For the past five years, Google has worked with various OEM partners to create Nexus devices that showcase the latest version of Android without bloatware or manufacturers' tweaks. These phones are practical and affordable, with long battery life and a super-smooth OS experience.
The Nexus 6 takes the Nexus concept to the extreme, combining a massive screen with high-end specifications and a great camera. It's not perfect, but it's a solid device that shows what Android can do when left unfettered by carrier and manufacturer software.
Built for Google by Motorola, the Nexus 6 offers a pure Android experience. It runs the new Android 5.0 Lollipop, and Motorola has been barred from making any changes to the OS or user interface. That's a big advantage over plus-sized phones from Samsung and Apple, which tend to run older versions of the operating system and have bloated UIs.
It's a mammoth phone, with a 5.9-inch display that straddles the line between smartphone and tablet. That screen delivers a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, meaning it offers 493 pixels per inch — more than the iPhone 6 Plus's 401 ppi and Samsung Galaxy Note 4's 515 ppi.
It's powered by a quad-core 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor, and has a 13-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization. It also has a pair of front-facing stereo speakers that offer good sound quality, and it supports wireless charging. The non-removable 3,220 mAh battery is rated to last six hours on a single charge, and can regain a full charge in about 15 minutes.