Samsung Galaxy Nexus review

We've updated our Galaxy Nexus review to reflect the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update

Samsung Galaxy Nexus review
The definitive Samsung Galaxy Nexus review

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Video on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is captured in glorious 1080p Full HD and looks fantastic on that screen. It's not amazing when transferred back to a computer, but it's not so bad that you'll want to throw the handset under a bus.

For some reason, Samsung has seen fit to include more customisation options within the phone's video player than the actual camera. In here, there are scene modes, time-lapse options and some rather strange effects that look like they've been created after one too many jugs of Scotch.

We're not exaggerating. We're talking making your background look like you're in space or framed by a sunset. Or at least, that's the plan. But it just looks like a bit of a mess.

It's not all bad news though - for example, going from darkness to bright light is handled exceptionally well. And sound quality is reproduced well on top of that.

For a point and shoot or casual video-maker, this is a passable effort. But if you're one of those people hoping to replace your Flip HD or digital camera with your smartphone's camera, you'll be sorely disappointed in this.

Footage taken in bright daylight is clear, and sound is well reproduced. The video camera seems capable of following quick moving subjects with little effort.

You can shoot video with the light on or off. Shooting with it off in dimly lit conditions is a bit hit or miss, but going from darkness into bright light is handled very well indeed.

The option to make your background look like you're in space is either psychedelic or psychotic. We can't work out which. We'd have been much happier if Samsung and Google had spent more time working together to create a better camera app than messing around with pointless tweaks like this.

More usefully, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes with a 'Movie Studio' app, which lets you edit clips together, add a title and add various effects such as sepia or negative to clips you've already shot. It's pretty basic stuff, but a lot more welcome and useful than the silly effects built into the camera.

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Latest in Samsung Galaxy Phones
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could resurrect an intriguing camera feature
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be in line for a Galaxy S25 Ultra-level camera upgrade
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, close up on the dual camera system, against a marbled background
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is being tipped to come with a sweet Google Gemini deal
Samsung Galaxy A56 display
Samsung’s new budget handsets are getting One UI 7 before the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and I’m as confused as you are
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
New Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge may have revealed some key details – including its price
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra HANDS ON
‘I don't see a space where the S Pen is not a key part of our portfolio’: Samsung executive defends the S Pen amid cancellation rumors
Latest in Reviews
WWE 2K25
I've spent days in the ring with WWE 2K25, and it's like a five-star match ruined by the Million Dollar Man
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro electric toothbrush
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro review: A powerful seven-mode, Swiss-made sonic brush
Atelier Yumia
I was already sold on Atelier Yumia as an RPG, but I wasn’t expecting it to have my favorite crafting system in all of gaming
Alienware 27 AW2725Q monitor on desk displaying a scene from Cyberpunk 2077
I played games with Alienware's new 27-inch 4K OLED monitor and now I don't want to see another LCD panel
PLAUD NOTE
I tested this AI voice recorder, and now I'll never take meeting notes manually again
MacBook Air 15-inch with M4 chip on a creative's desk with screen open
I've reviewed the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) - and it remains the best 15-inch laptop I'd recommend for most people