The Nexus 5X is the predecessor of the Nexus 5, a smartphone that we all loved. Just like we anticipated, the Nexus 5X is better than Nexus 5 in many ways. The phone is the product of the collaboration between Google and LG. It is a mid-range device that offers Google’s design ideology at reasonable cost.
Design
Even as other phones tries to compete with the iPhone’s aluminum, Nexus 5X is proudly plastic. This makes it light and reduces the risk of shattering every time you drop it. This is further enhanced by the 5.2-inch Gorilla Glass 3 on the display. The sides of the screen are also slightly raised to form a tiny 0.5mm lip.
With a 5.2-inch display, Nexus 5X is considerably smaller than some of the monster phablets in the market. Its size, nonetheless, makes it easy to hold in one hand. It also has a thin profile and it is slightly curved on the back so that it comfortably sits on the user’s palm.
The rear camera sticks out considerably, which is common even among the major smartphones of 2015. Power and volume controls are on the upper right. On the back, there is a USB Type-C charger and fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor is fast and effective. Tapping on it unlocks the phone and even authorizes apps. It is strategically placed in the position where you will expect the index finger to be, when holding the phone. It has been dubbed, the Nexus imprint and it is identifiable by a ring of plastic that surrounds it.
Performance
The back of the Nexus 5X cannot be peeled off (at least not without voiding the warranty). The phone, nonetheless, has a Snapdragon 808 processor mounted on a 64-bit hexa-core CPU. It has a combination of a 1.44GHz quad-core chip and a 1.82 GHz dual-core chip. The graphics are powered by an integrated Adreno 418 GPU.
Memory-wise, the phone comes with 2GB RAM, which is slightly behind some android devices of its class that have 3GB RAM on board with some, even, reaching 4GB. You will have to rely on the 16GB or 32GB storage capacity provided, since the Nexus 5X does not come with a microSD slot.
You might fail to notice that Nexus 5X runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The revamp is not as colorful as Android Lollipop’s upgrade. This update, nonetheless, is smarter with tweaks to battery performance and app permissions. Notably, you can now completely silence the phone via the volume rocker.
Google Now on Tap is probably Marshmallow’s best feature. It scans whatever you are doing on the phone whenever you hold down the home button and then presents results giving more information or apps related to what you are doing.
Nexus 5X can handle all games without any discernible slowdown. Playing HD videos is also a breeze, thanks to its 16:9 aspect ratio. The screen color is accurate and brilliant. Overall, the phone is fast and great at multi-tasking.
Camera
Google declared that Nexus 5X has the best camera ever put on a Nexus. The camera sure does live up to the hype. The 1.55-micron pixels are particularly terrific, even in low light. 12.3MP for a rear camera is, however, significantly lower than what is currently being offered on similar devices.
Image processing is great, and there is nothing much to complain about. Videos are recorded in 4K at 30fps. The selfie camera is 5MP with a f/20 aperture and 1.4 microns. The camera software on the Nexus 5X is improved greatly and displays all the important functions.
Battery Life
The 2700mAh battery is sure to get you through the day even with heavy phone use. Nexus 5X does not have any extraordinary fast charging capabilities, but the USB-C offers considerably fast charging from zero to 100% in just under two hours.
Conclusion
The Nexus 5X is easy to love. This is because Google has loaded it with essential functional updates without making it unnecessarily extreme.