Nexus 6P Review

With the Nexus 6P you're getting a smartphone with a full metal jacket. Top and bottom, left and right edges as well as the back of the device are metal. Up front you've got a single pane of reinforced glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 4), and around the back you've got another pane of glass (the same glass as up front) to cover this smartphone's camera array.

Unlike past Nexus devices, this smartphone appears to have some sense of style. The LG-made Nexus 5 rolled with a design that was very utilitarian. The same was true (to a slightly lesser degree) of the Nexus 6 made by Motorola. In both the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X you can see Google pushing a bit harder for a more unified, fashionable aesthetic.

And it feels nice.

One of Google's big pushes this year is for the launch of Android Pay. A device which exemplifies an ideal Android Pay experience exists in the Nexus 6P – that's what Google was likely aiming for. To bring Android Pay to the people, they had first to deliver it on a device people want to own and use, and afford.

This device has a generous set of front-facing speakers, as all good smartphones should.

The display on the Nexus 6P is not as sharp as some smartphones that cost more money. If you're switching from a device released over the past few years, you're going to be impressed by the display here. If you're switching from – for example – a Samsung Galaxy S6 – you might notice the slightly less dense set of pixels.

The display on the Nexus 6P is 5.7-inches with WQHD resolution (2560 x 1440) pixels (aka 2K). That's sharper than most displays on the market today, and certainly on-par with the top displays on competing smartphones released as of the publication of this review.

As with all smartphones – one of the objects you use more often than anything else in your daily routine – we recommend you get your hands on the Nexus 6P before you buy it to make sure it's the right size and shape for you.

Unlike some "large" smartphones we've worked with over the past few years, this one doesn't feel like it's a disaster waiting to happen. Especially with Google's own Nexus 6P case, which I'd personally recommend you pick up at the same time as your phone purchase if you plan on making a purchase – especially at $34, this case has a surprisingly adequate amount of quality (in materials as well as damage resistance) for for Nexus 6P.

The entire device is creak-free. I can't believe I'm having to confirm that fact here in 2015, but several devices (that we have yet to review) have come up short as of late in the not-quite-solid construction department. Good news for you is that you probably wont be buying them anyway – with the Nexus 6P, you do not have to worry about any parts feeling less than highest-end.

The Nexus 6P launches with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, including a few tweaks to the previously released Lollipop, coming with one new near-universal feature upgrade: Google Now on Tap. With this feature you'll be able to press and hold your home button to see a pop-up from Google that analyzes your screen's contents.

Based on what Google sees on your screen, Google Now will offer you information. You can learn more in this demonstration as well as this brief explanation as well as the video below.

This system can be experience-changing. It can make you want an Android device instead of an iPhone. It can make you think your smartphone is actually aware of what it's doing.

Google Now on Tap is a game-changer IF you're willing to make use of it. You've got to remind yourself that your smartphone is far smarter now than it ever has been before. For Google Now on Tap alone we recommend you either upgrade the smartphone you have to Marshmallow immediately or pick up a Nexus 6P or Nexus 5X as fast as possible.

With Android Marshmallow you have a new feature called Doze. With this feature, your device will fall into a deeper sleep than it would otherwise whenever you're not using it. Because of this, you've got a longer daily lifespan on your device.

We're experiencing at LEAST one day's worth of battery life with standard usage. If you're the sort of person that cranks up the brightness and plays streaming videos with your mobile data plan all day long, you can expect a couple of full-length movies worth of time.

Have a peek at the article Android Marshmallow's best feature is a real snoozer.

ALSO NOTE: Charge speed on this device is fairly quick if you use the charger that comes in the box. Don't expect to be using Fast Charge chargers from other manufacturers with this device's USB-C cord and seeing quick results.

The good part of working with USB-C (or USB Type-C, if you prefer) is that you're not going to have to worry about plugging the device in the right way – there is no upside-down. The bad part is that you're going to need to pick up some extra USB-C cords from Google if you're the sort of person who misplaces cords easily.

The Nexus 6P does not work with a standard micro-USB cord like you've had in the past – that day is over. The age of USB-C has begun.

In its first release in Google's Nexus program, Huawei has hit a home run. They've created a device that looks and feels as refined as any top-tier smartphone here in the United States is able to produce. This from a company whose releases in the USA so far have been tiny compared to those of OEMs like Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, and even Sony.

Instead of recommending this Nexus device to the Android developers amongst you, only, I can wholeheartedly suggest that every consumer take it for a spin. While our Nexus 5X Review recommends there are better devices for lower comparative prices on the market today, here the Nexus 6P stands alone.

The Nexus 6P is currently sold out on the Google Store online, but should be back in stock soon (we suspect). When it's back, supposing the price is the same as it was when it left, this device will start at $499 USD.

In the box you'll get a Nexus 6P smartphone, SIM removal tool, Google Play Music promo card, USB Type-C 15W (5V/3A) charger, USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable, and USB Type-C to USB Standard-A plug cable.

Also note – we had our hands 0n the standard Nexus 6P Case from Google in "Carbon" color. While this case has given us some issues with covered volume buttons, otherwise we couldn't recommend it higher – it's top notch. Textured microfiber exterior and raised bezel included.

Follow along in our continuing coverage of this device in our Nexus 6P tag portal.