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Specs-off!: Google Nexus 6P vs. iPhone 6S vs. Galaxy S6

Google has announced a pair of new Nexus Phones -- let's see how the new Nexus 6P compares to other superphones.

Nate Ralph Associate Editor
Associate Editor Nate Ralph is an aspiring wordsmith, covering mobile software and hardware for CNET Reviews. His hobbies include dismantling gadgets, waxing poetic about obscure ASCII games, and wandering through airports.
Nate Ralph
2 min read

huawei-nexus-6p-screenshot.jpg
The Huawei Nexus 6P. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

At a press event in San Francisco, Google unveiled the latest updates to the Nexus device lineup. It's coming in the form of two new phones: the 5.2-inch Nexus 5X, developed by LG, and the 5.7-inch Nexus 6P, developed by Huawei.

Both devices pack the latest and greatest that these hardware manufacturers have to offer. They're equipped with a 12.3-megapixel camera that shoots 4K video, run Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and pack fingerprint readers so you can quickly unlock your devices, or pay for purchases with Android Pay.

But the flagship smartphone space is fierce, with competitors from Samsung and Apple offering most, if not all, of the same features. Let's see how the beefier of the new Nexus phones compares to two of the current smartphone juggernauts, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6S.

Google Nexus 6P Specs comparisons

Google Nexus 6PApple iPhone 6SSamsung Galaxy S6Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Display 5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560 x 1,440-pixel resolution4.7-inch IPS with 1,334 x 750-pixel resolution5.1-inch AMOLED with 2,560 x 1,440-pixel resolution5.5-inch IPS with 3,840 x 2,160-pixel resolution
Pixel density 515ppi326ppi557ppi806ppi
Dimensions (imperial) 6.27 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 inches5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 inches6.07 x 2.99 x 0.31 inches
Dimensions (metric) 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3mm138.3 x67.1 x 7.1mm143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm154.4x76.0x7.8 mm
Weight 6.27 ounces (178g)5.04 ounces (143g)4.8 ounces (138g)6.34 ounces (180g)
Mobile operating system Android 6.0 MarshmallowApple iOS 9Android 5.1 LollipopGoogle Android 5.1 Lollipop
NFC YesYesYesYes
Fingerprint reader YesYesYesYes
Camera, video 12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video12-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video16-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video23-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video
Optical image stabilization NoNo (only 6S Plus)YesYes
Front-facing camera 8-megapixel5-megapixel5-megapixel5-megapixel
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 81064-bit A9 chip with M9Octa-core Exynos 7420Octa-core Snapdragon 810
Storage 32GB, 64GB, 128GB16GB, 64GB and 128GB32GB, 64GB and 128GB32GB
RAM 3GB2GB3GB3GB
Expandable storage NoNoNoUp to 200GB
Wireless charging NoNoYes, PMA and QiNo
Battery Nonremovable 3,450mAhNonremovable 1,715mAhNonremovable 2,550mAhNonremovable 3,430mAh
Starting price (US) $499$650$650, but variesTBD

There is, of course, far more to consider than raw specs. USB-C unlocks a lot of potential, and the new Nexus phones both support Project Fi , Google's nascent mobile wireless service. But Apple's latest smartphones offer things like 3D touch, which has the potential to change how you use a phone .

I won't wade into the debate between app availability on the Apple App Store and Google Play, as fans of either platform have likely made their minds up there. And while these numbers give us a general idea of how the new Nexus will hold up, we'll need to get some actual testing done to truly know more.

We'll ultimately need to get our hands on these new devices to before making a final judgement, but hopefully these numbers will help you get a better idea of what's in store.

Watch this: Google Nexus 6P brings size and speed