Should I buy the Nexus 5 or wait?

[Alec R]

I've been looking to buy a new phone for a while now, and I was hoping you guys would have some advice. Would it be best to buy a nexus 5 now, or wait for other phones. I was looking at the nexus 5 because it was a good deal to buy it and get a plan off contract for a cheap price. Would it be smart to wait for new phones like the htc m8? Will the nexus 5 get outdated soon, and any ideas how much the m8 would cost?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I believe the N5 will last for a while. It's an excellent phone, and of course is first in line for OS updates from the mothership. It really depends more on what you're looking for in a phone. If you really want the latest and greatest, then you could always wait for what's around the corner, but then you might get caught in an endless cycle of "oh wait, should I wait for the next next​ great phone that's a couple of months away?"

 

[someguy01234]

Depend on the features you need. If you are happy with the N5 specs, then get it, it will get faster Android updates than other new phones. The interface will still run smoother than them due to lack of bloated UI.

 

[Peter Cotton]

I don't think the Nexus 5 will be outdated quickly for what matters, that is the software. If price is an issue, there is no better value, and probably won't be until the N6 comes out. Spec sheets may show that upcoming phones are better equipped, but I would go on a limb and say that the nexus will feel like a new phone for a lot longer than any other option out there right now.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[JeffDenver]

I've been looking to buy a new phone for a while now, and I was hoping you guys would have some advice. Would it be best to buy a nexus 5 now, or wait for other phones. I was looking at the nexus 5 because it was a good deal to buy it and get a plan off contract for a cheap price. Would it be smart to wait for new phones like the htc m8? Will the nexus 5 get outdated soon, and any ideas how much the m8 would cost?

It depends on what matters to you most.

If you want better hardware only, I would wait. There are several phones coming out in the next few months that are a lot better.

If you want Vanilla Android, buy now. The next Nexus will not be out till this fall (and maybe not at all). And even if the phones coming out in the next few months have GPE versions, they probably won't be available till late summer. The Nexus 5 will not get outdated soon...it has great specs and very good support. It will also be half the price of any new flagships coming out in the near future.

 

[dkhmwilliams]

I've been looking to buy a new phone for a while now, and I was hoping you guys would have some advice. Would it be best to buy a nexus 5 now, or wait for other phones. I was looking at the nexus 5 because it was a good deal to buy it and get a plan off contract for a cheap price. Would it be smart to wait for new phones like the htc m8? Will the nexus 5 get outdated soon, and any ideas how much the m8 would cost?

If the Nexus 5 is capable of doing everything that you want it to do now, then I would say get it. If you are looking for the other features rumored on future devices, then you should wait. And don't forget, the Nexus is unlocked and considerably cheaper than the other devices. If you don't want to renew your contract or if you are interested in getting a lower rate on your phone plan, again, go with the Nexus 5.

 

[jj14x]

There will always be an upcoming phone that has better specs than the phone that is available now. By the time the M8 comes out, there will be another "better" phone on the horizon. That is technology. The device you have will be 'outdated' very quickly. But outdated in this case doesn't always mean that it won't do what you need it to do. The N5 is a good phone. It is not the "best" in terms of hardware, but I can't imagine swapping to another device (unless it is the next nexus) anytime soon.

If you are going to wait for the best available phone, that won't be overshadowed by another one (in terms of specs) within a few months, you will probably be without a phone for a while

If the Nexus 5 is capable of doing everything that you want it to do now, then I would say get it. If

^^ this

 

[The Hustleman]

I've been looking to buy a new phone for a while now, and I was hoping you guys would have some advice. Would it be best to buy a nexus 5 now, or wait for other phones. I was looking at the nexus 5 because it was a good deal to buy it and get a plan off contract for a cheap price. Would it be smart to wait for new phones like the htc m8? Will the nexus 5 get outdated soon, and any ideas how much the m8 would cost?

Get it.

I just got mine a month ago and I'm more than satisfied with it.

I came from a Galaxy S III that I'd had since release.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bjrosen]

It won't hurt to wait a couple of weeks to see what the M8 looks like but it's doubtful that it will have anything that the N5 doesn't have. The new HTC will likely cost $650 or more, the 32G N5 is $400 (don't get the $350 16G version, you'll be sorry if you do). From all reports the M8 is still a 1080p screen which is the same as the N5. The camera might be a little better but I doubt you'd notice, the N5's camera is excellent. If a better camera is important then buy a real camera with interchangeable lenses, that's the only way to get a significant improvement. The N5 has a Snapdragon 800 processor, the same as the new Samsung S5. At best the new HTC will clock it a little higher but you'll never notice that. It's possible that the M8 will have LTE advanced, but there is almost no LTE Advanced deployed yet. I'd worry about that feature a a year or two from now, during your next upgrade cycle.

 

[srkmagnus]

I agree. If you can wait then give it a few weeks to see what the M8 offers. I don't think it's too late to get a Nexus 5. Heck, it's still not to late to get a Moto X unless you are a person who buys based on specs. Bottom line is if the device meets you needs and is within a price range you can afford then go for it.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[vanhoud]

Buy

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[dkhmwilliams]

I just bought another Nexus 5. I really need to stop buying phones.

 

[oldDummy]

I just bought another Nexus 5. I really need to stop buying phones.

feel your pain, do the same thing....
have to throw some "old ones" out.
You know how that goes.... ;-)

 

[slab0meat]

I've been using mine for just over a week now and I love it. I'm still learning a lot and still have a ways to go. Granted, my old phone was getting close to three years old, but this one feels like a beast and is smooth. I say get it.


IF, by chance, you don't like it, or want to change after a few months, you can probably get a good amount of your money back selling it.

 

[Scott7217]

Will the nexus 5 get outdated soon, and any ideas how much the m8 would cost?

It is difficult to say when a particular phone, including the Nexus 5, will be outdated. For example, would you consider last year's Nexus 4 to be outdated? It doesn't have LTE (officially), it has a 720p screen (instead of a 1080p one), the CPU has a lower clock speed, and the camera doesn't have OIS. Because of these factors, some people think the Nexus 4 is outdated, even though it's only over a year old. Other people think it's perfectly fine.

The good thing about Nexus phones is that their price is low enough where you could consider the possibility of buying one every year to always be up to date. Furthermore, if you decide to sell your old phone, you can defray the costs even more. Lots of people sold their Nexus 4 when the Nexus 5 came out. I'm sure they'll sell their Nexus 5 when the next Nexus phone comes out.

At the time that I'm writing this post, HTC has not announced anything official about the M8, including the price. The fact that you mentioned the M8 suggests that you are interested in HTC's next phone. I don't think it's a bad thing to wait just a little bit because everything suggests that HTC will make an announcement very soon. Once you see what HTC has to offer, you can make your final decision at that time. Also, feel free to come back to the forums and share your thoughts. I'm sure there are a lot of people who are in the same situation.

 

[dkhmwilliams]

^^^ I agree with this. Also, if you go for the Nexus 5 now, you could enjoy the Nexus experience for about seven or eight months, then sell it and get the next Nexus that will be better than the rest of the phones coming out now. Remember, no carrier branding, no carrier bloat, no contract, no waiting for updates, stock Android, at an affordable price.

 

[Fdmstng99]

I just bought another Nexus 5. I really need to stop buying phones.

I also seem to have a phone addiction.

 

[JeffDenver]

It is difficult to say when a particular phone, including the Nexus 5, will be outdated. For example, would you consider last year's Nexus 4 to be outdated? It doesn't have LTE (officially), it has a 720p screen (instead of a 1080p one), the CPU has a lower clock speed, and the camera doesn't have OIS. Because of these factors, some people think the Nexus 4 is outdated, even though it's only over a year old. Other people think it's perfectly fine.

I have both. Both are on 4.4.2. The Nexus 4 is plenty fast, and the display is still good. But I had to use it for over a week after my Nexus 5 broke, till my new one arrived...and the differences were pretty obvious. The Camera was the biggest one and I found myself missing the N5 camera a LOT. There is just no comparison on any level. Nexus 5 camera images are significantly better, as is video. Call quality is worse on the N4, as is reception. The display is plenty sharp, but I was no longer able to read it in direct sunlight like with the N5. And of course, the nexus 4 tops out at a measly 16 gigs with no expansion. So I was counting the minutes till my new Nexus 5 arrived.

Yeah, compared to modern smartphones I do think the N4 is outdated...but only if you are comparing to top tier phones. For a mid range or low end phone it still kicks ***. KitKat runs awesomely on it. Not as smooth as the N5, but definitely in the same league as of current flagships.

 

[dkhmwilliams]

When the new Nexus comes out, it will most likely have a 2K screen. I wonder if anyone will be able to see the difference?

 

[JeffDenver]

When the new Nexus comes out, it will most likely have a 2K screen. I wonder if anyone will be able to see the difference?

I am a graphics nerd and I won't. Anything over 400ppi is wasted IMO. 1080p is more than enough...no one can see pixels without a magnifying glass.

More is not a bad thing necessarily, but I think we have moved past the point where display should be one of the main concerns. Same thing with CPU. I am more concerned about camera and storage now. And even as displays go, resolution is no longer my main thing...I am more concerned about blacks on LCDs, and brightness/color accuracy on AMOLEDs. Resolution is fine.