The largest, most powerful and most expensive of the Googlephone family
Mobile devices of the Google Nexus family have always been characterized as quite advanced devices in technical terms, sold at a lower price than competing solutions of the corresponding level. Perhaps, this combination of affordable price and high quality products of the Nexus brand won the hearts of their fans. Until recently, there were enough people in the world who were ready to change their old Nexus device exclusively for another newer Nexus, and nothing else. But all good things come to an end: with the release of the next “Googlephone” at serial number 6, the era of cheap Nexus has also ended. The new Google smartphone from the Nexus series is offered at a price no less than that of its top counterparts in the market. And this does not benefit our hero: many owners of Nexus devices used to be ready to turn a blind eye to the austerity of the “clean” Android interface and the absence of many convenient software improvements and additional pre-installed applications that manufacturers of other smartphones vying and offered in large numbers in their products. Now the new Nexus has practically no trump cards left: in view of the lack of price advantage, competing flagships of world brands will now have to fight on equal terms.
For the production of smartphones under the Nexus label for Google, many well-known manufacturers took their time: HTC, Samsung, LG, and now the turn has come to Motorola. At the American Motorola, it should be noted, things have not been going very well lately: the company managed to sell twice in a very short period, and now it belongs to the Chinese manufacturer Lenovo. But the legendary American trademark is still afloat: it is its logo, and not Lenovo, that flaunts on the new Nexus 6 device.
Video review
To get started, we suggest watching our video review of the Google Nexus 6 smartphone:
Now let's look at the characteristics of new items.
Key Features of Google Nexus 6 (XT1100)
| Google Nexus 6 | Apple iPhone 6 Plus | Meizu MX4 Pro | Huawei Ascend Mate 7 | Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro | Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (N910C) | |
| Screen | 5.96" AMOLED | 5.5" IPS | 5.5" IPS | 6" IPS | 6" IPS | 5.7″ Super AMOLED |
| Permission | 2560×1440, 493 ppi | 1920×1080, 401ppi | 2560×1536, 546 ppi | 1920×1080, 367 ppi | 2560×1440, 490ppi | 2560×1440, 515ppi |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 (4x Krait 450 @2.7GHz) | Apple A8 @1.4 GHz (2 cores, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture) | Samsung Exynos 5430 (4x Cortex-A15 @2.0GHz + 4x Cortex-A7 @1.5GHz) | HiSilicon Kirin 925 (4x Cortex-A15 @1.7GHz + 4x Cortex-A7 + i3) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4x Krait 400 @2.5GHz) | Samsung Exynos 5433 (4x Cortex-A57 @1.9GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @1.3GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 420 | PowerVR GX6650 or GX6450 | Mali T628 MP6 | Mali-T628 MP4 | Adreno 330 | Mali-T760 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 1 GB | 3 GB | 2 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB |
| Flash memory | 32/64 GB | 16/64/128 GB | 16/32/64 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory card support | No | No | No | microSD | No | microSD |
| Operating system | Google Android 5.0 | Apple iOS 8 | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 |
| Battery | non-removable, 3220 mAh | non-removable, 2915 mAh | non-removable, 3350 mAh | non-removable, 4100 mAh | non-removable, 4000 mAh | removable, 3220 mAh |
| cameras | rear (13 MP; video 4K), front (2 MP) | rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (1.2 MP) | rear (20.7 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP) | rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP) | rear (16 MP; video 4K), front (5 MP) | rear (16 MP; video 4K), front 3.7 MP) |
| Dimensions and weight | 159×83×10.1mm, 184g | 158×78×7.1mm, 172g | 150×77×9.0mm, 158g | 157×81×7.9mm, 185g | 156×81×7.7mm, 181g | 154×79×8.5mm, 176g |
| average price | T-11153512 | T-11031637 | T-11852174 | T-11036156 | T-11157888 | T-11028898 |
| Google Nexus 6 Deals | L-11153512-10 | |||||
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 (APQ8084), 4 cores Krait 450 @2.7 GHz
- GPU Adreno 420 @500 MHz
- Operating system Android 5.0.1 Lollipop
- Touchscreen AMOLED 5.96″, 2560 × 1440, 493 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 3 GB, internal memory 32/64 GB
- SIM cards: Nano-SIM (1 pc.)
- GSM communication 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- Communication 3G HSDPA 850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100 MHz
- Data transmission LTE TD-LTE B41; FDD-LTE B1/3/5/7/8/20
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac MIMO (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct
- Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
- GPS, A-GPS, Glonass
- USB 2.0
- Camera 13 MP, f/2.0, autofocus, stabilizer, 4K video
- Camera 2 MP (front), f/2.2, fixed focus
- Gyroscope, proximity, lighting, gravity, electronic compass, barometer
- Qi wireless charging support
- Battery 3220 mAh, non-removable
- Dimensions 159×83×10.1 mm
- Weight 184 g
Contents of delivery
Nexus 6 goes on sale in a very voluminous cardboard box with a small inner compartment for a poor set of accessories, the rest of the space in this huge box is not occupied by anything.
The accessory kit consists of a very large and powerful fast charger (Turbo Charger, 2A output) and a Micro-USB connection cable. In addition, in the kit you can find only a key to remove the SIM-card and a weighty multi-page paper service book.
Appearance and usability
Since the Nexus 6 was made with the participation of Motorola, its design echoes the current line of smartphones from this brand. Especially the device is similar to the new Motorola X, although there is an intersection with last year's modification. The rear wall is strongly curved, the body becomes much thinner towards the sides, but in the middle its thickness reaches a whole centimeter or even more. So, in general, the device is thick, but due to the narrowed side faces, this thickness is visually and tactilely leveled. The metal frame on the top end has a wave-like curve, the corners of the body are strongly rounded, the shape of the sloping back is unusual, the materials are chosen with taste - the design of the Nexus 6 is very spectacular, more interesting than many.
As for the materials of manufacture, most of it is hard matte plastic, framed on the sides by an aluminum frame. The frame is entirely painted, no chamfers have been removed, one can only guess about the structure of the material. As for the plastic, although it is matte, it is extremely easily soiled: fingerprints instantly cover the entire back surface, which is rather big for the Nexus 6. The assembly does not raise any complaints, there are no squeaks and backlashes, there are no cracks and deflections either, everything is assembled and fitted perfectly.
The smartphone turned out to be incredibly large in size - this is perhaps the largest mobile device among the top brands to date, which is more suitable for the title of a tablet phone (in English “phablet”). The smartphone is very wide, it is absolutely impossible to control it with one hand, the mass of the device is also large. If you really want to, you can put the Nexus 6 in your pocket, but moving around, let alone crouching, will, of course, be problematic. In general, it is rather difficult to understand what the developers were guided by when releasing the “largest smartphone”, but this is already really somewhere beyond the bounds of reason.
The case of the Nexus 6 is monolithic, the back cover is non-removable, the SIM card habitually enters the slot on a sled and is removed using a paperclip key. The sled, by the way, looks unusual: they have a kind of clamping mechanism. The SIM card is used here in the Nano-SIM format, the device supports only one card, and traditionally there was no place for a memory card either. Since the device also does not support the connection of external flash drives to the USB port in the normal mode, the user only has to choose the appropriate amount of memory (32 or 64 GB) once and for all - after all, it cannot be further increased by any means. However, if you get root rights and put , then the USB OTG mode will work.
The SIM card slot is located this time not on the side, but in the upper end, right next to the headphone jack (3.5 mm). The Micro-USB connector is embedded in the bottom end. The outputs and connectors of the Nexus 6 are not covered by any plugs, although the company website mentions the presence of a smartphone protection against water. But this, most likely, is only protection against drops and splashes, and you should not completely immerse the device in water - in any case, compliance with specific protection standards for this smartphone has not been declared.
On the back of the smartphone, you can find only a large camera window, framed by a transparent ring. Under the ring there are two bright LEDs, so it plays the role of a circular flash. There is a program in the quick access panel that turns the flash into a flashlight. Here, both Motorola and Nexus logos are located on the back wall, they occupy a very noticeable part of the total area of the back surface.
There are no sound grilles on the back side, the speakers have moved to the front side: there are two of them, they are located above and below the screen and are covered with thin plates protruding noticeably outwards. The plates protruding beyond the case are a rather controversial design element, but otherwise there is nothing to complain about. The tinted glass here has sloping edges, so it gives the impression of a nice domed tinted glass.
There is no LED notification sensor above the screen, but the smartphone has an interesting and convenient mode, in which tiles with incoming messages are shown on the screen on a black and white background, and if you take the device in your hand, the messages will automatically appear, and then you can swipe glass in any direction to finally unlock the screen. This is a very handy function in real use, which solves a lot of problems. At least, the lock button now has to be groped on the case twice as often. In Russian, this function is called in the settings "Prohibition of sleep mode" (in the original - "Ambient Display"). However, this does not at all eliminate the inconvenience due to the lack of an LED notification sensor: when an incoming event occurs, the sensor shines or blinks constantly, but here the message on the screen flashed once and disappeared, so it’s impossible to understand from the device lying on the table whether there are missed events. It is curious that in fact (RGB LED), and it is installed right behind the upper grille of the speaker, however, it can only be used.
There are no control buttons on the body under the screen, they have moved to the screen, and the block with virtual buttons can be removed and returned back using gestures, which is convenient. The side frames around the screen are not particularly thin, but the lower segment under the screen is really very narrow, only about 10 mm, even despite the speaker embedded here.
The mechanical volume and lock keys are located on the same right side very close to each other. In order to distinguish one button from another by touch, one of them has a ribbed surface. The keys themselves are quite thin and medium-sized, but they protrude from the body to a decent height, have a pleasant springy stroke and a distinct response, so in general there are no complaints about the controls in the Nexus 6.
As for the possibility of customizing the appearance of a smartphone, which is offered when buying devices from Motorola itself, there is nothing like that in the case of the Nexus 6. You can not choose any color or cover material - more precisely, the user is given a choice of only two standard colors: white (Cloud White) and black (Midnight Blue).
Screen
Nexus 6 is equipped with an AMOLED touch matrix protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The screen dimensions are 74 × 132 mm, the diagonal is 5.96 inches, and the resolution is 2560 × 1440 pixels (QHD). Accordingly, the dot density here is 493 ppi.
The width of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the case is approximately 4 mm, top - 15 mm, bottom - 11 mm. The frames are generally of standard width, according to this parameter, the smartphone cannot be called particularly elegant, but the lower part under the screen is still record-breakingly narrow.
The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. The multi-touch technology here allows you to handle 10 simultaneous touches. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is locked using the proximity sensor. You cannot wake up the screen by double tapping on the glass; the user manual does not say anything about working with gloves.
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A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are comparable to the screen properties of Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Nexus 6, then they can be distinguished by size):
The screen of the Nexus 6 is slightly lighter (brightness in the photos is 118 versus 110 for the Nexus 7) and has a brownish tint. Note that reflections from bright objects on the Nexus 6 screen have a faint bluish halo that is slightly more pronounced laterally. The ghosting of reflected objects in the Nexus 6 screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, screens without an air gap look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. On the outer surface of the Nexus 6 screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, approximately like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
When displaying a white field in full screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was 260 cd/m², the minimum was 17 cd/m². You also need to take into account the fact that in this case the smaller the white area on the screen, the lighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, when outputting white on half of the screen (and black on the other half), the maximum brightness with manual adjustment rises to 360 cd/m². As a result, readability during the day in the sun should be at a fairly good level (we didn’t have a chance to check the possibilities). The reduced brightness level allows you to use the device without any problems even in complete darkness. Automatic brightness control works according to the light sensor (it is located to the left of the slot of the upper front speaker). You can make adjustments to how this function works by moving the brightness adjustment slider. Next, for the three conditions, we present the screen brightness values for the three values \u200b\u200bof this setting - for 0, 50% (approximately) and 100%. In complete darkness in automatic mode, the brightness decreases to 1, 20 and 105 cd / m², respectively (the first - the screen is almost off, the second - normal, the third - bright), in an office lit by artificial light (about 400 lux), the brightness is set to 11, 85 and 175 cd/m² (the first is a bit dark, the other two values are normal), in a bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) - rises to 260 cd/m² independently from the position of the slider (this is the maximum that is needed). The results obtained allow us to conclude that the light sensor works correctly.
Only at a very low brightness level is there a significant modulation at 236.5 Hz. The figure below shows the dependence of brightness (vertical axis) on time (horizontal axis) for several brightness values:
It can be seen that at maximum and medium brightness, the modulation amplitude is minimal and its frequency is approximately 59 Hz (screen refresh rate), as a result, there is no visible flicker. However, with a strong decrease in brightness, a significant modulation appears with a not very high frequency and a large relative amplitude. Therefore, at low brightness, the presence of modulation can already be seen in the test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, such flickering can cause increased fatigue.
This screen uses an AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but the red and blue subpixels are doubled less, which can be denoted as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphoto:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
On the fragment above, you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), while repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without gaps and overlap. For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer considers the screen resolution based on green subpixels, on the other two it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the sub-pixels in this variant is similar to the variant in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen and some other newer Samsung devices (and not only) with AMOLED screens. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and stripes of green subpixels. However, some uneven contrasting borders and other artifacts are still present. However, due to the very high resolution, they have minimal effect on image quality.
The screen is characterized by excellent viewing angles, and although the white color at a deviation even at small angles takes on a slight blue-green tint, and at some angles it turns slightly pink, but the black color is just black at any angle. It is so black that the contrast parameter is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is good. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 6 and the second comparison participant, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K. White field:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:
The color balance of the screens is slightly different and the colors of the Nexus 6 are oversaturated and unnatural. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen. White field:
The brightness at an angle on both screens has noticeably decreased (in order to avoid severe darkening, the shutter speed is increased compared to the previous two photos), but in the case of the Nexus 6, the decrease in brightness is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness, the Nexus 6 screen visually looks much brighter (compared to LCD screens), since you often have to look at the screen of a mobile device at least at a slight angle. And a test picture:
It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens and the brightness of the Nexus 6 at an angle is noticeably higher.
Switching the state of the elements of the matrix is \u200b\u200bpractically instantaneous, but there may be a step on the front of the inclusion with a width of about 17 ms (which corresponds to the screen refresh rate). For example, the dependence of brightness on time looks like this when moving from black to white when the field is displayed in full screen:
In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use it is difficult to see these artifacts. On the contrary, dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high clarity and even some “twitchy” movements.
The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the shadows or in the highlights. The exponent of the approximating power function is 1.92, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve deviates noticeably from the power dependence:
Recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for light images in general and increases for dark ones. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely does not correspond slightly to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential grayscale output almost on the entire screen. In the above graph of brightness versus time, there is a drop-down section when going from black to white and back, that is, the brightness of the white field starts to decrease after about 0.3 s. This proves that additional brightness adjustment is always enabled in this screen, which in the case of finished products from Samsung can be disabled. Motorola either voluntarily removed the user's choice or was banned from doing so by the screen supplier, Samsung. Similar speculations can be made for the possibility of choosing a profile, in particular hardware reduction of color gamut: Samsung tablets / smartphones have profiles in the screen settings, Nexus 6 and most non-Samsung smartphones with AMOLED screens do not. As a result, the color gamut of the Nexus 6 is very wide:
The spectra of the components (that is, the spectra of pure red, green, and blue colors) are very well separated:
Note that on screens with a wide color gamut without proper color correction, normal images optimized for sRGB devices look unnaturally saturated. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good. The color temperature is almost equal to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) in most of the gray scale remains below 10 units, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of the color balance:
(The darkest areas of the gray scale in most cases can be ignored, since there the color balance does not matter much, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
Let's summarize. The screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and has good anti-glare properties, so the device, most likely, can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is permissible to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works quite adequately. The advantages of the screen include a good oleophobic coating and a color balance close to the standard. At the same time, let's recall the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected on the screen), good white field uniformity, noticeably less than that of LCDs, a drop in image brightness when viewed from an angle. The disadvantages include flickering of the screen, which manifests itself at very low brightness. Users who are particularly sensitive to flicker may experience fatigue as a result. The negative properties include an overly wide color gamut, which makes ordinary images look unnatural. However, overall the screen quality is high.
Sound
In terms of sound, the Nexus 6 was a pleasant surprise, especially after its predecessor, the Nexus 5, which was very unsuccessful in this regard. The device has two front-facing stereo speakers, they sound extremely loud, the sound at maximum power remains clear, without wheezing and impurities, and is not deprived of low frequencies. In headphones, the sound is also loud and clear, thick, bright and rich, listening to musical compositions is a pleasure, although branded headphones were greedy to put in a regular set. To play melodies here, of course, only the proprietary Play Music player with elementary settings in the form of an equalizer is provided. There is no radio in the device, the smartphone cannot record telephone conversations from the line.
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Camera
The front camera in the Nexus 6 has only a 2-megapixel matrix and an f / 2.2 lens, takes pictures in 1920 × 1080, and shoots video (1080p) with the same resolution. Accordingly, the quality of selfie shooting is rather modest, modern Chinese top-level smartphones are often equipped with 5-megapixel front modules and various programs for embellishments, but here everything is much simpler.
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The main 13-megapixel camera has the well-known Sony IMX 214 module, an f / 2.0 lens with optical stabilization (OIS), autofocus and dual LED flash. The camera control menu in the proprietary interface of the new version of Android 5.0 is perhaps the most inconvenient of all on the market. The arrangement of the interface is concise to disgrace and everything is based on gestures. Initially, no elements are visible on the viewfinder screen at all - in order to select and change something, you need to pull out the menu with shooting modes with a side swipe, and only then the familiar “gear” will appear to call up additional settings. That is, when taking a photo, there is no way to quickly switch to video shooting - you have to fish out hidden menus with gestures on the screen, and then switch to another mode, which is extremely inconvenient to do on the go, especially with hands frozen in the cold. Additional settings, for example, elementary switching of video recording resolution, can be accessed only by switching to the video shooting mode - there is no other way to find the corresponding menu, there is simply no general list in which you could methodically set all the settings to your taste. Additional modes include HDR+, background blur, and 4K video recording.
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The camera can shoot video at a maximum resolution of 4K, examples of test clips are shown below.
- Video #1 (70 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps)
- Video #2 (69 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps)
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The camera does a good job with macro photography. |
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Good sharpness almost across the entire field of the frame. |
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Sharpness is generally good, but a large area of blur is visible on the left. |
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Again, the blur zone on the left. On the right and in the center everything is fine. |
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Excellent long-range sharpness. |
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In this case, there is a large blur zone on the right, almost half a frame. |
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It happens that blur zones almost do not spoil the frame, then it can even be called excellent. |
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Even on complex objects, the sharpness is quite good. |
Unfortunately, in the sixth version of Nexus, the manufacturer failed to overcome the main problem of the fifth - the blur zone. They are quite large, mostly at the edges of the frame, appearing either on the left or on the right. At the same time, in general, the sharpness is good, sometimes even very good, so such oversights are all the more offensive, because of which the camera cannot be called a flagship in any way. The program copes well: there is no sharpening, and although the noise reduction covers the noise, it is not striking. It is not entirely clear to whom to write down the wandering zones of blur, but they are there, and very noticeable, and this is already an almost unsolvable problem on the scale of this camera. However, the camera is still good for documentary shooting, but you will have to look after it.
Telephone part and communications
The powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 hardware platform on which the Nexus 6 is based boasts all the most advanced networking and communication capabilities, including support for 4G LTE Advanced TD-LTE / FDD-LTE Cat6 (up to 300 Mbps), and dual-band dual stream Wi- Fi Qualcomm VIVE 2-stream 802.11n / ac with MU-MIMO, and Bluetooth 4.1, which supports all possible profiles, there is also NFC support. As a standard, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. The navigation module works not only with GPS (with A-GPS), there is also support for domestic Glonass (the Chinese Beidou system (BDS) is not supported in this case). There are no complaints about the operation of the navigation module, the first GPS and Glonass satellites are detected literally in a matter of seconds. Among the smartphone's sensors is a magnetic field sensor (Hall sensor), on the basis of which the much-needed digital compass in navigation programs works. Of the minuses, one can only note the lack of the ability to connect external OTG devices in the normal mode, but this is a proprietary feature traditional for members of the Nexus family: “We do not support memory cards, we also do not support connecting flash drives - buy and use paid online content.”
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The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts, there is also support for continuous input such as Swype. For those who find it inconvenient to work with such a large screen, there are no options to reduce the size of the virtual keyboard - one of the costs of the "clean" interface of the proprietary Google Android.
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OS and software
As a system, the device uses the latest version of the Google Android software platform in the form that its creators from Google intended - the untouched hand of third-party developers. Traditionally, Nexus series devices are the first to receive all the latest Android OS updates, so the Nexus 6 goes on sale and runs on the latest, fifth version of Google's OS, called Lollipop (lollipop), and even offers to immediately update "over the air » to version 5.0.1.
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The appearance of the interface of the new version of the OS has changed quite a lot, all proprietary services and applications are now designed in a single style, named by the Material Design company, where each of the individual design elements is an integral part of a single holistic concept. The drawing of all elements has become flatter, lighter and more minimalistic, bright colors have replaced gloomy tones. Each icon shares the same style, but it's not just about a new style or updated design. As conceived by Google developers, Material Design is a single concept designed to combine not only the appearance of services and services, but also develop a single logic for the operation of all applications, combining them into a “second reality” inside reality, with its own rules of physics and logic — continuation and development of the concept laid down in Google Now. The interface, perhaps, is too concise: there is not even an option to reboot the device - only a complete shutdown. On the top panel there is no visual indicator of the battery charge in percentage terms, there is no way to delete all running applications in one fell swoop, and you can also mention a lot of such annoying little things that deprive users of the comfort that alternative shell developers have long accustomed us to.
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In Lollipop, the notification system has been significantly redesigned and expanded. Notifications have gone beyond their own panel to the fore and are now displayed even on top of running applications in the form of sort of cards, each of which is interactive and clickable. The quick access panel to the most important functions, combined with the notification panel, has now become telescopically unfolded in two stages. You can also note the appearance of an energy-saving mode, which simply did not exist in bare Android before, and the ability to create user profiles - in other words, a guest mode in which you can transfer the device to another person without fear for the safety of your own secrets. As for pre-installed programs, they are traditionally not here at all, there is only a set of proprietary applications from Google itself, and nothing more. There is not even an elementary file manager - everything needs to be downloaded and installed from the online Play Store.
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Performance
The Nexus 6 hardware platform is based on the most powerful top-level single-chip system (SoC) - Qualcomm Snapdragon 805. The SoC includes four Krait 450 processor cores operating at frequencies up to 2.7 GHz. The modern high-performance video accelerator Adreno 420 is responsible for processing graphics in the SoC. The amount of RAM of the smartphone is 3 GB, which is still quite relevant for the flagship level. Approximately 25 GB of flash memory out of 32 nominal is available for the user's needs in the device (there is also a version with 64 GB). The amount of memory here cannot be increased using microSD memory cards, just as you cannot connect flash drives, keyboards and mice to the Micro-USB port in the normal mode. That is, the amount of built-in memory once selected is finite, and cannot be increased in any way.
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According to the results of testing in benchmarks, the smartphone demonstrated the highest level of performance to date, almost a record: according to AnTuTu, Nexus 6 overtook the Meizu MX4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 that were leading before it, standing on the highest step of the podium over all smartphones currently available in retail sales on Android OS. However, the winner of the Nexus 6 will not remain for long: the latest reports from the MWC 2015 show all new records. According to the information we received from the tests, the Samsung Exynos 7420 platform, which runs the Korean novelty Galaxy S6 Edge, gave better results in AnTuTu (65K points, and in 64-bit mode - all 70K), against which the power of Snapdragon 805 (50K points) fades a little.
Nevertheless, the hero of the review will certainly cope with any tasks assigned to him, including the most demanding games. The hardware capabilities of the Nexus 6 will be relevant for a long time, the power reserve is huge, especially given the absence of all sorts of software add-ons and shells that make the system work harder.
Testing in the latest versions of AnTuTu and GeekBench 3 comprehensive benchmarks:
For convenience, we have summarized all the results obtained by us when testing a smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks in tables. Several other devices from various segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
* - according to AnTuTu.
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Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark gaming tests,GFXBenchmark, and Bonsai Benchmark:
When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps). As for GFXBenchmark, the table below tests Offscreen - this is rendering an image in 1080p, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And tests without Offscreen are rendering images exactly to the screen resolution of the device. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative in terms of the abstract performance of the SoC, and real tests are indicative of the comfort of the game on a specific device.
| Google Nexus 6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 805) |
Apple iPhone 6 Plus (Apple A8) |
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Samsung Exynos 5433) |
Meizu MX4 Pro (Exynos 5 Octa 5430) |
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (Snapdragon 801) |
Huawei Ascend Mate 7 (HiSilicon Kirin 925) |
|
| 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better) |
Maxed out! | Maxed out! | Maxed out! | Maxed out! | Maxed out! | 9088 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better) |
23234 | 17954 | 15241 | 18043 | 16609 | 13749 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen) | 23 fps | 52 fps | 26 fps | 17 fps | 19 fps | 17 fps |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) | 29 fps | 45 fps | 38 fps | 25 fps | 27 fps | 16 fps |
| Bonsai Benchmark | 3633 (52 fps) | 3292 (47 fps) | 3019 (43 fps) | 3023 (43 fps) | 3737 (53 fps) |
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Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them depend significantly on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
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Video playback
To test the "omnivorous" when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect everything from a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.
According to the test results, the test subject was not equipped with all the necessary decoders that are necessary for the full playback of most of the most common multimedia files on the network. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, it also needs to change the settings and manually install additional custom codecs, because now this player does not officially support the AC3 audio format.
| Format | container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Regular video player |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280x720 3000Kbps, AC3 | Video plays fine, no sound¹ | |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280x720 4000Kbps, AC3 | Video plays fine, no sound¹ | Video plays fine, no sound¹ |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920x1080 8000Kbps, AC3 | Video plays fine, no sound¹ | Video plays fine, no sound¹ |
¹ Audio in MX Video Player only played after manually installing an alternative custom audio codec; The regular player does not have such a setting.
Video output features tested Alexey Kudryavtsev.
We did not find the MHL interface, as well as Mobility DisplayPort in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video signal playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) 720/24p
Note: If both columns Uniformity and Passes green ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven interleaving and dropping frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.
According to the frame output criterion, the quality of video files playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) to be displayed with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. In the case of files with 60 fps per second, one frame does not fit into this time period due to the non-standard screen refresh rate. What prevented the manufacturer from setting exactly 60 Hz remains a mystery. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on the tablet screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly on the border of the screen. The clarity of the picture is high, but there is no escape from interpolation to the screen resolution. However, for the sake of experiment, you can switch to the one-to-one mode by pixels, there will be no interpolation, but PenTile features will appear - the vertical world through the pixel will be in the grid, and the horizontal one will be slightly greenish. This is true only for test worlds, the described artifacts are absent on real frames. The brightness range displayed on the screen actually corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - in the shadows, only a couple of shades merge with black, but in the highlights, all gradations of shades are displayed. The fixed refresh rate and high dynamic definition mean that in the case of typical 24 fps cinema, the strobing of dynamic scenes is more pronounced than with LCD screens. We do not give an unequivocal verdict, but those who plan to use this smartphone, including for watching movies, it is better to find an opportunity to try it out on familiar video material, in particular, to assess their tolerance for overly saturated colors.
Battery life
Nexus 6 has a very capacious 3220 mAh battery, but at the same time the device is equipped with a huge 6-inch high-resolution display, as well as a demanding hardware platform with the highest performance - the most energy-intensive elements of any smartphone. So, according to the test results, the subject showed a very tolerable, but far from the record level of autonomy. You can’t exactly call the novelty a very economical one, but the battery charge should be enough for one light day. Testing, of course, was carried out in the most productive mode of operation without any restrictions, although, as mentioned above, now representatives of the Nexus family, with the advent of the new version of Android 5.0, have acquired an energy-saving mode.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D game mode | |
| Google Nexus 6 | 3220 mAh | 18:00 | 10:30 | 3h 40m |
| Honor 6 Plus | 3600 mAh | 20:00 | 10:00 a.m. | 4h 30m |
| Oppo N3 | 3000 mAh | 16h 40m | 11:40 a.m. | 3h 15m |
| Meizu MX4 Pro | 3350 mAh | 16:00 | 8h 40m | 3h 30m |
| Meizu MX4 | 3100 mAh | 12:00 p.m. | 8h 40m | 3h 45m |
| Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro | 4000 mAh | 13h 20m | 8h 40m | 4h 30m |
| Huawei Mate 7 | 4100 mAh | 20:00 | 12:30 pm | 4h 25m |
| vivo xplay 3s | 3200 mAh | 12:30 pm | 8 a.m. | 3h 30m |
| Oppo Find 7 | 3000 mAh | 9 a.m. | 6h 40m | 3h 20m |
| HTC One M8 | 2600 mAh | 22h 10m | 13h 20m | 3h 20m |
| Samsung Galaxy S5 | 2800 mAh | 5:20 p.m. | 12:30 pm | 4h 30m |
Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) lasted until the battery was completely discharged for about 18 hours, and with continuous viewing of video in high quality (720p) with that The same brightness level through the home Wi-Fi network, the device lasted a little more than 10 hours. In the 3D gaming mode, the smartphone adequately worked for just over 3.5 hours. The capacious battery is charged at the same time very quickly, the time for a full charge is only about 1.5 hours. The device supports proprietary Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology, but for fast charging you need to use the included charger. It is also worth noting the standard for all devices of the Nexus family, the presence of support for Qi wireless charging.
Outcome
In conclusion, it can be noted that the Google Nexus 6 is, according to its main characteristics, a truly top-end flagship smartphone with very powerful and modern hardware, high-quality case materials, excellent assembly, excellent sound and a good screen. The camera and autonomy indicators of the device are not bad, but nothing more. Of the additional super features that are typical for the most expensive and advanced flagship solutions of the world's main manufacturers, the hero of the review has practically nothing to note: there is no moisture protection, no fingerprint scanner, no stylus, or even an infrared port, not to mention the sheer scarcity of pre-installed software . True, there is support for wireless charging, but this is a small plus and doubtful for many - it will take a very long time to charge the smartphone in this way. The device is good, high-quality, productive, but it is clearly not capable of competing with the same flagships of Samsung and Apple, and at a price of $650 for the younger model, it will have to do it. In the domestic market, the price of the Nexus 6 ranges from 45 to 50 thousand rubles, and the same fate awaits it here: most buyers who decide to pay such an amount for a smartphone are more likely to give it away for an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy Note 4, such is the harsh truth of life.
Starting with the Nexus 6 generation from Motorola, Google's own line of smartphones has ceased to be popular. Prices have risen, and the features have become truly top-end. The return to the old did not happen this time either. The new Google Nexus 6P, whose production was farmed out, received maximum specifications and a flagship price tag.
So, in total, three options will be available, each of which differs in the amount of built-in memory (there is no support for memory cards):
- 32 GB modification will cost $499
- 64 GB will cost $549
- the maximum model with 128 GB on board will be priced at $649
The price list is relevant, of course, for the US market. And you can buy a novelty in the branded online store Google Store.
The all-metal case made of anodized aluminum received three colors: black, white and silver. With gold, and even more so with pink, in this case somehow did not work out.
The smartphone will be equipped with:
- USB Type-C charger (5 V, 3 A)
- power cable USB Type-C - USB Type-C / USB Type-C - USB Type-A (in the photo below you can see how the wires differ from each other)
- SIM card ejector
- supporting documents
- and a gift card for Google Play Music
It would not hurt to have an additional adapter in the kit from the latest standard to the usual Micro USB, but it didn’t work out. It will be supplied as a separate accessory for 14.99 euros.
The most important thing to know about the Nexus 6P is that we are dealing with a large, spade-shaped device.
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Huawei Nexus 6P (5.7'') |
159,3 |
77,8 |
||
| Motorola Nexus 6 (6'') |
159,3 |
|||
| LG Nexus 5 (5'') |
137,8 |
69,2 |
||
| LG Nexus 5X (5.2'') |
72,6 |
Someone may not like it, but at this stage of development, it is customary to equip the maximum devices in terms of characteristics with very large screens.
- AMOLED display with a diagonal of 5.7 inches
- resolution 2560 x 1440 (WQHD)
- dot density 518 ppi
- aspect ratio 16:9
Of course, the protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4 has a high-quality oleophobic coating. By the way, a regular, flat glass panel is installed here. 2.5D is not fashionable now, as other Chinese and not very companies do.
Now let's see what hardware, according to Google, should be installed in the flagship product. Full Specifications Google Nexus 6P look like this:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor (64-bit, 2 GHz)
- Adreno 430 graphics
- RAM 3 GB LPDDR4
- built-in storage 32 / 64 / 128 GB
- battery 3450 mAh (fast charge, at least 1 single battery life)
- sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, digital compass, fingerprint scanner, light and distance sensors, Hall sensor, event LED and Android Sensor Hub
With the main characteristics, everything is already clear, but it’s worth talking about the Android Sensor Hub in more detail, since this is a relatively new phenomenon for Android smartphones in general and the Nexus series in particular. This hub is a separate chip that has direct access to all sensors and sensors of the device. It collects data from them, processes, and, among other things, is responsible for informing the user about all notifications even when the smartphone display (I remind you, it's AMOLED here) is in power-saving mode. In other words, the co-processor consumes very little power, but informs the owner of all important events even when the device is in black and white dialer mode to save battery.
Wireless capabilities and interfaces:
- LTE Cat. 6 (FDD bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 19, 20, 28; TDD: 32, 39, 40, 41)
- Wi-Fi (802.11 ac) 2.4 and 5 GHz (2×2 MIMO)
- Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
- GPS, GLONASS
- connectors: USB Type-C, one Nano SIM slot, 3.5 mm audio output
There are two stereo speakers located on the front panel, as well as three microphones, two of which are in front and one in the back. The noise canceling feature is, of course, in place.
Of course, cameras are an important component of any modern smartphone. The Google Nexus 6P has an 8-megapixel sensor on the front with the following parameters:
- f/2.4 aperture
- single pixel size 1.4 µm
- HD video recording at 30 fps
The main camera received 12.3 megapixels, and each individual dot has an increased size of 1.55 microns. Shooting will be controlled by the native Google Camera app.
- f/2.0 aperture
- infrared focus
- 4K video recording at 30fps
- dual LED flash CRI-90
All this miracle works right out of the box on the latest version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Yummy, of course, will be updated as new assemblies are released to the public.
Design
The dimensions of the smartphone Nexus 6 inspire respect: it is very solid, one might say smartpad, judging by the diagonal.
The device is available in two shades: dark blue and white. In both versions, the entire back of the case is made of plastic. Although aluminum was also not without it, a frame was made from it around the perimeter of the case.
Display
The 6-inch AMOLED display does not produce the best color reproduction, although it is bright with rich hues. Matrix with Quad HD resolution (2560x1440) is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 3, slightly curved at the edges. Due to the high density (493 ppi), it will not be possible to detect pixels on the screen. The touchscreen detects up to 10 simultaneous touches, excellent sensitivity, no false positives.
Interface
The device received Android 5.0. The material design, taken as a basis, offers a modest design of panels and tiles in simple but bright colors. The list of running tasks looks quite impressive: it looks like a carousel of tabs that helps you quickly find the application you need - you just have to scroll through the list.
The design of many main programs has been changed: clock, phone, calendar, calculator and others, which are included in the so-called "Diary" set, are designed in the same style.
Device in operation
The smartphone received a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor with a frequency of 2.7 GHz and Adreno 420 graphics. The amount of OP is 3 GB, and the internal memory is 32 or 64 GB, depending on the series of the device. There is no slot for a memory card, work with USB-OTG is also not supported.
The interface works very quickly and smoothly, the quality of stuffing optimization is very noticeable.
Camera
The device received a 13 MP f / 2.0 Sony IMX 214 sensor with optical stabilization. Autofocus works well, pictures are saved quickly.
The device pleases with volumetric panoramas. In the settings, if desired, you can change the resolution of the pictures if you suddenly run out of free memory.
Front camera - 1.6 MP. For selfies or chatting via Skype, it is enough.
Videos can be shot in 4K or lower quality.
Wireless networks
The smartphone supports operation in LTE networks at maximum speeds with support for LTE Advanced. Wi-Fi with support for 802.11ac works equally stable in both bands. There is Bluetooth 4.1. and support for NFC, there is GLONASS and GPS.
autonomy
The battery capacity is 3220 mAh. In games, the smartphone is discharged by 30% per hour.
The device is equipped with a Turbo Charger. Thanks to him, a completely discharged battery can be charged by 25% in just 15 minutes. If you wait another hour, the smartphone will charge up to 95%. This is possible with the support of the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 system.
The device is also well optimized for video viewing: the charge will last for 10-11 hours of continuous playback in Full HD.
Results
The Nexus 6 smartphone, like its "ancestors", is not at all an ideal solution. It has enticing specs like pure Android (the latest version), interesting design, and wireless charging. But if you look at the cost of the device in the US, you can easily see that the phone costs almost twice as much as the old model. And now he will need to compete on equal terms with other flagships, differing from the general background that is only perfectly optimized Android 5.0. And the main advantage of the flagship Nexus - a combination of low cost and top performance - has sunk into oblivion.
Specifications Motorola Nexus 6
screen: 5.96 '', AMOLED, Quad HD 2560x1440 pixels, 493 ppi;
Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 2.7 GHz; Krait 450;
graphics accelerator: Adreno 420;
operating system: OS Android 5.0 Lollipop;
RAM: 3 GB;
built-in memory: 32 GB;
support for memory cards: no;
communication: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz || WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz || LTE-A Cat.6/LTE Cat.4;
wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, BT 4.1 LE, NFC;
navigation: GPS / GLONASS;
cameras: main - 13 MP, front - 1.6 MP;
sensors: accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscopic, illumination, proximity;
battery: 3220 mAh;
dimensions: 159.3 x 83 x 10.1 mm;
weight: 184 grams.
Motorola Nexus 6 smartphone video review
The new Googlephone, the Nexus 6, the reference smartphone from Google and Motorola, has a solid 6-inch QHD display. Even before the announcement, it was clear that the next representative of the "clean" smartphone industry according to the canons of Google is doomed to become a cult, because Qualcomm's top-end hardware - Snapdragon 805 - and the strict features of the updated Android OS version L are exactly what most people expect from the search giant in this area.
Despite the fact that Google has already stopped software support for the Nexus 6 and Nexus 5X, many unofficial firmware is still being released for them through the efforts of enthusiasts. Now, thanks to the efforts of the developers from the XDA team, the owners of these smartphones - albeit unofficially - have the latest build of 9.0 Pie.
Google employees introduced the Nexus 6 in October 2014. The smartphone received a six-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, a 13-megapixel camera, 3 GB of RAM and Snapdragon 805. Three years ago, the device came out with Android 5.0 on board. Today, the company's developers have released the corrected Android 7.1.1.
The final build of Android 7.0 Nougat is more than two weeks old, but not all devices in the Nexus line, not to mention all the rest, have received access to the update. This year, the "Corporation of Good" cheated the Nexus 9 smartphone and tablet, vowing to "roll out" the update over the next few weeks. Will we believe?
In addition to new features and 6P, which include a Nexus Imprint fingerprint scanner and a USB Type-C port, the new devices have corrected those qualities that made the Nexus 6 not too attractive. Google can not only attract new users to its phones, but also bring back the old ones who liked the Nexus 5, but did not show interest in the Nexus 6.
In 2012, Google bought Motorola Mobility. The event inspired a lot of hope, at least, users expected to quickly see the new "nexus" released by Motorola. The aspirations were destined to come true, only it had to wait much longer than expected. At the time of the announcement, users were in for another “surprise” - the new Nexus turned out to be not as affordable as they are used to seeing, the price of new products has become comparable to what other manufacturers will forgive for devices of a similar class. It turns out that the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 have exactly one feature left that sets them apart from the competition - the latest version of Android 5.0 Lollipop, which allows you to feel the real Google Experience. In the review, we will try to figure out why the Motorola Nexus 6 turned out to be so expensive and whether it is worth the money.
Equipment
Motorola Nexus 6 comes in an unusually large cardboard box. It is designed similarly to a tablet - a large number 6 is squeezed out on a white background. Otherwise, we have a realm of minimalism, underlined by the contents: a USB cable, a Turbo Charger, a paper clip and documentation.
Design and usability
The Nexus 6 is similar to the latest Motorola smartphones, and most of all, it's enlarged. This can be treated differently, but in general it is more good than bad. Nexus 6 received a similar metal frame and branded convex back with the Motorola logo in a small recess.
On the screen, you can see the grilles of stereo speakers with a plastic insert protruding above the glass surface, which allows you to safely put the smartphone with the screen down. The display is shifted to the bottom, which looks quite reasonable considering that most of the time it displays the virtual system control keys.
Almost in the middle of the right sidewall, it is easy to find a paired volume control key and a power button with a ribbed surface. The keys did not lift up high, so they will seem comfortable for both people with small hands and those with large ones. At the same time, the power key is always accurately identified thanks to excellent tactile sensations.
Other elements on the case include Micro USB, 3.5mm connectors and a NanoSIM card slot.
Among the available colors are dark blue (as in the review) and white.
Selection of materials and build quality at a high level. The design is rigid, all the details fit well. The plastic of the back cover is pleasant to the touch, but over time, small stains remain on it.
Since the Motorola Nexus 6 is a six-inch phablet, the size of the smartphone is impressive. It is somewhat larger than its counterparts, but the difference in the usability of such devices is minimal, they are very difficult to control with one hand. In the case of the Nexus 6, I would like to see narrower screen bezels, according to this parameter the smartphone does not look very modern, but thanks to the rounded lid, it fits comfortably in the hand.
Display
Motorola Nexus 6 received a 5.96-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels (493 ppi). The choice of this type of matrix is due to the presence of the Ambient Display function in the smartphone. When you lift your Nexus 6 off the table, a dim white backlight illuminates to let you know the time and see missed notifications. At the same time, a minimum of energy is consumed, because only the active pixels of the screen work.
In terms of objective characteristics, except for the very high resolution, we have a typical AMOLED display. The minimum screen brightness is 20.4 cd/m2 and the maximum is 297 cd/m2. Factory calibration accuracy is average for flagships. The screen of the Motorola Nexus 6 has a slightly lower color temperature, which gives the image a warm tone, lower gamma and a wide color gamut.
The overall color rendition has a slight greenish tint. Together with warm color reproduction, this may not be pleasant, especially if you are used to a more “correct” picture that good IPS screens give, but you get used to the display in just a day, and the difference becomes imperceptible.
Readability in the sun is at a normal level, the colors become duller, but the information remains readable. The quality of the oleophobic coating is average, the glass collects a certain amount of prints. They are not too noticeable, most screens of expensive smartphones have a similar quality coverage.
Screen comparison Motorola Nexus 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4:
Hardware platform
The heart of the Motorola Nexus 6 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset, which includes 4 Krait 450 cores operating at up to 2.7 GHz and the Adreno 420 video core. 32 GB, there is a version with 64 GB of internal memory, there is traditionally no slot for memory cards. Communication modules are supported by all current mobile networks, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC.
Among the actually sold smartphones Nexus 6 is one of the most productive. This is confirmed by both the results of synthetic tests and personal impressions. Everything is controlled by Android Lollipop version 5.0.1. You can get acquainted with the features of the latest version of the Google mobile OS in.
Calls, multimedia
In terms of multimedia capabilities Nexus 6 performs well. The quality of music playback is similar to other flagships, but the maximum volume is average - the smartphone shakes simple “gags” without problems, but when using on-ear headphones, such as Creative Aurvana Live!, the volume will have to be increased almost to the maximum.
The standard video player supports a small number of codecs, so it would be better to install a third-party solution right away. Moreover, you want to watch videos on Motorola Nexus 6 - the large screen and front stereo speakers incline to this. The latter stand out for their pleasant sound and excellent volume margin, they are of better quality than the speakers in and most other smartphones. According to this parameter, Nexus 6 managed to get as close as possible to HTC smartphones with their BoomSound speakers. In talk mode, the speaker has a good volume margin, it is comfortable to communicate in any conditions. The vibrating alert is slightly above average.
Working hours
Nexus 6 has a 3220 mAh battery in a non-separable case. Motorola very simply characterizes the operating time of the smartphone - about 24 hours in mixed use. These data are confirmed in practice. With an average load, the Nexus 6 will work for a day and a half, showing 3-4 hours of screen operation. This is far from the best result among modern phablets, but the record holders are usually equipped with lower resolution screens and more capacious batteries. In any case, “before our eyes” the smartphone is not discharged, even with active use it easily survives until the evening.
The nice features include support for Qi wireless charging, and a more useful feature is the implementation of the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 standard. Together with the included Turbo Charger, you can fully charge your smartphone in an hour and a half. The Nexus 6 gains the first 80% of the charge in an hour, then the charging speed gradually decreases.
cameras
The smartphone received two cameras. The main camera has a 13 megapixel sensor, optical stabilization, the ability to shoot 4K video and a dual LED flash inscribed in a transparent bezel around the camera lens.
The front has a resolution of 2 megapixels can shoot FullHD video. For shooting, the Google camera application is used, which has a minimum of possible settings. Like the LG Nexus 5, there's a dedicated HDR+ shooting mode enabled by default.
If we talk about the camera in terms of characteristics, then we will have a very typical solution. The smartphone feels like it focuses and shoots at a normal speed, but switching between normal shooting and HDR+ takes a few seconds, which is indecently long for a smartphone of this level.
The quality of photos in the daytime in natural light is good. When shooting indoors, the pictures are already a little worse, sometimes the smartphone takes longer to focus. It will be noticeably more difficult to get a good card in the evening or at night.
The front camera of the Motorola Nexus 6 is quite ordinary. Not the widest lens is used, but several people can fit into the frame without problems on an outstretched arm.
Results
The hero of the review turned out to be a pleasant phablet. Traditionally for Motorola devices, it received a high-quality case and excellent stereo speakers. Belonging to the Nexus series has ensured the availability of maximum performance and the latest version of the Android operating system. Perhaps, for fans of both American companies, it was impossible to create a better device.
On the other hand, the Nexus 6, like all previous smartphones in the line, is not without flaws, but now you have to pay full price for them without any discounts. It is the price that is the main drawback of this smartphone, because most competitors will offer at least the same quality for a much more humane hryvnia cost.
Liked:
Housing materials
High screen resolution
Great performance, up to 32 GB of built-in storage
Good stereo speakers
The current version of the operating system
Fast battery charging function
Did not like:
- Slightly specific color rendering of the screen
- Modest, as for a 6-inch phablet, operating time
