Is the new Google S4 worth $300 more that the Nexus 4?

[jhonb]

I am in the market for a new phone to replace my Galaxy Nexus. I want a carrier free Google phone. I can get the nexus 4 for 350 and the new Google S4 that will ship next month for 650. Is the S4 that much better than the N4?

 

[Crashdamage]

Certainly not.

 

[BrandonOptimus]

I am in the market for a new phone to replace my Galaxy Nexus. I want a carrier free Google phone. I can get the nexus 4 for 350 and the new Google S4 that will ship next month for 650. Is the S4 that much better than the N4?

Well s4 has to be the best right now in the market.
And it is as well carrier free. They also did it for the htc one which is only $600 as well.

Read this: Here


Has some info on it you may want to read. But in all hands, its all of the same Google features that the n4 does have. Except, they removed alot of Samsung's features to make this a true Google phone.

 

[lion7718]

Certainly not.

I agree...it's still not a Nexus.

 

[Skyroket]

1080P Display,13Mp camera, LTE, Expandable memory, removable battery, wireless-AC(if you care) 1.9 GHz quad-core vs. 1.5 Ghz quad core. Is it worth extra $300?

 

[jhonb]

1080P Display,13Mp camera, LTE, Expandable memory, removable battery, wireless-AC(if you care) 1.9 GHz quad-core vs. 1.5 Ghz quad core. Is it worth extra $300?

Hey, I asked you!

 

[Skyroket]

Hey, I asked you!

Nope

I think unlocked phones should be in the price range from $300 to $450 these days. That's magic $649.99 tag kills me!

 

[boyo1991]

In America, its very difficult to use an unlocked phone. Unless you plan on going to straight talk. And I really highly recommend not going with them.

If your from elsewhere where unlocked phones work flawlessly, I have no input as I don't know how they work in those countries.

 

[jhawkkw]

In America, its very difficult to use an unlocked phone. Unless you plan on going to straight talk. And I really highly recommend not going with them.

If your from elsewhere where unlocked phones work flawlessly, I have no input as I don't know how they work in those countries.

I wouldn't say it's difficult, it's just that many people aren't aware of the freedom it offers. I've also found that many people are attached to their mobile number like it's a child, and aren't willing to give it up. Porting to Google-Voice remedies this situation and allows one to carrier hop between many different prepaid plans. However, with only two gsm carriers, your coverage is limited. I believe once VoLTE becomes the norm though, unlocked devices could become more important once you can hop between all 4 carrier's and their MVNO's.

As for the topic at hand, I don't think it's that worth it. You don't have factory images, you don't have binaries, and updates don't come from Google. People think that updates will still come fast, and they might. However with so few people likely buying it, there isn't much incentive for Samsung to remain on top of updates.

 

[jhonb]

In America, its very difficult to use an unlocked phone. Unless you plan on going to straight talk. And I really highly recommend not going with them.

If your from elsewhere where unlocked phones work flawlessly, I have no input as I don't know how they work in those countries.

Why is that? I have AT&T. I took the sim card out of my iPhone 4, put in in an adapter to make it full size and popped it into my GNex. It was all good.

 

[markzombie82]

Not in my opinion by the time I tear a phone up the latest and greatest isn't worth the money I can run phone for years and keep it updated its not like I have to have the best of every thing all the time this nexus will suite me well till I'm just ready the next not first but maybe second nexus the networks have to go a long ways before I feel it would be worth buying a new phone 5 or 6g even then why could you need that much data "right now"

 

[Banished Angel]

The SGS4 is powered by a Snapdragon 600 chip at 1.9GHz. It's jut an incremental update over the S4 Pro chip inside the Nexus 4 and still uses the same GPU. The Snapdragon 800 will be making an appearance this fall with 2.2Ghz clock speed and a brand new GPU. Hold out for what's coming later this year.

EDIT: For example, the Xperia Z Ultra
http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/sony-xperia-z-ultra/4505-6452_7-35798774.html

 

[charliecc]

If they were all equal price I'd take

HTC One --> Nexus 4 --> Samsung S4.

However, they're not all the same price, and I could buy 2 Nexus 4s for the price of either of the others, so the Nexus 4 everytime.

 

[SiempreTuna]

The S4 is a fine phone. The HTC One is maybe even better.

But $650?!

I'm perfectly happy with my N4

 

[jhsrennie]

The S4 is a very nice phone. In particular Samsung has done a great job of squeezing in a big screen without increasing the size of the phone too much (though it's noticably bigger than the N4) and personally I like AMOLED screens.

But, we have a Nexus 5 probably releasing later this year (so about a six month wait before Google's stock catches up with demand and it seems likely the N5 will be better still than the S4.

If it were my money I'd buy an N4 now, and in six months see what the N5 looks like. Google handsets seem to have pretty good second hand prices - even the old Galaxy Nexus goes for approaching

 

[DC1022]

No there is an article that I read that said that the google edition phones still won't get updates as fast as true Nexus devices. The updates will still be done by the manufacturers so HTC and samsung can make the devices compatible with beats and their camera's and such. Even without that I still say no, a true Nexus device and the prices Google puts is unbeatable.

 

[markzombie82]

Side by side benchmark of the one x and the nexus 4 today at work and I stomped the one x

 

[jhsrennie]

No there is an article that I read that said that the google edition phones still won't get updates as fast as true Nexus devices. The updates will still be done by the manufacturers so HTC and samsung can make the devices compatible with beats and their camera's and such.

Allegedly (I'm not sure there has been a definitive statement from Google) HTC and Samsung will be responsible for providing the new kernel, presumably because the device driver code is proprietary. However Google will do the rest. So while there may be delays releasing new versions they shouldn't be anything like as bad as for the branded versions of the phones.

 

[jhonb]

Well, I decided to buy one of them this week. If I was to follow the advice in this forum, the GN4 would be the way to go. I think I will ask this question in the Google S4 forum.

Question: What would be the big differences between buying an at&t s4 and rooting it or buying the google S4?

 

[Banished Angel]

Well, I decided to buy one of them this week. If I was to follow the advice in this forum, the GN4 would be the way to go. I think I will ask this question in the Google S4 forum.

Question: What would be the big differences between buying an at&t s4 and rooting it or buying the google S4?

The Google one is unlocked and comes with stock Android 4.2.2. If you buy it from AT&T it will most likely be locked and run Android 4.2.2 with the Touchwiz interface.

 

[hstroph]

... But, we have a Nexus 5 probably releasing later this year (so about a six month wait before Google's stock catches up with demand and it seems likely the N5 will be better still than the S4. ...

If it is "better" one has to wonder if the cost will be greater too?

 

[bjacks12]

The N4 didn't increase in price over the GNex.

 

[jhonb]

The N4 didn't increase in price over the GNex.

Actually the 4 was less.

 

[jhonb]

Thanks for all the help. I just ordered the Nexus 4. I kinda pushed my hand as I broke a ribbon on my Gnex changing the charging port. Thanks for all the help.

 

[ron1967]

I have the S3 and the N4 and whereas I love my S3, the N4 is a better phone. Much snappier when moving around, opening apps and such. If the N4 had the S3's camera, I'd crap myself You will NOT be disappointed with the N4...believe me!!!