Nexus 5 specs comparison with iPhone 5S, Galaxy Note 3, LG G2, Moto X, Xperia Z1, Galaxy S4, HTC One and others

The Nexus 5 is finally official, so it’s time to compare it to some of the existing flagship smartphones out there, including Android and non-Android devices.

The specs of the new Nexus have not been a secret for quite a while, and Google only confirmed yesterday what we already knew from the many leaks that preceded the announcement – much like with the Nexus 4 a year ago.

The Nexus 5 is largely based on the LG G2, but the device is not an exact replica of LG’s current flagship that’s simply running Google’s latest Android operating system. The handset is smaller in size and therefore packs a smaller battery, but that’s not the only difference when compared to the LG G2.

But the Nexus 5 marks an important jump from the Nexus 4, and we expect it to offer a significant overall performance improvement boost, especially considering the heavy optimization in KitKat – to see our Nexus 5 vs Nexus 4 comparison, check out this post. Not to mention that the Nexus 5 appears to be ready to stand the test of time in a much better fashion than the Nexus 4.

Nexus 5 vs “regular” Android smartphones

That said, in what follows you’ll get to check out some of the most important specs of the Nexus 5, in comparison with current flagships from other Android device makers including the Xperia Z1, LG G2, Moto X, Galaxy S4 and HTC One.

Naturally, more models could have been picked for this particular comparison, as this year we’ve seen quite a few OEMs release some very interesting devices, but we decided to stick to some of the most recent and/or most popular devices of 2013.

Nexus 5 vs the “phablets”

As you can see in the table above, we have not included extra-large devices into the mix, focusing on handsets with displays between four and five inches – the sole exception is the LG G2, the Nexus 5’s older brother, which has a 5.2-inch display.

But in case you want to compare it to the current generation of flagship “phablets” from leading device manufacturers, check out the following table, to see how the Nexus 5 fares against the HTC One Max Galaxy Note 3, Xperia Z Ultra, and the newly announced Nokia Lumia 1520.

Nexus 5 vs the iPhones, Lumias and BlackBerry

Finally, we have one more specs comparison for you, between the Nexus 5 and several devices from the competition – we’re looking at the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, the Nokia Lumia 1020 and the BlackBerry Z30 in the following table.

The best choice?

By no means, we’re implying that the Nexus 5 is the better choice here. It may very well prove to be the best phone in the world for some, while others may be disappointed and find comfort in a different device for different reasons – that’s the nature of things with every new piece of hardware. But it’s definitely one of the handsets to check out this holiday shopping season.

We’re going to remind you that the specs comparison alone doesn’t tell the whole story when deciding between various devices, especially when it comes to flagship handsets, so make sure to check our upcoming extensive Nexus 5 coverage to see how this beast performs in the wild.

Meanwhile, the Nexus 5 is selling like hot cakes, and it may not be available for purchase for several weeks, depending on model and market.