Google Nexus 6 Pro Reviews

There are some good things about the Nexus 6 including build quality and some top-end hardware such as the screen, processor and camera. However, it's simply too big, unwieldy and expensive to warrant awarding it anything higher than four stars and really get behind it (unless we wanted to hid from something). In the phablet market, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is simply better even if it is pricier and the excellent LG G3 at less than £300 is another thorn in the Nexus 6's side.

It’s hard to get used to the crazy pace of innovation in the mobile space with so many new devices, but comparing the Galaxy S6 edge+ with the nearly year-old Nexus 6, the pace of innovation can be clearly felt. And we’re not talking just about the cool-looking edge screen - we consider this a neat little touch that required some serious display innovation, but its hard to say that it brings a ground-breaking change in usage. No, we’re talking about overall design and performance: the S6 edge+ has a much faster and consistently great camera, a significantly better, brighter and more power efficient AMOLED display, neat wireless charging option, a hugely improved thin and stylish design, a fast and reliable fingerprint scanner with the option for future use with Samsung Pay, and the list just goes on. Not just that, the S6 edge+ is also features narrower bezels and it is impressively compact for its size, especially compared with the Nexus 6 alongside, which just feels inconveniently gigantic. It’s clear that the S6 edge+ is the better device by a long stretch.

Looking at the list of features alone (with no regards to price), the Galaxy Note5 looks like the vastly superior device: a much faster and consistently good camera, a significantly better and brighter AMOLED display, the S Pen that is a nice extra, neat wireless charging option, a thinner, better looking design, the presence of a fingerprint scanner and option for future use with Samsung Pay... the list goes on. Quite importantly: the Note5 is also much more compact at almost the same screen size, and this makes a big difference, as the Nexus 6 just feels inconveniently gigantic - it’s hard to use with a single hand and barely fits in pockets (even when it fits, climbing stairs can be a painful exercise). However, if one considers price, this difference is indeed reflected in the cost. The Google Nexus 6 has the advantage of having been on the market for nearly a year now, and this has brought a significant price drop: from an initial MSRP of $650, the phone is now officially sold for $500 (full retail price). The Samsung Galaxy Note5 looks like a costly device in comparison: it comes with an MSRP of $750, exactly 50% higher price than the Nexus 6. Put in simple terms, the Galaxy Note5 is clearly the superior phone in most aspects. But is a 50% difference in price justified? It’s up to your wallet to give a judgment about that.

Crowning a champion is always a difficult thing to do, requiring us to see how they compare against one another in all areas – while also thinking about the kind of value they bring to the table. Factoring their pricing, the Nexus 6 can be picked up as low as $600 outright, or $200 with a 2-year contract. That puts it in a better position than when it was initially released, making it pretty competitive to the G4’s anticipated on-contract pricing of $200. Quite frankly, it’s a tossup and mainly hinges on what matters to you the most. Combing through how they perform in all the categories, the LG G4 impresses us with its sophisticated looks, fine-looking IPS Quantum Display, impressive camera, better call quality, and versatile LG UX 4.0 experience. Not one to be outdone because it’s the older model, the Nexus 6 can still outbox its newer rival, as it delivers a commanding presence with its sturdier construction, gigantic screen size, longer battery life, and stock Android experience. The latter, of course, might be a huge drawing factor for those who yearn for the latest and greatest in terms of Android. Nevertheless, the G4’s experience is still a versatile one that's rich in personalization and multi-tasking. At the end of the day, however, both phones have the guts and performance to prove to everyone that they live up to their claim of being flagship phones.

Let’s talk pricing for a moment! With the Nexus 6, it starts off at $699.99 full price, which is undoubtedly on the steep side, but something that’s warranted for something of its caliber and immense size. Conversely, it’s a little confusing regarding the pricing for the Galaxy S6, as various wireless providers and retail partners all have different prices for the 32GB Galaxy S6. Ranging from $599.99 to $684.99, the Galaxy S6 is at the minimum $100 less than the Nexus 6 when it comes to outright pricing. Quite simply, the two handsets in this comparison are top-notch and phenomenal – so it’s really a tough call to say which is the superior one. For those yearning for a phablet-esque sized thing, it’s a no-brainer decision to go with the Nexus 6, which also packs the beloved stock Android 5.0 Lollipop experience. Another thing to note, it’s going to get updated to the latest version of the platform a lot quicker than the S6. In contrast, go with the Galaxy S6 if you want that all-around performance and the more premium designed smartphone. Meanwhile, TouchWiz is going to add a lot of depth to the Android experience, though it’s still not as visually pleasing as vanilla Android. Pound for pound, though, the Galaxy S6 is packed full of extra goodies that are not found with the Nexus 6 – giving it that higher degree of value at the same time.

Whichever phone you end up choosing, just know that it’s going to cost you quite a handful to buy – whether it’s outright or with a contract. Luckily, the pricing structure for the Nexus 6 is pretty uniform whichever outlet you end up going with. So if we’re to look at it from an outright level, you’ll need to fork over a beastly $699.99 to snag the Google Nexus 6. In contrast, depending on where you go, the Galaxy S6 edge will fetch you roughly between $699.99 and $814.99. Simply, there’s no denying the reality that the Galaxy S6 edge is just one expensive smartphone – though, its overall performance is indicative of its hefty cost. You’ll pay an exorbitant amount for the phone, but what you get in return is a premium looking, compact sized smartphone that runs highly in all key categories. In addition, the cool aesthetic achieved by its dual-curved display is undoubtedly a sight to behold in itself. It’s just, you know, so gorgeous and beautiful looking. Well, if you take fancy in phablet sized things, then it’s a no-brainer decision to go with the Google Nexus 6. Specs-wise, it’s able to pull its weight in comparison to Sammy’s new toy, but what makes the Nexus 6 so grand is the fact that it’s one of the showcase devices for the platform, meaning it’ll receive updates to Android a lot sooner than the Galaxy S6 edge, which will take Sammy some time to optimize to mesh well with its own custom experience. All told, it’s a win-win whatever phone you end up going with. One might have the upper hand in specific areas, but at the end of the day, they perform swimmingly enough is all the key areas to make them smartphones you won’t be disappointed in buying.

The verdict? We're tempted to say the Nexus 6 had an easy time, but the reality is that so long as aesthetics guide consumers' purchasing decisions, HTC's One line will continue resonating well with buyers. In such a scenario, Google's device strikes us as the more logical pick for the power user crowd, especially the phablet-loving part of it, but not necessarily the masses' favorite. But does that make the HTC One M9 just a pretty face? Not at all – it's a full-fledged, flagship smartphone that is worthy of heading the company's portfolio. As importantly, unlike other 'design pieces' on the market, the One M9 actually communicates sturdiness and reliability and does not at all feel like a glass cannon. In conclusion, if you're having second thoughts about the size or looks of the Nexus 6, the One M9 will strike you as the better deal, regardless of its relative weaknesses.

The Nexus 6 is no longer the value-for-money, subsidized, initial-limited-availability endeavor we've come to expect from Google's handset line, Nexus 5 included. It's a full-blown flagship with the latest bells and whistles, available on all carriers, but with a price tag that is almost twice what the Nexus 5 debuted at, too. Naturally, it is a much better phone than the Nexus 5 specs-wise, with a larger, pixel-dense display, faster chipset, double the storage out of the box, and a much better camera capable of 4K video footage. Another very important advantage is that its battery lasts about 50% more than the weak Nexus 5 juicer. All of these combined might warrant doubling the price for you, but only if you are willing to forego the comfortable palm-friendly chassis of the Nexus 5 for the gargantuan Nexus 6 body, which not only requires you to almost always have to use it with two hands, but also leaves a sizable impact in your pocket, purse, and on your wallet, too.

With the holidays around the corner, the competition will no doubt continue to build up, as these two prized smartphones will attempt to claim victory over one another. History has already shown to us that the iPhone 6 Plus is a hot selling smartphone. Now that the Google Nexus 6 is finally available for purchase, all eyes are on the device to see how it can disrupt the iPhone 6 Plus’ momentum. In terms of pricing, there’s an advantage going with the Nexus 6 and its lower $649 cost, which is noticeably cheaper than the $749 starting cost of the iPhone 6 Plus. Taking into account the quad-HD screen it’s packing along, it’s pretty impressive to see it undercut Apple’s offering in that area. Additionally, with the introduction of Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is increasingly transforming Android into a more consistent and versatile software package, it helps to solidify the Nexus 6’s usefulness and value. However, we can’t forget to mention the premium nature that’s attached to the iPhone 6 Plus. That alone helps to justify its higher cost, but it also helps that it captures the better looking photos and videos with its camera. Indeed, iOS 8 doesn’t have the same breath of software tricks and features we get with Android 5.0 Lollipop, but the experience does have its advantages, such as its extreme level of polish and intuitiveness. It’s a tough call on which one to go with, but we can certainly say that you won’t be disappointed going with either of them.

Paying attention to their prices, it’s plainly obvious that there’s considerable savings with the Nexus 6. In the US, Google’s prized smartphone can be snagged for the outright cost of $649, which is easier to swallow than the over-$720 cost of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – and that’s Sprint’s price, which is the cheapest amongst the major carriers. Undeniably, there’s a lot to like with these two smartphones, seeing that they’re outfitted with delicious hardware that makes them class-leading and future proof in several ways. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4, we have to say, has the upper hand in a bunch of categories, such as taking photos/videos, battery life, call quality, and the sheer amount of features baked in. Still, the Nexus 6 is absolutely not to be overlooked, because it does have a more polished and consistent overall user experience, as well as Motorola's signature sturdy build quality. It’s not like the Nexus 6 is an inferior smartphone, considering that we’re greeted with the most up-to-date Android experience with Lollipop, one that not only brings forth a cleaner and more modern interface, but it also deepens and extends the experience to heights we haven’t seen before with its diversified portfolio of new software features. At the core of it all, though, is that we’re dealing with BIG phones here – phablets to be more exact, and for everyone that sees phablets as devices that should be a bit more functional and versatile than regular smartphones, the Galaxy Note 4 will probably stand out as the more appealing choice.

Thinking more about the Nexus 6, you could certainly pick it up with no regrets, but for a little bit more out of your pockets, you can treat yourself to the Galaxy Note 4, which comes with some bonus, phablet-like features to complement its package, as well as the signature S Pen stylus for drawing and note-taking. For the extra $100 you’ll be forking over to pick up the Note 4, you get a phone that takes better photos and videos, offers longer battery life, and something that’s accompanied with a rich set of secondary hardware tools (think IR blaster, microSD card slot, and much more) and software features that really solidifies what it means to be a phablet.

The supersized, Android-powered Google Nexus 6 is one of the best mobile devices around; tablet, smartphone, or otherwise.

With a brilliant display, fast processor, solid camera, and strong battery life, the Nexus 6 has plenty in its favor. Still, for many, with Lollipop starting to arrive on the Moto X, that may prove more affordable and more pocket-friendly, while the DROID Turbo has its own strengths in performance and battery life. If you're happy with a two-handed device, though, and you insist on Android exactly as Google intends it, the Nexus 6 is the smartphone to have.

Almost hard to believe, the Google Nexus 6 and Apple iPhone 6 bear the same outright price point of $649 – though, you get 16GB of storage with the iPhone 6, and 32GB with the Nexus 6. Determining a victor is rather tough, especially when there’s not a single phone that greatly proves to deliver the better performance over the other. With that in mind, we can certainly agree at the very least, that you won’t be disappointed picking up either of them. Go with the iPhone 6 if you want a phone that’s compact in size, sports a premium finish, and takes some exceptional photos and videos. In contrast, go with the Nexus 6 for its huge QuadHD screen, great battery life, and robust Android 5.0 Lollipop experience.

Being new onto the scene, there are several reasons why the Nexus 6 stands out more profoundly than its rival in the Galaxy S5. For starters, there’s no arguing the fact that it’s the fresher of the two devices – aided by its cutting-edge hardware, future proof status, and stock Android 5.0 Lollipop experience. Naturally, too, the attachment to the fabled Nexus series means that it’s going to receive future Android software updates a lot faster than its customized rival. Nevertheless, we still can’t count out the Samsung Galaxy S5, since it manages to deliver a solid package that’s still capable of contending with newer devices. Best of all, it doesn’t require a fortune to pick up as well. By now, it can be snagged for relatively cheap with a 2-year contract, as low as free in some cases, which is a lot easier to swallow than the Nexus 6’s $200+ on-contract cost – so there’s an incentive to go with the Galaxy S5 when we look at their contract prices. If that’s not a route you wish to pursue, choosing instead to go the outright way, then it makes more sense to go with the Nexus 6 – that’s because the two are both slapped with the same $650 outright cost. For the money, you’re getting a newer and better spec’d smartphone, which of course, has the distinct privilege of being the first smartphones to run Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The biggest, most expensive, and best Nexus phone Google has ever produced. All it needs is decent camera software.

Compared to other big phones, the Nexus 6 is great, but not the undisputed champ. Its clever one-handable design makes it leaps and bounds more usable than the iPhone 6 Plus, but the gigantic Samsung Galaxy Note 4 still has some perks worth considering. With its multitasking and stylus, plus removable battery and SD expansion slot, the Note 4 is more phone-plus-computer. The Nexus 6 with its simple, beautiful stock Android, slightly bigger screen, and fantastic speakers is more phone-plus-tablet. And the iPhone 6 Plus is still the best game in town if you want to take pictures with a phablet.