Google has announced two Nexus devices, with a replacement for the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 6 unveiled at an event in San Francisco.

The two devices have been heavily leaked over the last couple of months, so there was little left to the imagination but their full specifications have now been confirmed and you can find out everything you need to know about the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P in our separate features.

We have already compared the two handsets together, as well as the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 5, but here we are focussing on the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 6. How does the new Nexus phablet compare against the old, what are the differences and which device will come out on top based on the speculation of the specs?

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 design: 6P is slimmer and lighter

The Nexus 6P measures 159.3 x 77.8mm and hits the scales at 178g. It is also just 7.3mm slim meaning the Nexus 6P is as tall but not quite as wide or thick as the Nexus 6 that measures 159.3 x 83 x 10.1mm. The new Nexus 6P is also 6g lighter.

The Nexus 6P is comes in three colours comprising aluminium, graphite and frost. That is one more than the Nexus 6 however, which is only available in blue and white.

In terms of build, the Nexus 6P features an all metal build, while the Nexus 6 has a plastic finish. The new device also offers the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor on the rear and USB Type-C charging.

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 display: 6P is smaller but crisper

The Nexus 6P arrives with a 5.7-inch display sporting a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution that delivers a pixel density of 515ppi. It means the display is smaller in size than the pretty large Nexus 6 that offers a 5.96-inch display, but it is also sharper.

The Nexus 6 also has a Quad HD resolution, but as it is a little larger, there are less pixels per inch, with a pixel density resulting in 493ppi. The difference is pretty minor and it's unlikely to be noticeable to the human eye but on the numbers alone, the Nexus 6P offers crisper images.

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 camera: Same megapixels

The Nexus 6P features a 12.3-megapixel rear camera, which is a little less than Nexus 6 that comes with a 13-megapixel sensor. Google is concentrating on low light with the new device though so although the resolution might be lower, the pixels are said to be larger in order to allow in more light. 

The front-facing camera of the Nexus 6P is 8-megapixels which is a big improvement on the 2-megaixels of the Nexus 6 so you can expect to see a big difference there.

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 hardware: Improved performance, storage and battery for 6P

In terms of hardware, the Nexus 6P sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip, which is an improvement on the Snapdragon 805 that can be found in the Nexus 6. The older device sports Adreno 420 graphics and the new handset comes with Adreno 430 graphics so there is progression here too.

Storage capacities have increased too, with the Nexus 6P available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB options, while the Nexus 6 is offered in 32GB and 64GB. Neither offer microSD support.

The Nexus 6P will also have a larger battery, with a 3540mAh capacity compared to the Nexus 6's 3220mAh so you should get a little extra juice out of the new device.

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 software: Marshmallow

The Nexus 6P will debut with the latest version of Android - 6.0 Marshmallow, bringing a whole host of new features with it.

The Nexus 6 will get an update to the new software though, and it will be one of the first to get it with the update landing at the beginning of October, so you'll get the same user experience from next week.

Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 conclusion: 6P wins

The Nexus 6P is the successor to the Nexus 6, which therefore means you would expect it to be the better device in terms of specs and it is in many areas. It is smaller than the very large Nexus 6, lighter, offers a crisper display and it has improved performance capabilities, as well as bigger storage and battery capacities.

The Nexus 6 has a larger display however and the rear camera resolution is similar, although a different sensor. It will also get the update to the new software so it doesn't lose every point even if the Nexus 6P takes the majority.