Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The Nexus 6P might finally sport the high-quality camera Nexus fans have been craving

zte claims nexus 6p copies grand s google handson 0024
Jeffrey Van Camp/Digital Trends
There are only a few things in life that are certain. Besides death and taxes, it seemed as though Nexus phones with dismal cameras was a lock every fall. However, Google promises the Nexus 6P has the best camera on a Nexus ever. Unfortunately for Google, that really isn’t saying much when you look at past history. If Apple, LG, and Samsung can deliver top notch smartphone cameras, why can’t Google?

Well it looks like Google might have finally done what appeared to be the impossible, according to leading camera reviewers, DxOMark. Although not a full review since the final version of the phone hasn’t been released, the pre-release samples show an overall score of 84 for the Nexus 6P. That is well above the 78 score given to last year’s Nexus 6. Only the Galaxy S6/S6 Edge performed better with an overall rating of 86.

Related Videos

DxOMark said the Nexus 6P has “impressive detail preservation in low light conditions,” which is “by far the best tested to date.” This is with the absence of optical image stabilization (OIS), which is usually a big factor in determining if a camera has any chance at decent low-light performance. What the Nexus 6P does have going for it is the huge 1.55 micron pixels, which can collect a considerable amount of light even without OIS present.

The review also mentioned the Nexus 6P’s laser autofocus is not only fast, but it’s accurate too. The white balance is good in outdoor conditions, and images are well exposed.

On the downside, the Nexus 6P has “visible irregularities in exposure, color, texture, and noise due to HDR+ mode activation in low light conditions.” It was also noted that shots can be captured before the autofocus has converged.

The overall scores are a combination of photos and video. In this case, the Nexus 6P scored 86 in the photos category and 79 for videos. In looking at just photos, only the Galaxy S6/S6 Edge is higher with a score of 88. The Nexus 6P ties for second place with the LG G4 and Galaxy Note 4. This means the Nexus 6P scored better than the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6, which achieved scores of 84 and 83 respectively. We also need to mention that DxOMark hasn’t released reviews on the newer iPhone 6S and 6S Plus yet.

This is huge news for Google. Nexus smartphones never seemed to compete with other flagships other than on price, but add in a whopping 3,450mAh battery, and the Nexus 6P might finally be the dream Nexus worth buying.

Available at: Amazon

Editors' Recommendations

Huawei says P30 Pro camera will have unique, revolutionary zoom tech
Huawei P20

Huawei says the P30 Pro smartphone will feature “revolutionary camera technology that no company has ever used before,” and promises it will have a similar impact to the introduction of its monochrome lens on the P10, which improved overall picture quality, particularly in low light. This is quite a promise from Huawei, given the amount of highly capable smartphones with innovative cameras out at the moment, but as it showed at MWC 2019 with the Mate X, the firm is currently riding the crest of a very high wave, so we’re inclined to accept its bold claim.
Periscope
Speaking to selected journalists recently, Huawei called the new camera “an important DNA change for the P-Series,” and drew our attention to various teasers — especially a close-up shot of the moon. Apparently, this mysterious picture was taken with a new P-Series phone, without any additional lenses or modification, and by Huawei CEO Richard Yu himself. The company also stated the P30 Pro will have four camera lenses, revealing this prototype’s design has not made it past that stage. However, it may end up being used for the standard P30.

Rumors have already circulated regarding the addition of a zoom lens on the P30 Pro. It was reiterated what the mobile industry has always struggled with: That it’s impossible to put a traditional optical zoom in a slim smartphone. However, by using artificial intelligence, the image signal processor (ISP) and a new piece of technology, it can produce a commercially viable alternative where quality is not affected as it is with digital alternatives. Huawei has already used this approach to drastically improve lowlight photography.

Read more
Your Pixel phone will stop seeing updates as soon as next year
Google Pixel phone

System updates are one of the more unfortunate aspects of the Android operating system. Google's Pixel and Nexus devices receive new OS versions as soon as they're released, while phones from other companies often have to wait much longer. Much, MUCH longer.

Most devices are lucky to see two major Android updates in their lifespan, and the support timeline is rarely clear. Your phone pretty much receives updates on an intermittent basis until it just doesn't anymore, with little warning.

Read more
Google begins testing Voice over LTE for Project Fi customers
project fi

A post on Google's Project Fi Help Forum confirmed what some users already suspected: The company has begun testing Voice over LTE for a limited group of subscribers. The feature has been available to major carriers, such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, for some time now and is finally making its way to Google's network.

Users can determine whether Voice over LTE has been activated for their account by looking at the wireless signal indicator during a call. If it continues to show LTE, rather than falling back to HSPA, you're one of the lucky few. Voice over LTE sports a number of benefits, including improved call clarity, faster web browsing mid-call, and quicker call initiation. What is more, the data used during calls will not count against Project Fi users' allocation.

Read more