With the holiday season approaching we like to bring readers some phone comparisons, as they can be very useful when trying to decide which smartphone to add to your Christmas wish list. Two of the most hot-off-the-press phones right now are the Droid DNA and the Nexus 4, both making waves and both likely to be hugely successful. We thought we’d look at the HTC Droid DNA vs. LG Nexus 4 and hope that our look at how the specs compare will help you decide which is the right choice for you.
The LG Nexus 4 really is the phone of the moment and was released two days ago. It’s the latest Google Nexus phone, therefore offering a pure Android experience and sold out within hours of release on the Google Play Store. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer until stocks are replenished. The HTC Droid DNA on the other hand is not out just yet but will ship on November 19th and be in Verizon stores from the 21st so there are only a few more days to wait. We’ll compare the key specs and information for both phones and although we cannot delve into every feature available for each phone, these main details should give you a good idea of what each has to offer.
Processor
The Droid DNA has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm MDM615m/APQ8064 quad-core Krait processor while the Nexus 4 also has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon quad-core Krait processor.
Display
A whopping 5-inch display features on the Droid DNA with resolution of 1920 x 1080 and 441ppi. The Nexus 4 has a 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus display with resolution of 1280 x 768 and 318ppi so on paper the DNA display is a clear winner and is receiving a huge amount of praise from those in the know.
RAM and Storage
Strangely although both of these are top-notch smartphones one area that they both fall down on is storage. The Droid DNA has 2GB of RAM but only 16GB of internal storage (11GB user available), which is non-expandable. The Nexus 4 also has 2GB of RAM and comes in an 8GB and also a 16GB model but this is also non-expandable.
Camera
The Droid DNA has an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, simultaneous HD video and image recording and 1080p video capture with the bonus of stereo sound. There’s also a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. On the other hand the Nexus 4 also has a decent camera set-up with an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and 1080p video capture plus the bonus of the new PhotoSphere feature. It also has a 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Battery
The Droid DNA has a 2020mAh battery while the Nexus 4 has a 2100mAh battery so there’s little between them here but in our opinion it’s a shame that both don’t have a larger battery capacity.
Operating System
The Droid DNA launches running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with an upgrade to 4.2 to come later. It also features the HTC Sense UI 4+. This is where the Nexus 4 wins out as it is out of the box with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and also as it’s a pure Google phone there’s no interference from bloatware.
Dimensions and Weight
The Droid DNA measures 141mm x 70.5mm x 9.7mm and weighs 138g. Comparably the Nexus 4 measures 133.9mm x 68.7mm x 9.1mm and weighs in at 139g so is slightly smaller all round as you’d expect with a smaller screen, though it weighs very slightly more.
Price
You’ll pay $599 for an unlocked Droid DNA on Verizon or $199 for one on a two-year contract. The Nexus 4 is extremely reasonably priced and is being sold through Google Play unlocked at $299 for the 8GB version or $349 for the 16GB version. This is a hugely competitive price for an unlocked phone with such high-end specs and has probably contributed to the fact that it sold out so quickly.
As you can see both phones are pretty impressive and overall there’s little between them although they both have bonus points. The Droid DNA has the best display of the two for example but the Nexus 4 wins out with the latest operating system. We should also point out that both also offer NFC support but the Nexus 4 does lack the LTE connectivity that the Droid DNA has. If you’re after color options then you may be disappointed as both of these handsets are only in black. To be frank these are both very notable smartphones and some people are already firm Verizon Droid phone fans while other enthusiastic Android fans will be keen on a pure Nexus experience.
It’s odd too that both of these smartphones that have been so widely anticipated and are both so impressive, are flawed by a lack of internal storage and there’s no option to expand via micro SD either. Nevertheless there will be plenty of takers for each and if you can’t decide from the specs and features we’ve looked at here, much of your decision will probably come down to the look and feel of these phones. However these are both stylish, good-looking handsets too so this might add to your dilemma but hopefully our comparison has helped you get closer to a decision.
We’re interested to hear from readers regarding what you think about the Droid DNA and the Nexus 4. Is one a clear winner over the other in your opinion and if so why? Let us know with your comments.