When Google showed off the Galaxy Nexus handset recently running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean it brought back interest in the device that went missing once the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X came onto the market.
However with Verizon, the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX continues to be a fast seller with some reports even suggesting that it is the only Android smartphone to beat the iPhone 4S in terms of sales earlier this year on the carrier. So which would you get? Let’s take a quick look at the specs.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
The Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX comes with a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED display with 540 x 960 pixels and 256 ppi and is covered with Gorilla Glass. Thanks to the Kevlar body the handset has a premium feel and weighs in at 145 g and is 9mm thick.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes with a 4.6-inch Super AMOLED HD with a resolution of 720 x 1280 and pixel density of 316 ppi. The display is bright and vivid and the textured use of materials on the back ensures that the handset catches the eye. The handset weighs 150g and is 9.5 mm thick.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus processor is a Cortex A9 dual core 1.2HGz, which is the same as the RAZR MAXX. Both handsets have 1GB of RAM and the PowerVR SGX540 graphics card. The DROID RAZR MAXX comes with 8GB of storage and this is doubled in the former to 16GB, however it does not have support for external storage. The RAZR MAXX however does and you can boost storage up to 32GB, with Verizon throwing in a 16GB memory card.
Both of the handsets have support for the 4G LTE network and come with all the regular features for connectivity which include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The Nexus has NFC for features such as Google Wallet and Android Beam. The MOTOROLA DROID RAZR MAXX comes with a micro HDMI port and in the Nexus this is implemented by a micro USB to HDMI adapter instead.
Google have said that the 4.1 update to Jelly Bean will come OTA in July which will bring features such as Project Butter, Google Now, plus offline voice typing. This will make it stand out above ICS powered phones. The Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX received the ICS update around 8 months after the Galaxy Nexus and there is no word on whether it will get the bump up to Jelly Bean.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a 5 megapixel camera on the back with support for flash and it records at 30 fps in full 1080p HD. It also comes with a 1.3 camera on the front which can record in 720 p HD. The RAZR MAXX has an 8 megapixel back camera with LED flash, capturing high res images and video in 1080p HD. The 1.3 front camera also captures HD recording at 720p.
Battery wise the Motorola RAZR MAXX is well known for its superb performance with a 3,300 mAh battery which typically lasts two days, while the Nexus packs a 1850mAh battery that can be replaced and which you will be lucky to get a day out of.
In conclusion both of the handsets have some advantages and disadvantages over the other. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes with a bigger display with HD resolution and some great software. Its battery lets it down but you can replace it. The battery in the RAZR MAXX is impressive and it has a great design and camera. So if you had to decide between these two great Android phones, it is best to keep this in mind.
