New Leak Shows Nexus 6 Will Have 5.2" Screen, QHD Display, Snapdragon 805 Processor

Earlier rumors about the Nexus 6 pointed to a 5.9" screen size, 1080p resolution and a Snapdragon 801 processor. While we still don't know for sure what the Nexus 6 will have, those rumors seemed a little strange and unrealistic; the jump in screen size was just too big, and the processor may be a little too old by November 2014, too.

A new rumor, or rather an AnTuTu benchmark, says the Nexus 6 will have a 5.2" screen, a Snapdragon 805 processor and a 2560 x 1440 resolution. This sounds a lot more believable, but keep in mind this one could be just as fake (or real) as the initial rumors.

A 5.2" screen size makes more sense because it's not a big jump from the 5" Nexus 5. The Snapdragon 805 processor also makes sense, as Google has picked the latest cutting edge chip from Qualcomm for the past two generations of Nexus phones, so it's possible the company is going to do it again.

The QHD resolution rumor is also believable if indeed Google is going with a bigger screen, and the company seems to like high-resolution displays (Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 10, Chromebook Pixel). However, considering that it's a Nexus phone, and it probably won't even have a 3,000 mAh battery, I don't think this resolution would be the best decision for this phone, and the 1080p resolution should be more appropriate.

At the same time, the phone will come with Android L, which seems to have significantly better battery life than previous versions, so the new phone is not likely to be a downgrade in battery life, even if the battery isn't large enough to accommodate the higher resolution.


The new processor should also be more powerful and more efficient even with the higher resolution. The Snapdragon 805 CPU can be clocked at 2.5-2.7 GHz, and the new Adreno 420 GPU should be 40 percent faster than Adreno 330. That may not quite make up the difference between the demands of a 1920 x 1080 resolution versus 2560 x 1440 (78 percent more), but it helps.

This leaked benchmark also points to a 13MP camera on the back and a 2.1MP camera on the front. With Android L's significant improvements to the camera API, the Nexus 6 may be the first Nexus phone to actually have a great camera. Of course, it will still depend on Google to put a really good 13MP sensor in there, and not a very cheap one, but things look promising. After all, what better way is there to showcase how good the new camera API in Android L is than with a really good camera?

The Nexus 6 has been rumored to be made by Motorola; so far, that rumor hasn't been denied. As we're getting closer to a November launch (which is usually the month of new Nexus/Android launches), we should be getting more rumors either confirming or denying the ones we have right now. So far, these latest ones seem to be the closest to reality yet.

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Lucian Armasu
Lucian Armasu is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He covers software news and the issues surrounding privacy and security.
  • kawininjazx
    It would be nice if I could get this phone on Verizon with my upgrade, I'm happy enough with my plan and don't mind the subsidized phone price, but the Nexus phones are never an option for me.
    Reply
  • Merry_Blind
    ­"The QHD resolution rumor is also believable is indeed Google is going with a bigger screen" mmhh might want to correct that.
    Reply
  • Chris Droste
    sounds Like and LG G2.5 to me
    Reply
  • DarkSable
    AHHHHHH, yes! This is great news! A more powerful processor and a phone that you can hold in one hand and not look like a ricer.
    Reply
  • Patrick Tobin
    Odd, didn't Google say they weren't going to be making anymore Nexus devices past the 5???
    Reply
  • Patrick Tobin
    http://thenextweb.com/google/2014/04/29/google-drop-nexus-phone-line-new-premium-android-silver-program/
    Reply
  • vern72
    The battery life of Nexus phones are the only big drawback for me. The lack of an SD card isn't as bad but it would be nice.
    Reply
  • airborne11b
    2560 x 1440 5" screen? That means you'd have to hold it less than 6 inches from your face to start seeing pixels.

    As opposed to a 1920 x 1080 5" screen which becomes retina quality at 8 inches.

    Great job google, make the battery life less for absolutely zero reason at all.

    I could understand this kind of size/resolution if it was a screen that was going into a VR headset like Oculus, but this is a phone. Who holds a phone 5 inches from their eyes? smfh
    Reply
  • lain Iwakura
    2560 x 1440 5" screen? That means you'd have to hold it less than 6 inches from your face to start seeing pixels.

    As opposed to a 1920 x 1080 5" screen which becomes retina quality at 8 inches.

    Great job google, make the battery life less for absolutely zero reason at all.

    I could understand this kind of size/resolution if it was a screen that was going into a VR headset like Oculus, but this is a phone. Who holds a phone 5 inches from their eyes? smfh

    oculus rift use a smartphone screen so ... ^^

    Reply
  • teh_chem
    Sounds like an LG G3 only with the processor people were expecting.

    I'm starting to hate these absurdly high PPI screens.
    Reply