7 reasons why the two year old Nexus 6 is superior to the brand new Google Pixel XL

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Yes, the title is slightly misleading, in that the new XL has higher spec internals and upgraded software and hardware features, of course. But the point I wanted to make here is that it isn't all one way - and it hasn't been for two years, with last year's Nexus 6P also disappointing.



Here's the check list then. Follow along with me!

  1. Screen size. Look at the montage above, you'd think that the one on the left was the newest because the bezels were smaller and the screen larger. But no, the left phone is from two years ago! The Nexus 6 screen is stunning, at the same QHD AMOLED and at a full 6", unlike the 5.5" in the new Pixel XL (review coming soon).
  2. Durability. The Nexus 6 is built by Motorola and is as tough as old bricks. You can't bend it, you'd have to smash the screen to really damage it in some way. In contrast the 6P was horribly fragile. In fairness, I haven't handled the Pixel XL yet, hopefully it's as tough as the '6'.
  3. Waterproofing. Linked to no. 2 above, the Nexus 6 is 100% waterproof. Drop it in the toilet or bath and leave it there for a few minutes. Fish it out and it'll be fine, thanks to nano-coating of all the internal components. The 6P wasn't claimed to have the same and real world tests have been varied, but I'd trust Motorola's nano-coating over Huawei's anyday - Moto has been at it for years. Meanwhile the new Pixel XL is only claimed to be 'splash resistant'. 
  4. Qi charging. The Nexus 6 has Qi wireless charging, just rest it on a charging pad and it's charging away, while the newer Google devices have to be plugged in.
  5. Optically stabilised camera. The Nexus 6's camera is almost as high specced as the newer handset's units, but has OIS, meaning that you can shoot long exposures in low light, up to a second or so if you have steady hands. The newer Google devices rely on software tricks (multi-exposures) to get close to the same effect.
  6. Front mounted stereo speakers. These are fabulous on the Nexus 6 for media watching. In fairness, the 6P had the same units, but the new Pixel XL has just bottom firing speakers, which won't be anywhere near as immersive when watching YouTube or Netflix etc.
  7. Price. You can pick up the Nexus 6 these days for as little as £200 in clearance or £130 second hand, while the Pixel XL is brand new and STARTS at £719 in the UK. Gulp.
Obviously I'm slightly tongue in cheek with all this, since the newer devices will be faster in terms of UI, but you can't help but give props to the old, now classic Nexus 6.

Is it just me?

Comments

Unknown said…
Steve where can you get the Nexus 6 for the prices you quote?
12:04 PM
Steve Litchfield said…
Tom, start on the likes of Amazon or eBay for brand new. If in the UK see also pscforum.co.uk
5:37 PM
Jay said…
if only the battery was removable..it would've been truly "the phone" to own..
12:24 AM
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