[REVIEW] Samsung Galaxy Nexus(Nexus Prime)

Samsung Galaxy Nexus(Nexus Prime) - GNex Review
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Today i'm gonna be reviewing one of the most popular piece on the market,The Samsung Galaxy Nexus also known as Nexus Prime/Nexus 3/GNex
A little introduction on my GNex,Purchased it on 27th May'12 and since then have been testing this beauty to get the maximum performance and output
Also,i do see that more and more members are getting interested in buying this piece (or have already bought it) so a little review on how this baby performes should actually help out the potential buyers.

INTRODUCTION :
Samsung Galaxy Nexus also know as Nexus Prime/Nexus 3 is the third nexus device straight out from Google released in November 2011,Its the first android device which comes preloaded with Android 4.0(Icecream Sandwich) and the UI is pure Google with no extra modifications like in the SenseUI(HTC) or TouchWiz UI(Samsung)
Ice Cream Sandwich brings an entirely new look and feel to Android,The Samsung Galaxy Nexus' screen is huge(4.65"), but the software is a much bigger deal.The OS is just as customizable and versatile as before, but Android 4.0 seeks to make the user experience friendlier, more refined.

UPDATE -
As of Mid July'12,Google has started rolling out the Jellybean(4.1) update on all Galaxy Nexus platforms(GSM + CDMA) which brings a completely new user experience for the end users.JellyBean also known as "Project Butter" does serve its name well its a lot snappier and smoother than what Ice cream Sandwich was.

SPECIFICATIONS :
Display and resolution4.65" 720p Super AMOLED capacitive multitouch screen(1280x720)
Storage and RAM Internal Storage and 1GB RAM,No MircoSD card slot
CameraPrimary(5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash) Secondary(1.3 MP)
CPU TI OMAP 4460 chipset with Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9
batteryStandard battery, Li-Ion 1750 mAh
GPUPowerVR SGX540
Miscellaneous Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, HSDPA(21 Mbps), HSUPA(5.76 Mbps), NFC and No inbuilt radio

DESIGN AND INTERFACE :
The Galaxy Nexus itself is fairly big(4.65") with dimensions of 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9mm, it's marginally bigger than Samsung's Galaxy S2. The front is probably as minimalist as you can get as of now,all black and flat with no hardware buttons at all.In fact, all you have on the front is the screen, front facing camera and the proximity/brightness sensor.
The sides just have a power button plus dock port on the right and the volume rocker on the left,the bottom housing has the charge socket and a 3.5mm headphone jack.The Back portion does resemble Galaxy S2 with its textured finish over the battery cover and the speaker layout
Overall,the design of this Nexus phone is a little curvy but nothing very severe which also provides a overall good grip.

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When it comes to the interface,The Galaxy Nexus is nothing like you have seen before from Android although some bits and pieces are the same as they were, on any Android OS out there in the market.
GNex comes pre-loaded with Icecream Sandwich(Android 4.0) which most of the users have already forgotten about as it is replaced by the snappier Jellybean Update(Android 4.1),I won't get into the details of how the whole ICS vs JB thing works and the complete walk-through as far as the new OS is concern.
Being said that,right now Galaxy Nexus is the only device out there which has the official Jelly Bean update(One the perks of having a Google phone) :p

Some pics on the Jelly Bean(Android 4.1) Interface :

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PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKING :
Well,I have had this phone for almost 3months now and been installing a wide variety of custom ROM's out there to check how the phone actually performs with each of those ROM's.The strange thing i found is no matter which custom ROM you install,it doesn't really make a difference with GNex
The only benefit of installing a custom ROM is the pack full of mods that come along which improve the overall experience and usability of the phone.With Jelly Bean the performance of this phone has greatly improved with respect to the snappiness and lag-free environment that it provides.So i decided to run benchmarks on how the phone performs compared to the heavy duty competitors in the current market

I'm currently running stock JellyBean(Android 4.1) with Franco's Kernel and below are the bench marking scores with Quadrant Advanced and Vellamo
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PROS AND CONS :
Pros -
  • 4.65 inch SAmoled Display
  • Android 4.0/4.1
  • Hardware Acceleration
  • 1080p recording at 30 fps
  • 720p Resolution screen
  • NFC Chip
  • No Bloatware with pure Google Experience
  • Zero shutter lag in camera
  • No Hardware/Physical Buttons

Cons -
  • 1750 mh battery(Mediocre battery Life)
  • Average Camera
  • No SD card Slot

BOXING AND ACCESSORIES :
Galaxy Nexus hasn't be released in india so most of us have bought it with a broken seal but that's really not a concern when dealing with a trusted/reputed seller.Sellers normally check the phone themselves before they purchase it from distributors and make sure its a working model.The outer box looks the same like the previous Nexus deviceand includes the following accessories -
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  • 1 x Phone
  • 1 x Charger
  • 1 x Data Cable
  • 1 x Earphones

As a protective measure,you can apply a Scratch Guard easily available at a local store or can purchase it from either Ebay or Flipkart.As far as the outer protection goes i personally prefer using a TPU case which provides good damage control for rough users like myself ;)
Currently using a TPU case from cruzerlite for my Chic White GNex

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CONCLUSION :
Considering that this phone hasn't been launched in India,it has gained alot of popularity among the masses and has raised the overall smartphone expectations over a notch.Although a average smartphone consumer wouldn't be comfortable with its size but with its elegant appearance alone it stands out from the rest of the crowd.Overall,the Galaxy Nexus with its pure Google experience become a simpler yet a powerful device.

P.S - If you are a Galaxy Nexus Owner then there are some threads on TE which you might wanna have a look at
http://www.techenclave.com/reviews-previews/gagdetshieldz-galaxy-nexus-137494/ - By @seraph (Thanks for the Guide)
http://www.techenclave.com/guides-tutorials/guide-rooting-unlocking-your-samsung-132840/ - By me
http://www.techenclave.com/mobile-phones/samsung-google-galaxy-nexus-thread-132056/ - Galaxy Nexus Discussion Thread

And then again,please ignore spelling mistakes :p
 
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great review, since u have used ur phone for almost 3 months now , can u please update about the volume and other network issues that this device is said to be suffering from when i read its reviews
 
great review, since u have used ur phone for almost 3 months now , can u please update about the volume and other network issues that this device is said to be suffering from when i read its reviews

Tbh,I have never faced an network/Signal issue till date
It was suppose to be a baseband issue with the ICS 4.0.4 upgrade but it never effected me

As far as the volume goes,it does have low sound output just like the remaining galaxy series but that can be improved with apps like"Volume+" or flashing a custom kernel which has in-built volume modification options
 
Nice review. I am now looking forward to root this phone soon. I know whom to contact now :p for the Jelly bean goodness. Which ROM is this though? Link will be helpful.
 
Great review mate. A friend of mine is looking to buy this. I've been reading a lot of mixed reviews about its camera performance. GSM Arena says that it produces images with great detail and sharpness while others say it's sub par. Being a photographer, I know that megapixels do not define image quality, but compared to the GS2 or any other 5/8 MP phone camera, how does the GNex compare? I'm asking this because having a good camera is one of the main criterion for her.
 
Great review mate. A friend of mine is looking to buy this. I've been reading a lot of mixed reviews about its camera performance. GSM Arena says that it produces images with great detail and sharpness while others say it's sub par. Being a photographer, I know that megapixels do not define image quality, but compared to the GS2 or any other 5/8 MP phone camera, how does the GNex compare? I'm asking this because having a good camera is one of the main criterion for her.

Thanks buddy !!
Now,coming back to your camera concern
I'm not a photographer so i can't tell you the exact quality of the camera itself but what i can do for you is post some snaps taken from my GNex,i hope that will help you decide
Here :

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Thanks buddy !!
Now,coming back to your camera concern
I'm not a photographer so i can't tell you the exact quality of the camera itself but what i can do for you is post some snaps taken from my GNex,i hope that will help you decide
Here :

Thanks, Yash. It definitely looks like the GNex has a pretty decent camera as GSM Arena suggests. Once she buys the phone, I might give the camera a spin and post the results on this page itself. Thanks, once again.
 
Original Google UI is so much more beautiful than SenseUi or Touchwiz.

Yup,that's correct
Zero launcher lag on stock Google ROM

Thanks, Yash. It definitely looks like the GNex has a pretty decent camera as GSM Arena suggests. Once she buys the phone, I might give the camera a spin and post the results on this page itself. Thanks, once again.

No probs buddy,Do post your findings with the GNex cam ;)
 
finally got my google nexus yesterday , its so huge, loving it , but i dont know how to update it to jelly bean

i have read the tutorials but i am scared of bricking the phone :p
 
finally got my google nexus yesterday , its so huge, loving it , but i dont know how to update it to jelly bean

i have read the tutorials but i am scared of bricking the phone :p

Same thoughts I had but the dev support for this phone is awesome. So even if you brick the phone there are ways to unbrick it. Btw, that happens under rarest of the rare cases so don't think that way.

Go to this link and download the latest toolkit -
[GNex TOOLKIT V7.8] Drivers, Backup, Unlock, Root, CWM, Flash, Mods + MUCH MORE [GSM] - xda-developers

Also go to this link to download the stock JB image from google. Download the "Factory Images "yakju" for Galaxy Nexus "maguro" (GSM/HSPA+)
Android 4.0.4 (IMM76I)
" image if that is the case. Kindly check the build and download accordingly -
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images

Start the toolkit and choose the build and the option to download the adb drivers. Then after that is done and installed just unplug your phone and go through the toolkit as many times as you want to perform a dry run. Also try youtube for gaining that experience. Only when you know what all is normal and expected, start the unlocking+rooting process ( Option 8 - 1 Click for all).

Subsequently, flash the factory image using the appropriate option. Feel free to ask more questions :)
 
^ ok , thanks , shud i download with google wallet or without it ?? also please tell me from where to get" volume +" app for free , its paid in google market
 
^ ok , thanks , shud i download with google wallet or without it ?? also please tell me from where to get" volume +" app for free , its paid in google market

I think it's against the policy to discuss the pirated apps. And the volume+ app is not compatible with jelly bean anyway...
 
I think it's against the policy to discuss the pirated apps. And the volume+ app is not compatible with jelly bean anyway...

Thats correct,you will get alot of "Force Closes" with Volume+
Its not yet optimized for JB but works well on ICS
 
how do i know if my phone is with or without wallet

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my phone's Build Number is IMM76K. AnDroid version 4.0.4
Download the one without wallet.

Right below the text - "Factory Images "yakju" for Galaxy Nexus "maguro" (GSM/HSPA+)"
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#yakju

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@YashBhatt
Now lots of users are having problems with 720p playback. Video playback for 720p and 1080p is not smooth at all and also there are A/V sync issue. Any inputs or you could tell if you're using some player?
 
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