Google Nexus 5X
Verdict
Key specs
Critic consensus
“LG nailed the screen and the camera and with Google's direction created an excellent upper mid-ranger. There's not a lot in its class that can top the Nexus 5X. This Nexus is less of the cutting-edge, dev-type of device we're hoping for and more of the polished, well balanced product that established manufacturers would gladly put forward. Come to think of it, we don't mind the trade-off as much as we thought we would. Now if only the price outside the US was more consumer-friendly, too.”
“Overall the Nexus 5X is great in some areas, lacklustre in others. But it's a Nexus - and boy oh boy, do we love Nexus. However, the larger Nexus 6P offers much more, albeit on a much larger scale.”
“If this had been released a few months ago I’d be lauding the Nexus 5X as one of the best value for money smartphones on the market. However, with the OnePlus 2 and Moto X Style out, its specs are unremarkable, if a little below average, at its price-point. But, for those with the cash, there are still several reasons to consider the Nexus 5X over its more powerful rivals. Chief among them is an unpolluted version of Google’s latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system, good performance and an above average display.”
“The Nexus 5X is a very, very good phone. I know that you can look at the spec sheet and get stressed about one thing or another, but just don't. The experience using this phone has surpassed my expectations. The screen is only 1080p, but it's a good panel and is perfectly acceptable at this size. It performs well outside and inside, and the more modest resolution allows for good battery life. I've personally been getting 5 hours of screen time with heavy use, which is good for a device with a 2700mAh battery. Android 6.0's Doze functionality also makes standby time amazing. You'll get less screen time with light use, but the phone might make it through almost two days.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
The Nexus 6 failed to impress a lot of Google’s fans as it was too large and expensive for those that enjoyed the Nexus 5. Google finally listened and released the 5X – the first real successor to the Nexus 5. It wasn’t love at first sight among experts. In fact, most consider it rather dull and uninspired with some going so far as to call it ugly. Still, they add it is quite comfortable to hold thanks to its light weight of only 136 grams and, despite being slightly taller and wider than its predecessor, easy to use one-handed. With that said, some did take issue with the build quality citing it as cheap and plastic-y especially with regards to the power and volume rocker. The biggest update to the design is the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner on the back of the device. Experts were very pleased with the new addition as they described it as lightning fast and incredibly accurate even in the rain.
The only thing that has changed with the screen is its size. Now at 5.2 inches, the IPS LCD display still sports a resolution of 1920 x 1080 for a pixel density of 432ppi. While not quadHD, experts had no qualms with its overall sharpness. They were equally impressed with the overall brightness and color accuracy though they point out the colors were fairly flat. As Alphr puts it, “the Nexus 5X won’t blow you away, but it won’t leave you crying…”
A combined 1.44GHz quad-core chip and 1.82GHz dual-core chip makes up the hexa-core CPU on the Nexus 5X and 2GB of RAM keeps the Nexus 5X humming along. On paper, the specs certainly are not on par with other flagship smartphones. When put through benchmark tests, experts noticed inconsistent performance, which ended up translating to real life use. For the most part they had no issues navigating the home screen. It was only when they tried to load up the camera app or open multiple tabs in the browser when they noticed some slowdown. While annoying, they state it is still fast enough for most people. They biggest problem for experts though is the battery life. Even with moderate use, they were only able to get a day out of it. With heavy gaming, they drained batteries to 50 percent in only two hours.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade to the 5X is the move to a 12.3MP rear camera and improved aperture and larger light sensor. These improvements allowed reviewers to take very detailed, vibrant and color accurate pictures even in low lighting situations. Of course, when they zoomed into the pictures more they did notice some noise and distorted colors for the dim light shots. Still, they were rather impressed with the quality, especially since it does not come with optical image stabilization. Instead, the 5X concentrates on its laser assisted autofocus and larger light sensor. Besides pictures, the camera can also record 4K videos. Unfortunately, the 5X does not allow for expandable storage so 4K videos ultimately will take up much needed storage space.
While the 5X is not without its flaws, reviewers still highly recommend it for consumers looking for a pure Android experience in a small package. The Verge states, “It’s compact, cheap and performs well, even if it’s not the best-looking or best-feeling phone you can get.” Tech Radar adds, ” The Nexus 5X isn’t the best phone you can get…It’s more like the perfect fit for one hand and the closest thing to a five-finger discount given the specs.”
What people actually want to know
When was the Google Nexus 5X released?
The Google Nexus 5X was released on October 30, 2015.
How long does the battery last on the Google Nexus 5X?
The Google Nexus 5X has a 2,700 mAh battery.
Does the Google Nexus 5X have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Google Nexus 5X has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the Google Nexus 5X have NFC?
Yes, the Google Nexus 5X has NFC. You can use Google Wallet, Apple Pay, and tap-to-pair with Bluetooth accessories.
Where can I download the Google Nexus 5X manual?
You can view and download the Google Nexus 5X manual on our dedicated manual page.
Questions & answers
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Typically we have links to manuals here on The Informr. In the case of the 5x, we didn't yet find one. Once we do...it will be available here on the 5x page (in the resources section at the bottom). You can also keep an eye on Google's page: https://support.google.com/nexus/topic/3453510?hl=en&ref_topic=3424348. In the meantime...the latest Android quick start guide might be helpful to you. Grab that here. Hope this helps you. Check our 5x page in the coming days for an update. We'll link up the manual as soon as its available.