Three years in the past, ASUS consolidated its cellphone enterprise into two product strains: ROG and Zenfone. The former is focused on the high-end phase and options the newest {hardware} improvements the model has to supply, and the latter is aimed on the worth flagship class. This technique has allowed ASUS to solidify its presence in two key segments, and the model is trying to construct on that in 2022.
The ROG Phone collection debuted in 2018 and is without doubt one of the best-selling gaming telephones out there. There’s no scarcity of alternative on this specific class, with the likes of Nubia, Black Shark, and POCO providing gaming-focused telephones with daring designs and customized {hardware} options. But the ROG Phone continues to be the one to beat, and the ROG Phone 6 collection brings quite a lot of thrilling new options.
The cellphone is the primary to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and it has an AMOLED panel that now goes as much as 165Hz. The new warmth dissipation system means that you can play video games for longer with out having to fret about throttling, and ASUS is introducing new equipment. With elevated rivalry on this phase, can the ROG Phone 6 retain its crown because the best gaming phone of 2022? Let’s discover out.
About this evaluate
This evaluate was written after utilizing the 18GB/512GB model of the ROG Phone 6 Pro for over two weeks in Hyderabad, India. The cellphone acquired two updates throughout that point — an out-of-the-box OTA to the 32.2810.2204.47 construct with digicam and stability fixes, and one other OTA with 32.2810.2205.63 containing bug fixes and the May 2022 safety replace. ASUS offered the unit to Android Central for evaluate.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Pricing and availability
ASUS unveiled the ROG Phone 6 collection on July 5, with the telephones occurring sale globally within the coming weeks. The telephones will probably be obtainable in over 30 areas, together with the U.S., U.Ok., Canada, France, Germany, India, and extra.
The customary ROG Phone 6 is available in Phantom Black and Storm White coloration variants, and the ROG Phone 6 Pro is obtainable in Storm White.
The ROG Phone 6 begins off with a 12GB/256GB mannequin that prices €999 ($1,042) in Europe, and it goes as much as 16GB/512GB. The ROG Phone 6 Pro, in the meantime, is obtainable in a single 18GB/512GB variant that units you again €1,299 ($1,355).
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Design
The ROG Phone 6 Pro shares a design aesthetic that is similar to final yr’s ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. While that design definitely stood out, the truth that it was restricted to the Ultimate version meant that it wasn’t very accessible, so ASUS ported it over to the usual ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro this time round. In an identical vein, each telephones get a Strom White coloration choice, and ASUS can be introducing Kunai gamepads in that end.
The Storm White coloration choice is beautiful, and the ROG Vision display screen on the again is distinctive.
The again is not as busy as earlier generations, and the Storm White end appears beautiful. Like final yr, there are blue accents that add some aptitude to the design; the ability button, digicam ring across the 50MP lens, and the SIM card tray are all decked out in blue. ASUS says the design is “reminiscent of a spaceship hurtling through the universe.”
It’s often the digicam island that steals the main focus on the again, however right here the eye instantly goes to the ROG Vision coloration PMOLED show. It is situated additional up and the positioning makes it somewhat extra distinctive than final yr. You can arrange the show to kick in throughout varied eventualities: incoming calls, charging, beginning a recreation, or when the display screen is on.
ASUS added over 60 animations this time round, and the most effective half is that you could make your individual results — whether or not that is textual content, a signature, or a picture. It is a pleasant differentiator, and has an honest quantity of utility as properly; extra so than simply having LEDs on the again.
The ROG Phone 6 Pro has a frosted glass texture with a matte end that makes it simple to carry and use the system, and though it is a tall and heavy cellphone (239g), ASUS did an ideal job with the load distribution — it does not really feel unwieldy in any respect. The black digicam housing provides a pleasant little bit of distinction to the design on the again, as does ROG Vision. The again glass pane is roofed by a layer of Gorilla Glass 3.
Like earlier generations, the fitting aspect of the cellphone is busy; you will discover the ability and quantity buttons, and the ultrasonic AirTriggers right here. The left aspect has the SIM-card tray and a novel side-mounted USB-C port. This has been a mainstay on ROG Phones for a while now, and it helps you to simply cost your cellphone whereas gaming. The aspect port is flexible and works over USB 3.1 Gen2, with the underside port restricted to USB 2.0.
At the underside, you will discover a uncommon sight: a 3.5mm jack. I have not used many telephones this yr that also have a 3.5mm jack, and definitely not any flagships, so it’s good to see the analog jack intact right here. And on the topic on options you will not discover anyplace else, there’s a tiny LED notification mild on the entrance, with ASUS by some means managing to cram it into the bezel.
There’s so much to love with the ROG Phone 6 Pro’s design. The aggressive styling on the again is certain to show heads, the cellphone manages its heft properly — each in one-handed use and whereas gaming — and the side-mounted USB-C port could be very helpful.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Screen
The ROG Phone 6 Pro has a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel made by Samsung, and the tall 20.4:9 ratio (2448 x 1080) means it is not as usable one-handed. The Samsung-made panel continues to be a standout, delivering vibrant colours, wonderful distinction ranges, and nice viewing angles.
This is the most effective display screen you will discover on a gaming cellphone at present — and there is highly effective stereo sound and a 3.5mm jack.
ASUS says the system has the bottom contact latency of any cellphone out there at 23ms, and when coupled with 720Hz contact sampling, you get a totally pleasing cellphone. Day-to-day interactions are fluid like no different system, and coming from a 120Hz Pixel 6 Pro, there’s a stage of immediacy that’s simple to get used to.
There’s additionally HDR10+, and just like the Find X5 Pro, the cellphone is calibrated to a median Delta-E of <1 at two brightness ranges: 450 nits and 100 nits. This ensures that the cellphone delivers the identical coloration accuracy at larger brightness ranges, and I had zero points on this regard. The cellphone will get sufficiently vivid in out of doors use, going as much as 800 nits in auto mode and 1200 nits for HDR content material.
There’s additionally twin stereo sound with giant 12x16mm channels, and the sound is tuned by Dirac. As you’d think about, the onboard audio is among the many loudest of any cellphone, and Dirac’s tuning makes a distinction right here. The 3.5mm jack works with Hi-Res merchandise, with the port capable of ship as much as 24-bit/192kHz playback. ASUS’s AudioWizard continues to be a noteworthy addition, providing a 10-band EQ and varied modes to modify the sound profile accordingly.
The solely characteristic that the cellphone misses out in LTPO tech. The dynamic refresh tech permits gadgets to scale the refresh dynamically based mostly on the content material enjoying on the display screen, however ASUS is not utilizing it right here. You can choose the refresh to 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, or 165Hz, and there is additionally an auto setting that switches the display screen refresh between these 5 ranges mechanically.
You’ll discover there are bigger bezels than most telephones on this phase, with the entrance digicam tucked into the bezel. That’s not a foul factor essentially as you get an all-screen design with none cutouts, and for what it is price, it makes utilizing the cellphone somewhat simpler.
There are quite a lot of small tweaks that culminate within the ROG Phone 6 Pro being a improbable system for gaming. The AMOLED display screen has vibrant colours, the onboard audio is loud sufficient for many use instances, and the cellphone has an ideal in-hand really feel, notably whereas gaming.
There aren’t many video games that take full benefit of the 165Hz tech, and ASUS is working with recreation publishers to get extra titles added to the listing. The Taiwanese producer has been doing this for a number of years, and we’re at some extent the place there are quite a lot of nice video games that run at 120Hz, and enjoying titles like Oddmar on the ROG Phone 6 Pro is an absolute pleasure.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Performance
I’m not exaggerating after I say that the ROG Phone 6 Pro has the most effective {hardware} bundle of any cellphone I’ve used this yr. The best Android phones are powered by Qualcomm {hardware}, however just a few producers do not make the most of your entire capabilities of the chipset — that is not the case right here.
This is probably the most highly effective cellphone I’ve utilized in 2022 — nothing else comes shut.
The ROG Phone 6 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and it goes as much as an insane 3.2GHz for the Cortex X2 core, 2.8GHz for the A710 cores, and a couple of.0GHz for the A510 cores. Qualcomm touts a ten% uptick in CPU and GPU efficiency over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, however what’s extra attention-grabbing is the vitality effectivity: the 8+ Gen 1 consumes 30% much less energy for a similar workloads.
While each platforms are constructed on a 4nm node, Qualcomm switched foundries for the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which is being fabricated at TSMC. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was manufactured at Samsung LSI, and it is evident that Samsung bumped into quite a lot of points with its 4nm node. As a outcome, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 consumes quite a lot of energy and runs into throttling points. With the change to TSMC, Qualcomm managed to offset these points and delivered sizeable features in a mid-cycle refresh.
| Category | Galaxy S22 Ultra | ROG Phone 6 Pro | Xiaomi 12 Pro | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrossMark (Overall) | 998 | 1123 | 881 | 1144 |
| Productivity | 980 | 1113 | 754 | 1134 |
| Creativity | 989 | 1132 | 1028 | 1304 |
| Responsiveness | 1086 | 1126 | 885 | 794 |
| Geekbench 5.1 (single-core) | 1004 | 1306 | 1239 | 1717 |
| Geekbench 5.1 (multi-core) | 3151 | 3653 | 3522 | 4492 |
| 3DMark Wild Life (rating) | 6923 | Maxed out | 7381 | 8647 |
| 3DMark Wild Life (FPS) | 41.5 | Maxed out | 44.2 | 51.75 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (rating) | 2098 | 2827 | 1903 | 2418 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS) | 12.5 | 16.8 | 11.45 | 14.45 |
The Geekbench scores clearly present the ROG Phone 6 Pro pulling out a major lead over its Android rivals just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Xiaomi 12 Pro. This is clear in real-world utilization as properly, with the cellphone breezing by multitasking duties and absolutely anything I threw at it.
The cellphone manages a good larger lead for gaming, maxing out 3DMark’s Wild Life, a demanding take a look at in and of itself. It even outscores the iPhone 13 and its mighty A15 Bionic in artificial workloads, being the primary Android cellphone I’ve used to take action.
The ROG Phone 6 Pro has a definite edge over nearly each different Android cellphone, delivering the identical stage of efficiency whereas consuming much less energy. That holds up in real-world use, with the cellphone lasting almost two days on a full cost with medium use. The cellphone completely throughout gaming, easy dealing with demanding titles. ASUS did an ideal job optimizing the {hardware}, and I did not see any slowdowns in any respect.
The two built-in ultrasonic AirTriggers make an enormous distinction, and this yr ASUS added the power to configure two completely different actions for a similar button — one whenever you’re urgent down, and the opposite whenever you’re lifting your finger off the button.
What I notably like about ASUS’s gaming telephones is the sheer quantity of customization on supply. Armoury Crate is a improbable utility that provides you granular management over the {hardware}. You can select between three modes — Dynamic strikes the best steadiness for day by day use, Ultra sturdy is designed for vitality effectivity, and X Mode turns every part as much as 11.
Game Genie turns out to be useful as properly, with the overlay giving you quick access to adjusting networking settings, disabling incoming calls whereas gaming, establishing macros, and a lot extra. It’s these options that give ROG Phone 6 Pro stand out from its rivals. It is not onerous to make a gaming cellphone, however the quantity of labor ASUS put into customization and distinctive options make it the go-to choice.
Continuing with the {hardware}, you get an insane 18GB of 18GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage right here, and the RAM is unquestionably overkill — even in demanding titles or multitasking, I by no means crossed 8GB of lively RAM use. You’re not lacking out on the connectivity entrance both, with the system providing Bluetooth 5.2, AptX Adaptive and LDAC audio codecs, NFC, dual-SIM as customary, and 2×2 Wi-Fi 6e with three antennae.
An thrilling new addition is IPX4 splash resistance, a primary for gaming telephones. While it is not fairly the identical as IP68, the truth that you get some stage of safety towards water ingress is a welcome transfer. ASUS says the exterior and inside design makes it tough to guard the system towards full mud and water ingress, so we get IPX4 as an alternative.
ASUS overhauled the x-axis vibration motor, with the brand new haptics engine delivering significantly better suggestions in gaming and day by day use. The optical in-screen sensor is quick to authenticate and error-free, and I did not have any points on this space. You additionally get face unlock, but it surely is not as safe.
What ASUS does higher than simply about anybody else is thermal administration. There’s a brand new GameCool 6 system that places the Qualcomm chipset within the center, flanked by big graphite sheets and an enormous vapor chamber for efficient warmth dissipation. While most high-end telephones comply with an identical system, ASUS makes use of a cut up PCB structure with an interposer in between that is injected with a thermal compound. This compound does a significantly better job siphoning sizzling air outward to the thermal layers.
The results of this in depth cooling system is that the ROG Phone 6 Pro does not throttle even throughout prolonged gaming classes, and it manages to ship its peak efficiency potential for longer. Of course, ASUS has devoted equipment to handle warmth, and this time round, the AeroActive Cooler 6 has an all-new design that makes use of a Peltier cooling chip.
It makes use of passive cooling more often than not, and works with out utilizing exterior energy. But for lively cooling, it depends on the cellphone’s battery, utilizing the side-mounted USB-C port. And at its highest setting, you will want to attach a cable to the side-mounted USB-C port. Best of all, there are 4 triggers situated on the AeroActive 6 cooler, supplying you with that rather more management for gaming.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Battery life
ASUS all the time supplied giant batteries on its gadgets, and the ROG Phone 6 Pro isn’t any completely different. The cellphone comes with a large 6000mAh battery — the identical as final yr — and like most telephones on this class, it makes use of twin 3000mAh cells. There’s no wi-fi charging right here, however you get 65W wired charging, and the system makes use of USB PD and PPS alongside Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 5.0 customary.
With a large 6000mAh battery, you will simply recover from a day’s price of use even with prolonged gaming classes.
Although the cellphone does not use a quicker charging customary, it takes much less time to totally cost due to extra environment friendly charging that delivers a better wattage for longer. In my use, I averaged just below 50 minutes for a full cost with a USB PD 65W charger; not dangerous in any respect for such an enormous battery. And sure, there’s a 65W charger bundled within the field.
There are a number of options to increase battery longevity, together with a Scheduled charging characteristic that limits the general cost stage so the system is not sitting at 100% over the course of the night time. Then there’s Steady charging that delivers cost at a decrease wattage to cut back the damage on the battery.
Battery life itself is well the most effective of any cellphone I’ve used this yr. The ROG Phone 6 Pro lasts properly over a day with out breaking a sweat, and even with heavy use that entails quite a lot of gaming, you are not going to see the battery go beneath 15% earlier than the top of the day. That’s right down to the large battery and the inherent effectivity of the Qualcomm {hardware} this time round.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Imaging
ASUS does not focus an excessive amount of on the digicam aspect of issues, however for what it is price, you get an honest set of sensors right here. The ROG Phone 6 Pro encompasses a 50MP Sony IMX766 for the first lens, 13MP wide-angle module, and a 5MP macro lens. At the entrance, you will discover a 16MP Sony IMX663 lens.
Interestingly, the cellphone can shoot 8K video at 24fps, together with 4K at 60fps, and 1080p at as much as 240fps. There’s no OIS right here, however ASUS is utilizing 3-axis EIS to ship clean video. The digicam interface is fairly customary fare; you get the taking pictures modes in a ribbon on the backside, and toggles for switching between the primary and wide-angle lenses, Night mode, Google Lens, flash, and so forth.
The cellphone delivers clear images with good dynamic vary in daylight situations, but it surely lacks finesse in low-lighting eventualities. The digicam struggles to dial in on a topic, and when shot with out the Night mode, photographs have quite a lot of noise and muted colours.
The Night mode fixes quite a lot of these shortcomings, and on the entire, the 50MP digicam does an honest sufficient job in most conditions. The 13MP wide-angle lens is not fairly nearly as good, and it struggles to supply usable photographs in low-light situations.
Overall, the digicam is okay if all you wish to do is share images on social media, but it surely is not on the identical stage as flagships just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the Pixel 6 Pro.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Software
Software is often the largest downside for many gaming telephones, with producers often providing a cluttered interface that is typically buggy. Thankfully, ASUS does an ideal job right here, with the ROG Phone 6 Pro supplying you with a alternative between two interface types: an ROG UI that has a definite gaming-focused design, and Zen UI, a clear Android interface that does not have any overt customization.
There’s no bloatware right here, and the clear UI is a pleasure to make use of.
I used Zen UI by default, and it has been totally pleasing. The cellphone runs Android 12 out of the field, and you will find Material You styling all through the interface. There’s a dynamic coloration picker that works simply in addition to Pixel telephones, and the most effective half is that you simply get to choose your individual if you happen to do not just like the obtainable accent colours.
There’s an exhaustive quantity of customization on supply right here. You can arrange a squeeze gesture to launch Google Assistant — one thing I used extensively on older Pixels — and it’s nice to see ASUS persevering with to supply the characteristic. There’s additionally a double faucet again gesture that allows you to toggle the flashlight, launch the digicam, and extra. You get screen-off gestures, and much more choices which might be inherently customizable.
Interestingly, the cellphone comes with ASUS’s personal dialer along with Google’s choice. Google mandated using its personal dialer and Android Messages beginning with Android 11, and as of late, Samsung is the one different model that continues to supply its personal dialer. Elsewhere, there is no bloatware in any respect in Zen UI, and the interface is well-optimized for the {hardware}. I often run into points with push notifications or errant crashes on pre-release software program, however that wasn’t the case right here.
As for software program updates, ASUS says it’s going to ship two platform updates and “at least” two years of safety updates. That’s lower than the business customary of three model updates and 4 years of safety patches, with ASUS noting that it does not have the engineering sources to ship three platform updates. That’s a letdown contemplating the sheer potential of the {hardware} and the truth that it’s going to proceed to be related a number of years down the road.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: The competitors
The greatest general cellphone continues to be the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and whereas it lacks the presence of a gaming cellphone, it holds its personal for many titles. You will discover some throttling throughout prolonged gaming classes, and the battery life is not nearly as good. The cellphone heats up much more as properly throughout gaming, and also you miss out on the software program extras you get right here. That stated, the S22 Ultra has an exceptional digicam, and it’ll get extra software program updates than every other Android cellphone.
If you are in search of a gaming cellphone, Nubia’s Redmagic 7 Pro is an honest sufficient various. It has a daring styling and encompasses a 120Hz AMOLED display screen, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and a 5000mAh battery with 65W quick charging. You’ll discover set off buttons on the aspect that may be personalized for gaming, and at $799, you might be getting quite a lot of {hardware} right here. The draw back is that the software program is not very optimized, the UI is not cohesive, there are many bugs, and it will not get updates on time.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro: Should you purchase it?
You can buy this if:
- You need the most effective gaming cellphone
- You want a big AMOLED display screen that is very best for gaming
- You want a cellphone that lasts over a day with heavy use
- You need a 3.5mm jack and LED notification mild
- You’re in search of a clear Android interface with none bloatware
You should not purchase this if:
- You need a cellphone that will get long-term software program updates
- You need the most effective cameras
- You want wi-fi charging
ASUS did not change the basics an excessive amount of with the ROG Phone 6 Pro, but it surely launched sizeable upgrades in key areas, leading to the most effective gaming cellphone obtainable at present. The 165Hz AMOLED display screen is a enjoyment of day-to-day use, and it completely delivers for gaming and consuming media. You get the loudest onboard audio right here, and there is a 3.5mm jack with an honest inside DAC for high-res audio and an LED notification mild.
The inside {hardware} is probably the most highly effective of any cellphone at present, and the cooling system makes a tangible distinction in real-world use, permitting you to recreation for longer with out operating into any throttling points.
Then there’s the software program; ASUS has delivered a clear interface with none overt styling or bloatware, and there is loads of customization that energy customers will love. The largest draw back is that the cellphone will solely get two platform updates; the {hardware} on supply right here can simply final double that, so ASUS must do higher on this space.
The digicam is serviceable, however it’s clear that this is not a precedence for ASUS. Still, you get respectable photographs in most conditions, and the sensor itself is ready to ship standout images if you happen to change to a third-party digicam. The battery life is among the many greatest on Android, with the cellphone lasting two days with out an excessive amount of of a trouble.
Ultimately, it comes right down to what you are in search of in a tool. The ROG Phone 6 Pro prices some huge cash, however you are getting quite a lot of options right here. If you want multi-day battery life, 3.5mm jack, or a clear UI with none bloatware, there aren’t many alternate options within the high-end phase. So even with out all of the gaming-focused options, it is a nice all-round system for day by day use. And if you happen to’re in search of a gaming cellphone with aggressive styling and distinctive extras, there’s nothing else that comes shut.
Sure, the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the Find X5 Pro have significantly better cameras, however apart from that, there is not an space the place ASUS does not maintain its personal. If you want a flagship digicam, you will have to choose up one of many alternate options I’ve outlined above. But if you happen to’re not that eager on taking images and need a cellphone that stands out, that is the apparent alternative in 2022.