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Google Nexus 6P Smartphone Review

Heavy Metal. Google's latest Nexus flagship 6P follows in the footsteps of the old Nexus 6 with its 5.7-inch display and the fastest SoC you can currently get from Qualcomm. However, there is now another rival from Google itself, the Nexus 5X, and it is even 120 Euros (~$131) cheaper. Is the more expensive smartphone worth the money and how does the top model hold up against other competitors?

For the original German review, see here.

Google presented the usual new reference devices for the launch of Android 6.0 aka Marshmallow. Those devices are already shipped with the updated operating system. However, Google did not announce only one new smartphone, but two: While the Nexus 5X with its compact dimensions, which is manufactured by LG, is designed to attract customers of the Nexus 5 from 2013 in particular, the much larger Nexus 6P (produced by Huawei) is the successor of the Nexus 6 from last year. You can get it in three colors with 32, 64 or 128 GB for prices ranging between 649 and 799 Euros (~$709 to ~$873) from Google's online shop. The pricing is therefore identical to the previous models and is definitely targeting the high-end segment. Our review unit is the "Black Graphite" version with 32 GB internal storage.

Rivals for the Nexus 6P are mainly the flagship models from the competition. This list includes the 5.7-inch Android devices Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ as well as Motorola Moto X Style. Other alternatives are the slightly smaller 5.5-inch devices LG G4Huawei Mate S as well as the OnePlus 2. The new Android device also competes against Apple's iPhone 6S Plus as well as Microsoft's new Lumia 950 XL.

Google Nexus 6P (Nexus Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994 8 x 2 GHz, Cortex-A57/-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
, LPDDR4
Display
5.70 inch 16:9, 2560 x 1440 pixel, capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 24.8 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm stereo jack, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope, hall sensor, ambient light sensor, barometer, compass, GPS, GLONASS, NFC, OTG, Nano-SIM
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS/WCDMA (Band 1/2/4/5/6/8/9/19), TD-SCDMA (Band 34/39), CDMA (BC 0/1), LTE (Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/9/17/19/20/28/38/39/40/41) Cat. 6 (300 Mbps/50 Mbps), GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.5 x 159.3 x 77.8 ( = 0.3 x 6.27 x 3.06 in)
Battery
13 Wh, 3450 mAh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 440 h, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 23 h
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera
Primary Camera: 12 MPix Autofocus with IR laser f/2.0, 2160p-Video @ 30 fps
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix Fixed-focus f/2.4, 1080p-Video @ 30 fps
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers (front), Keyboard: virtual, PSU, 2 USB cables (type C to type C, type C to type A), SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
178 g ( = 6.28 oz / 0.39 pounds), Power Supply: 88 g ( = 3.1 oz / 0.19 pounds)
Price
649 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Thanks to the slightly smaller 5.7-inch instead of 6-inch display, the new Nexus 6P is mainly narrower than the previous Nexus 6: It is now around half a centimeter (~0.2 in) smaller. The thickness has also reduced from 10 to 7.5 millimeters (~0.4 to ~0.3 in). However, we were able to measure values of up to 8.5 millimeters (~0.33 in) in the area of the black glass at the back, where the main camera is located. It is nice that the elevated area extends over the whole width of the smartphone, so it is easy to use it when it is lying on the table and there are no noticeable tilting movements. On the other hand, the length has not really changed, which is rather unfortunate when you consider the smaller space requirements of the 5.7-inch panel. At 178 grams (~6.3 oz), the Nexus 6P is also slightly lighter than the predecessor (184 grams/~6.5 oz), but still quite heavy compared to the Nexus 5X at 136 grams (~4.8 oz). However, the high weight does create a certain sense of sophistication.

Huawei does not make any compromises in terms of materials for the Nexus 6P: Similar to the Mate S, the manufacturer uses an aluminum chassis, which does not only feel good in the hands, but also ensures a high stability. There are currently some videos on the Internet that are supposed to show that you can easily bend or even break the smartphone, but we cannot confirm this: Normal amounts of pressure are absolutely no problem and twisting attempts only resulted in a slightly visible bend. There were no creaking sounds, either. Moderate pressure on the display, which is covered by Gorilla Glass 4, was also no problem. However, we cannot rule out that the smartphone  can be damaged if really hard force is inflicted.

There is no criticism for the build quality: The gaps are even and all edges are well rounded off.

Front with SIM slot
Front with SIM slot
Front
Front
Notification LED, front camera and speaker
Ambient display feature
Buttons on the side
Rear
Rear
Fingerprint scanner and main camera
SIM-card tray
Power adapter
159 mm / 6.26 inch 83 mm / 3.27 inch 10 mm / 0.3937 inch 184 g0.4057 lbs159.3 mm / 6.27 inch 77.8 mm / 3.06 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 178 g0.3924 lbs158.2 mm / 6.23 inch 77.9 mm / 3.07 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 192 g0.4233 lbs151.8 mm / 5.98 inch 74.9 mm / 2.95 inch 9.85 mm / 0.3878 inch 178 g0.3924 lbs154.4 mm / 6.08 inch 75.8 mm / 2.98 inch 6.9 mm / 0.2717 inch 153 g0.3373 lbs148.9 mm / 5.86 inch 76.1 mm / 3 inch 9.8 mm / 0.3858 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs149.89 mm / 5.9 inch 75.35 mm / 2.97 inch 7.2 mm / 0.2835 inch 156 g0.3439 lbs147 mm / 5.79 inch 72.6 mm / 2.86 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 136 g0.2998 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

While the less expensive Nexus 5X is only available with 16 or 32 GB internal storage, you can also get the Nexus 6P with 64 and 128 GB storage. This means that there is sufficient space for large media libraries despite the missing support for memory cards. We could use around 24.8 GB from our 32 GB review unit for our own files. The Nexus 6P has 3 GB of RAM and therefore 1 GB more than the smaller sibling.

Google has equipped the current Nexus models with the new USB Type-C port. It accepts the cable in both orientations, which is more comfortable in practice. The power adapter uses the same connector, which is why the Nexus 6P is also shipped with a short additional cable to connect the smartphone with common USB Type-A ports, so you can transfer files from a computer, for example. This is a small advantage over the Nexus 5X, which is shipped without such an accessory. It is rather unfortunate that neither USB 3.1 nor 3.0 are supported, so the maximum transfer rates are limited by the USB 2.0 standard. USB-OTG is also supported with a corresponding adapter cable.

The video output is not possible via MHL or Slimport, instead you can stream via Chromecast and DLNA in local networks. Bluetooth is available in the current version 4.2 and you also get NFC. Another handy feature is the reliable fingerprint scanner at the back of the smartphone as well as the multi-colored notification LED next to the front camera.

Top: 3.5 mm headset jack
Top: 3.5 mm headset jack
Bottom: USB Type-C
Bottom: USB Type-C
Left: SIM slot (Nano-SIM)
Left: SIM slot (Nano-SIM)
Right: Volume rocker
Right: Volume rocker

Software

As it is usual for the Nexus devices, users will get updates for the operating system directly from Google, which ensures a quick supply with security patches and new versions. The Nexus 6P, which was released recently, has already got an update from Android 6.0 to Android 6.0.1.

Android Marshmallow has introduced small visual changes compared to its predecessor Android Lollipop. The most noticeable difference is that you can now scroll vertically instead of horizontally through the app drawer. You also get the Ambient Display feature, which is already familiar from the Nexus 6. It can show the current time as well as notifications on the screen via movement sensor, when you lift the smartphone, for example.

Many users will also like that Android now offers a rights management for apps. Users therefore have the chance to deny individual rights for apps - like the location or access to the camera.

Lock Screen
Home Screen
Folder
Appdrawer
View of recently used apps
Quick settings
Rights Manager
Software version
USB connection settings

Communication & GPS 

GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test indoors
GPS Test indoors

Similar to the Nexus 5X, the new Nexus 6P is also very well-equipped in terms of wireless communication: The dual-band AC Wi-Fi module managed gross transfer rates of up to 866 Mbps (2x2 MIMO) in a 5 GHz network with the Asus RT AC56U router. The signal quality was flawless and the range was above-average. The smartphone also goes all out when it comes to the supported frequencies, because you should be able to get a connection pretty much anywhere in the world. The smartphone also supports the fast LTE Cat. 6 standard (300 Mbps downstream, 50 Mbps upstream). Wireless data transfers with other devices are possible via the modern Bluetooth standard 4.2 as well as NFC.

The GPS module of the Nexus 6P also leaves a good impression: It will quickly find the location outdoors, and the location was also accurate in a one-story building with a flat roof. We checked the accuracy of the module on a bicycle ride and compared the results with the navigation device Garmin Edge 500. We can see that the smartphone is not quite as accurate as the professional device in the difficult sections like the bridge crossing, for example, but the difference of the overall track length is smaller than one percent. This is an excellent result, so the Nexus 6P should have no problems when you use it for navigation purposes.

Garmin Edge 500 - Overview
Garmin Edge 500 - Overview
Garmin Edge 500 - Section
Garmin Edge 500 - Section
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning Point
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning Point
Nexus 6P - Overview
Nexus 6P - Overview
Nexus 6P - Section
Nexus 6P - Section
Nexus 6P - Turning point
Nexus 6P - Turning point

Telephone & Voice Quality

Phone app: Dialing
Phone app: Dialing
Phone app: Missed calls
Phone app: Missed calls

Google has  not really changed the Phone app in the new version of the operating system: You still get the familiar functions like favorites, history, integrated phonebook as well as a search. You can also fade in a number pad for the manual input of numbers. The design is quite simple, which makes it easy to use.

The call quality was flawless during test calls in the 3G network of T-Mobile: The understandability was great and there was no annoying static. The smartphone user also benefits from the great sound quality of the stereo speakers. We were understood easily, even though the Nexus user sounded rather dull. The only curious thing was the switch from the hands-free function back to the normal call: The microphone sensitivity of the review unit was reduced for a few seconds, so our voice was too quiet during that period. The Nexus 6P is shipped without a headset, despite the pretty high price.

Cameras & Multimedia

Main camera HDR (click for original)
Main camera HDR (click for original)
Front camera HDR (click for original)
Front camera HDR (click for original)
4K video screenshot (click for original)
4K video screenshot (click for original)

Both the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X are equipped with a 12.3 MP camera (4032x3024 pixels) with a pretty wide aperture of f/2.0. The modules are supposed to be identical, so it is not surprising that the pictures of the larger smartphone are also impressive. The quality is particularly good under daylight conditions, where thanks to the enormous sharpness and amount of details, the camera can beat the comparison devices. There is naturally more noise in darker environments, so you can see some grain. It is also slightly more pronounced compared to the iPhone 6S Plus, for example, but the Nexus 6P is still impressive with comparatively sharp and detailed results - so we are moaning on a high level. The dual-LED flash of the Nexus 6P emits a slightly cooler and darker light than the Nexus 5X. However, this is not visible on the pictures - quite the contrary: The pictures that were taken with the flash often have slightly warmer colors thanks to the matching white balance. 

Two handy features are the quick autofocus as well as the quick access to the camera with a double tap on the power button, which also works directly from standby. However, the latter can also happen accidentally pretty quickly - when you put the phone in your pocket, for instance. Subjectively, the focusing of close ups in difficult lighting conditions was slightly faster compared to the Nexus 5X.

The current reference models from Google differ in terms of the front camera: While the Nexus 5X is equipped with a 5 MP webcam and an aperture of f/2.0, the Nexus 6P has an 8 MP sensor, but the sensor does capture less light due to the aperture of f/2.4. Close-range pictures under good lighting conditions are actually pretty good, although the quality will quickly decrease at longer distances and when it gets darker. Still, the sensor is more than sufficient for selfies.

Besides the normal picture mode, you can choose between "Photo Sphere", "Panorama" and "Focus Effect". Live filters or manual adjustments of ISO values, exposure, etc. are not available in the standard app.

The Nexus 6P can record UHD videos (3840x2160 pixels) at up to 30 fps. Similar to the Nexus 5X, the bit rate is quite high at around 41 Mbps, so the picture is hardly affected by compression artifacts. Therefore, still images look very good and show many details (see example screenshot). We had some software issue during the playback of UHD videos on the Nexus 5X but fortunately, there were no issues with the Nexus 6P. The webcam on the front can record in Full HD and the quality is usable, but there is a clear difference to the rear sensor due to the visibly lower resolution as well as the worse picture stabilizer.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
Screenshot of ColorChecker colors. The original colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.
Screenshot of ColorChecker colors. The original colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.

Color Accuracy & Sharpness

We use a picture of the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport under controlled lighting conditions to check the color accuracy of the Nexus 6P main camera. We did not edit the picture afterwards and there was no manual white balance.

Similar to the Nexus 5X, the blue and orange colors on the right side are particularly good. Most colors are slightly darker compared to the smaller sibling. The color temperature also appears to be a bit cooler in the grayscale presentation.

We take a picture of our test chart under controlled artificial light to evaluate the sharpness of the results. Once again, we can see the similarities to the Nexus 5X: The sharpness is excellent and there is hardly any decrease towards the peripheral areas.

Google Nexus 6P: Test image section
Google Nexus 6P
Google Nexus 5X: Test image section
Google Nexus 5X
Apple iPhone 6S Plus: Test image section
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
Huawei Mate S: Test image section
Huawei Mate S
OnePlus 2: Test image section
OnePlus 2
Sony Xperia Z3 Plus: Test image section
Sony Xperia Z3 Plus
Nexus 6P: Test chart
Nexus 6P: Test chart

Accessories

In addition to the powerful PSU with a USB Type-C connector (15 watts, 5V, 3 A), the box includes a 1.2 m (~4 ft) long cable with two USB Type-C connectors as well as a much shorter cable (30 cm/~12 in) to connect the smartphone with the common USB Type-A jack. You also find a small tool to open the SIM slot as well as several brochures (quick-start guide, warranty information, Google Play Music 30-day trial) in the box. Google offers several optional accessories like cases in its online-store. 

Warranty

According to the brochures, the Nexus 6P has a warranty period of two years from Huawei, but the battery and the power adapter are covered for only six months.

Input Devices & Handling

Unlike the Nexus 5X, where the display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, the Nexus 6P is equipped with Gorilla Glass 4. However, this does not make a big difference for the user, because both screens provide good gliding capabilities for the fingers. We cannot criticize the precision either, inputs are executed accurately and without delays.

Nexus smartphones usually use the standard Android keyboard, and there is hardly any criticism: All the important functions are available and easy to use. If you want to use special features, you can obviously download other keyboards from the Play Store.

All the hardware buttons of the Nexus 6P are on the right side of the chassis, similar to the Nexus 5X. They have a well-defined pressure point and do not clatter. The power button also has a perceptible surface structure, so it is easy to distinguish from the volume rocker.

The fingerprint scanner at the back is fast and reliable – failed first attempts were rare. The unlocking of the device is very comfortable with this method.

The operating system was always smooth, there were no stutters even when we closed complex apps. Thanks to the integrated position sensors, the quick display orientation is no problem for the smartphone.

Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard landscape mode

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The Nexus 6P is equipped with a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen with the QHD resolution, which results in a very high pixel density of 515 PPI. This is not the best result within the comparison – see LG G4 @534 PPI – but you will not be able to see a difference. Subjectively, all the contents are very sharp, and we cannot see individual pixels from a normal viewing distance. 

The luminance in the center is 363 cd/m² on a completely white picture, which surpasses the results of other AMOLED based rivals. The predecessor Nexus 6 is clearly beaten as well. However, the results of an even distribution of bright and dark display contents (Average Picture Level/APL 50) are more significant. The Nexus 6P manages an even higher result of 411 cd/m² in this case, and the results did not change when we activated the automatic brightness control. All the IPS-based rivals are even brighter, but cannot benefit from the extremely high contrast ratios that AMOLED screens manage thanks to the absolute black value.

362
cd/m²
372
cd/m²
386
cd/m²
353
cd/m²
363
cd/m²
376
cd/m²
349
cd/m²
356
cd/m²
371
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 386 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 365.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 363 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.34 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.03 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.23
Google Nexus 6P
2560x1440 px 5.7'' (AMOLED)
Google Nexus 5X
1920x1080 px 5.2'' (IPS)
Google Nexus 6
2560x1440 px 6.0'' (AMOLED)
LG G4
2560x1440 px 5.5'' (IPS)
OnePlus 2
1920x1080 px 5.5'' (IPS)
Huawei Mate S
1920x1080 px 5.5'' (AMOLED)
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
2560x1440 px 5.7'' (AMOLED)
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1920x1080 px 5.5'' (IPS)
Screen
Brightness middle
363
503
39%
274
-25%
566
56%
451
24%
352
-3%
335.7
-8%
583
61%
Brightness
365
498
36%
264
-28%
536
47%
446
22%
350
-4%
332
-9%
560
53%
Brightness Distribution
90
97
8%
89
-1%
90
0%
90
0%
87
-3%
89
-1%
91
1%
Black Level *
0.38
0.47
0.3
0.46
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.34
2.09
11%
6.99
-199%
6.17
-164%
3.84
-64%
4.95
-112%
2.33
-0%
3.55
-52%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.03
2.12
-106%
4.01
-289%
6.26
-508%
3.97
-285%
6.54
-535%
2.15
-109%
3.88
-277%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.27 97%
2.03 108%
2.48 89%
2.46 89%
2.27 97%
2.15 102%
2.2 100%
CCT
6429 101%
6621 98%
6329 103%
8171 80%
7283 89%
6943 94%
6184 105%
7280 89%
Contrast
1324
1204
1503
1267
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
65.48
58.07
59.05
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98.63
90.14
92.8

* ... smaller is better

The precise color representations of the Nexus 5X have already been quite impressive, but the Nexus 6P is even better: The average DeltaE deviation for the grayscale is just 1.03, and the colors are more than acceptable at 2.23 (ideal value <3). The color temperature is almost perfect at 6429 K (ideal: 6500 K) and the gamma value does not fall behind at 2.23 (ideal: 2.2).

ColorChecker (AdobeRGB)
ColorChecker (AdobeRGB)
Grayscale (sRGB)
Grayscale (sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (sRGB)
Colorspace (AdobeRGB)
Colorspace (AdobeRGB)

It is easy to use the Nexus 6P outdoors, as long as you avoid direct sunlight on the display, otherwise you will get annoying reflections and in some cases also colored interference patterns. The excellent contrast of the AMOLED screen as well as the comparatively high luminance for this the panel technology can otherwise ensure a comfortable visibility in bright environments.

Display under direct sunlight
Display under direct sunlight
Display outdoors
Display outdoors

The viewing angle stability of the AMOLED screen inside the Nexus 6P is almost perfect. There are no inversions due to the technology and the luminance decrease is very low when you look at the panel from the side. You can only see a colorful pattern from extreme angles, which should not be important in practice.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

While the smaller Nexus 5X is equipped with Qualcomm's hexa-core SoC Snapdragon 808, the Nexus 6P gets the high-end octa-core SoC Snapdragon 810 in the revision 2.1. The latter is based on four frugal Cortex-A53 cores (up to 1.5 GHz) as well as four Cortex-A57 cores (up to 2.0 GHz). The graphics are handled by the Adreno 430 GPU.

The performance of the Nexus 6P is quite decent in many benchmarks, and usually surpasses the predecessor Nexus 6 as well as the devices with a Snapdragon 808 SoC. Only the Linpack benchmark shows a clear outlier, but we could already observe that in the review of the Nexus 5X. Similar to this review, we believe that only the slower Cortex-A53 cores of the SoC are used for this test. It is never fast enough for the top devices, because the OnePlus 2, the Apple iPhone 6S Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ are usually slightly more powerful.

The Nexus 6P obviously falls behind the FHD rivals in GPU benchmarks that use the native display resolution. This can be seen in the T-REX HD Onscreen test of GFXBench, where the OnePlus 2 with the same SoC has an advantage of 42% – even the Nexus 5X with the slower Adreno 418 GPU manages higher frame rates in this test.

We have to mention that the results of the Nexus 6P can vary significantly depending on the load situation prior to the benchmark, because the SoC quickly loses part of its performance when it gets warm (see section Temperature).

AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
55718 Points
Google Nexus 5X
52923 Points -5%
Google Nexus 6
51812 Points -7%
LG G4
49941 Points -10%
OnePlus 2
58535 Points +5%
Huawei Mate S
47732 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
67512 Points +21%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
58869 Points +6%
Geekbench 3
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
4587 Points
Google Nexus 5X
3530 Points -23%
LG G4
3556 Points -22%
OnePlus 2
4804 Points +5%
Huawei Mate S
3970 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
4207 Points -8%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
4429 Points -3%
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1335 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1246 Points -7%
LG G4
1107 Points -17%
OnePlus 2
1140 Points -15%
Huawei Mate S
941 Points -30%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1317 Points -1%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
2538 Points +90%
Linpack Android / IOS
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
262 MFLOPS
Google Nexus 5X
242.5 MFLOPS -7%
LG G4
507 MFLOPS +94%
OnePlus 2
819 MFLOPS +213%
Huawei Mate S
282.5 MFLOPS +8%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1295 MFLOPS +394%
Single Thread (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
87.1 MFLOPS
Google Nexus 5X
80.2 MFLOPS -8%
LG G4
361.4 MFLOPS +315%
OnePlus 2
630 MFLOPS +623%
Huawei Mate S
129.6 MFLOPS +49%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
669 MFLOPS +668%
BaseMark OS II
Web (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
791 Points
Google Nexus 5X
769 Points -3%
Google Nexus 6
682 Points -14%
LG G4
881 Points +11%
OnePlus 2
923 Points +17%
Huawei Mate S
834 Points +5%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
993 Points +26%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1199 Points +52%
Graphics (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
2424 Points
Google Nexus 5X
2038 Points -16%
Google Nexus 6
2130 Points -12%
LG G4
1995 Points -18%
OnePlus 2
2631 Points +9%
Huawei Mate S
962 Points -60%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
2457 Points +1%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
4299 Points +77%
Memory (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1136 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1115 Points -2%
Google Nexus 6
421 Points -63%
LG G4
1558 Points +37%
OnePlus 2
1297 Points +14%
Huawei Mate S
1304 Points +15%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1298 Points +14%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1124 Points -1%
System (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1798 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1730 Points -4%
Google Nexus 6
1604 Points -11%
LG G4
2368 Points +32%
OnePlus 2
2536 Points +41%
Huawei Mate S
2129 Points +18%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
3321 Points +85%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
3925 Points +118%
Overall (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1405 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1318 Points -6%
Google Nexus 6
995 Points -29%
LG G4
1596 Points +14%
OnePlus 2
1681 Points +20%
Huawei Mate S
1222 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1801 Points +28%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
2206 Points +57%
Smartbench 2012
Gaming Index (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
4332 points
Google Nexus 5X
4369 points +1%
Google Nexus 6
2108 points -51%
LG G4
4118 points -5%
OnePlus 2
4325 points 0%
Huawei Mate S
4293 points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
4566 points +5%
Productivity Index (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
10823 points
Google Nexus 5X
8443 points -22%
Google Nexus 6
7468 points -31%
LG G4
8940 points -17%
OnePlus 2
10472 points -3%
Huawei Mate S
5932 points -45%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
16793 points +55%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
4716 Points
Google Nexus 5X
4324 Points -8%
LG G4
4579 Points -3%
OnePlus 2
4282 Points -9%
Huawei Mate S
4872 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
5130 Points +9%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
33 fps
Google Nexus 5X
38 fps +15%
Google Nexus 6
28 fps -15%
LG G4
24.9 fps -25%
OnePlus 2
47 fps +42%
Huawei Mate S
11 fps -67%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
59 fps +79%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
44 fps
Google Nexus 5X
37 fps -16%
Google Nexus 6
39 fps -11%
LG G4
33.7 fps -23%
OnePlus 2
48 fps +9%
Huawei Mate S
10 fps -77%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
78.9 fps +79%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
26876 Points
Google Nexus 5X
18898 Points -30%
Google Nexus 6
23368 Points -13%
LG G4
18821 Points -30%
OnePlus 2
22400 Points -17%
Huawei Mate S
9423 Points -65%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
23798 Points -11%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
27795 Points +3%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
34758 Points
Google Nexus 5X
22180 Points -36%
Google Nexus 6
25480 Points -27%
LG G4
23390 Points -33%
OnePlus 2
31858 Points -8%
Huawei Mate S
8931 Points -74%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
27549 Points -21%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
41615 Points +20%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
14983 Points
Google Nexus 5X
12451 Points -17%
Google Nexus 6
18113 Points +21%
LG G4
11178 Points -25%
OnePlus 2
10985 Points -27%
Huawei Mate S
11671 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
16117 Points +8%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
12854 Points -14%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1519 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1096 Points -28%
LG G4
513 Points -66%
OnePlus 2
938 Points -38%
Huawei Mate S
311 Points -80%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1253 Points -18%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
2318 Points +53%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1589 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1127 Points -29%
LG G4
440 Points -72%
OnePlus 2
846 Points -47%
Huawei Mate S
259 Points -84%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1176 Points -26%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
2601 Points +64%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1317 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1002 Points -24%
LG G4
1216 Points -8%
OnePlus 2
1517 Points +15%
Huawei Mate S
1051 Points -20%
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1627 Points +24%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1676 Points +27%
GFXBench 3.1
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
16 fps
LG G4
10 fps -37%
OnePlus 2
19 fps +19%
Huawei Mate S
3.9 fps -76%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
28 fps +75%
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
9.5 fps
LG G4
5.7 fps -40%
OnePlus 2
19 fps +100%
Huawei Mate S
4.4 fps -54%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
28 fps +195%

Legend

 
Google Nexus 6P Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994, Qualcomm Adreno 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Google Nexus 5X Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992, Qualcomm Adreno 418, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Google Nexus 6 Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 APQ8084, Qualcomm Adreno 420, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
LG G4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992, Qualcomm Adreno 418, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
OnePlus 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994, Qualcomm Adreno 430, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei Mate S HiSilicon Kirin 935, ARM Mali-T628 MP4, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Samsung Exynos 7420 Octa, ARM Mali-T760 MP8, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
 
Apple iPhone 6S Plus Apple A9, Apple A9 / PowerVR GT7600, Apple AP0064K (iPhone NVMe)

The situation changes in the browser benchmarks, where the results of the Nexus 6P are much better. Except for the iPhone 6S Plus, our review unit can beat all the comparison devices while the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the only Android device that can beat the Nexus 6P in Google's V8 test and the JetStream benchmark.

Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
8804 Points
Google Nexus 5X
8202 Points
Google Nexus 6
5271 Points
LG G4
7832 (6791min) Points
OnePlus 2
6955 Points
Huawei Mate S
4106 Points
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
7724 Points
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
15967 Points
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
530 ms *
Google Nexus 5X
657 ms *
Google Nexus 6
784 ms *
LG G4
719 ms *
OnePlus 2
740 ms *
Huawei Mate S
1042 ms *
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
689 ms *
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
223 ms *
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
4193 ms *
Google Nexus 5X
4734 ms *
Google Nexus 6
6124 ms *
LG G4
4771 ms *
OnePlus 2
6585 ms *
Huawei Mate S
11029 ms *
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
5067 ms *
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1743 ms *
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
116 Points
Google Nexus 5X
107 Points
LG G4
82 Points
OnePlus 2
80 Points
Huawei Mate S
73 Points
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
95 Points
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
190 Points
Google V8 Ver. 7 - Google V8 Ver. 7 Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
8622 Points
Google Nexus 5X
7553 Points
Google Nexus 6
6559 Points
LG G4
7818 Points
OnePlus 2
7650 Points
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
8801 Points
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
15529 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
47.4 Points
Google Nexus 5X
45 Points
LG G4
43.12 Points
OnePlus 2
44.29 Points
Huawei Mate S
25.41 Points
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
48.14 Points
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
118.7 Points

* ... smaller is better

Huawei uses a similarly fast storage for the Nexus 6P as LG does in the Nexus 5X. The sequential transfer rates are average within the comparison, but we can see a small weakness in terms of the read and write transfer rates of small data blocks. Nevertheless, the storage performance is significantly better compared to the predecessor Nexus 6.

AndroBench 3-5
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
11.79 MB/s
Google Nexus 5X
12.21 MB/s
Google Nexus 6
1.49 MB/s
LG G4
15 MB/s
OnePlus 2
13.94 MB/s
Huawei Mate S
17.74 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
20.95 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
20.1 MB/s
Google Nexus 5X
24.8 MB/s
Google Nexus 6
7.85 MB/s
LG G4
31.5 MB/s
OnePlus 2
21.87 MB/s
Huawei Mate S
27.25 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
89.9 MB/s
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
122.5 MB/s
Google Nexus 5X
98.6 MB/s
Google Nexus 6
18.46 MB/s
LG G4
153 MB/s
OnePlus 2
125.5 MB/s
Huawei Mate S
103.4 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
151.1 MB/s
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
236.3 MB/s
Google Nexus 5X
245.2 MB/s
Google Nexus 6
25.78 MB/s
LG G4
251 MB/s
OnePlus 2
234.2 MB/s
Huawei Mate S
144 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
383 MB/s
BaseMark OS II - Memory (sort by value)
Google Nexus 6P
1136 Points
Google Nexus 5X
1115 Points
Google Nexus 6
421 Points
LG G4
1558 Points
OnePlus 2
1297 Points
Huawei Mate S
1304 Points
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
1298 Points
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
1124 Points

Games

The Adreno 430 GPU inside the Nexus 6P is one of the most powerful smartphone GPUs you can currently get, but it also has to drive a high-resolution QHD panel. Complex games like "Asphalt 8" can be played well with the highest graphics settings, but we sometimes had the impression that very busy scenes in some levels were even smoother on medium settings. This is obviously criticism on a very high level of a very solid performance. Less demanding games like "Angry Birds 2", for example, are no problem at all for the powerful hardware.

Both the integrated sensors as well as the sensitive touchscreen work very well when you play games and the stereo speakers at the front are not covered by the hands when you hold the smartphone in landscape mode.

Screenshot Asphalt 8
Screenshot Asphalt 8
Screenshot Angry Birds 2
Screenshot Angry Birds 2

Emissions

Temperature

The Nexus 6P is a very cool smartphone with idle temperatures of around 27 °C (~81 °F) - the large metal surface that can dissipate the heat more effectively is certainly an advantage over devices with plastic cases. The maximum temperatures of up to 38 °C (~100 °F) under maximum load are not too high, either. The device gets warm in the hands pretty quickly, but it is never inconveniently hot. It seems that Huawei has done a nice job when you consider the earlier heat issues of the Snapdragon 810 as well as the much warmer rivals (OnePlus 2: up to 45.8 °C/~114 °F; LG G4: up to 44.3 °C/~112 °F).

We use the GFXBench Battery Test to check if these moderate temperatures are a result of excessive throttling. The test repeats the T-Rex test thirty times and logs the performance, the temperature increase and the battery capacity. The results show that the processor can only utilize its full performance in the first run, the second pass is 5% slower and it will continue to drop. The graph reaches the bottom after 25 passes, where the Snapdragon 810 loses around 25% of its original performance. There are similarities to the same SoC inside the OnePlus 2: The latter can maintain a steady performance for around three passes, but it will drop faster to the final value that is around 30% lower than the original result. The problem is that the chip has less performance reserves because of the QHD resolution compared to the FHD panel of the OnePlus 2. The throttling could therefore also be an issue after a while when you play very demanding games.

GFXBench: Performance
GFXBench: Performance
GFXBench: Frame Times
GFXBench: Frame Times
GFXBench: Battery
GFXBench: Battery
Max. Load
 38.5 °C
101 F
35.7 °C
96 F
33.9 °C
93 F
 
 38.8 °C
102 F
36.7 °C
98 F
33.9 °C
93 F
 
 37.6 °C
100 F
35.3 °C
96 F
33.3 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 38.8 °C = 102 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
33.8 °C
93 F
36.1 °C
97 F
36.7 °C
98 F
33.2 °C
92 F
36.7 °C
98 F
35.7 °C
96 F
33.8 °C
93 F
35.5 °C
96 F
35 °C
95 F
Maximum: 36.7 °C = 98 F
Average: 35.2 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  28.6 °C = 83 F | Room Temperature 22.3 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36.7 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.3 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

While the Nexus 5X  has only an average speaker on the front, the Nexus 6P is pretty impressive with its stereo system: Music sounds quite natural and much richer compared to many other smartphones. There are also hardly any distortions at the maximum volume. This is obviously an advantage for the hands-free operation, which is no problem. Thanks to the clever position of the speakers on the front, the sound is not affected when the device is lying on a table or in our hands.

There is no headset in the box of the smartphone, but you can still use normal headphones via the 3.5 mm stereo jack. The sound was excellent without any static.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Nexus 6P leaves a rather mixed impression in the consumption measurements: While the review unit beats many other high-end modules in the idle tests thanks to the comparatively low values, it needs much more power than all the other models under medium load. 

The included power adapter has a nominal output of 15 watts (5 V, 3 A) and can fully charge the 3450 mAh battery within 100 minutes. Wireless charging is not supported.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.09 / 0.19 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.83 / 1.09 / 1.17 Watt
Load midlight 7.49 / 9.51 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Gossen Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Google Nexus 6P
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Google Nexus 5X
Adreno 418, 808 MSM8992, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Google Nexus 6
Adreno 420, 805 APQ8084, 32 GB eMMC Flash
LG G4
Adreno 418, 808 MSM8992, 32 GB eMMC Flash
OnePlus 2
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 64 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei Mate S
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 935, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
Mali-T760 MP8, Exynos 7420, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9 / PowerVR GT7600, A9, Apple AP0064K (iPhone NVMe)
Power Consumption
-2%
-21%
-23%
-4%
10%
-6%
Idle Minimum *
0.83
0.55
34%
1.2
-45%
1.1
-33%
0.6
28%
0.6
28%
0.5
40%
Idle Average *
1.09
1.44
-32%
1.5
-38%
1.5
-38%
1.7
-56%
1.2
-10%
1.9
-74%
Idle Maximum *
1.17
1.9
-62%
1.7
-45%
1.9
-62%
1.8
-54%
1.6
-37%
2.2
-88%
Load Average *
7.49
3.36
55%
4.8
36%
6.6
12%
5.7
24%
4.1
45%
3.2
57%
Load Maximum *
9.51
9.76
-3%
10.9
-15%
8.8
7%
6
37%
7.4
22%
6.4
33%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

Despite the many new energy-saving mechanism like "Doze" and "App-Standby", which were introduced with Android 6.0, the Nexus 6P only manages average results in terms of the maximum battery runtime. It can beat the LG G4 as well as the OnePlus 2 in the more realistic Wi-Fi test, but the Huawei Mate S, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Apple iPhone 6S Plus last even longer. The situation is similar in the video test, where the review unit is once again beaten by many rivals. The result under load on the other hand is good: The Nexus 6P is at the top of the ranking with the Huawei Mate S. The runtimes are therefore pretty average within our comparison group.

The integrated energy-saving mode of Android 6.0 can either automatically be activated at a certain remaining battery capacity or manually. It will reduce the performance of the smartphone and reduce background activities. The user also has to do without the vibrate function.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
24h 07min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 15min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
8h 53min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 40min
Google Nexus 6P
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Google Nexus 5X
Adreno 418, 808 MSM8992, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Google Nexus 6
Adreno 420, 805 APQ8084, 32 GB eMMC Flash
LG G4
Adreno 418, 808 MSM8992, 32 GB eMMC Flash
OnePlus 2
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 64 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei Mate S
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 935, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
Mali-T760 MP8, Exynos 7420, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9 / PowerVR GT7600, A9, Apple AP0064K (iPhone NVMe)
Battery Runtime
6%
-17%
-16%
-5%
10%
5%
14%
Reader / Idle
1447
1775
23%
1153
-20%
1654
14%
1393
-4%
1124
-22%
1459
1%
1655
14%
H.264
533
555
4%
652
22%
501
-6%
580
9%
569
7%
714
34%
WiFi v1.3
375
412
10%
326
-13%
356
-5%
575
53%
501
34%
513
37%
Load
280
245
-12%
135
-52%
114
-59%
229
-18%
282
1%
223
-20%
197
-30%
WiFi
601

Pros

+ very good build quality
+ USB-C connector
+ fingerprint scanner
+ AC-Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 & NFC
+ accurate GPS module
+ very good phone functions
+ sharp pictures in daylight
+ great display with excellent colors
+ Android 6.0 and direct updates from Google
+ up to 128 GB internal storage
+ great speakers
+ USB type-A cable included
+ good performance ...

Cons

- ... but throttling under sustained load
- no wireless charging
- no video output via USB connector
- battery integrated

Verdict

In Review: Google Nexus 6P. Test model courtesy of Google Germany.
In Review: Google Nexus 6P. Test model courtesy of Google Germany.

Google's flagship Nexus 6P can impress in many respects. In addition to a powerful SoC, you get 3 GB of RAM as well as numerous current standards for wireless communication. Besides AC Wi-Fi with up to 866 Mbps, the smartphone also supports Bluetooth 4.2 as well as NFC and many mobile frequencies. In practice, it can convince with good phone features, a fast operating system, a great camera and a reliable fingerprint scanner. It is also nice that you get a very accurate GPS module. The high-contrast 5.7-inch AMOLED display, which impressed with excellent colors, is another highlight of the smartphone.

While the smaller sibling Nexus 5X is only available with up to 32 GB storage, you can also get the Nexus 6P with up to 128 GB, so there is enough space for large media libraries. As it is usual for Google devices, you cannot expand the storage capacity via microSD-card.

Despite the 3450 mAh battery and the clearly measurable throttling under load the average runtimes are rather disappointing. On the other hand, the device does not get too warm.

The Nexus 5X had already got a very good rating, and this is even more so for the larger Nexus 6P, because it offers all the virtues of the smaller model as well as better speakers, a larger panel and more storage capacity if necessary. Many users will also like the high-quality aluminum chassis.

You will have to decide for yourself if the advantages are worth the hefty additional charge of 120 Euros (~$131) over the new Nexus 5X. If you are willing to do without the direct Android updates by Google, it is also worth looking at the competition: The LG G4, for example, is already available for around 450 Euros (~$491) and even supports expandable storage as well as an easily accessible battery.

Google Nexus 6P - 04/13/2016 v5(old)
Andreas Kilian

Chassis
89%
Keyboard
70 / 75 → 94%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
49 / 60 → 81%
Weight
90%
Battery
89%
Display
89%
Games Performance
54 / 63 → 86%
Application Performance
54 / 70 → 77%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
79 / 91 → 87%
Camera
77%
Average
79%
88%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Andreas Kilian, 2015-12-31 (Update: 2018-05-15)