Google Nexus phones ranked from worst to best

Google Pixel phone It’s my favorite here Android Authorityoffering a great camera, tons of AI tricks, and some Exclusive software features. These weren’t the first Google devices, though, as the company sought help from partners to produce Nexus-branded phones from the late 2000s to the mid-2010s.

we have Pixel phone rankingsbut which Nexus phones are the best and which are the pitfalls?

We ranked these phones based on a variety of factors, including reviews and commercial acceptance, features/specs, pricing, the importance of each version, and our own feelings. Needless to say, this is purely for fun. But please have your say in the comments below!

The first and only Nexus made by Motorola lands at the bottom of our list, but that ranking has more to do with how different it was from previous Nexus phones.

Perhaps the biggest problem with the Nexus 6 is its launch price of $649, a full $300 more than its predecessor. Motorola’s Nexus was also bulky and awkward to hold, and we criticized the phone’s battery life in our review at the time. Exactly a year after the iPhone 5s introduced a touch scanner, the phone still doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner. The omission is reportedly a late decision, and the scanner should be located where the indented Motorola logo is on the back.

However, this is not entirely a bad thing. Nexus 6 offers faster HDR+ photography, improving picture quality. It also offers a QHD+ screen, an excellent (but still 32-bit) Snapdragon 805 chip, fast wired charging technology, and wireless charging. So you definitely get a lot of premium extras, but it’s a polarizing change from previous affordable Nexus phones.

OK

• High-quality, pixel-dense screen
• Wireless charging support
• Outstanding performance
• Improved camera experience

bad

• Very expensive for Nexus
• No fingerprint scanner
• Too big and awkward for most people
• Disappointing battery life

The first Nexus device was launched in 2010 by Google in partnership with HTC. The result is a phone that is definitely of its time, mainly because of the presence of the trackball for system navigation. The Nexus One also stood out in the United States at the time because it was sold off-contract through the Google storefront for a whopping $529.

Oddly, display supply issues mean that only some devices have OLED screens, while the rest use LCD panels. Can you imagine what happened today? Pixel 9 or Galaxy S24? Regardless, the Nexus One is a very capable phone on paper, with its 1GHz Snapdragon S1 chip and 512MB of RAM. However, the phone has a few key weaknesses, such as disappointing battery life from its 1,400mAh battery. Another major drawback is that the expandable storage space is only 512MB. In the same year, phones like the first-generation Galaxy S offered 8GB of expandable storage space.

Still, the Nexus One was a solid first, giving us a taste of clean, unfettered Android at a time when manufacturers were starting to heavily revamp the platform. It’s also the basis for the critically acclaimed HTC Desire, although the aforementioned hardware weaknesses remain.

OK

• Native Android experience
• Update quickly
• fast performance
• Expandable storage

bad

• Disappointing endurance
• Only 512MB internal storage space
• expensive
• Multi-touch is not supported at startup

The second Nexus smartphone saw Google switch from HTC to Samsung, and the result was a significant improvement. One of the biggest upgrades is an increase in storage space to 16GB, dwarfing the previous phone’s 512MB of storage. We also get a larger and slightly curved OLED screen, a better-looking design, and respectable performance levels. It’s also the first phone to feature NFC, which enables contactless payments, easier accessory pairing, and more.

For better or worse, this phone shares a lot of the same DNA as the original Samsung Galaxy S Launched about six months ago. However, unlike the Galaxy S, the Nexus S doesn’t have a memory card slot. The Nexus phone also lacks the Galaxy S’s 720p recording capabilities and only offers standard-definition video quality. You might think Google would only improve on phones from six months ago, but here we are. Just weeks after the first dual-core smartphone arrived, the device also featured a single-core Hummingbird processor. To be fair, though, Android didn’t get multi-core CPU support until a few months later via the tablet-exclusive Honeycomb update. Finally, some regions purchased the Nexus S with an LCD screen instead of an OLED panel.

OK

• The first mobile phone to support NFC
• Plenty of interior storage space
• More modern design
• Smooth OLED display

bad

• No HD recording
• Memory card not supported
• A more powerful phone launched in a few weeks
• Some markets use LCD screens instead of OLED

The Galaxy Nexus is one of the few Nexus phones officially available in my home country of South Africa, thanks to Samsung’s presence in the market. I was lucky enough to use this phone at the time, and I really liked the slightly curved 720p OLED screen (with a very subtle vertical curve) and the lack of hardware navigation keys. The Galaxy Nexus came pre-installed with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and I remember being impressed by the combination of Android 4.0’s deep colors and the deep blacks of the OLED panel.

Perhaps the Galaxy Nexus’ biggest drawback is the camera experience, which features a low-resolution 5MP snapper at a time when 8MP sensors are becoming commonplace. I think the phone can still take beautiful photos, and the zero shutter lag support is a nice addition, but it’s not among them best camera phone then. Even with 16GB or 32GB of storage, the lack of a memory card slot is even more unacceptable. Critics also lamented the lack of support for FM radio, a fixture on smartphones at the time.

The Galaxy Nexus comes in two different versions: an international GSM/HSPA+ version and an LTE-enabled Verizon version. This makes things very complicated when it comes to network support, data speeds, battery life, and updates. I’m very happy Top Android Phones Today, you won’t suffer from the same serious problem again.

OK

• Beautiful OLED screen
• Android 4.0 changes the game
• No hardware navigation buttons
• Storage load in 2012

bad

• No memory card slot
• Camera hardware could be better
• Verizon version gets updates slower and has poor battery life

Back in 2014, the Motorola Nexus 6 was criticized for its high price, so we were delighted when the Nexus 5X launched alongside the Nexus 6P the following year. The Nexus 5X inherits the shortcomings of 2013’s Nexus 5 and is more affordable, priced at $379. The Nexus 5X features a mid-to-high-end Snapdragon 808 SoC, a more portable 5.2-inch LCD screen, a fast rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a much-improved camera experience.

Unfortunately, this cheaper price tag comes at a cost. The phone only comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB base storage compared to the Nexus 6P’s 3GB/32GB base configuration. Reviews at the time also lamented the slow HDR performance, lack of burst mode and OIS, and lack of wireless charging. There’s also the fact that some models have boot loop issues – damn, LG.

OK

• Return of the pricey Nexus 6 with a low price tag
• Very fast rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
• Smaller design compared to Nexus 6
• Good photo experience and image quality

bad

• Boot loop issue affects some users
• Camera performance is slower than Nexus 6P
• Overall performance is lower than Nexus 6P
• No wireless charging
• Only 2GB memory required

The HUAWEI Nexus 6P, along with the LG Nexus 5X, became the last Nexus phones released in 2015. For the first time, the series features a premium metal design, a sharp OLED screen, a large battery and a fingerprint scanner. The phone also made a lasting impact for its photography credentials, taking great photos thanks to a combination of Google’s improved HDR+ photo smarts and a 12.3MP camera. This combination would go on to become a fixture on many subsequent Pixel phones.

Unfortunately, the Nexus 6P has an Achilles’ heel, and that’s the boot loop issue. Google admitted at the time that it was a hardware issue and blamed the Snapdragon 810 chip. This resulted in the successful settlement of class action lawsuits against Google and Huawei. Add to that uncertain support for various charging standards, no support for wireless charging, a barebones camera app, and a lack of optical image stabilization (OIS), and it’s clear why the first and only Huawei Nexus isn’t one in our books first choice.

OK

• High quality screen
• good battery life
• Nexus comes with fingerprint scanner for the first time online
• Excellent camera quality
• metal design

bad

• Doesn’t support Qualcomm fast charging
• Leading to resolved boot loop issues
• The camera has no OIS
• No wireless charging

Google and the Nexus line really found their feet in 2012 with the LG-made Nexus 4. Native Androidget updates quickly and at cheap prices. In fact, I consider the Nexus 4 to be the “flagship killer,” predating the OnePlus One by a full year.

We praise the 2012 Nexus’s affordable $299 price, design with a so-called Crystal Reflective back, and fast performance. The device also featured wireless charging, which became a hot commodity at the time. No wonder this phone took the runner-up spot.

Unfortunately, one of the Nexus 4’s biggest weaknesses is its lack of LTE support. The move comes as industry players and rival manufacturers are rapidly adopting high-speed 4G standards. Phones from LG and Google also offer lackluster camera quality and barebones camera apps. It’s also the first Nexus phone without a removable battery, and the lack of a memory card slot is also a shame. Finally, there are reports that the Nexus 4’s back cover cracked without the device being dropped.

OK

• plenty of horsepower
• cheap price
• cool design
• Wireless charging support

bad

• No LTE
• Camera quality is average
• Non-removable battery
• The back cover is fragile

Is Nexus 5 the pinnacle of Nexus? It’s hard to argue, since Google and LG launched a flagship smartphone back in 2013 that cost just $349. The Nexus 5 inherits the shortcomings of the Nexus 4, providing an extremely fast Snapdragon 800 chip, 2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB storage space, and an FHD+ IPS display. The phone also offers LTE capabilities and a durable back cover, both features missing from the Nexus 4.

The Nexus 5 isn’t without its flaws. First, the camera experience is improved over the Nexus 4 thanks to the introduction of HDR+ via an update, but it’s still disappointing. However, this is also normal for Nexus phones from the early 2010s. The phone’s battery life is also average, and it doesn’t have a microSD card slot. But despite these issues, the Nexus 5 still ranks as the best Nexus in our book.

OK

• cheap price
• wonderful show
• Wireless charging support
• Simple style on Android
• HDR+ processing for better photos

bad

• Camera quality is still not very good
• average battery life
• No need to expand storage