FormanyanAndroiduser,thelaunchofanew
Nexus device is the pinnacle of the yearly cycle
of smartphones. Notorious for being high-end
devices at a competitive price point, this year
has seen two very distinct devices enter the fray.
While Huawei’s 6P is tailored to a more premium
audience, the 5X developed by LG has a look
and feel of a more mid-range affair.
We can’t recall any previous Nexus device
being a real looker and the trend continues with
the 5X. The black shell is fairly dull, but while
some may scoff at the plastic build, it’s robust
and lacks any sort of noticeable fl ex in the shell.
Around the back is a protruding camera lens
(which may cause some issues when fi nding a
decent case), along with the new fi ngerprint
scanner just below it. The normal selection of
ports are included, as well as a reversible USB-C
offering for a quicker charge. However, you’ll
need to buy a separate cable as you won’t fi nd
one included in the box. There’s no microSD slot,
but there are 16 and 32GB variations available.
As ever, you’ll be heavily relying on cloud storage
more often than not anyway.
Apart from an increase in size from 2013’s
4.95-inch display on the Nexus 5 to 5.2 inches,
it’s by and large the same. The IPS LCD panel
shows off colours really well and viewing angles
are some of the best we’ve experienced in a
while. There’s also something that we really enjoy
about the 5.2-inch sizing, as it’s just the right
size for one-handed use.
It has to be said that Android Marshmallow is
a joy to use on the Nexus 5X. Moving between
menus is fast and the revamped animations look
great, rather than being a real nuisance. Android
Pay also comes as standard, making use of the
fi ngerprint scanner on the rear. Contactless
payments are fast becoming the norm, so
expect to make use of that scanner much more
as time goes by.
What we were surprised by is the inclusion of
2GB RAM in the 5X. While the jury is still out on
whether 4GB is really needed in a mobile device,
2GB is a little on the weak side for those
wanting to undertake some more processor
intensive tasks. However, those seeking a good
everyday experience will fi nd the 2GB RAM
suffi cient, plus the Snapdragon 808 processor
isn’t a massive burden on the 2,700mAh battery.
Expect to get close to a day of use between
charges, but as ever, watching movies, listeniReviews
Nexus 5X
Will the Nexus brand remain
the cream of the crop for
Android heading into 2016?
Missing metal?
Plastic is a tried and tested
materialformostmid-range
smartphones, but it would have
beennicehadLGincludeda
full metal bodyViewing angles
Huddling around the 5X with
yourfriendstowatchthelatest
AAAblockbusterisdoable.
ViewinganglesontheIPSLCD
display are some of the best
we have ever seenOne-handed use
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inchesistoobigfora
smartphone will continue to go
on,butinouropinion,the
5.2-inch offering here is perfect
for one-handed use