The Nexus S was the third of only 3 devices 100% sanctioned by Google and running pure Android. Sprint is teaming up with Samsung and Google to bring it’s version of the phone the Nexus S 4G to it’s WiMax network. Besides the 4G radio there are no differences between the original Nexus S and the Nexus S 4G and with specs that are starting to look slightly dated is it worth your money?
Design and Build Quality
The Nexus S 4G like the Nexus S before it has some pretty great hardware design; Samsung did an amazing job with the front of the device particularly. The screen when turned off is flush with the black accents making it almost seem to vanish. The Nexus S 4G also features a contoured display and while the precession effect it has is nominal at best it does protect more of the screen when placed face down. The back of the device on the other hand looked really nice with a faint pattern all over. Unfortunately despite looking nice the light plastic material used in it’s construction make it feel cheap to the touch. The super AMOLED display on the front of the device is every bit as mind blowing as on the Galaxy S line.
Specifications
A Samsung Hummingbird processor that is clocked in at 1GHz powers the Nexus S 4G. The Nexus S 4G has 512 MBs of RAM and 16GB nandflash storage. The trade off for such a huge flash storage is that there isn’t an SD care slot like most Android phones so the memory is not expandable. The Nexus S 4G has dimensions of 4.88 x 2.48 x 0.44 and weighs in at 4.6 ounces.
Camera and Special Features
The Nexus S 4G features a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash capable of 720p video. Stills taken from the phone were less than stellar compared to other high-end Android phones. The Nexus S 4G also features a front facing 1.3-megapixel cameras for video chat. The Nexus S 4G is the first phone to get new Android updates and is one of the first in the country to feature NFC for mobile payments.
Battery Life
The Nexus S 4G features the same battery as the original Nexus S but while the original Nexus S had decent battery life the Nexus S 4G’s power hungry radio makes for a real problem. You can probably get a full days life out of it but in solid use I wouldn’t expect more than 6 hours.
Wrap up
While the Nexus S 4G is a great device that’s one of the best in terms of software-based features it’s less than current specs and lack luster battery life make it hard to recommend. If your stuck on Sprint and want the pure Android experience it’s your only option.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blogger for First in Education where she’s recently written about public health education programs along with a piece on appraiser & assessor jobs. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, traveling, and working with origami.
