Re: Using my new nexus5 right now
Coming from a Galaxy S4GE, which I had a love-hate relationship with. I wanted a top end pure android device (without rooting), and the S4GE was the closest thing at the time - however, one major issue plagued me, which was the big SD card issue (can read about it somewhere in the S4 forum). I wasn't in love with the Nexus5 when it first came out, but I warmed up to it and eventually bought one on 12/5.
However, the one I received had an issue with the power key, which was loose enough to the point where it rattled. Searching around seemed like this was a "normal" issue, but I wasn't having any of it and promptly returned and received a new one just yesterday. No more loose power key, I think it's the second "wave" of N5s, and 4.4.2 updated basically as soon as I turned the phone on. I switched to the ART runtime, and the phone is very snappy. I'd rather have 32gb than 16 internal 32 external and have to deal with all of the google/sd card bs. The phone is much faster than the S4GE. I think the only area this phone is really lacking in is thickness. It is noticeably thicker than the S4GE. It may be close when comparing the thickest points on both phones, but the actual shape of the N5 is much more brick-like than the S4. Even the Nexus7(2013) is a hair thinner at the thickest point, but the sides also swoop in much more than the N5. However, it's mitigated by the fact that it feels so nice in the hand - better than the S4GE. It's slight advantage in its narrow-ness really makes a difference as far as one hand swiftkeying goes.
I remember seeing the N4 not too long ago and thinking how thick and outdated it looks. I don't think the N5 will necessarily suffer the same fate, except for the fact that it is so thick yet again. I'm willing to put down 700 for a high end Nexus if Google builds one, but for now, somehow, for $399 Google has made the best Android phone period. I have to imagine the next one will be much thinner than this one, so we'll see if it's worth upgrading to at the time.