Review: Samsung Galaxy Nexus (i9250)
 
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4 Reviews:
| Review by | Phone Arena |
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| Submitted on | 2011-12-08 10:21:05 |
| Rating | 9 |
| As we said, the Galaxy Nexus is one of the fastest phones we've seen. It just feels like it does everything with ease, without hesitating one bit. That's the kind of performance that we expect from a device of this caliber, and the Nexus manages to deliver it. And then, we have Ice Cream Sandwich, which can be seen as a true game-changer in the world of phones. Of course, it's still Android, but it's not Gingerbread (or the ones before it) with its bleak visuals and confusing design. It's not even Honeycomb – the good, but not-quite-there tablet OS. The Ice Cream Sandwich experience on a phone feels much more polished than anything out of Android's camp until now, and it looks so much better. It's still futuristic, but not as uninviting as Honeycomb. This time, Google has nailed it with an OS which is both impressive, appealing, and approachable at the same time. On the subject of its weak sides, we can mention the 5MP camera, which is quite good for outdoor photography, but mediocre (at best) at anything else. If we have to be perfectionists (which we have to be), we should also say that the Nexus needs some personality in the appearance department. Don't get us wrong – it's one good-looking handset, but it's just not eye-catching. All of this makes for one of the best phones we've seen to date. Samsung has done a terrific job by producing this handset, which is surely going to become a reference phone for most other manufacturers. Of course, they would never have achieved this if it wasn't for Google's incredible software, which, dare we say, redefines the experience of using a cell phone. | |
| Review by | CNet |
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| Submitted on | 2011-12-08 10:17:53 |
| Rating | 9 |
| The Galaxy Nexus is possibly the biggest Android launch of the year, offering impressive hardware and a brand-new operating system. If you're making the purchase for Android 4.0, you're unlikely to be disappointed. Google's changes -- which are cosmetic as well as functional -- are commendable, and we have no hesitation whatsoever in declaring this the most intuitive and user-friendly iteration of the OS yet. From a technical standpoint, the Galaxy Nexus also impresses. That 720p HD screen is a masterpiece. It makes browsing the web and watching videos an utter joy. Because it utilises Samsung's brilliant Super AMOLED tech, it provides the most striking picture quality you'll ever witness on a phone. The design of the Galaxy Nexus is less enticing though. The plastic casing doesn't exude the impression of luxury that we crave from a phone of this stature. The power and volume buttons feel like they're about to break at any moment. Of course, when you're talking about a phone with a 4.65-inch screen, there's also the question of whether or not you want a device of this size in your pocket. We noticed that the Galaxy Nexus' dimensions caused it to peek out of the top of our pocket on several occasions, which could potentially lead to unwanted mobile loss. While the Galaxy Nexus doesn't quite smash the ball out of the park, it remains a fine showcase of what the next generation of Android is capable of. As many Fandroids will tell you, that's exactly what the Nexus line of phones is for. | |
| Review by | BGR |
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| Submitted on | 2011-12-08 10:14:33 |
| This is almost comical at this point, but the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is my favorite Android device in the world. Easily replacing the HTC Rezound, the Motorola DROID RAZR, and Samsung Galaxy S II, the Galaxy Nexus champions in a brand new version of Android that pushes itself further than almost any other mobile OS in the industry. While there were some hardware complaints, and even though Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t the most intuitive or user friendly operating system, it’s absolutely one of the most powerful. Android 4.0 is coupled with the best smartphone Samsung has ever produced and easily leapfrogs any other competitor’s device. Unfortunately in the Android world, this hardly lasts a long time, and as we have started to see in various leaks, there’s going to be some serious competition for the best Android smartphone in the world over the next few months. For now, though, this marriage of hardware and software, under Google and Samsung’s direction, is an absolute winner. | |
| Review by | TechRadar |
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| Submitted on | 2011-12-08 10:08:35 |
| Rating | 8 |
| We had real high hopes for the Galaxy Nexus and genuinely expected it to take the place of best smartphone on the market today. But it hasn't. That is not to say it's not a good handset because it is a fantastic piece of kit. But if you were to take away Ice Cream Sandwich, hardware-wise, you'd not have much to write home about compared to what else is out there beyond the beautiful screen. ICS does bring a lot of new stuff to the Android table and we are genuinely impressed with the way it looks. It feels savvy, futuristic and both competent and confident. But it just doesn't bowl us over and give us that 'wow' factor in the hand the way it did when we handled it for a few minutes at Google HQ. The fact of the matter is that we think it still lags behind the Samsung Galaxy S2 – albeit not by a massive margin. But this will also be a lot more expensive than the S2 at launch for the simple reason that it's Google's latest device (and being plugged heavily could lead to stock shortages). Put it this way, if we were to find one wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning, we wouldn't berate Santa. But unless you're a massive 'Pure Google' fan, we'd suggest your call St Nick up on Boxing Day, ask if he had the receipt still, point out you'd been exceptionally good this year, then go swap it for a Galaxy S2 - or wait to see what the rest of the manufacturers manage when their creative bods get cracking with Ice Cream Sandwich. | |
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