Google Nexus One vs HTC Desire
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Nexus One and the HTC Desire, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Our rating | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 1,400 mAh | 1,400 mAh |
| Storage (max) | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Screen size | 3.7 in | 3.7 in |
| Main camera | 5 MP | 5 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 130 g | 135 g |
| Released | Jan 2010 | Feb 2010 |
Summary: Google Nexus One is ahead on weight (lower is lighter).
★ Which should you buy? Google Nexus One is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Type | AMOLED (initially), later Super LCD due to supply shortages | AMOLED or SLCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
| Size | 3.7 inches | 3.7 inches, 39.0 cm2 (~54.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels, WVGA | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~252 ppi density) |
| Protection | Not specified | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Features | PenTile matrix (AMOLED), 254 ppi | — |
Platform
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| OS | Android 2.1 (Eclair), upgradable to 2.3.6 (Gingerbread) | Android 2.1 (Eclair), upgradable to 2.2 (Froyo) and officially to 2.3 (Gingerbread via manual flash) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 (Snapdragon S1) | Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon S1 |
| CPU | Single-core 1 GHz Scorpion | 1.0 GHz Scorpion (single-core) |
| GPU | Adreno 200 | Adreno 200 |
Memory
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Internal | 512 MB RAM, 512 MB storage (190 MB application storage) | 576 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM (150 MB user accessible flash storage) |
| Card slot | microSDHC, 4 GB included, supports up to 32 GB | microSDHC (dedicated slot), up to 32 GB (4 GB included) |
Main Camera
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, autofocus, LED flash | 5 MP, autofocus |
| Features | 2x digital zoom | LED flash, geotagging |
| Video | 720x480 pixels at 20 FPS or higher | 480p@15fps, 720p@30fps (via software update) |
Selfie Camera
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Single | None | No |
Battery
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1400 mAh | Removable Li-Ion 1400 mAh battery |
| Talk time | Up to 10 hours (2G) / Up to 7 hours (3G) | Up to 6 h 40 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 30 min (3G) |
| Stand-by | Up to 290 hours (2G) / Up to 250 hours (3G) | Up to 340 h (2G) / Up to 360 h (3G) |
Body
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Dimensions | 119 x 59.8 x 11.5 mm (4.69 x 2.35 x 0.45 in) | 119 x 60 x 11.9 mm (4.69 x 2.36 x 0.47 in) |
| Weight | 130 g (4.59 oz) with battery, 100 g (3.5 oz) without battery | 135 g (4.76 oz) |
| Build | Metal wrap-around casing | — |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Other | — | Optical trackpad |
Comms
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, hotspot (Android 2.2) |
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP, EDR | 2.1, A2DP |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, A-GPS |
| Radio | Not specified | Stereo FM radio with RDS |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 |
Launch
| Google Nexus One | HTC Desire |
|---|
| Announced | 2010, January 05 | 2010, February 16 |
| Status | Discontinued July 18, 2010 (online store) | Released 2010, March/April |
Frequently asked questions
Which is lighter, Google Nexus One or HTC Desire?
Google Nexus One — 130 g for the Google Nexus One versus 135 g for the HTC Desire.
Which is newer, Google Nexus One or HTC Desire?
HTC Desire — Jan 2010 for the Google Nexus One versus Feb 2010 for the HTC Desire.
Is the Google Nexus One or the HTC Desire rated higher?
We rate the Google Nexus One 7/10 and the HTC Desire 7/10.
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