Those who can not make friends with these characteristics should be definitely the finger from the Nexus 4! Who is the set against neutral, which can read my review might serve as a decision aid.
Never before switching to a Google smartphone more affordable than now in the truest sense of the word. Were the Nexus smartphones, at least as far relates to the design of more bad than good comes the Nexus 4, forged by LG, whole new ways.
3 weeks I am now an avid Nexusianer and allow me now to write a review about the Nexus 4. The collection of powerful and visually send smartphones is great. So why it should be just the Nexus 4?
IPS vs. AMOLED:
After I had now almost 2 years, the Samsung Galaxy S2 in use was one of my first thoughts whether it can hold an IPS display with AMOLED display? Since AMOLED displays no backlight is used but each pixel illuminates independently, black level and contrast are inaccessible to other types of displays. The color saturation is higher in AMOLED, it is also called like "candy colors". However, a disadvantage AMOLED displays have a very cool white point, white areas thus have a blue tinge. In direct comparison, the display of the Nexus 4 in black level and contrast and color saturation can not keep up with expectations. In tagähnlicher ambient brightness of lower contrast but does not stand out, until dim lighting that black areas will be visible but are not quite as black. These are bright image content due to warmer white point at Nexus 4 much clearer and the color brilliance look more natural. Some reviewers talk about washed-out colors, in fact it is so that the color reproduction just not as gaudy fails. Long story short: The switch from AMOLED to IPS is not so bad and the very sharp and crystal clear screen of the Nexus 4 can convince fully from the beginning. My tip: turn off automatic display brightness. The Nexus 4 control the brightness consistently too low. The power consumption is thus reduced but indeed as the brilliance of the display.
Performance:
In brief: beyond doubt :-) Whatever the situation, whether playing, watching movies, surfing or whatever, the Nexus 4 never jerky. Like any CPU developed the CPU of a smartphone with high load heat. This waste heat can be felt over time on the back near the camera but from hot can be no question. Presumably this has brought a significant improvement in the 4.2.2 update. In Quadrant Full benchmark test the Nexus 4 reaches 4800-4900 points. Benchmark tests say but basically very little about the actual performance of, therefore this information only in passing.
Housing / processing:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In my humble opinion, there are not a smartphone on the market that without being intrusive such a stylish design shows in a similar manner. The true elegance of the Nexus 4 can be seen only at second glance: towards a continuous flat glass front, with rounded edges to the side. "Ruined" No manufacturer lettering the front. A titanium color anodized, narrow aluminum frame includes screen protector glass. The lateral casing is plastic grip. A special highlight of the Nexus 4's glass back with its holographic "Nexus" - depending on the perspective reflect individual small squares back the incident light. For Design Freaks absolutely outrageous! :-)
On the web is to be read that the glass back like breaking "without external influences". Now that a glass back is slightly more sensitive than plastic should be clear, simple as well as does not break glass ;-) I would never put my Nexus 4 in an envelope, there 's quite freely in my pocket and go in leather suit when motorcycle thereby. So far, there is absolutely nothing to complain about. The fact that the very smooth glass back is slippery, I do not want to deny. But at least in the hand and the grip side of the housing that is no problem at all. Another thing is if the Nexus 4 is on a smooth surface. Here it is true that it slides very easily, but again not "by itself" moves ;-) since production month of February and March make two small "feet" at the bottom case that the Nexus 4 is no longer so plan on a surface , Against the slides this Mini feet can even but not much align at least the speaker hole is now no longer fully covered when the smartphone is on the table - there is in fact a design flaw because ringtones or else the alarm will then be almost completely swallowed.
Native Android operating system:
With the Nexus 4 for a long time ensures that you have the latest Android operating system and indeed before anyone else. Once Google makes an update, it is in the Nexus and thus immediately the Nexus 4. For a good many users like the untreated Android system be "depressing", it is still missing any useless frills and with an alternative launcher (Apex, Nova, Go Launcher EX, etc.) as well as live wallpaper, you can quickly and easily look pretty on the screen spells but without having to use to be conscripted a TouchWiz or Sense interface.
Custom ROMs are all very well and can ensure that you are traveling with other cutting-edge devices. It is also always a certain amount of effort necessary to accomplish the order, quite apart from that here and there something is not working and will void the warranty. With native Android OS, it is more or less a click, and the latest version is recorded.
If you want to but can also be the Nexus 4 pretty easy rooting. For this there are in relevant forums for simple tutorials. Despite this measure, the operating system can be updated anytime. But be careful! This will void the warranty and you should know what you're doing.
Notification LED:
Very ingenious, the notification LED of Nexus is 4. As it can be addressed with different colors is also having to turn without the display immediately clear whether you have missed a grade SMS, email or a phone call. However incomprehensible is that neither the floor nor the dialer floor SMS app offer a LED notification setting. We have here either choosing to use an alternative app or who it does not want to be the Light Manager app recommended. Is available for free on the Google Play Store.
Fix built-up battery / no memory slot:
Granted, for a good many users, these two features can be a KO criterion. However, there is this limitation in Apple has always - with broad acceptance. At least the fix installed battery I see as critical because as well as in tablets, the trend is unfortunately more and more in that direction. In case of emergency and post-warranty, there are the Nexus 4, the possibility with some skill to be able to change the battery but also himself. A missing memory slot is there already a lot to criticize more. Google wants to push Google Cloude and provides online storage space available. For me this is definitely interesting. Then I hear little to no music on the smartphone and the rest have enough space on the internal memory, I can live with it. Too bad because it's still a memory slot is supposed to be self-evident.
Battery life:
Since I only have the Nexus 4 with Android 4.2.2 in use, I do not know how it was before. With 4.2.2, it is so that the battery life for a smartphone with 4.7-inch display is fine. Sure there are smartphones that last longer, unusually short the term of the Nexus 4 is not. Depending on the application display brightness and intensity, the operating time falls out longer or shorter. From a tight day to almost 3 days anything is possible. Personally, I can find no unusual behavior here.
Conclusion:
It's to be something special Nexusianer but not everyone is made for it. In terms of quality and price, the Nexus 4 is unbeatable and for purists, there are no comparable smartphone. Restrained elegant design and high quality workmanship to be redefined by the Nexus 4. A real feast for the eyes is the holographic rear.
The IPS display of the Nexus 4 is razor sharp, brilliant and is an AMOLED display in almost every way. Colors are natural and adequately represented saturated. Cloudy dark hues from the angle is a typical behavior of IPS panels and thus generally observed in this display type. In bright conditions you can see it but nothing.
As a possible KO criterion can be called when Nexus 4 actually only the missing memory slot.
For less than 400 euros here at Amazon and even less about the Google Play Store, the Nexus 4 is up to 300 euros cheaper than other comparable smartphones. This fact is also a KO criterion for the competition ... ;-)
Now the only question lies a Nexusianer in you?
