Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Apple iPhone 4S

We compare the latest Galaxy Nexus with the Apple iPhone 4S?

Samsung's Galaxy Nexus Android phone

Samsung's Galaxy Nexus Android phone

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first smartphone to run the latest version of Google's Android platform, 4.0 or "Ice Cream Sandwich". It boasts a strikingly large 4.65in Super AMOLED HD screen and has a distinctive teardrop design. Naturally, its going to be compared to the popular Apple iPhone 4S. So, how does it stack up?

Where can you buy the Galaxy Nexus?
A first look at the Galaxy Nexus
A word on the Galaxy Nexus: Battery life

The Galaxy Nexus has a bigger screen, a camera that claims to have zero shutter lag and runs Google's most advanced version of Android yet. Is it enough to compete with the iPhone 4S? Let's take a closer look.

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Specifications

Feature Samsung Galaxy Nexus Apple iPhone 4S Verdict
Operating system Google Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Apple iOS 5 Draw
Display size 4.65in 3.5in Galaxy Nexus
Display technology Capacitive Super AMOLED HD Capacitive LED-backlit IPS Draw
Display resolution 720x1280 640x960 Galaxy Nexus
Pixel density 316 ppi 330 ppi iPhone 4S
Multitouch Yes Yes Yes
Front camera 1.3-megapixels VGA Galaxy Nexus
Rear camera 5 megapixels w/single-LED flash 8 megapixels w/single-LED flash iPhone 4S
Camera features Autofocus, touch focus, geotagging, face detection, zero shutter lag Autofocus, touch focus, geotagging, face detection, video stabilisation Draw
Video recording 1080p HD @ 30fps 1080p HD @ 30fps Draw
FM radio No No Draw
GPS Yes, with Google Maps navigation Yes Galaxy Nexus
Internal memory 16GB or 32GB 16GB, 32GB or 64GB iPhone 4S
Expandable memory None None Draw
Dimensions 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9 mm 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm iPhone 4S
Weight 135g 140g Galaxy Nexus
Application Store Google Android Market Apple App Store iPhone 4S
Processor Cortex A9 dual-core (1.2GHz) Apple A5 dual-core (800MHz) Draw
RAM 1GB 512MB Galaxy Nexus
Australian 3G networks HSDPA 850/900/2100 HSDPA 850/900/2100 Draw
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n 802.11b/g/n Draw
Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP 4.0 with A2DP Draw
HDMI-out No (Yes with MHL adapter) No (Yes with Apple Digital AV adapter) Draw
Quoted battery life Up to 8 hrs 20 min Up to 8 hrs Galaxy Nexus
Battery -capacity 1750 mAh 1420 mAh Galaxy Nexus
Adobe Flash support Yes (After Adobe update) No Galaxy Nexus
Carriers Unknown Telstra, Optus, Vodafone Unknown

Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S: Display

The Galaxy Nexus has a strikingly large 4.65in Super AMOLED HD display — one of the biggest screens currently available on the market. The HD points to a high definition resolution of 1280x720; we can tell you that the Galaxy Nexus displays an ultra sharp and crisp image. The screen is bright, vivid and clear and text is crisp and smooth with minimal visible aberrations. The large size of the screen makes the Galaxy Nexus great for video playback but the best benefit of the screen is the experience it creates when reading and Web browsing. Our only complaint is that the automatic brightness setting is often erratic.

The iPhone 4S on the other hand has the same 3.5in sized display as the iPhone 4 it replaced. It looks TINY alongside the Galaxy Nexus but remains one of the best screens on any phone we've reviewed. The iPhone 4S display uses IPS technology and its 640x960 pixel resolution has been described as a "retina" display due to the human eye being unable to distinguish individual pixels. The iPhone 4S's screen has a pixel density of 330ppi — slightly higher than the 316ppi of the Galaxy Nexus.

Verdict: The iPhone 4S' screen remains one of the best ever produced on a mobile device, but we have to award the win here to the Galaxy Nexus. Not only does it dwarf the iPhone in size, its also the best screen we've ever seen on any Android phone. Text is crisp and clear making reading and Web browsing a delightful experience, while the size of the screen doesn't make handling the phone an awkward experience.

Next page: Design, software, camera and more

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Tags smartphonesmobile phonesApple iPhone 4SSamsung Galaxy Nexus

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