Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250M Specs Prices Pros & Cons Revealed

Network and Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250M was a smartphone equipped with GSM and HSPA network technologies. It supported 2G bands such as GSM 850, 900, 1800, and 1900, along with 3G bands including HSDPA 850, 1700, 1900, and 2100. The device offered HSPA speeds of up to 21.1/5.76 Mbps, allowing for relatively fast mobile data connections at the time of its release. While the network capabilities were impressive for the era, the Galaxy Nexus did not support the burgeoning LTE networks that were in the early stages of deployment.

Launch and Market Position

Announced and released in January 2012, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250M was promptly introduced as a part of Google's Nexus line of devices. Although it was discontinued in subsequent years, the device played a significant role in promoting the Android platform, serving as a showcase for the capabilities of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Design and Build

The Galaxy Nexus featured dimensions of 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9 mm and weighed 135 grams. It was designed with a sleek form factor, utilizing a Mini-SIM card slot. The build of the device emphasized portability and a comfortable hand-held grip. The back of the phone featured a textured finish that provided traction and tactile appeal.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250M boasted a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, achieving a pixel density of approximately 316 PPI. This display offered vibrant colors and deep blacks, characteristics typical of AMOLED technology. Moreover, the screen was protected by an oleophobic coating, which helped resist fingerprint smudges and made cleaning the display easier.

Hardware and Performance

Under the hood, the Galaxy Nexus was powered by the TI OMAP 4460 chipset and a dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU. The GPU onboard was a PowerVR SGX540. With 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, users were provided with a decent amount of memory for the era, although lacking expandable storage via a microSD card slot was a limitation for users needing more storage capacity.

Operating System and User Interface

The device was one of the first to run the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, marking a pivotal point in Android's development with significant improvements to the user interface, a more polished design, and added functionality. Features such as the new Roboto font, enhanced multitasking, and an improved notification system were introduced with this version of Android.

Camera Features

The primary camera on the Galaxy Nexus was a 5 MP shooter with autofocus and LED flash, capable of 1080p video recording at 30fps. While the main camera specs may not match modern standards, it offered satisfactory photo and video quality for basic use. Additionally, the front-facing camera was 1.3 MP, suitable for video calling and basic selfies, recording at 720p@30fps.

Sound and Multimedia

The device supported a 3.5mm audio jack along with a loudspeaker, ensuring compatibility with a wide array of audio accessories available at the time. The inclusion of standard audio features like loudspeaker and jack made it user-friendly for multimedia consumption.

Connectivity and Sensors

Connectivity options included Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n with dual-band capability, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP, GPS, A-GPS, NFC, and a microUSB 2.0 port with MHL TV-out support. It was void of FM radio capabilities, which might have been a downside for some users. The phone also featured a comprehensive set of sensors such as an accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass, and barometer.

Battery Life

The Galaxy Nexus was equipped with a removable Li-Ion 1750 mAh battery. With a standby time of up to 600 hours and talk time of up to 9 hours, the device offered competitive battery life metrics for its time. However, as with many smartphones, actual battery performance varied depending on usage patterns.

Color Variants and Pricing

The available color for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250M was Black. At launch, it was priced at approximately 240 EUR, targeting upper mid-range users seeking a pure Android experience without the additional customizations typical of many smartphone manufacturers.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250M stands out as a meaningful release in the history of Android smartphones. It helped pave the way for many features and design choices that have become commonplace in the Android ecosystem. Despite its hardware limitations by today’s standards, it set a benchmark for what a Google-backed device could offer and underscored the potential breadth of the Android platform. Enthusiasts and tech historians often look back at devices like the Galaxy Nexus as milestone releases that contributed to shaping the modern smartphone landscape.