Early view: OnePlus One vs Google Nexus 5

There are some seriously disruptive handsets making their way into the mobile market, and the latest phone causing a stir is the low cost, high powered OnePlus One.We've put it head to head with the Google Nexus 5 - another handset which sports a price tag lower than its skill set - to see how the two budget-yet-brilliant phones compare.Operating systemOn the surface, the OnePlus One and Google Nexus 5 are the same, both sporting the latest version of Android KitKat 4.4.2.While the Nexus 5 sports the stock version of Android the OnePlus One actually runs CyanogenMod 11S.This is a community driven Android interface which builds on Google's offering and adds various enhancements and additional features.It's not a heavy skin like we see on Samsung or Sony phones, with most things still looking like stock Android.DesignNeither handsets are going to win any design awards, as both are relatively unassuming blocks of plastic with a large glass frontage.The Nexus 5 is obviously smaller, thanks to its small screen, yet appears slightly chunkier thanks to its flat edges.There actually isn't much difference in the handset's thickness, but the tapered edges of the 8.9mm OnePlus One makes it feel thinner than the 8.6mm Nexus 5.At 137.9 x 69.2mm the Nexus 5 is much easier to use one-handed, and you're able to reach all areas of the screen without any awkward shuffling.The OnePlus One is a little more unnatural in the hand thanks to its larger dimensions (152.9 x 75.9mm), and you'll need to employ both hands when it comes to tapping out a message.ScreenThe Nexus 5 boasts a 4.95-inch True HD display with IPS+ technology and an exceptionally crisp 445 pixel density.Over on the OnePlus One you'll find a larger 5.5-inch display which still sports the same 1080 x 1920 resolution and IPS technology, but pixel density is slightly lower at 401ppi.That means the Nexus 5 has a slight advantage in terms of clarity, but you're unlikely to notice a huge difference in quality between the two.PowerWhen it comes to power the OnePlus One is on top with a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and Adreno 330 GPU which puts it on par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2.Being almost a year old the Nexus 5 has the older 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip as well as 2GB of RAM and the same Adreno 330 GPU.Both handsets are plenty of power under the hood, but the 801 chip in the OnePlus One provides more grunt and better power efficiency for a better overall user experience.CameraThe Nexus 5 was widely panned when it first arrived for its sub-par snapper. Clocked at 8MP on paper it doesn't sound too bad, but in practice the pictures it produced were poor.A software update did address some of the issues, but the camera is still one of the big weak points of the Nexus 5.Even more recently Google has updated its camera app, adding in the "Lens Blur" feature - something which seems to be finding its way onto all the flagships in 2014.Things look brighter on the OnePlus One with a 13MP snapper adorning the rear, just above a dual-LED flash. It also boasts Sony's Exmor sensor, so initial signs are good for the One, but you'll have to wait for a full review to find out just how well it fares.That 13MP camera can also capture 4K video, while the front facing 5MP lens can also record at 1080p. The Nexus 5 meanwhile is stuck with a 1.3MP front camera.BatteryThe OnePlus One has a bigger screen and more power than the Nexus 5, so that must mean it commands a bigger battery too? In short, yes it does.OnePlus has crammed a sizable 3100mAh power pack into the One, and going over the performance of other handsets using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 801 chip, the signs are good that it will be able to deliver decent battery life here as well.The smaller frame of the Nexus 5 means there isn't as much space to play with, and it makes do with a 2300mAh battery. We've found battery life to be pretty inconsistent on the Nexus 5, so we're hoping OnePlus has paid close attention to the unit in the One.StorageNeither handset comes with a microSD slot, so you're forced to make do with the internal storage supplied on the phones.You can always take to the cloud with services such as Google Drive and Dropbox available - but that's not for everyone.The Nexus 5 is available in 16GB and 32GB guises, although you'll need to chop off around 4GB on each to take into account the operating system.Over at OnePlus you also get two choices, but this time its between 16GB and 64GB. As you'll see in a moment the price difference between the two storage sizes is minimal, so we'd recommend plumping for the full 64GB.PriceAs we can see, both the OnePlus One and Google Nexus 5 are well equipped smartphones, but its their prices which really make them stand out.The Nexus 5 costs £299, $349, AU$399 for the 16GB SIM free model, and £339, $399, AU$449 for the 32GB option.If that sounds like a good deal wait until you hear this: the 16GB OnePlus One will set you back just £229, $299 (around $AU400). The 64GB variant is an equally affordable £269, $349 (around $AU450).AvailabilityThe Nexus 5, having been launched mid-way through 2013, is widely available both online and in retail stores so if you have your heart set on one it won't be difficult to come buy.The OnePlus One has only just been announced and it's rollout plans are totally clear yet. OnePlus is running a competition to give away 100 devices and then is selling further units via an "invite only" initiative. We don't know whether the OnePlus One will enter mobile markets worldwide, and it could well end up being rather tricky to get hold of. We'll just have to wait and see.

Click here to view full content