Google just crashed Samsung's launch party for the Galaxy Note 4 by announcing its first phablet. The Nexus 6 has impressive specs, including Android 5.0 Lollipop, Quad HD display and more; let's see how they compare.
Samsung can take full credit for the phablet craze we're currently witnessing in the smartphone space. While many tech enthusiasts deemed its 5.3-inch Galaxy Note too large for users when it was announced in 2011, the company and consumers proved otherwise. Since then, Samsung has released larger and more powerful jumbo-sized smartphones in its Galaxy Note series and on Oct. 17 the company will launch its next-generation Galaxy Note 4.
As more consumers have warmed up to the idea of carrying around small-sized tablet smartphones, Samsung is no longer the only major player in the game. Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus has proven to be a hit and Google just entered the phablet arena with its 5.9-inch Nexus 6.
Android fans are going to have a huge decision when it comes to choosing between the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Google Nexus 6. Let's take a look at how the new flagship phablets compare.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is packing a 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 515 pixels per inch (ppi). The Google Nexus 6 features a 5.96-inch Quad HD AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 493 pixels per inch (ppi). The Galaxy Note 4 barely edges out the Nexus 6's display in terms of pixel density, but the Nexus 6 offers a slightly larger display. It's pretty safe to assume that both phablet's displays will be equally as crisp and gorgeous.
Hardware
Samsung and Google are both using a 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, Adreno 420 GPU (graphics processing unit), and 3 GB of RAM. The Galaxy Note 4 includes 32 GB of internal storage and a microSD expansion slot that supports up to 128-GB microSD cards. The Nexus 6 will be offered with a choice of 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage, but it lacks a microSD expansion slot.
The Samsung Galaxy Note has the upper hand when it comes to expanding its memory.
OS
The Google Nexus 6 will be the first smartphone to ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop and you can be rest assured that Google has optimized it to run super smooth. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will ship with Android 4.4.4 KitKat and TouchWiz UI. The Nexus 6 tops the Galaxy Note 4 since it's running a stock version of Android 5.0 and doesn't have a skin running on top, which is known to occasionally slow down the overall user experience.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 features a 16-megapixel rear camera with OIS (optical image stabilization), continuous autofocus, 4K video recording @ 30 frames per second, 1080p video @ 60 fps, and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and selfies.
The Google Nexus 6 uses a 13-megapixel rear camera with OIS (opitcal image stabilization), dual-LED flash, autofocus, 4K video recording @ 30 fps, 1080p video @ 30 fps, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 tops the Nexus 6 in the camera department, as the company has more experience with high-end cameras compared with Motorola, which manufactures the Nexus 6.
Design
Samsung has added some premium materials in the form of a metal frame surrounding its plastic body. The Note 4 phablet's design is very similar to Apple's iPhone 5s -- it's thin, light and has the same chamfered edges as the iPhone. It also has a fingerprint scanner embedded in its Home button and a heart rate monitor below its rear camera. The Note 4's dimensions are 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm and it weighs 6.21 oz.
Google's Nexus 6 looks nearly identical to Motorola's new Moto X. It has the same contoured aluminum frame and plastic body and its dimensions are 159.3 x 83 x 10.1 mm and it weighs 6.49 oz.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is noticeably thinner and lighter than the Nexus 6. The Galaxy Note 4 also benefits by having a removable 3,220 mAh battery, and while the Nexus 6 matches its capacity, its battery can't be swapped out. The Nexus 6 includes the same fast-charging capability of the Moto X, which Google says can get up to 6 hours of use from only 15 minutes of charging.
Conclusion
The Google Nexus 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 are equally impressive smartphones and both are sure to be very popular devices.
If you prefer using a phablet with tons of extra tricks, including the popular S Pen stylus, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Note 4. If you prefer having the latest and greatest in terms of Android, the Nexus 6 and Android 5.0 Lollipop is the way to go. The Nexus 6 also has the added benefit of receiving Android updates whenever Google releases them; something Samsung usually takes a few months to roll out due to testing because of its insistence on including its TouchWiz UI on its devices.
Which Android phablet do you plan on choosing? Let us know in the comments below.
