Is the Google Pixel really worth the upgrade over Nexus 5X?

Every year we see some new hardware from Google to go with their latest Operating System version available. And in this case, we are talking about the Android 7.0 Nougat. But now that the smartphones have become so powerful, the ultimate question is, is it really necessary to upgrade to the new hardware which is being launched every year. So on the same lines, today we are going to check out the key difference between the Google Pixel and the last year’s Nexus 5x smartphone from LG, and see if the new Google Pixel is really worth the upgrade.

Design

The first thing to talk about here is the design. And when you talk about the design, you need to take everything into consideration like the overall build quality, aesthetics of the device, etc. So let’s talk about the build quality. This I believe is going to be the major factor of consideration, since we are talking about a completely new design here. The last year’s Nexus 5X was built out of polycarbonate material and this year we have a metal build. And also, it is worth mentioning that HTC is behind the build, so we can expect some very good quality here.

But this doesn’t mean that LG is not capable of building good hardware. The Nexus 5X was still a great looking device, but when it comes to overall premium feel, the new Google Pixel takes the cake here. Now let’s dig deep and get into some details. The Nexus 5X measures 147 x 72.6 x 7.9mm and weighs just 136g. On the other hand, the Google Pixel measures 143.8 x 69.5 x 8.6mm and weighs 143g. This means it is slightly heavier & thicker but at the same time slightly smaller as well. The difference is not much, but it is there. And as mentioned earlier, the new Google Pixel is going to feel way better in the hand with a nice solid build to it.

And the most noticeable change here is the removal of manufacturer branding. We only have a Google Logo this year and no trace of HTC anywhere on the device. And on the back, we have a very different design going on the Google Pixel. And the metal smartphone means the return of the antenna bands and it is quite visible here at the bottom, regardless of which color you go for. And all the other visual changes are quite obvious by now as you might have seen the images already.

Hardware

In terms of the hardware difference, the change is indeed quite significant. If in case you forgot, the last year’s Nexus 5X was powered by a Snapdragon 808 and packed only 2GB of RAM. It came in two variants i.e. the 16GB and the 32GB versions and the device was kept powered by a 2,700 mAh battery. And now when you compare this with the new Google Pixel’s specs, we are looking at a Snapdragon 821 SoC along with 4GB of RAM. It comes with 32GB or 128GB variants, which is all you will need in terms of storage.

The battery hasn’t got a huge update since the new one also packs only 2,770 mAh so it is pretty much the same here. And as far as the display is concerned, the Nexus 5X sports a 5.2-inch display and compared to the 5-inch display on the new Google Pixel. And also both are 1080p resolution panels only so not much difference there as well. Yes, if you drop your smartphone more often then maybe the Google Pixel will stand a better chance since it has a Gorilla Glass 4 on top of the display which is better than last year’s Gorilla Glass 3.

Cameras on smartphones have become much more important now than ever. So it only makes sense to talk about them separately. However, not much has changed here significantly. Both the devices have 12-megapixel rear facing cameras here and interestingly both of them have a f/2.0 aperture and 1.55µm pixels. But the Pixel treats us with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on the rear camera. Also, it has a better front facing shooter, coming in at an 8-megapixels compared to the 5-megapixel shooters on the Nexus 5X.

Verdict

The new Google Pixel brings a much more powerful smartphone on the table with all the latest and the greatest hardware. But when it comes to Android OS, the overall day-to-day user experience is not going to be any different whatsoever. So it all comes down to what you are looking for. If you want a comparatively well-built smartphone with premium materials and the best of what Google has to offer, then Google Pixel is the way to go. But that is if you are willing to pay the extra price, which is very high in this case.

But if you are in the market for a smartphone to get over your day-to-day activities then the Nexus 5X should be just fine. And now with the launch of a successor, the Nexus 5X will also get some price cuts which you might want to make use of. With that being said, let us know if you are going to upgrade or not. And if you don’t have any and are planning to buy one now, then which one are you planning to pick up.

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