Google is really so close to perfecting the Nexus as a smartphone. Nexus 5 is a huge improvement over Nexus 4, and the obvious upgrade for Nexus 4 users, it just still needs a few refinements before I can comfortably recommend it to normal smartphone shoppers. For enthusiasts seeking the device that will get Android updates first, or shoppers looking for optimal value, the Nexus 5 is a definite buy.

The Nexus 5 is an excellent phone in many ways. It's solidly built and feels great to use. It's got serious processing power which means it can handle pretty much anything you throw at it. The phone has an absolutely gorgeous display. The KitKat update is polished and refined, and cements my belief that not only is Android leading the charge in mobile OSs from a functionality and user interface standpoint, but from a design standpoint as well.

A phone like the Nexus 5 would get our blessing even at a higher price, but the fact that you can buy it for as low as $350 makes it that much sweeter. We can't point our finger at any one feature that was clearly the victim of cost-cutting, with battery life being the only possible exception. And even that's somewhat of an improvement over last year's Nexus 4. We love the high-res display, overall performance and the enhancements brought to us by Android KitKat. Most of the problems we saw in the Nexus 4 have been addressed here. All told, we can think of very few things we find fault with.

Nexus 5 is the best Nexus device to date and it has rocking specs, hardware and display all for a great price.  Unlike the Nexus 4, this version features LTE connectivity, something users have been clamoring for for a while now.  The Nexus phone, which used to be a developer-only device, has become a consumer brand upon itself. The Nexus 5 a fine device that is worthy of the buzz we have witnessed in the last few months. As Google intends for it to be, the Nexus 5, sets the bar for other Android devices to follow.

The Nexus 5 is very much like that person at the gym who wears an oversized t-shirt to hide the results they’ve been working hard on for some time. There are other smartphones that might be bigger, badder, and better looking, but regardless of that, the Nexus 5 is a humble little fella that doesn’t feel obligated to “show off.” Instead, its modest approach and one-of-a-kind pricing is an effective combination that shows us that it’s a force to be reckoned with.