[Official] User reviews

I've had my N6 64gb Blue for 1 week exactly as I write this. I read and watched every review of this phone I could find before I overpaid for it on EBay. Constantly the reviews point towards the Note 4 as the all around better phone. So here's my review.

I've been using a Note 3 since the moment it was released on Verizon. Prior to that I had a Note 2 from release day. Before that a Thunderbolt, Google Nexus, Blackberry Touch (Was it touch?), Razor or flip phones. The Note 3 was the best phone ever after the Note 2. And the Note 3 was a huge upgrade. Now to the N6, I feel very much like Mongoose in his review. I have been upgrading for screen size every time a bigger phone was released. But I would not sacrifice on hardware.

The N6 at first did not seem that much bigger than the Note 3 (which is now my second phone). Until I stopped using the Note 3 as my primary phone. After a couple of days the Note 3 began to feel small to me. So far the N6 screen has been great, I have no complaints at all. As for the phone itself not as great. First the power and volume buttons are way to close to each other. With a cover (neoprene) you can barely tell which button is which. The reviews said they were placed in there positions because of the phone size. How about considering the users hand size? You've got a entire left side of the phone unused. Bad design.

Next the speed. The N6 is no doubt much faster than the Note 3. Simple test is to fast scroll through contacts with pictures. N6 loads pictures instantly. Note 3 has huge lag. To the point you must wait up to a 3/4 second for pictures to load (DW contacts app). But the N6 still has lag or freezes for a moment when it's being tasked. I'm defiantly getting software glitches which could be due to lollipop interacting with apps. Bottom line I'm not digging it.

Phone calls on the N6 are OK but I honestly think the volume is a bit to low. I have also been experiencing some static during calls. The calls are clear but again not that loud. Note 3 is defiantly better during phone calls. Also the contacts and in phone call screen sucks. Everything is tiny.

Note 3 S pen is a great feature!!! If you don't have it then you don't realize how often you make a quick note with it. N6 nope.

The front speakers are much better than the Note 3's rear speaker. I've never understood that speaker placement.

Physically the N6 is very sturdy and a quality product. Since I have the Midnight Blue it appears like a big dark phone. Nothing fancy. I've never owned a white phone but I bet it looks better. The N6 is defiantly a nicer build than most but once you put a case on it you'd never know the difference between any phone and the N6.

One thing I absolutely miss is the hard home button. The back buttons and home button on the N6 are a total hassle. They add an extra step or confusion to the whole process. When pressing the right button why can't you "close all" apps? There is a learning curve and I defiantly prefer the Note 3 when it comes to home screen buttons.

I've taken pictures and they are OK. I use the Camera Zoom app and have not taken that many photos to really review the camera.

The battery life has been completely fine. I conditioned the battery by charging it fully and draining it until shut down and repeated for a few days. I'm getting a full day 6am until now 11:19pm with 19% left. So battery is good.

As far a lollipop is concerned its fine but I hate the circles theme throughout. It's an operating system, the visual animations are nice but who cares.

So to some it up I've owned every top of the line phone released on Verizon. The N6 is a nice phone but it's not incredible. To me the biggest and best thing about the N6 is the screen size. It's great. Secondly its faster so that makes me happy to own it. Overall the N6 is a great phone BUT since I'm moving from a Note 3 I'm not being blown away because I'm used to a great phone.

Update: A couple of things I forgot and are concerns to potential buyers. First 64gbs is plenty. My Note 3 didn't slow down until I had almost 10k pictures on it with 32gbs. Don't sweat no sd card. Next no removable battery. I never removed my battery in any phone except to do a hard reset (except the HTC incredible, I added the bigger battery and back cover). I don't see this as an issue. Also with so many people and places having chargers lying around when can't you get some juice. Lastly for the moment, though I never thought I'd use it I miss the IR blaster. With all the apps available for my home theater etc. It comes in handy.

lunatic59 said:

The button location was one of my criticisms as well and I still don't think it would have been a problem to put them a little higher ans separate the power a little, but hey, it is what it is.

I'd watch the battery "conditioning" though. LiIon batteries can actually be damaged by repeated deep discharges and rendered inert if allowed to discharge completely. The extended battery life you see from the discharge cycling is actually the phone learning the capacity of the larger battery in the N6 and reporting more accurately. It would have happened eventually with more frequent, smaller charges. You just accelerated the curve a little.

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I knew the Lilon batteries could be charged at any point but I did not realize I could damage them. I've followed that conditioning pattern forever and have always had awesome battery life. Funny literally seconds ago I pulled the battery from a phone off 100% charge. My last full discharge and I'll start charging when it gets low rather than system shut down.

The buttons are driving me crazy. I use the "Screen Off and Lock" app icon to turn off the screen. Which is great placed in the bottom task bar. Love the ambient screen activation (even just for the time) unfortunately after a screen shut off and not enough idle time I'm fumbling for buttons. Continue to mess with my volume inadvertently. I will admit I'm sure without a cover it would be easier but I like to keep my equipment perfect and protected.

Thanks for the info.

So bummed. Was so excited for the Nexus 6. I gave my s4 to my daughter when it arrived. The phone only worked on my right cheek not left. The screen stays on when on left ear. So when you talk, it hits mute,2222,hangs up.etc. So I sent it back and exchanged it for another. Guess what? Same problem with the second one. Att is giving me a refund and I need to pick a different phone. I called Motorola and they said it's a proximity sensor problem they are working on. I loved the front facing speakers of the Nexus 6. They were awesome. I guess I'll go with the Note 4 but the worthless rear speaker is gonna stink. Lousy phone Motorola. No IR blaster. No text option on hang up. A lot of other minus's too. Wish I had more phones to choose from.

Couldn't disagree with you more. I bought both the Note 4 and Nexus 6 in November. I made the decision to sick with the Note 4. The lag of the Note 4 is unbearable. Touch a contact to call and you wait 3-5 seconds before it respond. Touch a desktop app and you wait 2-3 second for it to respond. Don't even think of pressing the recent apps button (which is on the wrong side BTW) because if you do it takes FOREVER to open. The speaker is terrible as you said.

I've never tried to call holding the N6 in my left hand. If that is an issue then I can remedy that by switching hands until Motorola fixed the proximity sensor issue. You can't fix the lagginess of the Note 4. It is what it is.

When you put the mouthpiece part of the Nexus 6 by your eye it works on the left side.lol. Cincybearcatfan, now you have me worried about the Note 4.Wish there was another option for a big phone with front speakers on Att.

codesplice said:

I don't think you're the only one with the issue, though it's definitely a strange one: http://www.reddit.com/r/nexus6/comments/2nmr7l/anyone_else_having_issues_with_the_proximity/

My guess is that it has to do with the sensor's placement and how it gets positioned next to your ear.

Sorry to hear that the N6 didn't meet your needs.

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Thanks for finding that. Bummed I had to return 2 back this month alone

codesplice said:

... Shouldn't you put the mouthpiece by your mouth?

Clearly you're just holding it wrong.

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Lol

No problems here, proximity works fine on either side of my dome.

Do you have a screen protector on it that covers the sensor? My protector has a cutout across the top that leaves the sensors and camera exposed.

Also, what's the big deal about an iR blaster? That's a lame excuse to declare a phone as horrible. Is your life hampered so severely because you can't use a Nexus 6 as a remote control? I've had phones in the past with the capability. It was a novelty at best, I never found the need for it. Too many extra steps to change the channel or volume, entirely impractical.

Everything else in your complaint is a software issue, and has nothing to do with the Nexus 6 hardware.

codesplice said:

I've never had a need/desire for a phone with an iR blaster, but I can definitely understand why that feature would be important to some users - particularly if they're upgrading froma phone that has one. It's absolutely fine if someone thinks a phone is a non-starter for them because if lacks that feature - it would be silly for them to have to use a phone that lacks a feature they want just because the rest of us don't care for it.

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If that's the case, they should not have purchased a Nexus 6, instead of buying one and complaining that it lacks such a feature.

Don't mean to come off as harsh or rude, but c'mon. If you care that much about an iR blaster, you shouldn't be buying the Nexus 6.

*group hug*

Just watched this review https://clip.mn/video/yt-OMpBmoKNJs4

Do you think this is a bit too harsh?

Time to chime in again (since my original review). I watched that video review and think it was pretty spot on. The longer I've owned this phone the more it's become a love hate relationship. Coming from a Note 3 I bought this phone for the screen size. Coming from the prior Samsung flagship phone this phone is underwhelming.

Yeah it's faster and the screen size is noticeably bigger but that's it. Most of my criticism is about small stuff and echo's many others but it's the small stuff that makes a difference. No IR Blaster is a bummer. No I don't use it daily but since I can download my Panasonic, Sony, X Box, PlayStation remotes to name a few it's useful. I use a Harmony remote and grabbing the phone to control the actual TV menu or Volume control for the receiver rather than switch activity's or devices on the remote is helpful. So its missed.

Next the lack of LED notification light when messages arrive or to monitor charging is a JOKE! The ambient light is nice but I want to know the charger is working and if I got a message looking at the phone from across the room.

While I'm at it Verizon Voice mail does not push to this phone. The Nexus 6 is an unrecognized device so you must check your Voice mail when you remember to.

Why is the back button on the left of the home button and not the right which would put it closest to your thumb (right hand use)????? Seriously talk about thwarting one handed use. On the same note where is the close all command? What a hassle.

And how about the restart option? And how about moving the power button further up the side of the phone so I don't keep powering it off! Seriously when people talk about optimum button position who ever turns off their phone? And since its not so routine then power button placement is not important.

As far as the size is concerned it's ok. I handle the phone with no problem but slightly more narrow and taller would have made the phone more agile. Now having experienced the front speakers they are OK but phone speakers regardless of the placement suck. I'm not impressed by the N6 speakers.

I have missed the S-pen multiple times.

The N6 is not a bad phone Obviously! But the design flaws make it frustrating at times. Something I never complained about on my Note 2 or 3. They were huge leaps forward for Android phones. The N6 has faster processor, bigger screen and is impressive but for a high end phone user it has limited wow factor.

I paid $950. on Ebay to get this phone so let there be no doubt I wanted it.

Let me also add if your typing/reading reviews on an Android forum you are not the average user! Thanks

Fun Human said:

Time to chime in again (since my original review). I watched that video review and think it was pretty spot on. The longer I've owned this phone the more it's become a love hate relationship. Coming from a Note 3 I bought this phone for the screen size. Coming from the prior Samsung flagship phone this phone is underwhelming.

Yeah it's faster and the screen size is noticeably bigger but that's it. Most of my criticism is about small stuff and echo's many others but it's the small stuff that makes a difference. No IR Blaster is a bummer. No I don't use it daily but since I can download my Panasonic, Sony, X Box, PlayStation remotes to name a few it's useful. I use a Harmony remote and grabbing the phone to control the actual TV menu or Volume control for the receiver rather than switch activity's or devices on the remote is helpful. So its missed.

Next the lack of LED notification light when messages arrive or to monitor charging is a JOKE! The ambient light is nice but I want to know the charger is working and if I got a message looking at the phone from across the room.

While I'm at it Verizon Voice mail does not push to this phone. The Nexus 6 is an unrecognized device so you must check your Voice mail when you remember to.

Why is the back button on the left of the home button and not the right which would put it closest to your thumb (right hand use)????? Seriously talk about thwarting one handed use. On the same note where is the close all command? What a hassle.

And how about the restart option? And how about moving the power button further up the side of the phone so I don't keep powering it off! Seriously when people talk about optimum button position who ever turns off their phone? And since its not so routine then power button placement is not important.

As far as the size is concerned it's ok. I handle the phone with no problem but slightly more narrow and taller would have made the phone more agile. Now having experienced the front speakers they are OK but phone speakers regardless of the placement suck. I'm not impressed by the N6 speakers.

I have missed the S-pen multiple times.

The N6 is not a bad phone Obviously! But the design flaws make it frustrating at times. Something I never complained about on my Note 2 or 3. They were huge leaps forward for Android phones. The N6 has faster processor, bigger screen and is impressive but for a high end phone user it has limited wow factor.

I paid $950. on Ebay to get this phone so let there be no doubt I wanted it.

Let me also add if your typing/reading reviews on an Android forum you are not the average user! Thanks

Click to expand...

I'm sure you already know, but there is a LED if you want to activate it once you root. I did then turned it off. I didn't like it, nor do I need it. Here is the info on how to turn it on.

There is a new thing called Google Voice that you should try. It does an amazing thing. You dial, *86+ You Google Voice Number and it forwards all of your voice mails to Google Voice. Then you can set it up to come through Hangouts or if you want even your dialer. Now it still may not flash a light from across the room to tell you it's there but at least you will not have to dial in anymore. Hope this helps!

The back button is on the left because that is where it is on ALL phones but Samsung. It hated it on the right when I had my Note 4 for the month I could stand to keep it.

Fun Human said:

Time to chime in again (since my original review). I watched that video review and think it was pretty spot on. The longer I've owned this phone the more it's become a love hate relationship. Coming from a Note 3 I bought this phone for the screen size. Coming from the prior Samsung flagship phone this phone is underwhelming.

Yeah it's faster and the screen size is noticeably bigger but that's it. Most of my criticism is about small stuff and echo's many others but it's the small stuff that makes a difference. No IR Blaster is a bummer. No I don't use it daily but since I can download my Panasonic, Sony, X Box, PlayStation remotes to name a few it's useful. I use a Harmony remote and grabbing the phone to control the actual TV menu or Volume control for the receiver rather than switch activity's or devices on the remote is helpful. So its missed.

Next the lack of LED notification light when messages arrive or to monitor charging is a JOKE! The ambient light is nice but I want to know the charger is working and if I got a message looking at the phone from across the room.

While I'm at it Verizon Voice mail does not push to this phone. The Nexus 6 is an unrecognized device so you must check your Voice mail when you remember to.

Why is the back button on the left of the home button and not the right which would put it closest to your thumb (right hand use)????? Seriously talk about thwarting one handed use. On the same note where is the close all command? What a hassle.

And how about the restart option? And how about moving the power button further up the side of the phone so I don't keep powering it off! Seriously when people talk about optimum button position who ever turns off their phone? And since its not so routine then power button placement is not important.

As far as the size is concerned it's ok. I handle the phone with no problem but slightly more narrow and taller would have made the phone more agile. Now having experienced the front speakers they are OK but phone speakers regardless of the placement suck. I'm not impressed by the N6 speakers.

I have missed the S-pen multiple times.

The N6 is not a bad phone Obviously! But the design flaws make it frustrating at times. Something I never complained about on my Note 2 or 3. They were huge leaps forward for Android phones. The N6 has faster processor, bigger screen and is impressive but for a high end phone user it has limited wow factor.

I paid $950. on Ebay to get this phone so let there be no doubt I wanted it.

Let me also add if your typing/reading reviews on an Android forum you are not the average user! Thanks

Click to expand...

Cincybearcatfan said:

I'm sure you already know, but there is a LED if you want to activate it once you root. I did then turned it off. I didn't like it, nor do I need it. Here is the info on how to turn it on.

There is a new thing called Google Voice that you should try. It does an amazing thing. You dial, *86+ You Google Voice Number and it forwards all of your voice mails to Google Voice. Then you can set it up to come through Hangouts or if you want even your dialer. Now it still may not flash a light from across the room to tell you it's there but at least you will not have to dial in anymore. Hope this helps!

The back button is on the left because that is where it is on ALL phones but Samsung. It hated it on the right when I had my Note 4 for the month I could stand to keep it.

Click to expand...

To add on that; I don't believe any Nexus on factory firmware has had a reboot option on the power menu.

As noted, if you really want, you can enable the LEDs on the device with a few easy tweaks. I didn't find the notification LED practical, as the work-arounds to make it work kinda suck at this point. You need the paid Lightflow app, and it needs to "wake" the device constantly to change the LED state. Due to the nature of that, SU toast notifications for Lightflow pop up constantly, which can also be adjusted in your SU app. On the flip side, some custom kernels enable the use of the charging LED. The latest Franco kernel enables it by default, and it works for USB and Qi charging.

I don't know what to say about your other complaints. I think the front-facing speakers sound phenomenal, and the button placement is spot on.

Fun Human said:

While I'm at it Verizon Voice mail does not push to this phone. The Nexus 6 is an unrecognized device so you must check your Voice mail when you remember to.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure why you're having this problem, but I'm using my Nexus 6 on Verizon and I get notifications whenever I have a new voice mail. It has worked just fine from day one.

Fun Human said:

And how about the restart option? And how about moving the power button further up the side of the phone so I don't keep powering it off! Seriously when people talk about optimum button position who ever turns off their phone? And since its not so routine then power button placement is not important.

Click to expand...

Just found out yesterday, there is a reboot option on the N6. Press and hold the power button and it reboots. This works from the lock screen and when the phone is unlocked. It just doesn't say "reboot" anywhere.

Thanks for the input people. I'm aware of my options rooting the phone along with Lightflow and Google voice. I posted on another thread about restart option/phone rebooting. It turns out that if you hold the power button down for 5-10 seconds the phone restarts. Who knew! That's nice to know.

Just so its clear I love this phone! Most of this stuff is nit picking by everybody. I speak highly of my Note 3 because it really set the bar as far as I'm concerned for phones (especially if you want a large screen). BUT when I use it daily switching back and forth from the N6 there is no comparison. The N6 is the clear winner. Of all my personal desires the S pen is really what I miss. It was awesome when I needed to write something down fast ( I am aware of the alternative apps).

Lastly it seems like many people on these forums consider any criticism of their beloved phone as a personal attack. It just opinion and preference, nothing more. Now if you Apple Fan boys start touting how great Apple phones are versus Android that's a different story!!! Thanks