HUAWEI MATE 8 VS NEXUS 6P

Starting with the Mate 7 in 2014, Huawei proved to the world that it had the skills and resources necessary to craft a truly premium device that easily competed with more established players in the space. Since then, Huawei has continued to raise up the bar, and made history last year as the first Chinese manufacturer to partner with Google for a Nexus device.

With the Nexus 6P, Huawei merges its exceptional hardware skills with Google’s lighter, snappier stock software, and the end result is a handset that is hailed by many as the best flagship currently on the market. But what about Huawei’s Mate series? Despite the huge shadow cast by the Nexus 6P, the Mate 8 is a massive leap forward for Huawei once again, further refining the design of the Mate 7 while also offering exceptional flagship-level performance.

So how does the Huawei Mate 8 compare to the Huawei-made Nexus 6P? We find out as two of Huawei’s best creations go head to head in this detailed Mate 8 vs Nexus 6P comparison.

• Nexus 6P Review
• Huawei Mate 8 review

Design

Even at first glance, it’s pretty obvious these two flagships are related. Premium materials are par for the course regardless of which device you get, and the metallic design language looks great on both. They feel great in the hands too, despite some very minor slippage due to the materials used. Of course, there’s also some distinct differences that help set Huawei’s latest flagships apart.

The Huawei Mate 8′ design language is a direct evolution of the Mate 7, as well as the Mate S. With the Mate 8 you get a symmetrical design that might feel a bit too familiar when coming from the Mate 7, though its rounded camera and fingerprint scanner help give a more modernized look. The speaker has also moved from the rear to the bottom this time around. On the front you get a display that has relatively small bezels and on-screen keys, as well the front facing camera, the usual sensors, and the Huawei logo towards the bottom.

On the other hand, the Nexus 6P manages to stand out from both its predecessor, the Nexus 6, and its Mate brethren. The prominent Nexus logo on the back is right below the rear-mounted fingerprint reader, and the large black bar up top houses the camera and its accessories. The Nexus 6P also has some unique additions including front-facing speakers and a Type-C USB port, features you won’t find with the Mate 8.

While both phones handle pretty well for devices of their size, neither are exactly perfect for one-handed use, though it can certainly be done. Dimensions do differ a bit with the two, with the Mate 8 being a bit wider due to the 6-inch display, while the Nexus 6P is taller, thanks to its front facing speakers. Ultimately though, we’re looking at two phones that are reasonably similar in terms of size and weight, despite differences in screen size.

Which is better? The answer to that is a very personal one and, even among our team, the answer varied wildly. Some of us certainly prefer the Nexus 6P, whereas others have expressed a preference for the Mate 8. Regardless, Both designs demonstrate the very best of Huawei, delivering solid build quality across the board.

Display

For those that are spec hungry, the decision here is an easy one. The QHD AMOLED display on the Nexus 6P is certainly the better performer here when compared to the 1080p IPS display found on the Mate 8. For those that prefer larger screen real estate, however, it is worth keeping in mind that the Mate 8’s 6-inch screen is the larger of the two. Of course, it is up for debate how much of a difference that extra .3-inches really makes.

The Nexus 6P isn’t just at an advantage in resolution, but AMOLED itself is often the prefered choice for many. AMOLED displays tend to offer a better experience for those that are looking for deep blacks, vibrant, vivid, and saturated colors, as well as tons of brightness for comfortable viewing in broad daylight. The Nexus 6P also offers ambient display technology, which utilizes the AMOLED screen to bring us notification cards at a glance