Now this is how you add a microSD card slot to a Nexus

Sockpockets (Reddit)

One of the weirder Reddit threads for the day has got to be this guy that decided to manually add a microSD card slot to his trusty Nexus 5. It’s far from a polished piece of industrial engineering, but he did manage it and it does work. Who ever said we’d never see a Nexus with microSD expansion?

Long story short, the Redditor decided that if Marshmallow was capable of recognizing external memory cards as internal storage, then why not pull the back off his Nexus 5 and add one himself? The solution is as messy as it is simple. He just folded up the internal components to make everything fit and then soldered a microSD card slot on. Simple.

Sockpockets (Reddit)

The coolest part of the whole DIY trick is that no special software mod was required. Once the microSD card adapter was attached, Marshmallow instantly recognized it and the guy has been enjoying expandable storage on his fully functional, if lumpy, Nexus 5. Some commenters wisely suggested 3D printing a new back cover to accommodate the added bulk.

The reason everyone hasn’t been doing this since day one is because it’s a pretty aggressive mod. The guy pulled off the back cover and chopped it in half, flipped the bottom section where the microUSB port is around and MacGyvered a USB OTG solution on a folded up daughter board…after rearranging the speaker and antenna cables. Once all that was accomplished the whole thing was so bulky he had to chuck a TPU case on it to protect everything.

As the modder admitted himself, it was more of a “could I, should I situation”, vowing that if he were to do it again he would just solder a microSD card adapter to the microUSB port and keep it mounted on the outside of the device. As our parents wisely told us, just because we can do something, doesn’t always mean we should do something. In this case tough, I’m sure glad I got to see this done.

Did you think this would even work? Have you ever tried anything like this on your phone?

Deal: buy a Nexus 5 for as low as $130!

The Nexus 5 continues to be a great device for many of our readers, and some of you have even managed to get one for a very good price lately, but no deal has compared to this one so far. If you don’t mind getting yourself a refurbished device, Expansys has a deal that is very hard to say no to. The online retailer is selling the older-generation handset for only $129.99!

And this does include the black, white or red 16 GB iterations. If that’s not enough storage space for you, the 32 GB iterations are also available for $149.99, in the same colors.

Also read:

• Google’s Nexus 5: revisited
• Nexus 6 vs Nexus 5
• Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5
• Should Google keep selling the Nexus 5? 

Talk about finding the right deal! This could be great for casual users who wouldn’t mind going with an older device that still outperforms many of the current smartphones at that price point. The Nexus 5 carries a 5-inch 1080p screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2 GB of RAM, an 8 MP rear camera, a 1.3 MP front-facing shooter and a modest 2300 mAh battery.

It has been hard to find a Nexus 5 since Google stopped offering it in the Play Store, which is likely the reason why it’s going for such a low price. Retailers are probably trying to phase it out of their inventories.

It’s a win-win, so go ahead and sign up for your Nexus 5 if you are looking to get a good phone on the cheap. It might also make a great holiday gift!

Buy the 16 GB Nexus 5:

• Black
• White
• Red

Buy the 32 GB Nexus 5:

• Black
• White
• Red

32GB Nexus 5 for just $200 with your choice of red, white, or black

Just in time for the holidays, Expansys USA is offering up the original 32GB LG Nexus 5 for just $200, the lowest price we’ve seen yet. Even better, Expansys has all three colors in stock: red, black, and white.

The Nexus 5 might be two generations old now, but it’s still a solid device, especially at this price. To put it into perspective, that’s about what you’d pay for something like the Moto G (3rd gen), which is powered by a Snapdragon 415 and has just a 720p display. With the Nexus 5, you get the Snapdragon 800, a 5-inch 1080p display, and several other improvements that make it a better choice for the money.

Some of the other key specs include 2GB RAM, a 2,300mAh battery, and an 8 megapixel rear camera. It’s also worth mentioning that the Nexus 5 has already been upgraded to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, something you probably won’t find with other similarly priced phones.

See also: Google Nexus 5 review: best for the money, but is it enough?54

As far as aesthetics go, the Nexus 5 also retains a very similar look and vibe to its newer brother, the Nexus 5x, and while the design is certainly no-frills, that’s at least a small part of the phone’s charm.

The model sold by Expansys should play nicely with all GSM carriers, as well as the CDMA carrier Sprint. So how about it, anyone planning on picking this one up at $200? Would you recommend it at this price, or would users be better off getting a newer entry or mid-level device?

Get it from Expansys