Google Nexus 4 review

The LG-built Nexus 4 is Google's latest flagship smartphone and the first handset to run its Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system. That's all well and good, but what's really special about this phone is it's low price.

We got our hands on the Google Nexus 4 built by LG, so it's time to find out whether it can compete against smartphones double its price.

Design
Given its bargain price, you'd expect the Nexus 4 to feel pretty cheap. However, the handset feels much more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the LG Optimus 4X HD, which both retail for around £500.

That's thanks to its minimalistic design. The front of the handset is free of physical keys and buttons, and instead consists of a single piece of glass stretching across the 4.7in screen. The back of the device comes coated in glass too, which although a nightmare for picking up grease, gives the device a high-end feel.

While we love the design of the Google Nexus 4, we can't help but think it's glittery backing makes the device seem a little 'girly'. Underneath the glass on the rear of the phone, the Nexus 4 features a shimmering, almost glittery effect, which we can't see impressing the alpha males among you.

In terms of size, the Google Nexus 4 is spot on. At 9.1mm thick it's considerably fatter than the iPhone 5, but this gives the handset a reassuring bulk. It's quite comfortable to hold too, weighing a reasonable 139g.

Screen
On paper, the Google Nexus 4 features a 4.7in IPS touchscreen 768x1280 resolution and 318ppi pixel density.

The screen, although smaller than the incoming wave of gigantic screened smartphones, proved plenty big enough, and with 0.7in on the iPhone 5 it proved ideal for surfing the web and watching videos.

The display's high resolution makes for super-sharp images. We found it slightly sharper than the Galaxy S3 screen, which itself is pretty impressive. There's not a massive difference between the two smartphones, but text appears slightly crisper on the Google Nexus 4.

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