Decisions - Nexus 6P or Samsung Note 5

[ColoradoHiker]

I have delayed ordering a Note 5 for awhile, which today puts me in a position I could wait a little longer and get the 6P. Of course, even after today's announcement, until the 6P is in your hands, opinions are worth less than the paper they are printed on. Until it is out in the wild, it is still an unknown. So, do I buy a Note 5 this week, or wait xx weeks for a 6P? A phone is a tool first, not an accessory to me.

What I really like about the Note 5 is the sPen functionality and wireless charging, new to me, but I can see where that would be a huge convenience factor. What I don't like is the premium glass back that does absolutely nothing for me (except be more prone to cracking).

The 6P's camera is not quite as good as the Note 5, but very close, and the 6P has a larger battery (10% or so). The main negatives about the 6P is having to wait for it to be available, plus checking the initial user reviews on how it works in real life.

Since I keep phones for quite awhile, would like one that I can live with for a few years, maybe longer. Pricing is secondary as both phones are expensive. Touchwiz vs. pure android is not a compelling argument for me either way. Functionality is.

Surely others have analyzed this to the extreme. What is the single compelling reason to get one or the other to you? Has the announcement changed anyone's mind?

 

[coolbreeze78]

Well I am going to sell my 64gig Note 5. Ordered a 64gig 6P. Stock android is calling my name.

If you keep a phone for years, Nexus is the only reasonable option from a software support standpoint.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[cboots21]

Well I am going to sell my 64gig Note 5. Ordered a 64gig 6P. Stock android is calling my name.

If you keep a phone for years, Nexus is the only reasonable option from a software support standpoint.

Posted via the Android Central App

This x100. Samsung drops support for phones QUICK

 

[Camaihofer]

I love nexus phones..had a nexus 4 and 5..that said..I just picked up note5.. it's amazing..so fast..so responsive...love the s pen functionality. ..camera is awesome...TouchWiz is not as bad as I thought. .amazing we somewhere good as pure android. .no...but good..

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[ihtc]

Exactly as other posters stated. I love my 32gb note 5 . the screen is absolutely stunning, the spen is great, the form factor is awesome packing in the 5.7 screen and feeling comfortable. However, I am on verizon so that means I have no root, no bootloader, no way to make a proper tether hack (im on unlimited data, and dont want to use foxfi). Also for future support, nexus always has software updates. For these reasons I pre ordered a 32gb Nexus 6p and hope the screen is as gorgeous as the note 5, thats my main concern. The camera I think will be close enough to the note, and the spen is nice but I can live w/o it.

 

[nokia4life]

Selling my note 5 should get some good money unlocked 64gb plus the wireless fast charger and two cases enough to pay for this and some cash left over for the next new thing. but can't wait for my new nexus graphite 6p to get here Nov can't come fast enough (bummer) to long of a wait.

 

[ColoradoHiker]

Yeah, I'm on Verizon as well. Lost the unlimited data when my phone was put on a corporate plan. sniff...
I may have to wait for a screen comparison, and that should come out pretty quick now. That may be the deciding factor.
If I don't get the Note 5, at least I won't have to worry about putting in the spen backwards.

 

[ihtc]

I too need to sell my Note 5 . Evne though we are taking it a hit atleast Nexus devices are usually priced very fairly. A top end phone should be in this $500 range. The whole $699 and up (and over $1000 for 128 iphone with tax) is insane for a phone.

 

[Camaihofer]

I've watched some YouTube videos and the nexus 6p screen looks awesome..as good as note 5...probably not..but looks damn close

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[JakePleasants]

I have a Note 5 and have been keeping tabs on the 6P (my boyfriend ordered both the 5X and the 6P to decide which one he wants upon arrival), and honestly, it really comes down to personal priorities. In my opinion, the S-Pen is a very compelling feature. For you, it might be next to useless, but I love it and use it regularly throughout the day. Next is UI, which you said doesn't really matter to you and that you're more into the feature set, in which case both have their pros and cons and you just have to evaluate them for yourself. I personally prefer TouchWiz but my boyfriend prefers stock Android, so it's up to the individual. Third comes the build, and here you really can't go wrong either way. I prefer the glass because it's better in the battle against scratching, but that's a double-edged sword because it's also much worse in the battle against drops (and in the Note 5's case, shattering). The last thing that I would have one consider is what has been mentioned above - how long are you planning on keeping the phone? I normally keep my phone 4-5 months (the longest I've ever had a phone was the iPhone 6 for 9 months, followed by the Droid DNA [which was way ahead of its time] for 6 months), so I'm not overly concerned with future updates regarding my current device. In this area, iPhones and Nexus phones knock it out of the park, and Samsung struggles at best. I know they (Samsung) have gotten better about updating their flagships in a timely manner, but the carrier can also hold up the process (which isn't an issue for the Nexus). In the end, you're the only one who can decide what's best for you, all we can do is offer our views in hopes that they'll help.

 

[qnet]

I get all kinds of phones, but the Nexus line has always been my favorite. I currently have a Iphone 6 plus, Nexus 6 and Note 5. The Note 5 is an awesome phone. Samsung has really improved the look and operation of touchwiz. The fingerprint scanner works great and I like the build quality. I not as big into the camera on phones as most, but the Note 5 has a very good one.

The Nexus 6P is the phone I would choose, but I'm really a fan of stock Android. I love the way it operates and runs the Google services, which I use a lot. The Note 5 runs the Google services well also, besides the Google now page being a little jittery when scrolling. I don't use the S-Pen often, but when I do, it works great. If you use it a lot, I would say it's worth it and an advantage of the Note 5 over the Nexus 6P.

Wireless charging is something I will miss but everything else about the Nexus 6P overshadows that for me. The more I learn about it, the more I like it. The NFC antenna is at the top of the device, in that slightly raised area on the back; also housing the camera and flash. This is awesome for me because I like to use my phone to pay for stuff as much as I can. With the Iphone 6, it's so easy with the NFC being at the top working in conjunction with the fingerprint scanner. Android pay works just about as good on the Note 5 but you have to make sure you have the phone positioned correctly. The way the 6P is designed, I can see it being the Android phone that's the closest to working as well with mobile payments as the Iphone 6 ( which work very well with mobile payments).

The Note 5 has Samsung Pay - which looks promising - but unfortunately it does not support a lot of credit cards yet, only a few big banks and no credit unions. None of my cards will work with it as of right now.

Both phones are great, it just depends on what you want. I'm so excited about the Nexus 6P, it's hard for me to be objective.

 

[ColoradoHiker]

Jake, good thorough response, thx.
Don't know how long I will keep a new phone, my existing phone is almost 4 years old, ancient technology by today's standards. Didn't figure I had a compelling reason to change until now when my battery is slowly dying. I could change it, but decided now is the time for something new with a larger screen and faster responsiveness.
With either phone I will use an Otterbox case, so the looks of the phone are pretty much the same once inside a big black box.
I admit I am still attracted to the quick wireless charging, and need to evaluate that against the Sensor Hub concept. I think I would get more use out of the wireless charging though.

 

[Amy wineBerry]

Well I am going to sell my 64gig Note 5. Ordered a 64gig 6P. Stock android is calling my name.

If you keep a phone for years, Nexus is the only reasonable option from a software support standpoint.

Posted via the Android Central App

I'm doing the same. I'd rather stock Android.


Sent from my iPhone 6s Plus using Tapatalk

 

[chongsen62]

I live at Canada. I am interested in following 3 phones, which one should i get ?

Nexus 6p 32g $785 after tax:
Stock android is always my top choice. I am a little concern about build quantity of early nexus devices. Should I wait till Dec ?

Galaxy edge plus 32g $900 after tax.
I can get a good deal on this one. My friend works in Samsung. He is able to get me galaxy s6 edge plus + flip case + extended warranty + screen protector for $900 after tax. But TW is nightmare. And Canadian only gets black edge plus ... my least favourite color.

Iphone 6s plus $1300 after tax.
I bring up this one, since I got $400 apple gift card as my birthday gift. It will bring the price down to $900. Iphone has the best resale value.

 

[Amy wineBerry]

I live at Canada. I am interested in following 3 phones, which one should i get ?

Nexus 6p 32g $785 after tax:
Stock android is always my top choice. I am a little concern about build quantity of early nexus devices. Should I wait till Dec ?

Galaxy edge plus 32g $900 after tax.
I can get a good deal on this one. My friend works in Samsung. He is able to get me galaxy s6 edge plus + flip case + extended warranty + screen protector for $900 after tax. But TW is nightmare. And Canadian only gets black edge plus ... my least favourite color.

Iphone 6s plus $1300 after tax.
I bring up this one, since I got $400 apple gift card as my birthday gift. It will bring the price down to $900. Iphone has the best resale value.

I mean...

Do you have a preference as to Android or iOS? Also, how long do you plan on keeping the device? Are you the type of person who will sell your phone to try something else within a couple months?

Yes, the resell value of the iPhone is the best, but I don't think you should give that criteria that much weight when deciding on a device, especially if you will have the device for any substantial amount of time.

Touch Wiz is much improved these days. Samsung has really stepped up with respect to creating a decent looking interface.

If you're concerned about the build quality of early units, then at this point, the device to get is the edge plus since it has been out the longest of the three devices. But since stock android is what you enjoy, I'd say waiting until December to get a Nexus 6p would be your best bet.


Sent from my iPhone 6s Plus using Tapatalk

 

[chongsen62]

I mean...

Do you have a preference as to Android or iOS? Also, how long do you plan on keeping the device? Are you the type of person who will sell your phone to try something else within a couple months?

Yes, the resell value of the iPhone is the best, but I don't think you should give that criteria that much weight when deciding on a device, especially if you will have the device for any substantial amount of time.

Touch Wiz is much improved these days. Samsung has really stepped up with respect to creating a decent looking interface.

If you're concerned about the build quality of early units, then at this point, the device to get is the edge plus since it has been out the longest of the three devices. But since stock android is what you enjoy, I'd say waiting until December to get a Nexus 6p would be your best bet.


Sent from my iPhone 6s Plus using Tapatalk

I think I can live with either IOS or Android system. IPhone 6s plus is my least favourite iphone though since 192g phone is too heavy for me. I usually update my phone once per year. ... Iphone will pay at least 60% of my next year phone...

Galaxy edge plus is more like a family choice. My wife is using galaxy edge now. My father has regular edge too and my Mother has note 4. We have quite a few Samsung wireless chargers aorund and Samsung TVs in both families. But TW is laggy like a hell. I can see noticable lag on my wife`s phone. I do not think it is going to be any better on edge plus.

Nexus 6p looks all good right now. I always trust Google till nexus 9. Nexus 9 never gets fixed. Will Google handle 810 better this time ? And my iphone 6 plus is stolen last month. I am using an iphone 4 right now. You know iphone 4 on IOS 7 is a disaster. I am not sure I can wait 2 more months....

 

[LezCronut]

To me, 'premium' is not only about metal case, great cam, and sleek hardware design. But what constitutes 'premium' is = quick premier service. When I get OS update very first before everyone else, that's what I call premium. And also, it makes me feel secure. Getting left behind for months for update, that REALLY irritates me. I'd feel left in despair waiting. Hate that feeling.

So to me the choice is between an iPhone and a Nexus. Not a Samsung vs an LG.

 

[YoungSheeps]

Torn between Note 5 or Nexus 6P?

My posts got moved to one. Makes more sense now, thanks whoever did it.

 

[YoungSheeps]

Nexus 6P or Note 5?

Help me guys... I can't decide. I had the Note 5 for about 10 days (but I had to return it for a couple reasons). Now, I am looking for a new phone to buy before Christmas.

Why I like the Note 5:
1. S-Pen: I am a student, and for me the biggest draw is being able to write on microsoft word. Also really liked using it to browse the web and what not.
2. Design: Both front and back are beautiful. No complaints. I put a clear case on it so fingerprint/holding isn't an issue.
3. Fast. Upgraded from an iTouch 4 lol.
4. Beautiful, big screen. I watch a lot of TV shows on mobile.
5. So far, I have zero problems with Touch Whiz.
6. I actually really enjoy the speaker output (again, I am coming from a 5 year old iTouch so anything would be amazing after that)
7. Gear VR!
8. Camera? Didn't have a lot of chance to take pictures before I returned it.

Why Note 5 is not so good:
1. Pricey. I am going to buy the 64 GB version.
2. Bloatware from carrier. Shouldn't be too big of a problem with 64gb though.
3. Fingerprint scanner isn't SUPER amazing.

Why I like the Nexus 6P:
1. So cheap! I can get the 128 GB version and it will be around the same as the 32 GB Note 5.
2. Back design.
3. Zero carrier bloatware!
+ Lots of same things with the Note 5 apparently, hardware-wise.

Why Nexus 6P is not so good:
1. Ugly front black design.
2. Big. I have big hands (one-hand Note 5 just ok), but the 6P seems really big.


If I can't make a decision, I will probably get a 6P and see if I like it better than Note 5, otherwise I'll just ship it back and get the Note 5 again.

****I'll be using this phone for at least 3 years. Which one will still be snappy, no defects, in that time? Keep in mind I don't care all that much about having the newest OS, but if that makes the phone last longer and faster, then I'll make it a priority.

 

[Christine Aflak]

Re: Torn between Note 5 or Nexus 6P?

I love the Note 5 and would recommend it to anyone looking for a new phone, but based on your preferences: go for the Nexus.