Mobile Technology

Nexus 6P vs. Nexus 6

Nexus 6P vs. Nexus 6
Gizmag compares the features and specs of Google's new Nexus 6P (left) and last year's Nexus 6
Gizmag compares the features and specs of Google's new Nexus 6P (left) and last year's Nexus 6
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Camera aperture (rear)
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Camera aperture (rear)
Battery
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Battery
Build
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Build
Physical camera shortcut
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Physical camera shortcut
Camera megapixels
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Camera megapixels
Color options
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Color options
Processor
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Processor
Dimensions
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Dimensions
Display resolution
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Display resolution
Display size
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Display size
Display type
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Display type
Fast charging
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Fast charging
Fingerprint sensor
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Fingerprint sensor
Gizmag compares the features and specs of Google's new Nexus 6P (left) and last year's Nexus 6
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Gizmag compares the features and specs of Google's new Nexus 6P (left) and last year's Nexus 6
Laser autofocus
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Laser autofocus
Optical Image Stabilization
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Optical Image Stabilization
Charging/data port
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Charging/data port
Starting price (full retail)
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Starting price (full retail)
RAM
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RAM
Release
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Release
Software
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Software
Storage
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Storage
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Weight
Wireless charging
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Wireless charging
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For the first time, Google is launching two new Nexus phones at the same time. Let's see how the flagship of the pair, the Huawei-made Nexus 6P, compares to last year's (Motorola-made) Nexus 6.

Size

Dimensions
Dimensions

The two handsets are about the same height, but the Nexus 6P is 6 percent narrower.

Technically the Nexus 6P is 28 percent thinner (and, make no mistake, it will feel much thinner in hand), but remember that last year's Nexus 6 had a more rounded back. Its depth measurement only counts its thickest point, so the discrepancy may not feel quite as wide as it looks on paper.

Weight

Weight
Weight

The Nexus 6P is only 3 percent lighter than its predecessor, despite being a smaller and thinner phone.

Build

Build
Build

Apart from that glass bar up by its rear camera, the Nexus 6P has an all-aluminum body. The Nexus 6 has an aluminum frame, but a plastic back.

Colors

Color options
Color options

Google and Huawei are selling the Nexus 6P in three different color options.

Display size

Display size
Display size

Here's something you don't see often: a new flagship phone with a screen that's smaller than the one it's replacing. The Nexus 6's display is 9 percent bigger than the 6P's.

Did Google decide that it went a step too far with that enormous 6-inch display last year? Was the phone confined to a more limited audience than Google had hoped because of its pocket-busting size? Whatever the reasons, a smaller (but still very big) display is what we get this year.

Display resolution

Display resolution
Display resolution

Though the phones have the same 1440p resolution, the 6P does have a slightly higher pixel density, thanks to that smaller screen.

Display type

Display type
Display type

Both handsets have AMOLED displays.

Fingerprint sensor

Fingerprint sensor
Fingerprint sensor

For the first time, a Nexus has a fingerprint sensor – a good fit for the new native fingerprint support in Android Marshmallow.

Unlike the sensors we've seen on iPhones and Galaxy handsets, the Nexus 6P's sensor is on its backside.

Storage

Storage
Storage

You get three storage options with the new Nexus 6P, jumping all the way to 128 GB.

Processor

Processor
Processor

The Nexus 6P has a newer, 64-bit Snapdragon processor. For what it's worth, though, we find the Nexus 6 to still be a very fast phone, almost a year after it launched.

RAM

RAM
RAM

RAM stands pat at 3 GB.

Battery

Battery
Battery

The Nexus 6P has the higher-capacity battery, though we'll need to get our hands on a review unit before jumping to any conclusions here.

Fast charging

Fast charging
Fast charging

Both handsets have fast-charging capabilities built-in.

Wireless charging

Wireless charging
Wireless charging

Here's another step backwards, as the 6P loses the Qi wireless charging that we saw in last year's model.

Camera megapixels

Camera megapixels
Camera megapixels

A 0.7 MP resolution "downgrade" in the rear camera doesn't mean the new model won't take much better pictures, as Google is advertising.

That higher-res front shooter, though, will mean sharper selfies.

Camera aperture (rear)

Camera aperture (rear)
Camera aperture (rear)

The 6P's rear camera sticks with ƒ/2.0 aperture.

Laser autofocus

Laser autofocus
Laser autofocus

Similar to several LG phones, the Nexus 6P's rear camera has laser-based autofocus.

OIS

Optical Image Stabilization
Optical Image Stabilization

No Optical Image Stabilization in the new model, though we don't yet know if that will have any noticeable effect on its shots.

Physical camera shortcut

Physical camera shortcut
Physical camera shortcut

Perhaps taking a cue from Samsung's 2015 flagships, Google and Huawei let you launch the Nexus 6P's camera from anywhere by double-tapping its power button.

Charging/data port

Charging/data port
Charging/data port

Until recently, it was a given that any Android phone would have a micro USB port, but Google is adopting the new (reversible!) USB Type C standard in the new Nexus.

Software

Software
Software

At the time of publication, the Nexus 6 is still running Android Lollipop, but Google says it will start rolling out the Marshmallow update in a week or so.

Release

Release
Release

Pre-orders for the Nexus 6P are already underway, and the first are scheduled to ship by late October.

Starting price (full retail)

Starting price (full retail)
Starting price (full retail)

Google is still selling last year's model for the same US$499 starting price that the Nexus 6P now rings up for, but head over to Amazon and you can shave $149 off of the 2014 model's price.

It's too early to say if the 6P is worth that difference (stay tuned for our full review), but, if you don't mind its enormous size, we can say that the year-old Nexus 6 still makes for a pretty good buy at that price.

For more, you can hit up Gizmag's review of the Nexus 6P and our Nexus 6 review from last year.

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