Nexus 5 - Still Flagship After All These Years

Hook · Dec 23, 2015

Despite really jonesing for a larger screen, I just passed up an Amazon sale of The Nexus 6 (Shamu) 64GB for $299. My Nexus 5, already 2 months into its third year, is still a powerhouse and performs beautifully. There is just no justification for replacing it. Its performance and reliability is still as good as when I first took it out of the box and, desite my insistance on no cases or screen protectors, looks like new other than the model sticker on the back coming off (I prefer it being gone).

Too much of the time a forum is just for posting problems, so I decided to come here and just say how amazingly happy I am with my Nexus 5 still. (Of course posting this may doom my Nexus 5

). I expect to easily make it to next October. I have my sights on a Nexus 6P 128GB and that's where I'll go if something happens to my N5 before October, or I'll have the choice of the 6P and whatever comes in 2016.

In the meantime, happy to be rocking Hammerhead into the New Year. :cool:

argedion · Dec 23, 2015

Not for my power button I would be right with you on this

JBentleyR · Dec 23, 2015

I'm glad to hear that, Hook. I, too, have a Nexus 5 which is about the same age and is also working perfectly. I am still on KitKat and am happy not to 'upgrade'.

My wife's iPhone 4S went west recently when its WiFi decided to stop working. The Apple store wasn't much help, saying that it's just one of those things that happens!
She's seen my (much superior) Nexus 5 and wants one to replace her (inferior) iPhone.
Hopefully, the new Nexus 5 is as reliable as my old one!

Brian706 · Dec 23, 2015

I loved this phone. If not for my microphone going out, I would probably still be using it. I had snagged the N6 64gb on Amazon awhile back for $350. Been super happy with this one as well. Loving the bigger screen!

Deleted User · Dec 23, 2015

I'm totally happy with mine.

Deleted User · Dec 24, 2015

Still enjoying my N5 and KitKat.

GuitarG20 · Dec 24, 2015

I am still using mine, although the power button is on its way out and i am getting random slowdowns. Still by far the best android phone i've ever owned though.

morgankslade · Dec 30, 2015

I just set aside my Moto G3 to drive my Nexus 5 again.
I am using Cataclysm 12/8/15 on 6.0.1
Smooth as silk.

exninja · Jan 8, 2016

I think my battery might be dying, but I'm also in my third year. I also expect to last through the year. We (my wife also has one) will probably get something on Black Friday as long as they have a sale like they did in 2015 on the 5X. But that's only if they have another 5in offering. 6in is just too big (and too much $$) for me! If the battery dies I'll prob get one from LG to hold me over, but that's TBD.

I had a bad power button episode, but a good whack set it straight. Dropping the phone a particular way seems to set it off for me. The only other "issues" I've had are a crack at the sim card slot and a broken bit of plastic at the USB port. The latter is only seen when the back cover is removed and neither affect function. The camera focus sucks but it's always been that way. Pretty pleased with it all-in-all.

I like to amortize the cost of the phone over its life to compare with contract pricing. If it lasts three years it will have cost $10/month. That's a decent price for me. Much cheaper than buying a contract.

JBentleyR · Jan 9, 2016

JBentleyR said:
My wife's iPhone 4S went west recently when its WiFi decided to stop working. The Apple store wasn't much help, saying that it's just one of those things that happens!
She's seen my (much superior) Nexus 5 and wants one to replace her (inferior) iPhone.
Hopefully, the new Nexus 5 is as reliable as my old one!

Just an update. Having explored reviews, etc, my wife decided on a Samsung S6. She's very pleased with it and the only minor niggle is that, unlike Nexuses, it is loaded with lots of apps and things that she may not want. Easy to remove, though.
The main thing is that she is a convert to Android from Crapple!

MotoGUser · Jan 24, 2016

I am thinking of switching from a MotoG3 to Nexus5; with Marshmallow, Moto disabled the screen from lighting up when a text comes in, and it drives me nuts.

Does the stock Nexus5 with Marshmallow still allow texts & phone calls to light up the screen?

GuitarG20 · Jan 25, 2016

MotoGUser said:
I am thinking of switching from a MotoG3 to Nexus5; with Marshmallow, Moto disabled the screen from lighting up when a text comes in, and it drives me nuts.

Does the stock Nexus5 with Marshmallow still allow texts & phone calls to light up the screen?

Out of the box, phone calls will light up the screen, but text messages will not. Many of the same apps that will enable this on the moto g will enable it on the N5 if you want, though.

Spdfreak34 · Feb 10, 2016

Would you still buy a nexus 5 today?

I have a S5 that seems to be on its last leg (camera doesn't work, etc.) and I saw refurbished nexus 5's on eBay for around $130. Seems like a good deal to me, but I'm not sure about buying a phone so old.

exninja · Feb 12, 2016

exninja said:
I think my battery might be dying, but I'm also in my third year. I also expect to last through the year. We (my wife also has one) will probably get something on Black Friday as long as they have a sale like they did in 2015 on the 5X. But that's only if they have another 5in offering. 6in is just too big (and too much $$) for me! If the battery dies I'll prob get one from LG to hold me over, but that's TBD.

I had a bad power button episode, but a good whack set it straight. Dropping the phone a particular way seems to set it off for me. The only other "issues" I've had are a crack at the sim card slot and a broken bit of plastic at the USB port. The latter is only seen when the back cover is removed and neither affect function. The camera focus sucks but it's always been that way. Pretty pleased with it all-in-all.

I like to amortize the cost of the phone over its life to compare with contract pricing. If it lasts three years it will have cost $10/month. That's a decent price for me. Much cheaper than buying a contract.

Full disclosure: my wife bought me a Nexus 5X for my birthday. If it weren't for the decent tax refund we're getting I'd have sent it back. Also it was (maybe is?) on sale for $299. Otherwise, everything I said before is still true.

Gatman · Feb 14, 2016

I picked up my N5 on the day they first went on sale. Still using it today, and I've accepted all the updates that have come out and haven't regretted it one bit. This was my third Android, with the first being an HTC Droid Incredible and the second being a Moto Razr Maxx. I have liked them all, but this one has definitely been my favorite. I have had the itch to get a new phone, but likely won't scratch it for a while yet since this phone just plain works for me. I've been on Cricket for well over a year, and I'm paying $35 for unlimited text and voice, with 2.5gb of data.

Definitely the best phone decision I've made since I've had one.

~Gary

Nexus 5 - Still Flagship After All These Years

Ever since DU... ;-)

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