Based on how 2014 is stacking up, I think it’s safe to say this year will be remembered as the year of the phablet. We saw Apple’s mammoth iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung released its Note 4, Google is set to begin taking pre-orders for the Nexus 6, and others like OnePlus and ZTE even threw their hats in the ring. Now Motorola has thrown another big phone into the race, and it’s being called the DROID Turbo. Interestingly
enough, it looks like it’s pretty much a Nexus 6 for Verizon with a cool carbon fiber back. How do the two compare, and which one should you get?Specs
Let’s take a look at specifications. The DROID Turbo’s screen is a whopping three-quarters of an inch smaller than that of the Nexus 6. Since the Turbo maintains the same resolution as the Nexus 6, the pixel density is quite a bit higher on the former (565 compared to 493). The Nexus 6 is heavier by around 6 t0 14 grams (depending on which variation of the Turbo you get).
Both are powered by the same quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and Adreno 420 GPU, and both come with 3GB RAM. Storage is also identical with 32 and 64GB varieties. Neither include the ability to add external storage via a micro SD card.
The Turbo’s main camera packs in a few more megapixels, 21 compared to the Nexus 6′s 13. If you’re a pixel junkie, this may be your deciding factor.
The Nexus 6 bumps its Bluetooth stack up to 4.1 whereas the Turbo is only at 4.0 LE, but the Nexus doesn’t have an IR port like the Turbo does.
Both devices support Motorola’s new Turbo charging standard which promises to give you 8 hours of usable time from only 15 minutes of being plugged into the special charger. If you’re more concerned with convenience than you are with speed, both also support Qi wireless charging.
Ironically, despite the fact that it’s smaller and lighter, the DROID Turbo somehow manages to pack in almost 700 mAh more battery capacity than the Nexus 6.
| Component | DROID Turbo | Nexus 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Motorola | Motorola |
| Screen size | 5.2 inches | 5.96 inches |
| Screen type | OLED | OLED |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2560 x 1440 |
| Pixel density | 565 ppi | 493 ppi |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 |
| Type | Quad-core | Quad-core |
| Speed | 2.7 GHz | 2.7 GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 420 | Adreno 420 |
| RAM | 3GB | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB or 64GB | 32GB or 64GB |
| Expansion | None | None |
| Camera | 21MP 4:3 (15.5MP 16:9) f/2.0 aperture | 13MP f/2.0 aperture (optically stabilized) |
| Flash | Dual LED | Dual LED |
| Front-facer | 2MP | 2MP |
| Battery | 3900mAh | 3220mAh |
| Charging | Qi & Turbo | Qi & Turbo |
| OS | Android 4.4.4 (Lollipop update promised) | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| Bands | CDMA/EVDO Rev A (850 1900 MHz) LTE Cat 4 (Bands 2 3 4 7 13) 2G (850 900 1800 1900 MHz) HSPA+ (850 900 1900 2100 MHz) | Varies by country/carrier |
| SIM type | Nano SIM | Nano SIM |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 LE | Bluetooth 4.1 |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band capable) | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 (MIMO) |
| NFC | Present | Present |
| Infrared | Present | None |
| Sensors | Accelerometer / ambient light / eCompass / gyroscope / Hall effect / proximity | Accelerometer / gyro / magnetometer / prox / ambient light / haptics / Hall effect / barometer |
| Size | 143.5 x 73.3 x 8.3-11.2mm (ballistic nylon) / 7.8-10.6mm (metalized glass fiber) 176g (BN) / 169g (MGF) | 82.98 x 159.26 x 10.06mm / 184g |
Decisions, Decisions
Since Motorola doesn’t weigh down its devices with a heavy “skin” on top of stock Android, it’s more difficult to rely on bloat as a deciding factor against one of the devices. Motorola adds some nice additional features that feel more like they workwith stock Android than fight against it like some other OEM overlays do.
Motorola has also been fairly quick to release system updates, and has done a fairly decent job keeping their devices updated with the current versions of Android. This also makes choosing between the two difficult.
Because the Nexus 6 will work with both GSM and the Verizon networks, if you’re a Verizon subscriber, you’ve got a tough choice to make. Do you want a device with a smaller screen but a “better” camera and bigger battery? Or do you want a Nexus with a bigger screen and a smaller battery?
If you’re not on Verizon (or are, but think you might change down the road), your choice is much more clear: go with the Nexus 6.
Which will you be choosing, and why? Head down to the comments and let us know
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