Flashback: the Motorola Nexus 6 was the best in the series and it changed Google

31 May 2020
Not necessarily for the better. Unlike the Nexus 4 and 5 before it and 5X and 6P after it, the 6 was a premium, expensive phone - just like the Pixels.

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wittywaste, 31 May 2020Having flashbacks of old android days. I never want to go b... moreFor someone who is currently using pre-2015 Android phones, I can so agree with you. Realistically, I'm able to get much faster performance but only if I flash any custom ROM with microG support. If I don't do that, it would lag like hell! Even using OpenGApps on my favourite custom ROM didn't help a lot either.

    "Of course, Qualcomm (seeing Apple's 64-bit CPU in the iPhone 5s from 2013) rushed out the Snapdragon 808 and 810 with 64-bit support, but we're glad that the Nexus 6 "missed out" on them."

    Remember when LG decided to stick with 808 for the G4? That is definitely one of the best decision to be made because Sony launched the Xperia Z3+ with the early batch of 810 and later officially admitted that it was too hot.

      AnonD-893029, 31 May 2020It was big by 2014 standards, but could be considered just ... moreWell, it seems the demand for larger screen phones have skyrocketed in recent years. See the below polls:

      2016 (ideal 5.0-5.3): https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_the_best_screen_size_is_between_5_and_53-blog-18002.php

      2017 (ideal 5.2-5.5): https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_what_is_the_ideal_screen_size-news-24995.php

      2019 (ideal 5.8-6.0): https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_whats_the_ideal_screen_size-news-34934.php

      The above polls make it clear that most users have changed their screen size preferences over the years. I bet if they ask a poll this year or next year, the ideal size would be 6.2-6.4.

      Personally i don't mind this, as I've fully adapted to the new norm. The only unfortunate part is that OEMs have stopped making compact phones entirely. That should not have happened. Options should always be there.

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        • AnonD-893029
        • sX0
        • 31 May 2020

        It was big by 2014 standards, but could be considered just slightly over overage size in comparison to today's androids, and that is just ridiculous.

        Am curious to see just how far further Android oem's are going to push this, can we expect next year's models to feature 7+ inch screens and be over 170mm tall??

        What about 2022's models, 8 inch screens, and so tall you'll start to need more than one ruler to measure it? And up and up from there...

        Is that what people really want? think about it, if this current trend continues they might as well just start sticking SIM card slots into TV's because people will soon be carrying around equivalent sized device's anyhow.

        In its day the Nexus 6 was very much the exception to the size rule, but ludicrously large Android device's are very quickly becoming the norm.

          I agree about the title. Nexus 6 was truly the best from the Nexus lineup. Not only that, it was one of the best phones of it's time, and is one of the most fully-featured phones to date

          Stylish design with solid build quality. Slim bezels with loud stereo speakers. A large 1440p AMOLED screen, and yet easy to hold thanks to a curved back panel that goes easy on the palm. A large enough battery with good battery timing. Capable specs for it's time, making it the ideal phone for multimedia consumption & gaming. Modern software supported thanks to custom ROMs. Decent camera (although this was definitely the weakest aspect of it). It just about had everything one could ask for.

          I loved this phone. My mom loved it too, and never gave up on it. She still has it as a spare phone, although it has a cracked screen. Still works fine though. :)

            wittywaste, 31 May 2020Having flashbacks of old android days. I never want to go b... moreYou'd rather have the gimmickry trash phones of today. I love technology, but phones were far more practical & useful 5-6 years ago than the flashy crap they're making today. If it were upto me, I'd just re-release old phones with new internals like how Apple did with the iPhone SE.

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              • Hiten
              • GRT
              • 31 May 2020

              I still have my nexus 5. I would still say it has best flash for camera keeping other things apart. Battery had avg performance.

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                • Anonymous
                • gBV
                • 31 May 2020

                "It allowed Google to create its first HDR+ mode"
                Not true, the Nexus 5 alread got HDR+.

                "a 13MP sensor with fairly large 1.4µm pixels"
                No, the pixel size was 1.12 micrometer, Gsmarena's specs are wrong. Though the Nexus 5x/6p had a 12 megapixel sensor with 1.55 micrometer pixels.

                I don't have a Nexus 5 or Nexus 6, but a Nexus 5x and a Pixel 3a and I prefer the camera of the Nexus 5x. I also have access to an iPhone 6s and the Nexus is in a completely different league than the 6s.
                The dynamic range of the Nexus 5x in HDR+ On mode is basically identical to the dynamic range of the Pixel 3a in its zero shutter lag HDR+ mode, in some cases even slightly better. The main advantage of the Pixel 3a is zooming in low-light conditions with HDR+ enhanced (they fixed the zoom quality with the update to Android 10). I nearly never use the zero shutter lag HDR+ because it often doesn't perform better than the Nexus in low-light conditions. HDR+ enhanced is a fast Night Sight mode, the Pixel 4 doesn't have HDR+ enhanced.
                As a whole I prefer the camera of the Nexus 5x. Colors are better and more consistent, there are even white balance presets, which the 3a doesn't have anymore. Autofocus/lens is better, too , occasionally the 3a doesn't focus 100% correctly in perfect light conditions, that's very frustrating.

                The Nexus 5x camera is extremely underrated because the default mode wasn't HDR+. In its default mode it only used HDR+ in low-light conditions because you could only take three HDR+ photos within a few seconds. Then you had to wait several seconds before you could take an HDR+ photo again. When it doesn't choose HDR+, the image quality is terrible, so the Nexus must be used in its HDR+ On mode all the time. There is no disadvantage, just like the Pixel 3a HDR+ it basically has no issues with moving objects.
                HDR+ was basically the first successful smartphone "night mode" and it works in all light conditions.

                  Having flashbacks of old android days. I never want to go back. Awful!

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                    • Anonymous
                    • Lj%
                    • 31 May 2020

                    Design was much better than ugly galaxy S series.

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                      • Irfan Manik
                      • tx4
                      • 31 May 2020

                      Still have this beautiful phone.. Really miss nexus series

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