Your real world experiences with the N4

[Citizen Coyote]

Yeah, I am usually not attracted to the lowest price of anything. Not really a factor in my decisions. You get what you pay for my momma always said.

Plus the OP did not mention price as a critera.

Not in so many words, but I'm assuming it does factor into his decision-making process:

The process of spending a fortune on a top-end device only to be let down by build quality issues has allowed to me re-assess my purchasing priorities slightly as well, which leads me to thinking again of the Nexus 4 as a possible purchase... They also cost nearly twice as much as the N4.

As for the N4, I've had mine since early December and would not trade it for anything at the moment (except maybe the Google version of the HTC One, but the OP is not in the market for that). I don't keep a ton of stuff on my phone, so 16GB of storage is plenty. I'm on wireless or have a solid data connection 99% of the time, so I use the cloud for music and large document storage. The camera is decent. It's not fantastic, but I've seen (and used) far worse. Plus, with image editing apps, I can overcome most of the camera's shortcomings. My battery does fine as well, I've never had it crap out on me before the end of the day based on moderate use. Again, I'm on wireless most of the day with good cell reception, so your mileage may vary.

For the price, you can not get a better phone. No argument. However, if removable storage/swappable battery are really important to you *and* price is not an issue, take a look at the Google Edition S4 before making a decision.

 

[fernandezhjr]

Yeah, I am usually not attracted to the lowest price of anything. Not really a factor in my decisions. You get what you pay for my momma always said.

Plus the OP did not mention price as a critera.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337

Actually, if you read carefully, he did. The two GE devices certainly bring more to table, but as you realize, at cost. For me, with my N4, battery life is good, 16gb is plenty, hspa+ is fast enough for me, and the camera is sufficient for the occasional pics I take. Plus, this is the smoothest, fastest phone I have owned, so I'm happy with it, especially at the great price it sells for. Remember, the N4 has been selling for months now, while the two GE still only remain announced, so everyone that has the N4 has bought it without the option of choosing. Personally, I would love to have the GE version of the One. But my thinking is, since these devices won't have the Sense and Touchwiz framework, we will see some nice ports for the N4.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[planoman]

Actually, if you read carefully, he did. The two GE devices certainly bring more to table, but as you realize, at cost. For me, with my N4, battery life is good, 16gb is plenty, hspa+ is fast enough for me, and the camera is sufficient for the occasional pics I take. Plus, this is the smoothest, fastest phone I have owned, so I'm happy with it, especially at the great price it sells for. Remember, the N4 has been selling for months now, while the two GE still only remain announced, so everyone that has the N4 has bought it without the option of choosing. Personally, I would love to have the GE version of the One. But my thinking is, since these devices won't have the Sense and Touchwiz framework, we will see some nice ports for the N4.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

If you say so. Glad you are happy with your N4, I was not. Depending on the reviews, I am interested in the HTC One also!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337

 

[yfan]

I can't remember the last time I did a speed test and it was below 40mbps. I do not even do them anymore because I know it's blazing. My wife has 42 hspa+ on t mobile and it is not comparable to att's LTE... just no at least not where we live.

Wow, 40+? That's really impressive, but it's also an outlier. Even with its award for the fastest LTE network (published today), AT&T LTE averages 16.7 mbps. Yes, it's better than HSPA+ 42 averages, but not really by that much.

Another reason you are noticing considerably higher speeds on AT&T LTE than your wife is on T-mobile HSPA+ could be that Plano, TX is not an HSPA+ 42 market for T-Mobile. I am of course assuming you live in Plano from your screen name, and I could be totally wrong!

To address the OP for a minute, it's true that if you want the highest LTE data speeds and a huge amount of storage, the Nexus 4 isn't for you. But if 8 or 16 gigs of local storage is enough for you and the HSPA+ 42 speeds suffice (provided you're in a market that provides it), the Nexus 4 is of unsurpassed value. The phone is inexpensive, and you can get a plan that's as cheap as $30 a month if you don't do a whole lot of calling.

 

[ChappersUK]

I really appreciate the comments so fay - there are some very informative points that have been made and some compelling arguments.

Price is obviously a consideration for me - while I am lucky enough to be in a position to spend the asking price on a SIM free HTC One/SGS4/Xperia if necessary, the very fact that the N4 is a lot cheaper has to be a very big factor in any decision that I make.


I've spent some time today having a serious look at what is using memory space on my current handset, and there is a lot of music on there that I do not ever listen to. After clearing out those tunes and a few other apps that are never used I have managed to gain some extra storage space. Obviously the memory is the one main compromise that I would have to decide on whether I can make or not.

The LTE compatibility (or lack of) is not an issue to me. The UK is still very poorly serviced in that respect and for my usage the 3G service that I currently receive is quite ample. I am not currently on an unlimited data plan though (this will change come November however).

The camera will only ever be used for occasional shots. I have a DSLR for photography, I just don't want to be lumbered with a handset that has an extremely poor camera for those times that I do want to take a picture on it (I fully accept that a phone will never be as good as a dedicated camera).

After evaluating my options I am still torn between the N4 and giving the HTC One another go. I like the fact that the HTC has twice the memory available (and supports USB OTG), and although certain aspects of the Sense UI is annoying, it also adds some very nice touches - in particular the way that it drags in all of my social media into the contacts list so I can use that as a single point if required.

A downside (and this may seem niggly) of the N4 is the lack of smart dial - I don't use my handset as a phone all that often, but I am used to the T9 smart dial ability - how do people find it in real life, and is the handset any good at collating all of the necessary social media into your contacts list?

 

[Captainbob767]

I really appreciate the comments so fay - there are some very informative points that have been made and some compelling arguments.

Price is obviously a consideration for me - while I am lucky enough to be in a position to spend the asking price on a SIM free HTC One/SGS4/Xperia if necessary, the very fact that the N4 is a lot cheaper has to be a very big factor in any decision that I make.


I've spent some time today having a serious look at what is using memory space on my current handset, and there is a lot of music on there that I do not ever listen to. After clearing out those tunes and a few other apps that are never used I have managed to gain some extra storage space. Obviously the memory is the one main compromise that I would have to decide on whether I can make or not.

The LTE compatibility (or lack of) is not an issue to me. The UK is still very poorly serviced in that respect and for my usage the 3G service that I currently receive is quite ample. I am not currently on an unlimited data plan though (this will change come November however).

The camera will only ever be used for occasional shots. I have a DSLR for photography, I just don't want to be lumbered with a handset that has an extremely poor camera for those times that I do want to take a picture on it (I fully accept that a phone will never be as good as a dedicated camera).

After evaluating my options I am still torn between the N4 and giving the HTC One another go. I like the fact that the HTC has twice the memory available (and supports USB OTG), and although certain aspects of the Sense UI is annoying, it also adds some very nice touches - in particular the way that it drags in all of my social media into the contacts list so I can use that as a single point if required.

A downside (and this may seem niggly) of the N4 is the lack of smart dial - I don't use my handset as a phone all that often, but I am used to the T9 smart dial ability - how do people find it in real life, and is the handset any good at collating all of the necessary social media into your contacts list?

Leo Laporte from the Tech Guy show has an HTC 1 and has been complaining about the battery life on it, on his show. He likes the Nexus 4, especially that it will see Android Updates as they come out, which he says won't happen with the HTC1 or most other carrier phones. Leo Laporte | TWiT.TV

All About Android 113 | TWiT.TV

 

[planoman]

Wow, 40+? That's really impressive, but it's also an outlier. Even with its award for the fastest LTE network (published today), AT&T LTE averages 16.7 mbps. Yes, it's better than HSPA+ 42 averages, but not really by that much.

Another reason you are noticing considerably higher speeds on AT&T LTE than your wife is on T-mobile HSPA+ could be that Plano, TX is not an HSPA+ 42 market for T-Mobile. I am of course assuming you live in Plano from your screen name, and I could be totally wrong!

To address the OP for a minute, it's true that if you want the highest LTE data speeds and a huge amount of storage, the Nexus 4 isn't for you. But if 8 or 16 gigs of local storage is enough for you and the HSPA+ 42 speeds suffice (provided you're in a market that provides it), the Nexus 4 is of unsurpassed value. The phone is inexpensive, and you can get a plan that's as cheap as $30 a month if you don't do a whole lot of calling.

Yes, DFW has a superb LTE network for Att since their corporate HQ is here. Plano is essentially the same market area as Dallas and is indeed a t mobile 42 market. I do not think it is LTE although it is for the other carriers. Also with my N4, I averaged about 8 down down on HSPA+ which is not bad, but I am impatient after having had LTE.

Looks like the N4 would work for the OP. I liked the N4 while I had it but the S4 fills all the complaints I had with my N4 so it is hard not to recommend it, but apparently the OP values different features from me but that is the beauty of android. Good luck all!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337

 

[shahali]

T9 not an issue. Use a prog called Dialler one. Much better than stock and replaces all the stock function PLUS T9 Plus ability to swipe to call or swipe to text!. Being android you can allow it to be your default dialler. that's what i have done.

 

[ChappersUK]

Thanks for all of the advice folks - I've decided to take the plunge and have just ordered myself the 16GB version. Just have to wait until it arrives now - and order myself a decent case as well as I don't want that fragile back breaking

 

[dkhmwilliams]

Thanks for all of the advice folks - I've decided to take the plunge and have just ordered myself the 16GB version. Just have to wait until it arrives now - and order myself a decent case as well as I don't want that fragile back breaking

What color did you get?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[ChappersUK]

Gone for a black one - didn't see if the white was available for UK yet - tbh I'm conservative in my choice of colours for phones so the white was never an option for me, just personal choice of course.

 

[mattopotamus]

Thanks for all of the advice folks - I've decided to take the plunge and have just ordered myself the 16GB version. Just have to wait until it arrives now - and order myself a decent case as well as I don't want that fragile back breaking

You should also take a look at the charging orb. Now that I have used one for a few months it feels weird when I have to plug my phone into the wall.

 

[mr_wendal]

My main problem is the camera, but only because I like taking photos but hate carrying around my DSLR or even an extra point-and-shoot. What I hate is the video camera's autofocus. I'd consider it more of an auto-un-focus feature. I rarely get a video in focus. There's no way to force it to refocus, so you just deal with it until ti decides to do it itself (which never seems to happen). So I would say go with something else if you're a big photo taker.

I think 16GB is fine. I'm not a heavy app user; I bought the extra space for photos and videos. Coming from a photography background, I'm always in the habit of taking 5+ photos at a time and choosing the best one to keep later. I would consider how much space you take up on average with your previous phone just in apps. Then think about how many you only use once every few months and can just delete or use the mobile website (twitter, facebook, etc.). I only have the apps I use at least weekly, so I have plenty of space leftover.

Battery life is fine for me. I wouldn't plan on getting through two days with it, though. I would like more screen time, but I can live with it.

In the end, I don't really feel like I'm missing much by having a Nexus rather than something like a Galaxy S4 other than the camera. I don't notice that the screen is a little washed out until I compare it to a better screen, but it's very obvious to me how much I'm missing with the camera. Again, I can live with it since it's for times when I wouldn't have a real camera, but pretty much every other device out there has a better camera.

 

[dylan808]

The N4 is my first Nexus device. Prior to it i've owned all HTC Android phones (HTC Hero, Inspire 4G, One X). I had an idea on what i was getting myself into when i bought my Nexus. and i loved stock Android on my Nexus 7 so i went for it and bought the Nexus 4 in the middle of my One X contract.

Real world usage of the N4 draws a whole lot of comparisons to my One X before it:
-Battery life seems to be almost the same as my One X, even with the extra 300 mAh battery. i can go from 100% to 0 in about 14-15 hours with about 2 1/2 hours screen on time. This is with a few phone calls, social media, texting, and youtube in a work day. but i usually charge my phone at 15% so it never really gets down to 0
-Camera also seems to be trumped by the One X, but that's because of HTC's software "enhancements". But for what it is, the Nexus 4 camera is still really good and it suits my needs perfectly (social media)

A few areas where the Nexus 4 excels past my One X though has to be build quality and aesthetics. The phone just feels great in the hand it it's a heavy enough phone to feel sturdy. And the full black front is just pleasing to the eye. Believe it or not i've been asked about the N4 in public more than that matte white One X.

My final point would have to be about using stock Android out in the wild. It may not have all the flair and sharing features of the S4 or the One these days but I really like the features it does offer and it's integration with Google is second to none. I use a ton of Googles services and the syncing of all the platforms is just seamless. Really makes note taking and productivity so much easier for me.

 

[Scott7217]

Thanks for all of the advice folks - I've decided to take the plunge and have just ordered myself the 16GB version. Just have to wait until it arrives now - and order myself a decent case as well as I don't want that fragile back breaking

Congratulations on your purchase! I'm sure you'll enjoy your new phone!

So, what type of media (e.g. video, photos, music, etc.) will you store on your phone? Since you bought a 16 GB version, I am assuming that you need more storage, and the 8 GB version isn't enough for you.

 

[ChappersUK]

Congratulations on your purchase! I'm sure you'll enjoy your new phone!

So, what type of media (e.g. video, photos, music, etc.) will you store on your phone? Since you bought a 16 GB version, I am assuming that you need more storage, and the 8 GB version isn't enough for you.

The majority of my media is music, however I cleaned out a lot of the tunes that I don't ever listen to from my existing handset and after cleaning a few other bits have surprised myself on how much memory that I've managed to recover - I suppose that it will ensure that I do a bit of housekeeping every so often instead of just storing absolutely everything on there! Obviously I would ideally like more storage as an option but it is one of the compromises of this handset (arguably offset by the much cheaper purchase price than anything that is comparable otherwise).

The case has been ordered (gone for the Ringke Fusion) and according to the various e-mails they have all been dispatched and are on their way - can't wait now I'll be sure to put an update on here after I've had a play with it - if my Nexus 7 is anything to go by it should be a nice experience.

 

[mrnaughty]

I'm new with Nexus 4. Like it, but you need to play with it to improve the battery life (basically disable some Google apps and processes, notifications, sync, etc.)

Which Google Apps need to be disabled?

 

[Scott7217]

Which Google Apps need to be disabled?

I have Google Currents disabled so far. That seems to help with battery life.

 

[Scott7217]

The majority of my media is music, however I cleaned out a lot of the tunes that I don't ever listen to from my existing handset and after cleaning a few other bits have surprised myself on how much memory that I've managed to recover - I suppose that it will ensure that I do a bit of housekeeping every so often instead of just storing absolutely everything on there! Obviously I would ideally like more storage as an option but it is one of the compromises of this handset (arguably offset by the much cheaper purchase price than anything that is comparable otherwise).

The case has been ordered (gone for the Ringke Fusion) and according to the various e-mails they have all been dispatched and are on their way - can't wait now I'll be sure to put an update on here after I've had a play with it - if my Nexus 7 is anything to go by it should be a nice experience.

You may discover that using the Nexus 4 is such a pleasant experience that you end up using it more and more. Before you know it, you'll be downloading everything because your phone is just so good at so many things.

Perhaps you could keep your old HTC Sensation around as a pure music playing device. That may help you out if you find yourself running out of space on your Nexus 4 a few months later.

 

[Scott7217]

Which Google Apps need to be disabled?

Oh, I also just heard that Chrome causes a battery drain unless you turn off tilt scrolling in the Settings->Developer Tools.