Nexus 6P hands-on: A surprising metallic premium flagship

Google has finally taken the veils off the much leaked Nexus 6P and it is pretty much what we’ve heard and imagined it to be. Except for one thing. For the first time in the history of the Nexus line, this smartphone is clad in metal. The Huawei-made smartphone, also the first from a Chinese OEM, boasts anodized aluminum on the side and back, giving the Nexus 6P a premium flare you won’t find in any of its predecessors. And it is packed with good hardware to boot!

The Nexus 6P follows and outpaces its immediate predecessor, the Motorola-made Nexus 6. Though both have the same QHD resolution, the Nexus 6P packs it in a denser 5.7-inch screen versus 5.96 inches on the Nexus 6. The processor is also bumped up to the Snapdragon 810 v2.1, for better or for worse. RAM remains at 3 GB though, and storage options come in 32, 64, and 128 GB sizes. The larger 3,450 mAh battery, of course, supports fast charging, with only 10 minutes of charging good for 7 hours of use.

Specs are hardly what defines the Nexus 6P, though. It is loaded with features that Google naturally claims to be ground breaking in the industry. The fingerprint sensor, for example, which Google labels as “Nexus Imprint” could be one of the fastest in the Android market. It is to be used for unlocking the device and of course for Android Pay. It does feel very responsive, but we’ll need to spend more time with it to be sure.

The rear camera is also noteworthy. This one packs a 12.3 megapixel sensor with 1.55 µm (micrometer) pixels, f/2.0 aperture, laser autofocus, CRI-90 dual flash, and 4K video recording. The numbers might not look impressive but it’s certainly the best we’ll see in any Nexus device. And it starts up really quick too! How that will stand in the real world is again something we’ll have to test for our selves. The front camera, on the other hand, is a very large 8 megapixel 1.4 µm pixels f/2.2 shooter that selfie lovers will swoon over.

• Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• CPU: 64-bit 2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1
• RAM: 3 GB
• Storage: 32/64/128 GB
• Display: 5.7 inches, 2560×1440 WQHD AMOLED
• Main Camera: 12.3 MP, 1.55 µm pixels, f/2.0 aperture, IR laser-assisted autofocus, 4K (30 fps) video capture, Broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash
• Secondary Camera: 8 MP, 1.4 µm pixels, f/2.0 aperture, HD video capture (30 fps)
• Network: GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900MHz, UMTS/WCDMA: B1/2/4/5/8, CDMA: BC0/1/10, LTE (FDD): B1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/17/20/25/26/29, LTE (TDD): B41, LTE CA DL: B2-B2, B2-B4, B2-B5, B2-B12, B2-B13, B2-B17, B2-B29, B4-B4, B4-B5, B4-B7, B4-B12, B4-B13, B4-B17, B4-B29, B41-B41.
• Connectivity: LTE cat. 6, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO, dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS / GLONASS
• Battery: 3,450 mAh, Fast Charging
• Dimensions: 159.3 x 77.8 x 7.3 mm
• Weight: 178 g

The Huawei 6P can definitely lay claim to the title of being a premium Nexus smartphone, both inside and out. The aluminum body lends and air of sophistication uncommon to the line but reminiscent of Huawei’s own flagships of late. The design is almost perfect save for that unconventional wide black bump at the top that houses the camera sensor and flash.

The Nexus 6P will be priced as follows. The 32 GB will cost $499. Double the storage at 64 GB and you get charged $549. The highest 128 GB option naturally goes higher for $649. Available color options include Aluminum, Graphite, and Frost, with word that a Gold version might appear next year. The Huawei-made smartphone is available for pre-order now on the Google Store, with shipping not expected to happen until 5 to 6 weeks. The smartphone will also be available under Google’s Project Fi subscription.