Google has finally announced the new Nexus handsets following months and months of speculation. 

The Nexus 5X is set to replace the two-year old Nexus 5, while the Nexus 6P will stand in for the Nexus 6 and we have compared the two devices against each other and the Nexus 6P against the Nexus 6 in separate features.

Here we are looking at how the Nexus 5X compares to the Nexus 5. We have crunched through the numbers and the specs to see what the differences are and what's changed over the last couple of years. Read on to find out.

Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5 design: Fingerprint sensor on 5X

The Nexus 5X measures 147 x 72.6mm with a thickness of 7.9mm at its slimmest. The Nexus 5 on the other hand measures 137.8 x 69.2 x 8.59mm so the newer device is larger overall, but a little slimmer. 

The Nexus 5X has been made by LG, following in the footsteps of the Nexus 5. The new device has a slightly more interesting design though, with a raised rear camera lens, as well as a rear fingerprint sensor called the Nexus Imprint. The camera lens has also moved from the top left hand corner where it was on the Nexus 5, to the top middle on the Nexus 5X.

The Nexus 5 comes in five colours in total, while the Nexus 5X is only available in three. White, black and a shade of blue, although not the same, are included for both devices.

Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5 display: 5X bigger but 5 sharper

The Nexus 5X arrives with a 5.2-inch display sporting a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, which delivers a pixel density of 424ppi.

This means the display on the Nexus 5X will be just a tad bigger than the 4.95-inch Nexus 5 but as the resolution is the same, the older device will present crisper images thanks to a higher pixel density of 445ppi.

Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5 camera: Better cameras on the 5X

The Nexus 5X comes with a 12.3-megapixel rear camera with a dual-LED flash, f/2.0 aperture and IR laser-assisted autofocus. The front camera is  5-megapixels. 

The Nexus 5 by comparison features an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera, so both will be significantly better on the 5X.

The Nexus 5X will also have larger pixels on its rear camera sensor than before, which is claimed will read more light and therefore perform better in low light situations.

Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5 hardware: Same storage but bigger battery on 5X

The Nexus 5X comes with the hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset, Adreno 418 graphics and 2GB of RAM. It also has a 2700mAh battery capacity and 16GB and 32GB models will be available.

The Nexus 5 on the other hand features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, Adreno 330 graphics and 2GB of RAM, so there should certainly be an improvement in terms of performance. The storage is the same at 16GB and 32GB models, but the battery is bigger on the 5X with the 5 offering 2300mAh.

Neither the 5X or the 5 offer microSD support.

Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5 software: Marshmallow 6.0

The Nexus 5X will debut with the latest version of purebred Android software - 6.0 Marshmallow. The Nexus 5 currently offers Android Lollipop but it will be one of the first devices to get the upgrade to Marshmallow so you'll eventually get the same user experience on both devices once the upgrade hits.

Google has said older Nexus devices including the 6 will receive the update in the beginning of October.

Nexus 5X vs Nexus 5: Conclusion

It must be remembered that the Nexus 5 has been around for a couple years so it will come as no surprise that the rumoured specs for the Nexus 5X trump it in almost every way.

Except for being slightly larger in terms of footprint, the Nexus 5X has a bigger display, a faster processor, a bigger battery capacity, better cameras and it will come with the latest software from the box. It also has the addition of the Nexus fingerprint sensor.

The Nexus 5 was a great device when it first launched but based on the specs, the Nexus 5X is the clear winner between these two in terms of the numbers, despite the older device offering the sharper display.