LG Nexus 4 Vs. Galaxy S4 Stock Android Model: Which is the Better Buy

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Friday, May 17, 2013

The LG Nexus 4 vs. Galaxy S4 stock Android model features two evenly matched devices with huge price differences.

Google confirmed the release of the new Galaxy S4 stock Android model this week.

The company introduced the variant during Google I/O announcing that it would sell for $649.This device will function as if it was a Nexus smartphone. Google will begin offering the stock Android Galaxy S4 on June 26. It will also come unlocked and completely free of Samsung's TouchWiz UI.

Google also promised that this smartphone will receive future OS updates at the time of launch. This would put the Galaxy S4 in the same class as the Nexus line as the new builds are not normally issued to the Galaxy S devices until months or years after launch.

The new Samsung device will also directly compete with the LG Nexus 4 handset that has been available since the end of last year. The Nexus 4 retails for just $299 unlocked and runs the stock version of Android with premium specifications.

Even though the Nexus 4 launched last year it still puts up a good fight against the Galaxy S4 in terms of hardware as it features a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera, 2GB RAM, and a True HD IPS Plus capacitive display with 768 x 1280 pixels resolution.

The Galaxy S4 packs a bit more punch with its 13-megapixel rear shooter, Exynos 5 Octa-core processor and Full HD 1080p display. It also comes with some nifty new features including Smart Scroll, and Smart Stay. The current version retails on contract for $249.

For the average user, both of these phones would be close to identical, however, Android enthusiasts would choose the LG Nexus 4 over the regular Galaxy S4 due to its smoother integration of Android. This new Galaxy S4 will appeal to that market segment, but will cost a lot more and might not be worth the extra money.