When you line up the HTC Droid DNA and the LG Nexus 4, at first glance, you think of the average Android smartphone. We beg to differ. These two heavyweight flagship contenders each have great features, but let’s see which one best fits your lifestyle:
Quick Side-by-Side Comparison
HTC Droid DNA
- 5-inch Super-LCD 1080p display w/ CorningWare Gorilla Glass 2
- Quad-core 1.5 GHz processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM
- 8-megapixel rear-facing HD camera, 2.1-megapixel front facing camera
- 16GB non-expandable onboard memory
- Runs Android 4.1.1 (Jellybean)
- Price: $199 w/ two-year Verizon Wireless contract; $599 without contract
LG Nexus 4
- 4.7-inch HD WXGAÂ IPS 330PPi, CorningWare Gorilla Glass 2
- Quad-core 1.5 GHz processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
- 8-megapixel rear-facing HD camera, 1.3-megapixel  (in front)
- Runs Android version 4.2 (Latest Jellybean version)
- Pricing & Memory [2 options]: 8GB/ $300 and 16GB/ $350, 2GB of RAM
- The Nexus 4 is carrier unlocked and doesn’t require any contract
Design
Keeping it simple, HTC uses a sealed unibody form (with a rubber-like, soft black back) that makes the DNA easy to handle and grip. Awkwardly placed on the back of the phone, there is a notification light next to the rear camera. However, its position makes sense for times when your phone is placed facedown; you can still be alerted if you’ve received an email, call or text message. The DNA’s large, 5-inch screen only weighs a meager 5 ounces. The display is made of CorningWare’s extremely durable Gorilla Glass, which all adds up to ensure that its screen is durable and looks vivid under bright lights. Not to mention, the phone has a very slim physique.
Similar to the iPhone 4 and 4s, the Nexus 4 also has a sealed unibody bar-like structure and is suited with glass on both the front and back. The only downside to the glass back is that it’s not Gorilla Glass, so it’ll get easily scratched and scuffed. The front display gives you all of the real estate needed, as it is edge to edge–an important trait for a mobile gadget. The Nexus only weighs 139 grams, which is pretty light for a solid, glass-made phone. Needless to say, both phones’ exterior design is very clean and simplistic.
Winner: Nexus 4 [size does matter and glass on front and back make it more appealing]