The small cruisers of the Stettin class were very similar to their predecessors, the Bremen class. There was only a slight increase in size and engine performance, but this did not lead to a higher top speed.  The obvious difference to the older ships was a increased space between the second and third funnel.
This ships show a different philosophy than its British counterparts - while German small cruiser had a large number of relatively small guns (10 - and later ship classes had even more), the British favored lesser, but bigger guns (15,2 cm instead of 10,5 cm ones).

The Nürnberg had a different fate than the other ships. After fleet operations until 1910 it was part of the East-Asian squadron and took part in the two battles the squadron was involved. On 01.11.1914 it precipitated in the Battle of Coronell,  but was not able to engage because of the bad weather. In the Battle of the Falkland Island on 08.12.1914, the Nürnberg was hunted and sunk by the small cruiser Kent although this ship was 14 years older.