Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini vs Google Nexus 5 Specs Review: Features, Price Comparison

By Virnelli Mercader, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, February 11, 2015

The Galaxy S5 currently holds the distinction of being Samsung's flagship phone, but many will agree that its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, is no slouch when it comes to specs and performance. The same goes for the S4's smaller version, the Galaxy S4 Mini, and while it's not as larger than other "mini" phones in the market, the midrange phone is a good choice for those who want a quality device for less money.

Meanwhile, the Nexus 5, Google's flagship device for 2013, continues to do the Nexus line proud as it performs well for work and play, and with its high end specs, it sure isn't a far cry from Google's current flagship, the Nexus 6.

Here, we compare the two devices.

Design:
The Galaxy S4 Mini looks a lot like the Galaxy S4—same rounded edges, home button, patterned plastic back which is available in black or white. The phone measures 4.9 x 2.4 x 0.4 inches and weighs 3.77 ounces.

The Nexus 5 retains the minimalistic design of its predecessors, but has straighter edges, sharper curves, and a curved back. The device measures 5.43 x 2.72 x 0.34 inches and weighs 4.59 ounces. The phone is available in black, white, and bright red.

Features:
The Galaxy S4 Mini has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels and pixel density of 256ppi. The S4 Mini looks bright even under direct sunlight and colors appear vivid. However, texts appear slightly dull and can be fuzzy under certain lights.

The Nexus 5 has a 4.95-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and pixel density of 445ppi. The phone displays accurate colors, but not as vivid when viewed on other phones with the same resolution. The Nexus 5's display is protected with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3, making it more durable than the S4 Mini.

Both phones are equipped with an 8MP rear facing camera, but the S4 Mini has a better front-facing 1.9MP camera, while the Nexus 5's front facing shooter is at 1.3MP.

When it comes to internal memory, the Nexus 5 has the advantage because it comes with 32GB storage right out of the box. However, it doesn't come with a microSD card slot. The Galaxy Mini comes with only 8GB internal storage, but this can be expanded up to 64GB with a microSD card.

Price:
Off contract, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini costs $220.26, while the Google Nexus 5 costs $449.99.