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LG G2 vs Google Nexus 5 – Sibling rivalry

• Egon Kilin
• April 23rd, 2014

These two smartphones are a bit like step brothers in a way, both of them were created by LG and both of them are among the best top-tier devices around. The similarities go even deeper though, the LG G2 and the Google Nexus 5 are also pretty close when it comes to design and they both run on the Android OS. Luckily, there are also quite a number of differences between the two, let’s take a closer look and see if we can decide which one is better.

LG G2

The smartphone looks very similar to the Nexus 5 as we’ve mentioned, the biggest difference can be seen on the back. The LG G2 comes with a glossy plastic rear with a center-mounted camera and a volume button below it. The device features a 5.2-inch Full HD display with 1920×1080 resolution and 423 pixel density. As far as snappers go, we can safely say that the LG G2 offers some of the most impressive results around. Its 13 Mp rear camera has optical image stabilization and LED flash and is capable of capturing 1080p videos at 60 FPS.

The LG G2 comes with some impressive specs to go along with its great display and camera. Looking at its Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU that runs at 2.26 GHz, 2GB RAM and Adreno 330 GPU it’s clear that this device won’t struggle regardless of what apps you might be throwing at it. The handset also comes equipped with a more than average 3,000mAh battery, dual-band Wi-Fi , Wi-Fi Hotspot, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and 16/32 GB storage memory options.

Dimensions: 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm, 143g
Display: 5.2-inch full HD IPS+ LCD 1920×1080 pixels, 423ppi
Camera: Rear 13MP optical image stabilisation/Front 2.1MP, 1080p video, LED flash
Storage: 16GB/32GB
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 with 2.26GHz Quad-Core Krait 400 CPU
RAM: 2GB of RAM
Graphics: Adreno 330 GPU
OS: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Connectivity: 4G/3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0
Battery: 3,000mAh non-removable

Nexus 5

Being manufactured by LG as well, it’s not surprising that the Google Nexus 5 shares some of the G2’s features and specs. The device is a bit lighter though and has a rubbery back with the “Nexus” logo on it. Featuring a 4.95-inch panel, the display is a bit smaller that on the LG G2, however it makes up for it with its sharper 445 pixel density. The 8Mp camera features optical stabilization and assisted-back illuminated sensors and captures 1080 videos at 30 FPS.

Spec-wise, the Nexus 5 also comes with a 800 quad-core @ 2.26 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM and Adreno 330 GPU. Storage memory options are the same, 16 and 32 GB. Connectivity options are pretty much all there as well, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, Wi-Fi Hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0, just like the G2. The battery has just 2,300mAh though but it’s still better than some of its other competitors out there. A big advantage of the Nexus 5 is its price, the whole series are well known for having the best price/quality ratio out there.

Dimensions: 137.84 x 69.17 x 8.59mm, 130g
Display: 5-inch (actual 4.95-inch) full HD IPS+ LCD 1920 x 1080 pixels, 455ppi
Camera: Rear 8.0MP with OIS / Front 1.3MP HD, 1080p video, LED flash
Storage: 16GB/32GB
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 with 2.26GHz Quad-Core Krait 400 CPU
RAM: 2GB of RAM
Graphics: Adreno 330 GPU
OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
Connectivity: 4G/3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot, Wireless charging, NFC, Miracast, Bluetooth 4.0
Battery: 2,300mAh non-removable

LG G2 or Google Nexus 5?

Considering how similar these two smartphones are, this is a very tough decision. The LG G2 features a larger display but the Google Nexus 5 has a more sharper one. A quick look at the specs reveals that both of them are very capable devices and it’s hard to say which is better except for the higher battery life on the G2. The camera seems inferior on the Nexus 5 and it kinda is, but in practice there’s actually not a huge difference, it all depends on how passionate you are about your pictures and videos.

Normally I would go for the G2 because overall it’s the better device, but the price is also something to consider and the Nexus 5 can save you $200 or more which can be a big difference for some. If money is not an issue you should definitely get the LG G2, but if you’re a little tight on cash the Google Nexus 5 is almost as good and comes at a cheaper cost.