Is Nexus 5X a worthy upgrade for the Nexus 6

[krishnansasikumar]

I currently own a Nexus 6. Wonderful phone, but I'm tired of juggling with it while trying to handle with one hand, specially with a kid in the other hand.

I am now looking for a smaller phone and the Nexus 5x and Pixel are my options. Pixel is too expensive for me, I don't want to spend so much on a phone.

Can the folks who moved from Nexus 6 please point out if the 5x is a good option to go for, and what I would miss compared to Nexus 6.

 

[SactoKingsFan]

I have both the 5x and 6. Both are fast and stable on N. Wouldn't really consider the 5x a upgrade unless you really want FPS, USB type C and brighter screen. If I didn't still have my N6 I'd miss the dual front speakers, wireless charging, battery life, large screen and build quality.

 

[vVick3d]

Why not a 6p?

 

[SactoKingsFan]

Why not a 6p?

Probably the size. It's not much smaller than the N6.

 

[krishnansasikumar]

Why not a 6p?

Size. As mentioned, I want a smaller phone.

 

[B. Diddy]

Be aware that there have been some bootloop issues:

LG is issuing full refunds for some malfunctioning Nexus 5X phones
Some Nexus 5X devices are getting stuck in bootloops after upgrading to Android 7.0 - Android Authority

 

[ElronTheElder]

First things first:
Any phone you get today will not be as fast as your Nexus 6.
That processor runs at 2.7 GHz, nothing currently runs close to that.
That being said; Nexus 5X running on 7.1.1 is smooth, stable with battery life to kill for.
Absolutely no problem utilizing a 5X .
Hardware limitations regarding ram, storage or processor have not shown up for me.
While that is my usage, YMMV, of course, depending on your habits.
Can recommend the Nexus 5X to anyone looking for a cost effective solution.
Good Luck.

 

[LeoRex]

First things first:
Any phone you get today will not be as fast as your Nexus 6.
That processor runs at 2.7 GHz, nothing currently runs close to that.

That's because most every phone now has a 64bit processor. Once you start changing architecture and designs, clock rates are meaningless and comparing them isn't going to work. Plus, in general, 64 bit processors clock at a lower rate since their work cycle allows them to get more crap done in the same beat.

But to the OP's question.. is the 5X a worthy replacement? I wouldn't really say it was. The 5X is mostly geared to be a sort of affordable mid-range offering. Yes, finally on 7.1.1 its smooth and stable, but you can see see its limitations in more situations than you'd see on the Nexus 6. Now, it's still a really nice phone though... I own one as a back up phone to my 6P. And it does well when I use it, until I try to use it the same as my 6P and it starts to show its limits.

 

[Almeuit]

First things first:
Any phone you get today will not be as fast as your Nexus 6.
That processor runs at 2.7 GHz, nothing currently runs close to that.

Trust what LeoRex says below.

That's because most every phone now has a 64bit processor. Once you start changing architecture and designs, clock rates are meaningless and comparing them isn't going to work. Plus, in general, 64 bit processors clock at a lower rate since their work cycle allows them to get more crap done in the same beat.

What he said above matches up with my Pixel .

 

[ElronTheElder]

hmmm......OK.
IF an app is compiled to run in 64 bit yes it COULD run faster on a lower clocked processor.
IF an app is programmed to detect a multi-threaded processor and take advantage of it yes, It COULD run faster on slower processor's.
Generally speaking: a faster processor runs apps faster.
Take that to the bank.

 

[Almeuit]

hmmm......OK.
IF an app is compiled to run in 64 bit yes it COULD run faster on a lower clocked processor.
IF an app is programmed to detect a multi-threaded processor and take advantage of it yes, It COULD run faster on slower processor's.
Generally speaking: a faster processor runs apps faster.
Take that to the bank.

You can believe what you want -- I am not going to try and change your mind if you're that confident in your own answer. .

 

[vVick3d]

hmmm......OK.
IF an app is compiled to run in 64 bit yes it COULD run faster on a lower clocked processor.
IF an app is programmed to detect a multi-threaded processor and take advantage of it yes, It COULD run faster on slower processor's.
Generally speaking: a faster processor runs apps faster.
Take that to the bank.

There are so many more nuances to this it's almost not worth talking about. Ghz + cores + microarchitechture + framework + materials + heat capacity + ...see where I'm going. Having a fast clock speed helps but it's definitely not the be all and end all it used to be.

 

[LeoRex]

The Nexus 6 was a pretty nimble phone, but things have moved on. Is it faster than the 5X? Yep, a little bit... in most tasks the big Moto has more grunt and the 805 happened to be one of the best thermally performing SoCs ever made (when it does throttle, it only does so slightly and you can run it forever at a very high load).

But the Nexus 5X wasn't supposed to replace the 6 (nor is the OP asking about that)... that's what the 6P was geared towards. The 5X has a less powerful GPU, less RAM, the speakers aren't nearly as good as the 6, etc... it was lower spec'd out when compared to the 6 and those differences are noticeable (including the price when new). Now, the 5X does absolutely wipe the floor with the 6 when it comes to taking pictures, it's not even close. Well, not 100% true, in good lighting, the 6 takes better video due to it having OIS where the 5X has nothing (though you can add EIS with root access).

The OP isn't looking to hear which phone has the best performance. He wants to go with a smaller phone and the Pixel, even though it would be ideal choice, is too expensive. So that leaves the 5X if he wants to stick with Google's offerings. What would he miss? I would say the main thing would be that the Nexus 6 was a joy to watch stuff on... big screen, excellent stereo front speakers, etc. And if you hammer on the 5X, you'll most likely start to see that it is limited by having a little less under the hood. BUT.... the 5X is still an excellent phone in its own right now that LG seems to have got their stuff squared away (7.1.1 runs really well on it).

If you can live without the multimedia prowess of the 6, the 5X should do you well, OP.

 

[krishnansasikumar]

The Nexus 6 was a pretty nimble phone, but things have moved on. Is it faster than the 5X? Yep, a little bit... in most tasks the big Moto has more grunt and the 805 happened to be one of the best thermally performing SoCs ever made (when it does throttle, it only does so slightly and you can run it forever at a very high load).

But the Nexus 5X wasn't supposed to replace the 6 (nor is the OP asking about that)... that's what the 6P was geared towards. The 5X has a less powerful GPU, less RAM, the speakers aren't nearly as good as the 6, etc... it was lower spec'd out when compared to the 6 and those differences are noticeable (including the price when new). Now, the 5X does absolutely wipe the floor with the 6 when it comes to taking pictures, it's not even close. Well, not 100% true, in good lighting, the 6 takes better video due to it having OIS where the 5X has nothing (though you can add EIS with root access).

The OP isn't looking to hear which phone has the best performance. He wants to gotwith a smaller phone and the Pixel, even though it would be ideal choice, is too expensive. So that leaves the 5X if he wants to stick with Google's offerings. What would he miss? I would say the main thing would be that the Nexus 6 was a joy to watch stuff on... big screen, excellent stereo front speakers, etc. And if you hammer on the 5X, you'll most likely start to see that it is limited by having a little less under the hood. BUT.... the 5X is still an excellent phone in its own right now that LG seems to have got their stuff squared away (7.1.1 runs really well on it).

If you can live without the multimedia prowess of the 6, the 5X should do you well, OP.

Thanks for the excellent answer. Lots to ponder because putting down my money on the 5X.

 

[ROB_M]

I wouldn't recommend the LG Nexus 5X. Even though, during the time that I had it, I loved it and it ran great, I got hit with the bootloop issue 2 weeks ago and it bricked on me. BTW - I only had it for 12 1/2 months. Also, I had the LG Nexus 5 before that and I had an issue with the earpiece speaker where I couldn't hardly hear anymore of my calls. Because my 5X had the bootloop issue, I didn't even bother to get a refurbished one from Google because I don't want to take the chance of loosing all of my data like that again. I ordered the Google Pixel and have had it for a few days now. So far I really like it and it sort of feels smaller that my Nexus 5X. My recommendation would be either the Google Pixel or the Nexus 6P (if you wanted to save a few bucks.) No more LG products for me! Good luck!

Rob_M

 

[B. Diddy]

That's a bummer. Did you contact LG for a refund? LG Offers Full Refund Over Nexus 5X Boot Loop Issues | Digital Trends

 

[ROB_M]

I sent it to LG last week. Still waiting for a response but not holding my hopes high especially after jonebk12's response here:

http://forums.androidcentral.com/nexus-5x/743580-nexus-5x-won-t-turn.html

Rob_M

 

[GPuba]

The Moto X Pure Edition is a better upgrade to the Nexus 6. Although it is not pure Google, it is scheduled to receive the Nougat update. Although the screen is 5.7 inches, it feels much smaller than the Nexus 6 or the 6p for that matter. It actually feels closer to the Nexus 5x.

I have personally made the switch in the past year from the Nexus 6 to the MXPE to the Nexus 6p, and my girlfriend has the Nexus 5x, so I fully understand where you're coming from.

Btw... The Nexus 6p definitely feels bigger than the MXPE, though they both have the same screen size.

The Nexus 5x and the MXPE use the same 808 processor, but the MXPE has better specs and a bigger screen without the phone feeling bigger, so this is why I made the upgrade from the Nexus 6 to the MXPE.

 

[krishnansasikumar]

I had used the MXPE , but didn't like it. It's speakers were getting distorted and somehow it didnt feel mine.

I did like the Moto mods though. But I've heard those have been taken away now.

For the time being, I'm sticking to the Nexus 6, till I like another phone.

Thanks everyone for your inputs on this thread. Appreciate it.

 

[Matty]

I currently own a Nexus 6. Wonderful phone, but I'm tired of juggling with it while trying to handle with one hand, specially with a kid in the other hand.

I am now looking for a smaller phone and the Nexus 5x and Pixel are my options. Pixel is too expensive for me, I don't want to spend so much on a phone.

Can the folks who moved from Nexus 6 please point out if the 5x is a good option to go for, and what I would miss compared to Nexus 6.

Hello krishnansasikumar, Thats a great question.

I don't think the 5x will be an 'Upgrade' per say. I would rather say 'newer' haha. The 5.2 inch screen definitely looks great and while it may not be QHD its still got 420+ PPI. The smaller size is definitely nicer and easier to hold. I would personally recommend the 6P. I know its still very large but it's still a little smaller than the Nexus 6. The 5x has had some boot loop issues which is why I'm a little cautious.