Three of the most dominant new smartphones this year are the Apple iPhone 6, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Motorola-made Google Nexus 6. The Samsung handset arrived earlier this year followed by the iPhone 6 in September and finally the just-released Nexus 6. If you’re finding it tough to choose between them then today we have an iPhone 6 vs. Galaxy S5 vs. Nexus 6 specs rundown that could help.
If you have a particular preference for the iOS or Android platform then your choice will already been narrowed down, and also the size of handset you favour will also play a part. It’s worth noting that the Nexus 6 is by far the largest of these handsets and is a phablet size, but we thought it would be worth throwing it into the mix for those who haven’t yet decided on size. You may also like to check out our earlier comparison of the Nexus 6, the larger iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note 4.
We’ll highlight the specs of the iPhone 6, Galaxy S5 and Nexus 6 in this comparison so that you can see what they have to offer. Also we should point out that for the purposes of this comparison we’re using the Samsung Galaxy S5 with the Snapdragon 801 processor (there’s also an Exynos octa-core variant for some regions).
Processors
The iPhone 6 has a 1.4GHz Apple A8 dual-core processor with PowerVR GX6450 graphics. The Galaxy S5 has a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor and Adreno 330 GPU. The Nexus 6 has a 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor and Adreno 420 GPU.
Display
The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display with resolution of 1334 x 750 and 326 ppi. The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 and 432 ppi. The Nexus 6 has a whopping 5.96-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution of 2560 x 1440 resulting in 493 ppi.
RAM and Storage
There’s 1GB of RAM and 16, 64 or 128GB models for internal storage (non-expandable) for the iPhone 6. The Galaxy S5 has 2GB of RAM and 16 or 32GB of internal storage that’s expandable via microSD to 128GB. The Nexus 6 has 3GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of internal storage (non-expandable).
Cameras set-up
These phones all have plenty of camera features. The basic arrangement of the iPhone 6 consists of an 8-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash, and video capture of 1080p@60fps or 720p@240fps. It also has a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Galaxy S5 has a 16-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus, LED flash, and 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps or 720p@120fps video capture, and a 2-megapixel front-facing unit. The Nexus 6 has a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, dual-LED flash, optical image stabilization, and 2160p@30fps video capture, as well as a 2-megapixel front-facing snapper.
Battery
The iPhone 6 has a non-removable 1810 mAh battery while the Galaxy S5 has a removable 2800 mAh battery and the Nexus 6 has a non-removable 3220 mAh battery.
Connectivity
All of these handsets feature 4G LTE support, GPRS, and EDGE. The iPhone 6 has dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC (Apple Pay only), and microUSB 2.0. The Galaxy S5 has dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with WiFi Direct and WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and microUSB 3.0. The Nexus 6 has dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with WiFi Direct, WiFi hotspot and DLNA, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and microUSB 2.0.
Operating System
The iPhone 6 runs iOS 8, upgradable to iOS 8.1.1. The Galaxy S5 runs Android KitKat skinned with TouchWiz that will be upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop at some point. The Nexus 6 runs pure vanilla Android 5.0 Lollipop and as a Nexus device it will always be prompt to receive the latest updates.
Dimensions and Size
The iPhone 6 measures 138.1mm x 67mm x 6.9mm and weighs 129g. The Galaxy S5 measures 142mm x 72.5mm x 8.1mm and weighs in at 145g. The Nexus 6 is the largest by some distance at 159.3mm x 83mm x 10.1mm, weighing 184g.
Price
The base level price of the Apple iPhone 6 is $199 on a two-year contract and that’s the same for the Samsung Galaxy S5. The Nexus 6 base price is $299 on a two-year contract, although some will feel the price difference is worth it for the very latest specs on offer. It’s worth remembering that pricing varies by retailer and carrier, and there are plenty of deals to be had at this time of year.
Looking at the specs it’s clear that all of these handsets are impressive with plenty to offer users. We will also point out that higher numbers don’t always mean best, as technologies to optimize performance for many aspects can come into play. We haven’t room to list all of the features of these phones, as there are so many. However, as an example the iPhone 6 has the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, the Galaxy S5 has a fingerprint sensor and is also dust and water-resistant, while the Nexus 6 features Qi wireless charging.
Choosing between them is going to be a difficult decision for many buyers. For instance, the iPhone 6 offers the iOS software experience and a very stylish design with premium build. The Galaxy S5 offers a host of features and also benefits from a removable battery and expandable internal storage. Finally the Nexus 6 undoubtedly has top-flight specs and might suit those who prefer a larger display, as long as they don’t mind paying the extra money.
Once you’ve had time to absorb the information it would be good to know which one you eventually decide on. Will it be the iPhone 6, Galaxy S5 or Nexus 6? Do let us know by sending your comments.