Introduction
OK, this is an interesting matchup – the latest smartphone from Google, the Nexus 5 and the newest device from HTC, the HTC One Max. Yes, we know that they are completely different devices and designed for different audiences. However, these comparisons are not to help you make a decision on what your next purchase will be, but a specifications war, to take a look at how they compare – after all, they both just came out, so why shouldn’t they be compared against one another? Just because one is larger than the other should have no bearing on specification comparisons. Other than having a Full HD display at 1920×1080 resolution, 2GB of RAM and the 16GB/32GB of internal storage, the phones are totally different.
Specifications
Google Nexus 5
Right now, Google’s Nexus 5, is the top dog when it comes to the newest Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor pumping out 2.3GHz. It has a FD HD display with 445 ppi, and 2GB of RAM to help it all run fast and smooth. The Nexus 5 is based on the popular LG G2 and the LG based Nexus 5 received its own fanfare when it was released. The battery is only 2300mAh, but 4.4 KitKat is optimized to help battery life, so we will see how well it does in the long run.
HTC One Max
The HTC One Max is simply the original HTC One, only larger in every direction, including weight. The display jumps to 5.9-inches and, although it is Full HD, because of its size, the pixels per inch (ppi) drops to 373, which is still very good. The battery is also huge at 3300mAh, but is needed to run a beast this size – we will have a full review on the HTC One Max soon and will let you know how it does in that department. These two phones really differ in the processor department, with the Nexus 5 sporting this year’s fastest processor, while the HTC One Max is packing last years model, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. HTC finally include a microSD card slot for added internal storage, although the battery is still not removable. The camera nod would go to the HTC One Max’s UltraPixel design and with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, would be behind the Nexus 5, but so is everybody else! This device will be great for watching videos, movies, reading, or web browsing.
…And the Winner is…Google Nexus 5
Summary
What can we say – we have to pick the Nexus 5 as it out-specs the HTC One Max in every department except screen size – and you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Nexus 5. If you want a large screen, then you need to look at the HTC One Max or Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3, but if you want performance and the best that Android 4.4 KitKat can offer, then you would want the Nexus 5. Neither device would be a good choice if the user is looking strictly for the best camera. The HTC One Max has a great dual stereo speaker system, but you have to pick your phone based on more than just great sound. Let us know in the comments or on Google+ what you think about these two devices.