Samsung Galaxy Nexus

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Pros
The Nexus’ gorgeous display yields a sharp picture, while its dual-core processor and Android 4.0 platform deliver speedy, powerful performance.

Cons
The phone's plastic backing is adequate but doesn’t feel as durable as some competitors' products.

The Verdict : 9.25/10

Outstanding performance coupled with a sleek and stylish design that’s universally appealing make the Galaxy Nexus the best Android phone on the market.

Design : 8.8/10
 
Arguably the most impressive thing about the design of this Android device is its eye-catching display. Its 1280 x 720 resolution yields a crisp, clear picture superior to those on most smartphones in general. The 4.6-inch screen is HD Super AMOLED, a type of cutting-edge display technology that enables vibrant colors and a sharp picture from all viewing angles. The chassis of the phone, including the screen, is slightly concave. This small curvature is no doubt designed with ergonomics in mind, because it makes the device easier and more comfortable to hold, and it is not noticeable when viewing the screen.
Like many of today’s smartphones, this one has no physical buttons. Instead, the screen is touch-enabled, giving the Android device a clean look and the ability to easily switch between portrait and landscape viewing. The phone’s home screen is likewise clean. With the exception of the main menu controls, all icons are editable, making the Galaxy Nexus ideal if you want a highly customizable Android smartphone.
This Android device weighs a mere 5.1 ounces. We love the feather-light weight of the Galaxy Nexus, despite its mammoth screen – though this seems to come at the cost of some durability. The phone’s textured back cover seems a bit flimsy compared to some of the other Android smartphones we reviewed. A few extra ounces seems a small price to pay for a device that can better withstand the unavoidable wear and tear of daily use.

Battery Life :9.4/10

Samsung claims that the Galaxy Nexus' battery can last up to 12 hours of talk time, but online reviews from heavy users of the phone claim that number is closer to eight. This is still respectable in the world of smartphones, where constant and automatic updating will inevitably drain your battery. You can conserve your battery by turning off the phone’s auto-sync, but using a smartphone seems pointless when it doesn’t automatically update your data. When not in use, the Android phone can last up 150 hours before it needs to be recharged.

Multimedia : 9.4/10

Aside from web access, one of the biggest advantages to using an Android smartphone is access to media. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus excels in this area, providing all the multimedia features we looked for in Android smartphones. The device has an integrated MP3 player and a video recorder with 720p HD resolution. The Android phone is also equipped with both a primary rear camera and a front-facing camera, which is ideal for video chats and snapping self-portraits.
The phone’s primary camera is only 5 megapixels, which is certainly adequate, though many of the Android phones we reviewed have 8-megapixel cameras. However, the difference in quality is nominal, and the pictures taken with the Galaxy Nexus seem as clear and sharp as those snapped with an 8-megapixel smartphone camera.

Specifications:9.4/10

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is one of the few Android devices already on the market with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) installed, which is the latest version of the Android platform for smartphones and tablets. This newest version boasts an array of advantages over its 2.3 predecessor, including faster browser speeds, integrated Google services and customizable app folders for better home screen organization.
The phone has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor that enables speedy navigation and seamless juggling of multiple apps without noticeable slowdown or system stuttering. If you’re a mobile gamer, you’ll appreciate this Android smartphone’s smooth and responsive operation.
The Galaxy Nexus is one of the only Android smartphones that doesn’t have a memory card slot to expand its data-storage capacity. Normally this might be an issue, but the phone already has an impressive 32GB of built-in data storage. The standard capacity among comparable devices is 16GB.

Usability Features:9.4/10

The rich feature set of the Galaxy Nexus helps set it apart from the middling Android devices on the market. It includes the basic features found on most smartphones, including GPS, Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi support. It also has a voice typing feature that can convert what you say to text. Until recently, voice typing and recognition weren’t prominent on mobile devices, but the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Apple iPhone have helped make it a desirable feature on smartphones. It’s ideal for when you’re driving or during some other activity that requires hands-free text input.
This Android smartphone is also outfitted with an LED flash on its primary camera to capture photos in the dark, and an audio jack to connect headphones. Oddly, though, the jack is located on the bottom of the phone.
Currently, the phone is only available through Verizon Wireless. It supports 4G, the latest standard in wireless communications. Although 4G boasts faster internet speed, because it is new technology, its coverage is not yet as comprehensive as the widely used 3G networks.

Summary :

For most, if not all users, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will exceed expectations. It’s a sleek and lightweight Android smartphone that delivers exceptional features, speed and multimedia. The phone’s HD display screen is likewise impressive and rivals that of its most popular competitors. Its battery life could be better, but it still proves respectable, with nearly 8 hours of use before a recharge is needed. The perfect smartphone may not exist, but as the best Android phone currently on the market, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus brings us one step closer to it.