigate an argument, just emphasizing exactly what you also already pointed out--taking out prices defeats the whole topic. The value of functionality of each device will vary between individuals. You don't find worth the extra cost, others very well might (example being myself). Just further emphasizing that the OP needs to determine whether the added benefits he might find with the S$ is worth the extra cost, and thus why a comparison without cost is pointless.
I am just saying a phone from last year 2012 the Nexus 4 is $349, a new phone from this year 2013 the G.E. S4 is $649. That's a 75% increase in price. Yes the S4 has better hardware, but nowhere is it 75% faster, or 75% better battery life, or 75% higher res screen.
I'd say at best the S4 is a good 1/3rd better than the N4, maybe up top 50% better, that should put the pricing more at $475 to $525, which seems fair.
I'd say at best the S4 is a good 1/3rd better than the N4, maybe up top 50% better, that should put the pricing more at $475 to $525, which seems fair.
Fair enough--you expect a percentage improvement equal to the increase in cost--your determination of value, perfectly reasonable.
A few things to point out though. The higher screen resolution is actually much greater than 75%--more like 106%. And improvement in data speeds is far greater than 75% (assuming you have LTE of course)--mine was more like 400-500%. Available storage is also 400% greater (with addition of 64 GB microSD card). And yes, you likely won't see 75% better battery life with the single included battery but the fact that you can swap it out to immediately have a fully charged device is more than 100% improvement. The camera improvement is also pretty close with a 62.5% increase in MP.
Still so sure that it's only 1/3 better than a Nexus 4?
Which version of the S4 do you have? If it's the i9505 like me than I suggest you hold off till they get recoveries working properly and CM also has bugs right now.
I used this http://galaxys4root.com/galaxy-s4-root/how-to-root-galaxy-s4-using-twrp-method/
Rooting and flashing a custom recovery is relatively easy if you follow the steps. You can try out some Samsung ROMs but I suggest you stay away from the Original Android Development section on xda for now.
PM me if you need help or clarification on something.
Fair enough--you expect a percentage improvement equal to the increase in cost--your determination of value, perfectly reasonable.
A few things to point out though. The higher screen resolution is actually much greater than 75%--more like 106%. And improvement in data speeds is far greater than 75% (assuming you have LTE of course)--mine was more like 400-500%. Available storage is also 400% greater (with addition of 64 GB microSD card). And yes, you likely won't see 75% better battery life with the single included battery but the fact that you can swap it out to immediately have a fully charged device is more than 100% improvement. The camera improvement is also pretty close with a 62.5% increase in MP.
Still so sure that it's only 1/3 better than a Nexus 4?
Wait a few months for the 2013 Nexus-Five, not fair comparing a new 2013 phone ( S4) to last years older phone.
Rumors point to the N5 having; 5" 1080p screen ... 3000mAh battery ... Snapdragon 800 processor ... Out of the box running Android 5.0 ... Price of $400 ... 4G/LTE ... Made by LG again
Realistically this G.E. S4 won't be available till early July, the Nexus-Five will then just be 3 to 4 months away.
Just saying
I hope you and these rumors are right but I'm not holding my breath. That's top of the line specs for $200-300 less than the best available now. You really think Google would put out a Nexus device better than anything else out in the market and undercut all it's partner manufacturers in price?
As of right now, yes, but it is basically a hacked together version. That said, when the GE S4 releases, I don't see any reason why the stock Android image files can't be installed to a regular S4.
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Honestly, I've wondered the same thing since I haven't heard anything. As for mid-tier, any phone could possibly be considered mid-tier was newer devices are released. I say that to say, the Nexus 4 was not a mid-tier device at its release, and even today still wouldn't be considered mid-tier. Quad-core next-gen processor, 2gb of RAM, HD IPS screen (albeit not 1080p), wireless charging, and premium build would not be a mid-tier device even in today's market. It would no longer be cutting edge, but it is definitely not mid-tier.
Contrary to what you might think, specs are not the only differentiating factor here. There are other factors such as on-screen buttons vs capacitive and a physical home button (which I hate physical buttons), wireless charging vs none, plastic vs glass, and IPS vs AMOLED. To me, these things are more paramount than a slight spec bump. If you're someone that chases specs and loves benchmarks, then the spec difference may be more paramount to you. It all depends on what you value most. Me, as someone who has had a GS3 and loved it (except for the home button), I know I would not want to go back to a physical button. I know I prefer built-in wireless charging to not having it, or having to go with a 3rd party aftermarket solution. I know I prefer the IPS display over the AMOLED (though I don't mind AMOLED, I just like the IPS of the N4 better).
I look at it simple as this. What do I gain, versus what I would lose. I'd gain slightly better performance that wouldn't really change my experience, and I'd gain better battery life. While better battery life would be great, I easily make it through the day on my Nexus, and have no problem with the battery, I don't want it at the expense of what I would lose by moving to the GS4. For me, a GS4 would be too much of a compromise. For someone else, it might be worth it. Bear in mind, a GE GS4 won't cost me a dime, so in this case cost doesn't even come into the equation. For me, it's simply what I prefer (kind of like I chose the N4 over the HTC One also).
Interesting, I concluded the opposite, but to each their own.
That's not a message board answer, that's a real answer. Talking about what amounts to a fraction of a second's difference (MAYBE) is something that only occurs on message boards. The only thing that truly impacts is benchmark scores, which is also a message board person's thing.
Is this confirmed, the gs4 will be released with vanilla android ? If it does it should come at a cheaper price due to lack of samsung aoftware imo, i dont know but the idea is absurd to me why will Samsung sell the flagship device without touchwiz; maybe its just a new galaxy nexus with similar specs.
why will Samsung sell the flagship device without touchwiz; maybe its just a new galaxy nexus with similar specs.Is this confirmed, the gs4 will be released with vanilla android ? If it does it should come at a cheaper price due to lack of samsung aoftware imo, i dont know but the idea is absurd to me
My theory is honestly Samsung is trying to grab a bigger piece of the pie w/ their flagship GS4. And what is Google going to say, "no?" Google doesn't have that bargaining chip since Samsung can pack up and take most of those 900 million activations to something like Tizen.
However, now that people are spreading the rumor of a GE HTC One, it may be a Google push after all. If true, it looks like OEMs are starting to gain more Google support for porting the latest Android faster to their devices. And Samsung isn't exactly going to decline taking advantage of increasing their sales any way possible.
Price will always be one of the primary selling points in any device, a lower priced GS4 would cannibalize their profits if people realized there was a less expensive GS4 floating around.
What I'm shocked at is if the rumors for HTC is true, they're surely going to burn some bridges w/ their developer edition customers, and why aren't they the ones out of the gate with a GE, since technically they had lead time on their device.
Nailed it. When I first heard the announcement I was convinced I would 100% get the s4 google editon. I know I will at most get $200 for my nexus 4 and I don't think the high price is worth it. I'll wait until later this year to see what the nexus 5 brings and at that time decide what phone I really want. I know I personally would have buyers remorse almost immediately....especially if a nexus 5 comes out a few months down the road for ~$350 and is even better than the n4.
Are you sure? The 4S was a significant upgrade from the IP4: single to dual core CPU, SGX 535 to SGX 543MP2 GPU, so effectively double both CPU and GPU capability. On the other hand the Snapdragon 600 in the GS4 (assuming that's the version Google go with) is basically a rebadged S4 Pro with slightly higher clocks and memory bandwidth.
Yes, it was doubled but if you look at benchmarks, the doubling was from like a 350 geekbench score to 750.
Whereas the difference between the N4 and GS4 is 2000 to almost 3000.
Those higher clocks and memory bandwidth make a bigger difference at this point......maybe not percentage-wise, but still a larger improvement total.
Of course, how that translates into real world use, I don't know. I don't own the GS4 GE yet
But I'm willing to try it out and report back.
I have to say i agree with you on all points, Even the new version of Sense on the HTC One is laggy compared to the Nexus 4. Bring custom roms into the equation and the Nexus 4 smokes the HTC One with ease. I would take the S4 Google edition over the N4 if price was not a factor but even then the S4 has downsides compared to the N4 imo. The major one being the crappy AMOLED screen that lacks decent brightness. A HTC One with Stock android would be the ultimate device for me personally.
Mmmmm, if rumors are true, you may get your wish in the next few months.
I haven't had any lag problems on my HTC One personally, and after adding some gesture commands through Nova Launcher and Tasker I did run into some stutters on my N4.....in my experience neither is smoked by the other, just feels a bit smoother on the One is all.
But as I said earlier, anecdotal evidence should always be taken with a grain of salt.
I love everything about the HTC One except the fact the OS is skinned. If you run a custom rom with Krait and bionic optimizations for the Nexus 4 it takes it to a new level. For example my stock Nexus 4 got a benchmark score of 15000 in antutu, with RasSaber Rom it scores 24000. It really does make the HTC One feel slow in comparison with the custom rom.
I don't worry about roms and rooting....too much of a hassle for me personally.
I like fast & smooth out of the box. My One has been just that, despite its skin.
Half the fun of Android is the Custom Rom's and Kernels.
Especially on a Nexus phone as they are built for developers and made to be rooted. You should give it a try with your Nexus 4, its addictive You can always use your HTC One as a daily while you muck around with the N4.
Half the fun of Android is the Custom Rom's and Kernels.
Ya, that's been the plan all along......just haven't found the time lately, and after hearing about the GS4 GE, I figured I'd wait to get it and then start mucking around with roms and rooting and such
I like having an iPhone, a skinned Android and a stock Android on hand.....figure the GS4 GE will last me a long time AND let me check out Samsung's hardware (something I've always wanted to try, but TouchWiz always drove me away).