Design and Display
With dimensions of 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 millimeters and a weight of 130g, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a screen size of 5 inches of 1080 x 1920p resolution and pixel density of 441ppi. The Nexus 5 also has similar dimensions of 127.84 x 69.17 x 8.59 mm, and the same weight of 130g, with a slightly smaller screen display of 4.95 inches. However, the Nexus 5 has the same 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution with a higher density of 445 ppi and a Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The screen of the Nexus 5 also makes use of the IPS technology, with better color reproduction and quicker response times.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has opted for the familiar plastic finish, but many users prefer it this way, as it is quite difficult to scratch it and it can also offer good resistance to shocks, being light as well. The Nexus 5 build quality is also not very awe-inspiring and has a basic plastic finish, but offers powerful technology.
Camera and Battery
The S4 has a rear camera of 13-MP resolutions with Flash and a front camera of 2-MP resolutions. The rear camera of the Nexus 5 has a lower resolution of 8MP with Flash and a front camera of 1.3 MP.
The Nexus 5 comes with Optical Image stabilization feature, so that motion is corrected before the sensor captures an image. It is also able to shoot at 360 degrees panoramic mode, instead of merely horizontally. The maximum light sensitivity is also higher at 3200 ISO, compared to the 800 ISO of the S4. As for the S4, it comes with a BSI sensor, enabling the capture of improved quality pictures even in low light conditions, which is not present in the S4. In addition, the camera has a manual ISO. In addition, it has a front camera resolution of 2 MP compared to the 1.3 MP of the Nexus 5.
The S4 also has a higher internal storage of 64GB compared to the 32GB of the Nexus 5 and has a removable battery.
Software / Hardware Comparison
The S4 runs on the Android 4.3 (or) Jelly Bean operating system and after the upgrade it now runs on 4.4.2 KitKat, with the Nexus 5 running on the Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 1.6 GHz octa core processor with a RAM of 2GB offering an internal storage of 16GB. In contrast, the Nexus 5 comes with a Quad Core processor of 2.26 Ghz and the same RAM of 2 GB, with an internal storage of 16GB.
Verdict
The Nexus 5 has the better display between the two devices and it also excels in its hardware, but the battery life of the S4 is better. The hardware of the Nexus 5 is the more capable one and shows very fast reaction even with increased loads and continuous usage. It also comes with the 4.4.2 KitKat out of the box. The Nexus 5 has a faster CPU clock speed and a better camera with optical image stabilization. Another advantage with the Nexus 5 is that it gets direct updates from the OS Vendor, Google, so there is no need to wait till the manufacturer provides the update. However, the S4 has voice command features, whereby you can just say Next when you listen to music or you can say the word Capture to take a photograph, without pressing a button, along with many other commands.
As for the price, the Nexus 5 is cheaper at around $500, carrier free and offers great value at the price, as it does not make any compromises in terms of technical capabilities, making it a better bargain. In comparison, the S4 is more expensive at around $600.
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