Google Nexus 5 vs the Competition: Specs and Pricing Compared

	Google Nexus 5	Samsung Galaxy S4	Apple iPhone 5s	LG G2	HTC One	Moto X
Starting Price	$349	$199.99	$199.99	$199.99	$199.99	$199.99
CPU	2.3-GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800	1.9-GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600	Apple 64-bit A7	2.3-Ghz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800	1.7-GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600	1.7-GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 (X8 Mobile Computing System)
Display	5 inches/ 1920 x 1080	5 inches/ 1920 x 1080	4 inches/ 1136 x 640	5.2 inches/ 1920 x 1080	4.7 inches/ 1920 x 1080	4.7 inches/ 1280 x 720
OS	Android 4.4	Android 4.2.2	iOS 7	Android 4.2.2	Android 4.1.2	Android 4.2.2
Expandable Storage	N/A	64GB via  microSD	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Battery	2,300 mAh	2,600 mAh	1,560 mAh	3,000 mAh	2,300 mAh	2,200 mAh
Connectivity	4G LTE	4G LTE	4G LTE	4G LTE	4G LTE	4G LTE
Size	5.4 x 2.7 x 0.34 inches	5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches	4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 inches	5.45 x 2.79 x 0.35 inches	5.31 x 2.63 x 0.28 inches	5.09 x 2.57 x 0.41 inches
Weight	4.6 ounces	4.6 ounces	3.9 ounces	5.0 ounces	5.1 ounces	4.6 ounces
Storage	16GB or 32GB	16GB or 32GB	16GB, 32GB, 64GB	32GB	32GB or 64GB	16Gb
Cameras Rear / Front	8-MP/ 1.3-MP	13-MP/ 2-MP	8-MP/ 1.2-MP	13-MP/ 2.1-MP	Ultrapixel/ 2.1-MP	10-MP/ 2-MP
Ports	microUSB	microUSB	Lightning Connector	microUSB	microUSB	microUSB

After weeks of leaks, Google has finally announced its long awaited Nexus 5 smartphone. The first device to come loaded with the search giant’s Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, the Nexus 5 will be available unlocked for just $349. Despite its relatively low cost, for an unlocked phone, the Nexus 5 offers some impressive specs. It will also be available on Sprint and T-Mobile. So how does it stack up against the best of the best smartphones on the planet?

The biggest thing that sets the Nexus 5 apart from the price is that it ships with Google’s Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. The rest of its Android competition comes with Android 4.3 at best, and won’t get KitKat for quite some time. Better still, as a Google phone, the handset gets all Android updates the day they are released, rather than having to wait until they are cleared by a carrier.

MORE: Smartphone Buyers’ Guide 2013: 7 Things You Need to Know

Google equipped its latest handset with a 5-inch, 1920 x 1080 resolution screen. That’s even with the Samsung Galaxy S4, but larger than the iPhone 5s‘ 4-inch, 1136 x 640 display, as well as the HTC One’s 4.7-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen. The Motorola Moto X’s display is both smaller than the Nexus 5′s, 4.7 inches, and offers a lower 1280 x 720 resolution. Google didn’t go too crazy with the Nexus 5′s display size, though, keeping it smaller than the 5.2-inch LG G2.

From a size standpoint, the Nexus 5 once again matches up nicely with the Galaxy S4, 5.4 x 2.7 x 0.34 inches versus the Samsung’s 5.4 x 2.8 x 0.31 inches. Both phones also weigh the same 4.6 ounces. The LG G2 is far heavier than Google’s handset, weighing in at 5.0 ounces, while the all-aluminum HTC One comes in a smidge heavier than that at 5.1 ounces. The iPhone 5s is, naturally, both smaller and lighter than Google’s handset, measuring just 4.9 x 2.3 x 0.3 inches and weighing 3.9 ounces.

From a performance standpoint, the Nexus 5 should be able to go toe-to-toe with the baddest smartphones on the planet. Packing a 2.3-GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM, the Nexus 5 offers the same internals as LG’s G2. That handset beat out the Snapdragon 600-equipped HTC One and Galaxy S4 in a host of benchmark tests including Antutu and 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited, and we expect similar results from the Nexus 5. Still, the 64-bit A7 chip found in Apple’s iPhone 5s is a beast in its own right, making it a perfect rival for the Nexus 5.

While many smartphone makers are pumping up their handsets’ cameras with high megapixel sensors, Google has chosen to stick with a modest 8-megapixel rear camera and 1.3-megapixel front shooter. But megapixels aren’t everything, as the iPhone 5s proved during a recent face-off against Nokia’s Lumia 1020. The iPhone, which also sports an 8-megapixel rear camera easily bested the Lumia despite that phone including a massive 41-megapixel camera. 

Of course, one of the biggest things that could draw users to the Nexus 5 is its price. At $349 unlocked, the handset is a serious value when compared to the competition, which generally costs $199 with a two-year contract. The benefit to having an unlocked phone is the ability to move between carriers as you please. By comparison, an unlocked Apple iPhone 5s with 16GB of storage will cost you between $649 and $859, depending on the version you purchase.

Overall, it looks like the Google Nexus 5 is poised to give its competition a run for its money. From its high-def 5-inch display, to its powerful processor and Android 4.4 OS, the Nexus 5 could be the next best smartphone on the block. Stay tuned for our full review.