Google has announced the latest Nexus device, which has not only seen a bump in display size and specs from last year's model but it also debuts the latest Android software.

The Google Nexus 6 has been manufactured by Motorola rather than LG this year and it will launch with Android Lollipop, but what else is different from the Nexus 5? We have crunched the numbers of the two devices to see what's changed and what remains the same.

Bigger, sharper display on the Nexus 6

The Nexus 6 comes with a 6-inch 2560 x 1440 resolution display compared to the 4.95-inch 1920 x 1080 screen on the Nexus 5, so it not only gives you more screen, but a sharper and more detailed one too.

The Nexus 6 features a pixel density of 498ppi compared to the 445ppi of the Nexus 5, which means there are more pixels per inch and therefore you should find more detail, although in reality this will be hard for the human eye to actually see.

The Nexus 6 is bigger, thicker and heavier

As you would expect, the Nexus 6 is larger than the Nexus 5 when it comes to the design as it needs to accommodate that larger display.

The Nexus 6 measures 159.26 x 82.98 x 10.06mm while the Nexus 5 measures 137.84 x 69.17 x 8.59mm so the new device is significantly taller, wider and thicker than its predecessor.

The Nexus 6 is similar in shape and design to the Moto X meaning it takes a slightly rounder approach than the Nexus 5 and the new handset also sees the speakers moved to the front, taking a similar position to the HTC One (M8) and Sony Xperia Z3 handsets.

In terms of weight, the Nexus 6 hits the scales at 184g while the Nexus 5 weighs 130g so you'll get a much heavier handset with the new device.

Better camera

When it comes to the camera, the Nexus 6 really takes it up a notch, moving from the 8-megapixel sensor on the Nexus 5 to a 13-megapixel sensor with dual LED ring flash on the new handset.

There is also a 2-megapixel snapper on the front, meaning the Nexus 6 offers a pretty standard camera in the flagship field but still an improvement on the Nexus 5 in terms of both cameras, given the Nexus 5 offered a 1.3-megapixel selfie snapper.

Like the Nexus 5, the new Nexus will also have optical image stabilisation on board but the 6 also brings 4K video recording to the mix at 30fps.

Better performance on the Nexus 6

The Nexus 6 features the latest 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor and Adreno 420 graphics under the hood while the Nexus 5 comes with a 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and Adreno 330 graphics, so you should notice an overall improvement with the new device.

There's 3GB or RAM in the Nexus 6, a bump up over the 2GB in the Nexus 5.

Storage capacity has also seen an increase on the Nexus 6 with 32GB and 64GB options compared to the 16GB and 32GB capacities on the Nexus 5, which is good given there is no microSD expansion on either Nexus device.

In terms of battery, the Nexus 6 features a 3220mAh capacity, which is much larger than the Nexus 5 that comes with a 2300mAh battery so you should see a big improvement on battery life with the new model. In fact, Google claims you'll get up to 24 hours with the Nexus 6, compared to the 17 hours suggested for the Nexus 5. 

Latest software on the Nexus 6

The Nexus 6 will launch with the latest Android Lollipop software, which was teased during the Google I/O developer conference earlier this year.

It is a major Android update and one of its aims is to improve battery life with a new battery saving feature that Google claims will extend the life of your device by up to 90 minutes.

Other features include better multitasking and the ability to pick up on one Android device where you left off on another but while the Nexus 6 will have the new software from day one, the Nexus 5 will eventually get upgraded to Android Lollipop so you shouldn't notice too much difference in user experience when it does.

Conclusion

The Nexus 6 has a bigger, sharper and more detailed display but it is also a much bigger and heavier handset compared to the Nexus 5.

As with most next-generation handsets, the Nexus 6 improves on its predecessor in most areas including battery, camera, performance and software but it is more expensive than the £299 Nexus 5, although UK pricing information has yet to be announced. It's $649 in the US.

Both handsets will run Android Lollipop eventually and the Nexus 5 is still a great handset so while the Nexus 6 is the winner in terms of specs, it depends on whether you are after the bigger screen, bigger handset and improved features, or whether last year's model is enough for you.