Update: Huawei Nexus 6P Review

Google Nexus program is still going strong and still win the heart of lovers of Android . It's always a surprise in which the manufacturer Google chooses every year , and the last Nexus is no exception. The Chinese phone manufacturer Huawei has been selected to build the Nexus 6P. The new name is certainly interesting; It is based on Nexus 6 manufactured by Motorola previous years, but adds a: "P" to represent "Premium".

Nexus Review, Nexus reviews
AN OVERVIEW

Model: Nexus 6P
Availability: Yes
Price: $499 on Google Store

Nexus 6P Specifications

Display                    5.7" AMOLED QHD (2560x1440)
Chipset                    Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (octa-core)
Memory                  3GB of RAM
Storage                    32GB/64GB/128GB, no microSD expansion
Rear Camera          12.3MP, f/2.0 aperture, 1.55µm pixels
Front Camera        8MP, f/2.4 aperture
Battery                    3,450 mAh (non-removeable)
Software                 Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
Colors                     Aluminum, Graphite, Frost, Gold
Price                       $499

Design
There is no way to avoid the fact that the Nexus 6P is a great phone. The 5.7 sized display alone implies that, although the upper and lower bezel extends beyond that to even taller, however, it is not in vain. The Nexus 6P features something that many phone don't - dual front-facing speakers. This makes watching videos much better because the sound is directed towards you, and creates a stereo effect.

The front is completely a glass panel, but as you turn the device, you'll get an eyeful of metal. Quite metal structure is a result of Google's premium initiative. Huawei has already had an advantage over the process of metal processing, so it was not a problem for the company to meet Google's requirements.

On the sides, the edges are aligned by nice, shiny chamfers. The finish on the back is very smooth and feels good in the hand. However, it is also a bit slippery. Our model of graphite, but also comes in matt gold, aluminum (silver) and Frost (white).

At the top, you will not be able to stop to notice an unusual choice for design. A glass strip contains the camera module and various sensors that won't work through metal. The section has a slight hump to it, but it’s fortunately not invasive and doesn’t impede on handling. The visor look may just not appeal to everyone.

Just below the circular fingerprint scanner, which is also surrounded by a nice-looking chamfer. Then under that, a subtle, horizontal “Nexus” logo is painted within the finish.

The power button and volume rocker are on the right side of the phone. They are not the firmest buttons, so you might have some accidental presses, but they have a good tactile click them. Fingerprint scanner can ignore the power button to turn on the phone, but you still need to turn it off. Unfortunately, there is no application-tap-to-after double / sleep.

Performance

Nexus reviews:
The powerful Snapdragon 810 octa-core chips with the latest version of Android (marshmallow) is simply an awesome matching. I urge you to find a more fluid and seamless experience on any other Android smartphone. There’s no stutter that I can tell, and scrolling within the Chrome browser or within an app just flies.

Storage-wise, 6P is available in 32GB, 64GB or 128GB of internal storage variants. Google is against expansion of microSD, so you will need to choose wisely. Fortunately, the operating system does not take up as much space as other phones with heavy software since the Nexus is a pure Android experience.

It's great to have two speakers that pull in the right direction (towards you). Even though the quality will not blow out (there is a lack of low-end), the sound can be very high and is integrated in higher amounts.

Display

Huawei uses the current samsung AMOLED panel for the Nexus 6P display. This is a good thing, because Samsung is without doubt the best smartphone when it comes to display. The resolution also coincides with QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) of the tendency of gems today. So, pop colors and images are clear and sharp.

I won’t say that the screen quite matches the brilliance of the Galaxy Note5 (and definitely, the more recent Galaxy S7 lineup). There’s a slight tint to the overall color and the screen doesn’t get as bright as on Samsung phones. It also means that the external visibility is not so good. But in the grand scheme of things, this is a good example, and most people should be satisfied.

Camera

The camera performance of Nexus phones have not historically been great. Therefore, on the Nexus 6P, Google made it a focus to bring the sensor up to speed with the rest of the competition. That effort was realized as not just numerous pixels, but large ones. The 12.3MP sensor boasts 1.55µm (larger than the Galaxy S7‘s camera) sized pixels (the typical size is around 1.12µm). The benefit of larger pixels is that more light can be captured by the sensor, countering those tough low-light situations.

I would say that the mission was accomplished for the most part. The 6P’s camera can pick up light where there barely is some, and maintain a composed image (as opposed to a grainy one). In normal conditions, the image quality is also great. Sharpness is where you’d expect from 12.3MP. The color reproduction aims towards natural/realistic (rather than vibrant, like on Samsung’s cameras). However, in dynamic range situation, dark areas seemed a bit too dark to me. Auto-focusing was also hit or miss in my experience. It sometimes didn’t focus correctly and gave me a blurry image.

Battery

Despite the Nexus 6P’s thinness, it’s no slouch in the battery department. There’s a considerable 3,450 mAh battery stuffed in there. That means that it should generally have no problem getting you through the day, and probably with some to spare.

My usage varied between T-Mobile’s network and WiFi, using common apps like Chrome, Maps, Camera, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Play Music, Feedly, and Messenger. I was satisfied that the battery drain was pretty consistent, and even more so that the phone barely sipped battery on idle. Google’s latest software utilized Doze, a strong power saving feature when the phone is idle over a long period. This helps the overall battery life significantly.

Software

Probably the biggest selling point about the Nexus program is the pure, stock Android experience. Android manufacturers typically take Google’s software and modify it to make it their own, but the Nexus 6P is exactly how Google intended its mobile software to be. In this case, the most recent build to come from the software giant is Android 6.0.1 (aka, Marshmallow).

On the Nexus 6P, Marshmallow is as buttery smooth as you’ve ever seen the Material Design user interface (UI) run. When you get to this level of fluidity, you understand Google’s goal with the flashy animations and transitions when navigating through the UI.

There’s a satisfaction that you get as actions seamlessly invoke an extra dimension. Elements slide or pop into view, and apps smoothly expand as they fill the entire screen. Swiping and scrolling is super quick to respond and seems effortless.

Huawei Nexus 6P

The layout of the UI is pretty simplistic. Google places the Google Now panel on the far left. Dropping down the top pull-down of course shows notifications, but pull it down again and you get your quick settings. The app drawer scrolls vertically and shows the most recently accessed apps on the top. The Recent Apps carousel is unchanged from before; you scroll through the list and swipe away any apps you wish to close.

Final Words
I think many would agree with me that the Nexus 6P progresses the Nexus line very well. Huawei has proven to be a major manufacturer of choice, offering quality metal accumulation and reasonable prices. The 6P camera performance is better than its predecessor, and can now stand up with the flagship competition. There is also a strong battery, despite the slim profile.

No one can claim the benefit of the software that Nexus phones provide. You will have a smooth Android experience and be the first to receive updates. However, Nexus phones are only sold through the google online store. This means you will not be able to check out the phone in a store before you buy it or get a payment plan from a carrier.