Review: White Google/LG Nexus 4…Same great phone, now in white

Seth Weintraub | Jun 8 2013 - 3:30 pm PT

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Well, I did it. I got my hands on a White Nexus 4 to review. And, as you probably would have guessed it is a lot like the black version. In fact that’s pretty much all I have to say for this ‘review’: It is white and just as, if not more, attractive than the original – and that’s the back. The front is identical and still black. See gallery above.

But there are some things to note here, not the least of which is the white bumper that came along with it. It is great! Fits like a glove, and will help prevent breakage. The downside is that it adds a bit of size to the phone and doesn’t completely cover the glass backside.

Also, the Nexus 4 has been my daily driver since I got it in October. It is still my go to phone after reviewing such beauties as the HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4 or even its recent cousin the LG Optimus Pro. How is the Nexus 4 holding up and why do I like it more than the ‘superphones’ released this year?

As you can see from the images above, the Nexus 4 largely held up even with multiple drops. I do have some nicks on the plastic side and a hairline fracture on the back near the camera. That’s what happens when you drop a phone hundreds of times. Everything still works perfectly.

Overall, this phone has held up better than any phone I’ve ever owned except maybe the 1st generation iPhone or some early Nokias (though my memory is getting a little foggy there). What’s more important is the software is cutting edge but still easy to use. One you get into overlays, the manufacturers and carriers are adding layers of complexity, bloatware and performance killers.

I happen to live in an area without LTE (just 30 miles north of New York City!!) so perhaps strangely T-Mobile’s HSPA+ is easily the fastest network in the land. The Nexus 4 gobbles up data just as fast as those superphones on LTE, at least as far as it feels like. Once tethering, the LTE speed difference is noticeable.

And what about that paltry 720P display? Shouldn’t I be jonsin’ for a 1080P 5+inch display? Not really. I can’t much tell a pixel on a 4.7-inch 720P display unless I really look and I’m usually not squinting into my phone from 3 inches away. Also, I think the fewer number of pixels helps keep that older hardware snappy and it also keeps down the battery needs as well as the size/weight of the phone.

Speaking of Battery, I still get at least a day and often more from the Nexus 4.

Most importantly, I know I’m getting updates promptly and directly from Google. None of this “Google gives it to Manufacturer who gives it to the Carrier who has to decide if they even care” BS. As of this writing, the HTC One is still on Android 4.1 and more Android phones are on Gingerbread 2.3 than any other OS, even though Jelly Bean is growing fast.

In fact, I can say with some certainty that I will never get a Carrier/Manufacturer Android device again, and I reccomend you do the same.

As for the Nexus, I still think it is as great a time to buy a white one now as the black one made sense in November. But I’m very tempted by the ASOP Galaxy S4 and HTC One. We’ll see those in the near future along with a Motorola X Fon.