The few existing gaming smartphone series can literally be counted on one hand. One of them is the Asus ROG series. Mobile phones from the ROG family stand out with a particularly well-rounded overall gaming package and a second RGB or PMOLED display on the back. And the brand new Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro is no exception. We tested the smartphone's processor and battery and reveal whether the smartphone is a good choice for real gamers.
Individual ratings in detail:
Body: 3.5 stars out of 5Display: 4.5 stars out of 5Equipment: 4.5 stars out of 5Camera: 3 stars out of 5Software: 4.5 stars out of 5Battery: 4 stars out of 5
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro review: The all-round gaming phone
Just like all other gaming phones without exception, the ROG Phone 6 Pro is anything but dainty. Clumsy and not particularly handy it is more likely. But that's no big surprise. Otherwise, the smartphone looks quite appealing and the fairly wide case surfaces above and below the screen don't change that. The AMOLED display itself measures 6.78 inches diagonally and offers a standard Full HD resolution of 1,080 x 2,448 pixels. Accordingly, the pixel density of 395 ppi is not particularly convincing. But it doesn't have to be, because in return the refresh rate is a whopping 165 Hz and ensures extremely smooth movements. In addition, the touch latency is only 23 milliseconds, which Asus says is lower than all competing devices.
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Hands On
Processor and connectivity
Behind the display is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, which is currently the most powerful chip for Android mobile phones. This is flanked by 18 GB of RAM, while the main memory has a capacity of 512 GB and offers enough space for a large games library. In terms of performance, the ROG Phone 6 Pro should be practically unbeaten. Right? Not correct. In contrast to the manufacturer's laboratory tests, the gaming phone achieved "only" 907,164 points in our performance test – carried out with the benchmark app AnTuTu, in performance mode. And even with the external cooler (AeroActive Cooler 6, not included) it was no more than 980,099 counters.
It is already inferior to several devices that have broken the 1 million mark in the past few months. On the other hand, the performance of the ROG Phone 6 Pro should suffice in almost every imaginable scenario. The result is more surprising than discouraging. Finally, the competitors achieved their ratings with an actually weaker Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. There is nothing to complain about in terms of connectivity. The smartphone supports both the latest WLAN standard Wi-Fi 6E (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) and the mobile transmission standard 5G.
Software
Android 12
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Screen
6.78 inches, 1080 x 2448 pixels
Random access memory
18GB
Internal memory
Main camera
8688×5792
Battery pack
6,000mAh
Inductive charging
USB port
3.1 Type C
IP certification
Weight
239g
Colour
White
Introductory price
€1,299
Market launch
July 2022
Battery pack
Asus did not skimp on the battery capacity and put two 3,000 mAh batteries in the case. The cell phone thus achieved 17 hours and 17 minutes in our battery test – carried out with the PCMark software. It hardly gets much better, but there is a need to catch up in another area. The "quick charge function" with its 65 watts needed a whopping 51 minutes to fully charge the battery.
On the other hand, the battery set-up of the ROG Phone 6 Pro offers some practical advantages for gamers. On the one hand, the device has a second USB input on the side. This means that games in landscape format do not have to be interrupted even during the loading process. On the other hand, users can postpone the charging process and only supply the smartphone with as much energy as it currently needs. This reduces the risk of overheating.
Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro – Camera
Gaming capabilities of the ROG Phone 6 Pro
Now let's get down to business – the gaming qualities of the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro. And these can be seen. First up is the aforementioned PMOLED display, ROG Vision. This offers 60 new animations, whereby additional moving images can be downloaded or created.
Then there are the two ultrasonic shoulder buttons, which correspond to the R buttons on a gaming controller. We weren't able to identify any major developments compared to the previous model during our test, but the existing technical and digital capabilities are already meaningful. For example, the keys can be assigned to any display area, used as touch or swipe keys and also divided into several areas. The latter ensures that players have both R1 and R2 buttons available. And those were just a few of the available settings. On the other hand, unlike its predecessor, the ROG Phone 5s Pro, the 6 model does not offer any additional touch surfaces on the back.
The available gaming software is once again extremely convincing. It generally consists of the so-called armory crate, a gaming portal or a games library in which scenarios can be assigned to individual games. In the game itself, the game genie supports the players. This is a menu that can be opened while the game is running and on the one hand provides an overview of factors such as temperature, FPS and internet connection. On the other hand, there are also countless features here, such as a macro for recording motion sequences, a crosshair and the scout mode. This inverts the screen colors and ensures that hidden enemies are shown more clearly.
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro- Gaming
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro- Gaming
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro- Gaming
Strengths and weaknesses of the ROG Phone 6 Pro
Numerous strengths of the ROG Phone 6 Pro have already been mentioned – such as the shoulder buttons, the gaming software, the high refresh rate and low touch latency. Otherwise, the gaming phone also offers another important strength – the two front-facing stereo speakers. In our opinion, these produce a sound that is almost fantastic for a mobile phone, with convincing basses and trebles. In addition, an equalizer is an integral part of the in-house user interface. The ROG Phone 6 Pro also offers a few smaller highlights, such as an LED notification light that has become quite rare and a 3.5 mm jack for wired headphones.
The strengths of the Asus smartphone also include special gaming accessories, such as the aforementioned AeroActive Cooler 6 fan and the modular ROG Kunai 3 gamepad controller. However, these cost extra.
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro Accessories
The greatest weakness of the ROG Phone 6 Pro is the camera's very good, but below-average performance in this price category. In addition, there is a bulky shape, the performance mode that is not quite as powerful and the non-existent option of expanding the memory using it Micro SD card. Even the manufacturer's attempt to implement IP certification can at best be regarded as a failure. With an IPX4 certification, the gaming phone is superior to its direct competition, but viewed objectively, this only certifies protection against splash water from all directions. It can be done better, although Asus rightly points out that implementation on a gaming phone is more difficult, since it usually has more openings than a "normal" smartphone.
Conclusion
As a gaming smartphone, the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro belongs to the crème de la crème and leaves nothing to be desired. However, this does not apply to its everyday qualities. For example, a better IP certification, a handier design and a shorter charging time would look good on the cell phone. Yet that's already griping at a high level. If you can speak of a "high level" at a purchase price of just under 1,300 euros. Sales start: end of August 2022.
Pros of the ROG Phone 6 Pro:
Ultrasonic shoulder buttonsecond PMOLED display165 Hz displayexcellent sound
Cons of the ROG Phone 6 Pro:
IPX4 certification only, no memory expansion, medium-sized camera, big and bulky
