Samsung Galaxy Nexus / Reviews

The Galaxy Nexus best represents the intended Android experience, whether it gets minor updates or major ones like Jelly Bean, it’s the right choice for someone who wants the latest and greatest in terms of software and most importantly a stock, non-convoluted Android smartphone. It’s a modding-friendly device, which it’s also important to me and others like me, because I plan on experimenting with custom ROMs like CyanogenMod 10, and the Galaxy Nexus is officially supported by the developers behind CyanogenMod or AOKP.

Plenty of apps are great when taking them one by one, but it’s the overall software package wrapped in a sturdy shell that I like the most. The Galaxy Nexus is the most well-rounded Android smartphone on the market today, and it shines by keeping it just like Google wanted to.

Read original review at Beta News.

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The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is practically a new phone despite the same hardware. Software additions and optimisation have resulted in new applications for you to play with, a more refined interface and what can only be described as a what feels like a turbo charge to the user experience. The 5-megapixel camera still struggles on the noise front and the lack of micro SD card slot may still irk some, but Jelly Bean has in one fell swoop made the Samsung Galaxy Nexus feel like the Android phone to own, all over again.

Read original review at Recombu.

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When the Samsung Galaxy Nexus originally came out, it had the advantage of being the newest and most cutting-edge Android device out there: the only one with Android 4.0, an HD screen, and equally impressive specs, which helped compensate for its flaws. Six months later, that's no longer the case. With the Samsung Galaxy S III due out in the US in twenty minutes or so, the Droid RAZR HD on the horizon, and other competitive models in the wild, I'm a lot less willing to forgive the GN's shortcomings. Add to that the fact that Sprint's LTE network is still nonexistant, its 4G capabilities are basically wasted, and will continue to be unless you live in one of the few lucky markets where Sprint will be rolling out LTE in the near future.

The Galaxy Nexus is still a good piece of hardware, but the onward march of time and Sprint's network troubles have reduced it from "cutting edge" to "kind of average." It's not a bad buy if you know its limitations, but for those seeking a truly high-end smartphone, there are better options out there.

Read original review at Brighthand.

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What can we say about this phone that hasn't been said before? No, seriously, what? It may sound a bit glib, but the Sprint Galaxy Nexus is the same phone we've already reviewed twice, just with a Sprint logo slapped on the back. There are some minor cosmetic differences, but they don't make the phone any more or less desirable. It's still one of the best, if not the best, phones on the market. What's more, if you've got a hankering for some plain vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich, this is the only way you're going to get it. (Short of loading up a custom ROM, of course.) The big difference here is the Sprint network, which makes it the weakest link in the chain -- at least until it flips its LTE network live. Here in New York, even when we could get a consistent signal, it was like we had traveled back in time. In the age of 4G, Sprint's EVDO Rev. A network simply can't keep up. But, if you're already a happy Sprint customer and want a future-proof device that will be able to take advantage of its LTE network when it launches, this is easily the best of your current options.

Read original review at Engadget.

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First and foremost, if you’re a Sprint customer who simply can’t wait any longer to experience the bountiful features associated with Ice Cream Sandwich, you should no doubt check out the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. However, bear in mind that the handset is brandishing a $200 on-contract price, which seems normal at first, but considering that it’s essentially a 5-month old model, we actually would’ve liked to see it come in at a lower price point. To tell you the truth, for the same amount of money, you might as well wait to check out the upcoming HTC EVO 4G LTE, which seems to be a logical move since it’s the newer and fresher device. Finally, it’s a bit of a shame that you can’t make use of its 4G LTE connectivity, since the network is sparsely available in test markets for now.

Read original review at PhoneArena.

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It's a massive shame, to be honest, because without the bug the Galaxy Nexus is the Android fan's dream phone. The display is fantastic, Android Ice Cream Sandwich provides a lot of necessary improvements and yet it's just as customisable as before. Battery life is also pretty reasonable, too. But because of that big volume bug flaw and because a number of smartphones will be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich early next year, one of which will be the Galaxy S2, we're not entirely convinced the Galaxy Nexus offers enough of an upgrade. Because you will have to wait for the software fix, you may as well stick with the vastly cheaper Galaxy S2.

Read original review at Know Your Mobile.

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The Galaxy Nexus is a great device but it is not for everyone. It appeals to a certain group of people – those who value a vanilla android experience, simply must have the latest updates, and love to be involved in the modding scene. If you aren’t one of these people you will probably look at the spec sheet of the Nexus and wonder what all the fuss is about – only a 5MP camera, pentile screen, relatively underpowered GPU.. I know a lot of SGS II owners don’t see the need to upgrade to the Galaxy Nexus and are instead holding out for the SGS III which is probably going to suit them better anyway. But the Nexus isn’t about the specs it’s about the pure Google experience which is something you just can’t get from any other device. If you’ve owned a Nexus before you were probably counting down the days until this phone’s release and I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Despite some of the minor annoyances highlighted above I still consider this to be the best phone available right now. This opinion isn’t based purely on the hardware specs, some of which I would definitely improve if I could, but on the device experience as a whole. Sure, some aspects of this phone are a compromise, but I would gladly give up some features for a vanilla Android experience and the best dev community support you can get. The Galaxy Nexus is the most exciting device to be released in a long time and will only improve further with the dev community behind it.

Read original review at Ausdroid.

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Galaxy Nexus is an expensive device that doesn’t bring as many advancements in the hardware department (at least not as much as we’d expected), and packs some flaws as well. Its weak battery and lack of memory extension options certainly don’t do it any favours. However, on the whole, this smartphone is a well-rounded product in every conceivable way, made to fit the user’s needs from the get-go, as reflected in the ICS version of its operating system. Its production quality, weight, design, response time and many other, less striking attributes leave very little place for doubt – this is the best Android-based device currently in production. Although Galaxy Nexus was originally intended to serve as a development platform for Android programmers, it has evolved into a phenomenal phone that’s bound to get under the skin of even the most hardcore sceptics, which is enough to earn it our highest award.

Read original review at InsideHW.

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I've always been a fan of the Nexus line. Since I don't like manufacturer skins at all, and always like to have the latest software available, they are a perfect fit for my use case. Additionally, they usually have some cutting edge specs that will last them at least throughout the term of a two-year contract.

Some users may have been disappointed when the Nexus S proved to be only an incremental upgrade over the Nexus One, but with the Galaxy, the Nexus is back. Even with the 5MP camera and supposedly outdated GPU, I would feel comfortable picking up the device on contract and knowing it would continue to be relevant for the full two years. It ranks up there with the very best smartphones available right now, and thanks to continuous software updates will continue to be relevant for some time.

Read original review at Pocketables.

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Ice Cream Sandwich may have a silly name, but it’s a deadly serious, deadly smart operating system that makes you feel like you’re carrying a proper computer in your pocket – sets a new standard for Android phones.

Read original review at What Mobile.

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