Performance
The Galaxy Nexus runs on a 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor PowerVR SGX540 GPU and 1GB of RAM. As a result, the Galaxy Nexus delivers zippy performance from the graphically rich Android 4 OS.
In our testing, we didn't experience any noticeable lag when rotating the display, watching movies or other processor-intensive operations.
Operating System and Applications
Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich now sets the standard for a mobile operating system. iPhone fans might not like to hear it but Google has surpassed Apple in terms of usability, appearance and access to data and critical settings.
For example, toggling GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth is a one-swipe and one tap operation. With iOS, you need to tap into Settings and then find the appropriate option and then tap the on/off toggle.
The Galaxy Nexus's display runs at a higher resolution and is larger. Although it doesn't boast the same PPI as the iPhone's Retina display (326 PPI), it's not far behind at 316 PPI. In our use, there no visible difference although we accept that those with particularly good eyesight might notice a minute difference.
The Galaxy Nexus ships with a solid array of built-in applications including a video editor, turn-by-turn navigation and the full suite of Google apps. The biggest omission was the lack of an office suite ñ something we've seen bundled with several other handsets. However, there are plenty of options in the rapidly growing Android Market.
Switching between applications is elegant. Android 4 has a soft-button that provides access to the task switcher. This looks similar to the Windows 7 task switcher that provides a view of the currently open applications so that you have a simple visual cue as to what's open. This can be easily flicked through by scrolling through the list and then tapping on the app you want to return to. This works far more easily that with iOS or Windows Phone.
