Tech Specs

Hardware

Display

Connectivity

Processor

Memory

Storage

Front Camera

Rear Camera

Software

Interface

Sensors

Battery

• 9.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by andezzat (Currently owns)

  December 22, 2013 01:13 am

  The Nexus 4 is such a delight to have. It's fast, smooth and easy to use. The applications are easily integrated and it's amazingly care-free the way I am able to share say a photo from my gallery to almost any app that is installed on my device.

  It gets updates rather quickly, and the experience of running stock android is always pleasant and relaxing.

  What the Nexus 4 lacks in camera performance and battery life it more than just makes up for in the performance and software department. The phone is a year+ old and it's still such a monster in the hand. The phone is fairly solid, but it's slightly a disappointment due to the glass back. However, the back is fabulously gorgeous (but my phone's glass back broke :( )

  All in all, I would recommend the Nexus 4 to someone who needs a solid phone that can make calls, while providing an all around pleasant experience with very very little to no hiccups or problems. But I do not recommend the Nexus 4 anymore, I recommend the Nexus 5 for it's better in almost every aspect, while still maintaining that sweet price point for what it gives.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 8
  • Display 8
  • Camera(s) 7
  • Reception / call quality 9
  • Performance 9
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 7
  • Ecosystem 8

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 9.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by ericnpc (Currently owns)

  December 10, 2013 09:17 pm

  I've only owned this phone for a few days, but I really like it. It has grown on me more than any phone before.
  Starting with its design, I only have to say it is gorgeous. It's easily the best looking phone I've ever used. I even like it more than a HTC One or iPhone 5. The only issue that I see is the fact that the glass is so fragile that you must put it on a Bumper case. But I love it anyway.
  The Display is gorgeous, crisp and its size is perfect. I had not noticed that the colors are a bit washed out until I read it on a review. And its true, but its not that bad. You get used to it, and even so, the multimedia experience is amazing.
  The camera is kinda mediocre. Pictures are not very crisp and colors are very washed out. Unless you use the LED flash, it does not take good pics. Besides, the pictures tend to be blurry and if there's someone moving a little bit it won't capture nor focus it properly.
  The performance, software and ecosystem are perfect. Its super fast, even with lots of open apps. I'm using 4.4 kit kat and it does not lag, not even when scrolling memory consuming webpages.
  Regarding the battery life, it barely holds on a day, and if you use media it does not last more than 3 or 4 hours.
  In general, it's and amazing phone. It's fast, good-looking, cheap and confortable to use. Widely recommended.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 9
  • Display 8
  • Camera(s) 7
  • Reception / call quality 10
  • Performance 10
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 7
  • Ecosystem 10

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 7.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by samuelhauptmannvandam (Currently owns)

  November 16, 2013 07:04 am

  I've had the phone for 6 month and can honestly say that I now know what is good what is bad and what should have been better.

  This is a short review so lets get to it. The display is a nice size - I got huge hands and already excited about getting the Nexus 5 but I have my worries. Especially because the battery is so poor. If I play a game on it, the phone at most lasts half a day and I bring a charger with me everywhere I go.

  It is an enslaving feeling and the worst. It simply shouldn't be this way.

  On the contrary I love my nexus and I love not being cluttered by bloat. So I am in a dilemma. I love getting the newest software updates and I love feeling on the verge of technology even 2 years after the hardware is released.

  You can't go wrong with a nexus phone - But you aren't going to win either.

  About the design, I appreciate it. It doesn't force me to look at some company name in the front - It is all about the software which is the newest and I've never had an issue with finding any apps I want looking for. Given - I am not on the edge of the gaming scene but I do play games on it. I personally got sucked into a civilization tamagotchi of Throne Wars.

  Display - I like the display and I even stand in stores and sell Note 3's. It isn't the best anymore of course - But I get along just fine.

  Then there is the camera. Well it sucks - No question about it. But I usually just use it for snapchat of my face and for that - It works just fine. I am actually surprised everyone is so focused on the back camera and not on the front. Because I use that way more.

  Call quality - I don't call that much, but sure it works?

  I hope this gave a better idea of the nexus 4.

  Best regards,

  Sam

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 10
  • Display 8
  • Camera(s) 5
  • Reception / call quality 7
  • Performance 6
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 3
  • Ecosystem 10

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 10.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by dara.ing (Currently owns)

  September 23, 2013 01:59 am

  Have owned this phone for close to a year now, and despite all the apps and things i have thrown at the phone, it still runs as perfectly as i first got it. Really appreciate the vanilla android experience, and the apps available in the play store are more than enough for my needs. I consider myself a power user, with constant music playback, 4 emails accounts hooked up, and a bluetooth headset and i am still able to get a whole day worth of use. My only drawbacks from this phone is the glass back which forces me to have a bumper and ruins the appearance and makes the phone seem so much bigger than it actually is. The lack of 4G though not a deal breaker, is a little annoying sicne 3G is just so slow in my area. But these little niggles are just a small chip in this otherwise perfect android experience handset!

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 9
  • Display 9
  • Camera(s) 8
  • Reception / call quality 10
  • Performance 10
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 9
  • Ecosystem 10

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 8.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by robertooocl (Currently owns)

  September 19, 2013 12:00 am

  I have been using the nexus 4 for a while ,its smooth and almost lag free, android still has big bugs and some apps like the default exel pdf word etc. file viewers are atrocious .If battery life was longer i would definitely forget about any other down points , but the fact i cant get to 6pm with a green bar is really bad. the real reason i think this is a no brainer is the price , at 300 bucks this is really an insane phone.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 8
  • Display 9
  • Camera(s) 7
  • Reception / call quality 8
  • Performance 9
  • Software 9
  • Battery life 7
  • Ecosystem 9

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 9.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by jfcapanemajr (Currently owns)

  August 31, 2013 10:48 pm

  It`s a nice phone especially for the price, incredible fast, especially because of the stock Android. I found it big to use in one hand and the battery dies really fast if you use the display at high brightness. Also, 16GB as maximum of storage it`s not always enough for some power users.
  I live in a country that doesn`t have LTE yet, so buying a phone without it is not a problem for me at all.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 8
  • Display 9
  • Camera(s) 9
  • Performance 10
  • Software 9
  • Battery life 6
  • Ecosystem 9

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 9.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by weinerschnitzelboy (Currently owns)

  August 30, 2013 12:24 am

  This is a remarkable phone for a remarkable price. It's fast, snappy, and just so great to use. It's pretty durable too, Drops on hard stone hotel floors have not damaged this beast of a device. Surprisingly, the only issues I have with it come from Android 4.3. Where the device used to never lag or stutter, I now see stutters everywhere. It has become really annoying. An update that was supposed to help alleviate issues, increase battery life, fix sluggish 2012 Nexus 4's, etc. has only caused me trouble. This is still a great device, and now at $100 off, I can say that this is still worth a buy. It may just be only me with this issue as I haven't done a full wipe, but this shouldn't be a problem that I have to deal with.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 10
  • Display 9
  • Camera(s) 9
  • Reception / call quality 10
  • Performance 9
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 8
  • Ecosystem 10

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 8.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by Craig0 (Currently owns)

  August 18, 2013 03:19 pm

  It's now August 2013, nine months after the release of the Nexus 4, and it's been surpassed in virtually every area by competitors. Screen, battery, camera, design, speaker, hardware... and yet it's still my favourite phone available on the market today. Why? Well, there are three main reasons. 1. Software. 2. Longevity. 3. Price.

  The software on the Nexus 4, vanilla Android 4.3, is the cleanest, smoothest, simplest, most versatile and enjoyable operating system to use in the smartphone world. It does everything I could possibly want or conceive of wanting to do for the foreseeable future, and it does it in a beautiful, consistent way.

  For a phone that has been used very heavily for nine months, without being wiped once in that period, my Nexus 4 performs like a champ. Scrolling is as smooth as it is anywhere on android, apps open and close in a snap, and multitasking is a breeze.

  And then there's the price. £279 in the UK for the 16GB version. For a phone with a great screen, nice hardware, an average but usable camera, updates as quick as they come (and Key Lime Pie coming this autumn), an amazing software experience and high-end performance, it's still a no brainer.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 7
  • Display 8
  • Camera(s) 6
  • Reception / call quality 9
  • Performance 10
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 7
  • Ecosystem 9

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 10.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by EpicCrafty (Currently owns)

  August 1, 2013 07:53 pm

  I love this phone and the reason I give it a 10 even though my breakdown shows lower in most catagories is for the price... This device is the best valued smart phone out there hands down, if you're getting it unlocked like I did (on T-mobile). If not, this is still a great mid ranged smart phone that comes with the amazing stock android that we all love. For 299$ unlocked, it is unbeatable. If you plan to be downloaded any amount of games, movies, or music. Do your self a favor and get the 16gb model. You will fill up the 8gb model quickly! My 16gb model is over half way full and I've only had it for a month. It is a great phone and anyone looking for an unlocked phone or even the google enthusiast should look into this product.

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 9
  • Display 9
  • Camera(s) 7
  • Reception / call quality 7
  • Performance 10
  • Software 10
  • Battery life 8
  • Ecosystem 10

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown
• 7.0

  Show all User reviews

  Reviewed by a.j.c (Currently owns)

  July 16, 2013 05:13 pm

  I’ve been using my Nexus 4 since December. I am operating on Straight Talk with an AT&T SIM card, having left my family’s Verizon plan. I picked this based on the price for the and the ability to use a cheaper prepaid plan. Compared to what I would be paying as a portion of my family’s Verizon plan, I am literally saving hundreds of dollars over a two year period.
  • Size
  Coming from my HTC Droid Incredible (DInc), this phone is huge. I think it is too big; when I hold the phone with one hand, it is very uncomfortable. The N4 is 1 cm wider than the DInc, a huge difference. I think my ideal phone size would be somewhere between, but it looks like all of the non-iPhones are that size and larger these days. But still, it is too big.
  The default dialer is too big to use one handed! I did find a third party app with a smaller dialing pad (and smart dialing, which oddly enough is not built into stock android for some reason).

  • Network
  Having never had LTE, I don’t miss it. But I do miss Verizon’s network. My phone has a very inconsistent connection. At work, people near me have good VZW signals (likely because my worksite has indoor VZW repeaters). But when I have 5 bars and no internet connectivity, it is more than a bit frustrating.
  • Speed
  My benchmark: The Plants vs Zombies test. On my DInc, when I would exit PvZ, the phone would do a mini-reboot. On my N4, it doesn’t stutter at all. Amazing what a quad core processer and 2GB of RAM can do.
  • Updates
  When a system update came out for my DInc, the best way to avoid it was to press download. It would countdown for 10 seconds and then the dialog box would disappear and I could go about my day. When an update would miraculously install, more often than not it would just make things worse. I fully regretted ever upgrading from Froyo to GB. There was no benefits and plenty of pain.
   N4: Excellent. No problems. It is almost as if someone tests the updates before releasing them!
  • Wireless Charging
  I found the Nokia wireless charger on DailySteals for $25, so I got it. So far, it is just a gimmick. For me, the wireless charging only acts to slow down the rate of battery consumption, not to actually charge the phone. I assume that this is due to the poor signal at my desk. The other annoying things are that I have to deliberately place phone in exactly the right location. It takes much more time to do this than to plug it in, which kind off defeats the purpose.
  • What idiot designs a phone with a glass back?

  The Breakdown

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

  • Design 5
  • Display 8
  • Camera(s) 6
  • Reception / call quality 5
  • Performance 9
  • Software 9
  • Battery life 3
  • Ecosystem 9

  Show the rest of this review and the breakdown