In my mind, there are two things that a Nexus-branded phone is supposed to do, and the Google Nexus 6P does them both very well. First, it's meant to showcase the very newest Android software. Check! (So does the cheaper, smaller LG-made Nexus 5X.) Second, it should package together very capable hardware for a lower sticker price than more familiar brand-name competitors. Yep, that it does. (See our pricing chart below.)
And then the weighty, 5.7-inch Nexus 6P goes further. It adds a metal frame (a Nexus first!) and a crisp, high-resolution display; a spot-on fingerprint reader; a capable 12-megapixel camera; and strong stereo speakers. It also introduces China-based Huawei, which made the phone, to a whole new audience of people, Google's Nexus fans. (Although I have to say, this breakthrough, while significant for Huawei, is only a passing curiosity for a buyer who's focused on finding the right handset.)
This year's Nexus phones are also compatible with most major carriers, which is terrific, and support Google's own unique Project Fi wireless service -- meaning you can switch among carrier plans without swapping your SIM card or phone. You don't actually need Fi to do that, though, you can seamlessly carrier-hop on your own without Google's specialized SIM card, too.
Here's what I'm saying: the 6P here is the most ambitious and advanced Nexus phone Google has put its stamp on, and it comes closer than previous Nexus devices at meeting and beating premium handsets, big and small -- like the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Edge+ , Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium -- with its combination of internal performance and relatively low cost.
Like all phones, this one isn't without flaws. It's still a large, heavy device. I'm not wild about the design, which is completely fine, but a little generic. The position of the fingerprint reader isn't always convenient. The native camera has fewer options and controls than many rivals. And unlike the Nexus 6and other Nexus phones, this refresh lacks wireless charging, which would be extra useful backup if you leave your new Type-C charger at home. The 6P also won't have the Note 5's stylus, the Edge+ curves or the Xperia's waterproofing. You have to decide how important those finishing touches are to you.
A little warning for those who want to buy the 6P to mine the Android 6.0 Marshmallow software for all its goodies: while the new operating system brings a few interesting and somewhat useful tools -- like contextual searching through the Now on Tap feature and battery life boosting that works quietly in the background -- the 6P's real take-home value is less about the wonders of Android 6.0 and more about your total bang for the buck.
Android 6.0's nice-but-not-astounding bag of tricks may not have been as successful as past Nexus' braggable features ( Android 5.0 Lollipop was quite the overhaul), but the 6P's Marshmallow status still nabs you certain advantages, like fewer preloaded apps ("bloatware") and being first in line to receive Google's forthcoming software updates. "Pure" Nexus phones are also free from vendors' custom take on Android, which can be good, bad or neutral depending on your stance. On the one hand, custom layers eat up storage space and delay upgrades, but on the other, they can also add handy features and snazzy design layouts.
Personally, I like the the Nexus 6P quite a lot -- it does everything right and very little wrong. While it doesn't grab me the way the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge's unique design does, it's still a phone I'd heartily recommend. As a utilitarian workhorse, the Nexus 6P does the job for less cash, and that's smart.
Pricing and availability
The Nexus 6P is available for pre-order in the US, UK, Ireland and Japan from Google's online store, and will be ship in October. Check out pricing for the US, UK, and Australia in this handy chart below:
GOOGLE NEXUS 6P PRICING
| 32GB | 64GB | 128GB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | $499 | $549 | $649 |
| UK | £449 | £499 | £579 |
| Australia | AU$899 | AU$999 | AU$1,099 |
To sweeten the deal, Google tacks on a 90-day subscription to Google Play Music (plus a $50 credit for its Play Store for US buyers).
Google also wants to sell you a two-year warranty that covers breaks and water damage, which it's calling Nexus Protect. It costs $89 in the US. If something goes wrong, you can get a new device as soon as the next business day.
In the US, the Nexus 6P works on all major carriers. It'll also support Project Fi , the company's SIM card that uses Wi-Fi hotspots for a network connection, falling back on T-Mobile and Sprint networks. Specifications versus top rivals
SPECS COMPARISON
| Google Nexus 6P | Nexus 5X | Apple iPhone 6S | Samsung Galaxy Note 5 | Sony Xperia Z5 Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution | 5.2-inch LCD with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution | 4.7-inch IPS with 1,334x750-pixel resolution | 5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution | 5.5-inch IPS with 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution |
| Pixel density | 515ppi | 423ppi | 326ppi | 518ppi | 806ppi |
| Dimensions (imperial) | 6.27x3.06x0.28 inches | 5.78x2.86x0.31 inches | 5.44x2.64x0.28 inches | 6.03x2.99x0.29 inches | 6.07x2.99x0.31 inches |
| Dimensions (metric) | 159.4x77.8x7.3mm | 147.0x72.6x7.9 mm | 138.3x67.1x7.1mm | 153.2x76.1x7.6mm | 154.4x76.0x7.8 mm |
| Weight | 6.27 ounces (178 grams) | 4.80 ounces (136 grams) | 5.04 ounces (143 grams) | 6.03 ounces (171 grams) | 6.34 ounces (180 grams) |
| Mobile operating system | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Apple iOS 9 | Android 5.1 Lollipop | Google Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera, video | 12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video | 12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion | 12-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video | 16-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video | 23-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video |
| Optical image stabilization | No | No | No (only 6S Plus) | Yes | Yes |
| Front-facing camera | 8-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 | 1.8GHz 6-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 | 64-bit A9 chip with M9 | Octa-core Exynos 7420 | Octa-core Snapdragon 810 |
| Storage | 32GB, 64GB, 128GB | 16GB, 32GB | 16GB, 64GB and 128GB | 32GB, 64GB | 32GB |
| RAM | 3GB | 2GB | 2GB | 4GB | 3GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | No | No | Up to 200GB |
| Wireless charging | No | No | No | Yes, PMA and Qi | No |
| Battery | Nonremovable 3,450mAh | Nonremovable 2,700mAh | Nonremovable 1,715mAh | Nonremovable 3,000mAh | Nonremovable 3,430mAh |
| Starting price | $499, £449, AU$899 | $379, £339, AU$659 | $649, £539, AU$1,079 | ~$700 (but varies), N/A, AU$1,100 | N/A, £630, AU$1,200 |
Google's first metal Nexus
Big and aluminium with rounded edges and a fingerprint reader on the back, the Nexus 6P embraces quite a few trends of the day. The 5.7-inch display is a skosh more sizeable than the 5.5-inch iPhone 6Sand right on par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ . Its high-resolution AMOLED display, sometimes referred to as 2K, fits in with the times as well, lending the 6P a sharp and clear screen, with high contrast. (Sony is already pushing boundaries with its world's-first 4K display , which is probablyoverkill in most scenarios.)
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Shape-wise, the Nexus 6P is smaller and narrower than Motorola's 6-inch Nexus 6. Still, it's a two-hander. Not the easiest jumbo phone (or, phablet, if you prefer) for my smaller hands to hold. Its slim, straight sides challenged hands larger than mine when I passed the phone around. Some combination of the straight edges and smooth back made the 6P seem unwieldy, slippery, even a little top-heavy. The similarly sized Samsung Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge+ and iPhone 6S Plus seem proportioned and contoured to fit my mitts better.
Its unibody build means you won't be able to access the battery, and there's no microSD card slot for extra storage either. This is a typical trade-off in full-metal phones. During some of my testing, the Nexus 6P's backing felt warm to the touch, but not dangerously or uncomfortably so.
Since I grip the bottom half of the device to use it, the placement of the Google Imprint fingerprint reader was often a stretch; I sometimes had to shift my grip in order to unlock the phone. If you have larger hands, you probably won't have the same concerns.
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I like that double-pressing the lock key launches the camera, but I'm not a fan of the haptic jiggle that confirms you've opened it, and I haven't found a way to turn it off.
You can pick up the Nexus 6P in three colors: aluminum (silver), graphite (black) and frost (white), our favorite of the trio. Japan gets it in gold, too. My all-black model looks nice in a generic way, with subtle chamfered edges around the rims, though the design isn't inspired.
Loud stereo speakers
Audio quality from the dual front speakers was pretty great for a phone. I played a lot of music videos from YouTube. The highest volume setting filled a room, and songs sounded clear. Compared to a set of good headphones or a decent Bluetooth speaker, though, the 6P's audio still sounded jangly and two-dimensional, where my over-ear In Case headphones sounded rich. But the 6P is still notably better than you'll get from the default speaker in most rival smartphones.
Type-C marginally better
I like the reversible USB Type-C charging port in theory, and once more phone-makers start using it, charging cables will be easier to come by. If you forget the Type-C to Type-C fast-charger and Type-C to USB cables that arrive in the box, you'll be hard-pressed to find one lying around -- it's not compatible with your other devices' cables. Wireless charging would be a convenient backup here, but unlike the 2013 and 2014 Nexus models, that feature is absent.
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If you get the 6P, prepare to also buy a few extra chargers and a micro-USB to Type-C adaptor that fits over the tip. (For Type-C fans, keep in mind that the Nexus 6P uses the Type-C charging shape, but not all the features that also support faster file transfers and charging for other devices. Read more about that here.)
Android 6.0 Marshmallow: Now on Tap is not great
A Nexus phone is the first to debut Google's latest Android software. Always. In our case, that's theAndroid 6.0 build , codenamed an ooey-gooey Marshmallow. It promises, as always, to be faster and smoother than the previous generation and filled with more tricks and treats.
The most enticing of these is Google Now on Tap, which is an obscure name for an extra layer of software that lets you more deeply interact with whatever's on the screen. The classic example is asking Google simply, "Who sings this?" when listening to any given song, without having to specify the track's title.
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Let's say you're on a restaurant menu and you press and hold the home button. Mini "cards" pop up on the bottom half of the screen with buttons you can press (shortcuts) to search on Google, open a menu, make a reservation, call the business, navigate there and see Google Street View. You can also use voice search to ask for additional information ("show me her tour dates" for example) without having to reframe the question.
CNET will do much more Now on Tap testing, but in my initial tests, I threw a barrage of questions and commands at it, and opened the Now on Tap cards from a variety of Web pages. Some scenarios seem to work better than others. For example, contextual voice searches usually worked, but interrupted the songs I asked about, which made for a pretty disruptive listening experience, since getting search results on-screen essentially stops the music, at least with YouTube.
Other times, Now on Tap presented useful information, like a restaurant menu link and icon shortcuts to other apps, other times, I didn't get what I wanted. Also keep in mind that clicking a link from Now on Tap whisks you away to a new page. Either way, Now on Tap cards took about two seconds to load, which felt slow.
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Don't worry, the usual Google Now is still there -- which proactively surfaces information about the weather, sports scores, transportation time home and flight information -- now you swipe right from the home screen or press the "G" icon from the Now on Tap screen. With the ability to add stories and notifications from websites and apps, it operates much more as a typical newsfeed this way.
Other noticeable titbits in Marshmallow: I liked how apps download on the second homescreen (as you swipe left), rather than crowding out your main homescreen. And, though this isn't turned on by default, always-on voice search calls up Google from any screen, even when the phone is locked. Note that the "OK, Google" voice command zeroes in on your voice in particular, so others can't vocally command your 6P without retraining it.
Mobile payments featuring Android Pay also lights up; this is Google's repackaged Google Wallet system, which rivals Apple Pay and the newly launched Samsung Pay. We'll have a breakout of this later.
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