The Nexus 5X vs. the competition: Smaller is still powerful

Contributing Reporter

Updated Tue, Sep 29, 2015, 2:05 PM·2 min read

If last year's Nexus 6 was too big for your hands, this year Google and LG have scaled things back a bit with the Nexus 5X. It sports a more manageable 5.2-inch screen size, while also dropping some new features into the mix like USB Type-C and Nexus Imprint. But are these added bells and whistles enough to carve out a space for LG's new Nexus among smaller flagship handsets? We've stacked up the 5X versus the similarly-sized Galaxy S6 as well as Apple's latest 4.7-inch iPhone to find out.

	Nexus 5X	iPhone 6s	Samsung Galaxy S6
Pricing	$379, $429	$199, $299, $399 (on contract); $649, $749, $849 (off-contract)	varies by carrier, starts at $129 on AT&T
Known dimensions	147 x 72.6 x 7.9mm (5.79 x 2.86 x 0.31 inches)	138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 inches)	143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm (5.65 x 2.76 x 0.27 inches)
Weight	136g (4.8 ounces)	143g (5.04 ounces)	138g (4.87 ounces)
Screen size	5.2 inches (132.08mm)	4.7 inches (119.38mm)	5.1 inches (129.2mm)
Screen resolution	1,920 x 1,080 (423 ppi)	1,334 x 750 (326 ppi)	2,560 x 1,440 (576 ppi)
Screen type	FHD LCD, Gorilla Glass 3	IPS LCD, Retina HD	Super AMOLED Quad HD
Battery	2,700mAh (non-removable)	1,715mAh (non-removable)	2,550mAh (non-removable)
Internal storage	16 / 32GB	16 / 64 / 128GB	32 / 64 /128GB
External storage	None	None	None
Rear camera	12.3MP, f/2.0, 1.55µm pixel size, dual LED flash, IR laser-assisted autofocus	12MP iSight, f/2.2, 1.22µm pixel size	16MP, LED flash
Front-facing cam	5MP, f/2.0, 1.4µm pixel size	5MP FaceTime HD, f/2.2	5MP
Video capture	4K at 30fps	4K at 30fps	4K at 30fps
NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	v4.2	v4.2	v4.1
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808	Apple A9	Samsung Exynos 7420
CPU	1.8GHz hexa-core	1.8GHz dual-core	2.1GHz, 1.5GHz octa-core
GPU	Adreno 418	NA	ARM Mali-T760 MP8
RAM	2GB	2GB	3GB
WiFi	Dual band, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac	Dual band, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac	Dual-band, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Operating system	Android 6.0	iOS 9	Android 5.0
Standout features	Nexus Imprint, USB Type-C	3D Touch, 2nd-gen Touch ID, Retina flash	Accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, fingerprint scanner, auto real-time HDR

Get all the news from today's Google event right here.

Engadget
Someone discovered a new cheat code for the 27-year-old Saturn port of Doom
A new Doom cheat code was discovered in the Sega Saturn version of the game that lets you see through walls (sort of).
Engadget
Google announces deal with direct-air capture startup to remove carbon emissions
Google announced that it has entered a partnership with Holocene to support its direct-air capture technology for collecting and removing carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere.
Engadget
iPhone 16 hands-on: More Pro than I expected
The base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus look like a significant improvement from last year's models.
Engadget
Australia’s Prime Minister wants to ban social media for children
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to impose a nationwide age limit on social media.
Engadget
Game Pass Standard is now available on Xbox
The Xbox Game Pass Standard plan is available starting today. Microsoft announced a revamp to its Game Pass subscription plans in July.
Engadget
Why are Apple's AirPods Max still saddled with 2020 hardware?
Apple's AirPods Max are almost four years old, but this week's update barely changed anything. It's hard to recommend them without a more substantial improvement.
Engadget
The new Carmen Sandiego game will let you play as Carmen Sandiego
Play as Carmen Sandiego in Netflix, GameLoft and HarperCollins' new Carmen Sandiego game set for release in 2025.
Engadget
It's a good year to buy the vanilla iPhone 16 (and avoid the SE at all costs)
After sitting with Apple's announcements for a day, one thing has become clear: The plain $799 iPhone 16 is a pretty solid deal, at least compared to basic iPhones from the last few years.
Engadget
Majority of Attorneys General support a warning label for social media platforms
A group of attorneys general have drafted an open letter to Congress to signal their support for social media platforms to come with a warning label.
Engadget
In its first Threads case, Meta’s Oversight Board asked for clarity on death threats
Meta’s Oversight Board has weighed in on its first Threads case and reversed the company’s initial decision and first appeal. Regarding a post using a phrase that translates to “drop dead / die” in English, the board determined the phrase was used figuratively.
Engadget
Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet is more than half off and close to its Prime Day price
Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet is more than half off and close to its Prime Day price. At $60, it’s only $5 more than it was during Amazon Prime Day in July.
Engadget
The key updates that make AirPods 4 block sound better — and just sound better
Improved sound quality and the addition of ANC are key upgrades on the AirPods 4, but there are specific reasons why both of those are effective.
Engadget
How Apple's Hearing Aid and Hearing Test will work on AirPods Pro
Apple is expanding its hearing health features on the second-gen AirPods Pro. Here's how some of those tools will work.
Engadget
Apple's 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is cheaper than it was on Prime Day
Apple's 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is cheaper than it was on Prime Day. The 8GB/512GB model is on sale for $1,300.
Engadget
Sony unveils its PS5 Pro console, which will cost you a whopping $700
Sony has officially announced the much-anticipated PS5 Pro. It'll cost $700 and arrive on November 7.
Engadget
Analogue's latest limited edition Pocket consoles are inspired by the Game Boy Color
Analogue's latest limited editions of its Pocket handheld console are based on the Game Boy Color's shell colors.
Engadget
Huawei's first tri-fold phone starts at an eye-watering $2,800
Huawei has unveiled what it claims is the world's first tri-fold phone with a three-panel system that folds up accordion-style.
Engadget
The iOS 18 release date is September 16. Is your iPhone compatible? These are the new features and eligible devices
Not every iPhone user will get to experience the new iOS features or Apple Intelligence. We'll explain who's getting left out this year.
Engadget
Apple needs to remember what the iPhone 16 is for
Apple needs to remember the iPhone shouldn't be used for everything.
Engadget
Sony looks set to announce the PS5 Pro today in a strangely short livestream
Sony looks set to reveal the PS5 Pro during a "technical presentation" that's set for September 10.

The Nexus 5X vs. the competition: Smaller is still powerful

Latest Stories

Someone discovered a new cheat code for the 27-year-old Saturn port of Doom

Google announces deal with direct-air capture startup to remove carbon emissions

iPhone 16 hands-on: More Pro than I expected

Australia’s Prime Minister wants to ban social media for children

Game Pass Standard is now available on Xbox

Why are Apple's AirPods Max still saddled with 2020 hardware?

The new Carmen Sandiego game will let you play as Carmen Sandiego

It's a good year to buy the vanilla iPhone 16 (and avoid the SE at all costs)

Majority of Attorneys General support a warning label for social media platforms

In its first Threads case, Meta’s Oversight Board asked for clarity on death threats

Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet is more than half off and close to its Prime Day price

The key updates that make AirPods 4 block sound better — and just sound better

How Apple's Hearing Aid and Hearing Test will work on AirPods Pro

Apple's 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is cheaper than it was on Prime Day

Sony unveils its PS5 Pro console, which will cost you a whopping $700

Analogue's latest limited edition Pocket consoles are inspired by the Game Boy Color

Huawei's first tri-fold phone starts at an eye-watering $2,800

The iOS 18 release date is September 16. Is your iPhone compatible? These are the new features and eligible devices

Apple needs to remember what the iPhone 16 is for

Sony looks set to announce the PS5 Pro today in a strangely short livestream

About

Sections

Contribute

Buying Guides