Trying to decide between a Google Nexus 5 smartphone and the Apple iPhone 5S? If performance is your thing, then you might want to take a harder look at the Nexus 5, even if it doesn't have a fancy new 64-bit A7 processor like the iPhone 5S.
Website HotHardware recently ran benchmarks, pitting the Nexus 5's 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor against a variety of smartphones, including the iPhone 5S. The verdict?
"All told, we're pretty impressed with what we've seen of the Google Nexus 5 thus far. Performance-wise the device is a real speedster," HotHardware writes.
While it wasn't a clear-cut finish, the Nexus 5 was able to outpace the iPhone 5S in many categories. Translation: a $349 unlocked Nexus 5 can give the user a performance experience comparable to an unlocked $649 iPhone 5S. For holiday shoppers on a budget, this can be a deal breaker.
Of course, that's all under the hood. The most glaring difference is, obviously, that the Nexus 5 runs Android and the iPhone 5S runs iOS. Preferences are personal, but at the very least you know you'll get the latest versions of both operating systems right out of the box — Android 4.4 KitKat and iOS 7, respectively.
Specs-wise, the Google Nexus 5 features a 4.95-inch 1080p Full HD display pushing out 445 pixels per inch, 2GB RAM, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone is available in both 16GB and 32GB models, costing $349 and $399 respectively. Buyers can choose between black or white.
The Apple iPhone 5S, on the other hand, is smaller, sporting a 4-inch Retina display with 326 pixels per inch. Under the hood lies only 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear shooter, and a 1.2-megapixel front shooter. The iPhone 5S comes in space gray, gold, and silver models with the option of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of memory. Unlocked models cost $649, $749 and $849, depending on the amount of internal storage. A two-year contract with a major U.S. carrier will bring that down to $199, $299 and $399.
All in all, both phones have received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and both smartphones are fresh off the line, meaning they'll be updated and supported for a long time to come. In the end, the decision will probably come down to two factors: size, and operating system.
Let us know which one you prefer — the Google Nexus 5 or the Apple iPhone 5S — in the comments section below.