Google Nexus 5 vs. Micromax Canvas Turbo A250: Specifications Comparison

Google's much-anticipated Nexus 5 set its foot in the Indian market just a couple of weeks ago. The smartphone received tremendous response from the subcontinent, with stocks running out within few hours after its launch on Google Play Store.

India, billed as the third biggest smartphone market in the world, is primarily driven by local vendors which offer high-end phones at very low cost compared to their MNC counter parts. But with its launch, the competitively priced LG Nexus 5 has emerged as a threat to indigenous players, especially Micromax which is selling its high-end phone Canvas Turbo A250 at a sub-₹20,000 price-tag.

Here is brief description of the Google-LG Nexus 5 and Micromax Turbo A250:

Display:

LG Nexus 5 sports a 4.95-inch display with full HD (1920x1080p) resolution having pixel density of 445 ppi (pixels per inch). It is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 3 shield.

Canvas Turbo A250 is no less of a competitor. It is the company's first ever full HD display smartphone with 441 ppi pixel density and boasts of CGS (Continuous Grain Solution) technology.

Processor, RAM & Storage:

Nexus 5 Packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series quad-core processor which can top a CPU speed up to 2.2GHz. It is aptly backed by a 450MHz Adreno 330 graphics engine and 2GB RAM.

Micromax's flagship model ships with a slow 1.5GHz MediaTek based quad-core processor, aptly supported by PowerVR SGX544 GPU and 2GB, which is sumptuous enough for users to perform multi-task and run power-intensive games with ease.

LG's Nexus 5 is available in 16GB/32GB storage variants, whereas the Micromax phone packs 16GB inbuilt storage. [Both devices do not feature microSD card slot]

Operating System:

Being a special affiliate of Google, LG Nexus 5 ships with pure Android OS stock and is one of the few devices in the market to run on the newly unveiled v4.4 KitKat OS. The new operating system has enhanced features such as smarter caller ID, enhanced message grouping hub Hangouts (all MMS, Voice, SMS can now found under the same roof), voice-command feature Google Now (the feature is active only after screen unlock), low-power audio play playback (about 60 hours), quick access to settings, Wireless printing (HP printers), Quickoffice word document app, Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile) and many more.

Micromax Canvas Turbo ships with the v4.2.1 Jelly Bean Out-of-the-box. As of now, the company has not announced any OS update for the phone.

Camera:

According to many reviews by top gadget websites, LG Nexus 5's camera specification is seen as the Achilles' heel. Nexus 5 houses a 8.0-megapixel main camera with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and HDR +, full HD video recording, photo sphere with 360-degree view. Despite these features, the device underperformed in low-light conditions. The good news is that Google is reportedly working on a new camera app for the phone. The software patch is expected to be released soon. It also boasts of a decent 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat.

On the other hand, the Micromax phone comes loaded with a 13.0-megapixel camera with LED flash, full HD video recording ability. On the front, it flaunts a 5.0-megapixel snapper.

To further enrich the photography experience, the phone boasts of an editing application called Camerazzi, which features object eraser, 360-degree Panorama capture, Cinemagraph and a slew of gimmicky smart gesture control features similar to those on Samsung Galaxy S4.

 Price:

The price of Micromax's Canvas Turbo is currently hovering around ₹18,000, while LG Nexus 5 is currently sold via Google Play Store and certain exclusive LG retail stores for ₹28,999 (16GB) and ₹32,999 (32GB). 

Verdict:

Considering the specifications, both Google-LG Nexus 5 and Micromax Canvas Turbo have their advantages and disadvantages. Nexus 5 boasts of a feature-rich stock android KitKat OS, an improved voice command feature Google Now, but lacks a quality camera compared to its rivals like iPhone, Galaxy S4 and other high-end devices. 

On the other hand, the Micromax phone features smart-camera gesture control features and a well-protected metallic shell. But the company has one nagging problem, which is its lack of good after-sale service. Micromax has limited centres across a vast geography of India.

The official repair shops are concentrated in top metros. If the company initiates steps to increase service-centres in tier-2 and tier-3 towns, Micromax will truly become a force to reckon in India and beyond.