Sections
- Page 1 Google Nexus 5 Review
- Page 2 Screen Quality Review
- Page 3 Android 4.4, Apps and Performance Review
- Page 4 Music, Sound Quality and Connectivity Review
- Page 5 Camera Review
- Page 6 Battery Life, Call Quality and Verdict Review
Google Nexus 5 – Battery Life
One of the slightly limiting parts of the Google Nexus 5 is its battery. The phone has a 2,300mAh power supply, which is a chunk smaller than the 2,600mAh battery of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the generous 3000mAh battery of the Sony Xperia Z1.
And this limitation shows. With regular use, and apps given free rein to grab mobile data when they like, the Google Nexus 5 will drain most of the way down – if not entirely – within a day.
This is not helped by the lack of a power saving mode. Google made a bunch of power-saving optimisations in Android 4.4, but there’s no longer a dedicated power efficiency mode that limits mobile data use, screen brightness and so on.
We would really have liked to see a slightly larger battery used here, as it’s one part where the Nexus 5 falls behind some of its rivals. 
Google Nexus 5 – Call Quality
The call speaker of the phone doesn’t lag behind in the same way – although there’s only so much you can do with the call quality of ‘normal’ phone calls. The speaker is loud, clear and has some bulk to its sound. We also didn’t experience any speaker ‘crackle’, which was a criticism some levelled at the Nexus 4.
The phone also uses active noise cancellation for calls, with a pinhole speaker on the top monitoring ambient noise.
Should I buy the Google Nexus 5?
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.
That the Nexus 5 is actually more powerful than the rival HTC One and Galaxy S4 speaks volumes about both its value, and how quickly things move on in the mobile game.
Battery life could be better and the camera isn’t quite as reliable as the best out there – despite being great in some respects. However, these issues seem quite minor given the phone is £100-200 cheaper than the competition.
Verdict
The Google Nexus 5 is the high-end Android phone bargain of the year. Aside from a slightly anaemic battery it offers everything phones costing £200 more do.
Next, read our Nexus 5 vs Nexus 4 comparison
How we test phones
We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Trusted Score
Score in detail
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Performance 9
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Camera 7
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Design 8
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Battery Life 6
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Value 10
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Software 9
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Calls & Sound 8
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Screen Quality 9
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
