Nexus 6P, although the last year’s model, is still one of the best choices for Android lovers. Metal body, a large, 5.7-inch screen and a pure Android experience with all software updates shipping right away are strong reasons for picking up the Nexus 6P, made by Huawei. The other model featured in today’s comparison is another model coming from Huawei, the Honor 8; the model bringing flagship hardware into a mid-tier device, the Honor 8 has all the usual features found on top of the line models (metal chassis, excellent camera, powerful chipset), except 2K resolution screen and an extremely high price. Let’s see how two models compare on to another.
Dimensions, Design
The Nexus 6P is one behemoth of a smartphone, measuring 159.3 x 77.8 x 7.3 mm; the phablet is quite big, but its profile is very thin, and if wanting a 5.7-inch device, the size shouldn’t be a problem. On the other side, we have the Honor 8; a gorgeous looking device measuring 145.5 x 71 x 7.5 mm, the average size for a 5.2-inch screen device.
Both models look striking; The Nexus 6P has that minimal look, with a dark front side (except for the screen) and a huge nexus logo dominating the back. The Honor 8 looks flashy, but still very appealing. The shiny metal chassis, with the camera and fingerprint sensor looking like they were somehow printed into the device, gives the phone a futuristic look, further confirming that Huawei can make a gorgeous looking device.
Hardware, Display
Huawei Nexus 6P comes equipped with the last year’s top chipset, the Snapdragon 810 (4×1.55 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A57 combined with Adreno 430 GPU). A bit low for a 1440p resolution, but since the Nexus line is getting a highly optimized clean Android directly from Google, 810 is just enough. Added are 3 gigs of RAM and a choice between 32GB/64GB/128GB of internal storage; no SD card slot is to be found, the same as with every other Nexus device.
The Honor 8 is powered by Kirin 950 SoC (4×2.3 GHz Cortex-A72 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex A53 along with Mali-T880 MP4), made by Huawei. The SoC used can score up to 93,000 points in AnTuTu benchmark (the Snapdragon 810 can go up to 81,000 points btw). The model is equipped with 3 GB of RAM and comes with either 32GB or 64GB of expandable internal storage. The phone packs a serious hardware punch, a great choice for every user wanting a top of the line hardware but not wanting to pay almost $1000 for the smartphone.
The Nexus 6P comes with a huge, gorgeous 5.7-inch, AMOLED screen sporting 1440p resolution (518 ppi pixel density). The screen this big is excellent for all movie lovers, as well as for every book fan out there since the size is perfect for reading on-the-go.
The Honor 8 features a solid 5.2-inch, 1080p (423 ppi pixel density) LTPS (Low Temperature PolySilicon) LCD display. Big, bright, and with a faster response rate, the screen has a perfect ratio between size and resolution, and it will be enough for most users.
Camera
The Nexus 6P is equipped with a 12.3 MP (f/2.0) main snapper featuring laser autofocus, HDR, and a dual-LED flash. The videos can be taken in 2160p@30fps, as well as in 720@240fps (slow-mo videos). Front-facing camera has 8 MP (f/2.4) and can record 1080p videos.
The Honor 8 comes with a dual-camera setup, the same that was used on Huawei P9 (two sensors, one RGB, one BW, giving superior bokeh effect). There are two 12 MP sensors (f/2.2) featuring laser autofocus, HDR, and a dual-LED flash. The camera can record 1080p@60fps as well as 720p@240 (slow-mo) videos. The selfie camera counts 8 MP (f/2.4).
Battery, Software
The Nexus 6P comes with a 3450 mAh battery and runs under Android Marshmallow (with the update bringing Android Nougat being already available). The Honor 8 packs a 3000 mAh battery and runs under Android Marshmallow.
Both models have a fingerprint scanner and support fast battery charging.
Conclusion
Huawei Nexus 6P is a perfect device for all those wanting pure Android without any shovelware, a huge screen, and the best software support. The Honor 8 is a device made for users longing for a flagship, but not wanting to pay lots of money for top hardware. The final choice is, as always, up to you.