It’s finally here! After months of anticipation, the Asus ROG Phone 6 has arrived and it looks set to be one of the best gaming phones yet. The Asus ROG Phone 6 review is here to provide you with all the information you need to decide if it’s the right phone for you. Packed with a powerful processor, a long-lasting battery, and a stunning display, the Asus ROG Phone 6 is the ultimate gaming experience. Read on to find out why this beast of a phone is worth its weight in gold.
1) Specification
- Network technology: GSM/CDMA/HSPA/LTE/5G
- Dimensions: 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm,
- Weight: 239 g
- Build: glass front and back with an aluminum frame, dual SIM, water resistant, illuminated RGB logo, and pressure-sensitive zones
- Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED with a 165Hz refresh rate, 1080 x 2448 pixel resolution, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection
- Platform: Android 12, Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, octa-core CPU, Adreno 730 GPU
- Memory: no card slot, internal storage options of 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, or 512GB 16GB RAM with UFS 3.1 and NTFS support for external storage
- Main camera: 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, and 5MP macro with LED flash and HDR, 8K video at 24fps and 4K at up to 120fps
- Selfie camera: 12MP with panorama and HDR, 1080p video at 30fps
- Sound: stereo speakers with amplifiers, 3.5mm jack, 32-bit/384kHz audio
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC, NFC, USB Type-C 3.1 and 2.0, OTG, accessory connector
- Sensors: fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
- Battery: 6,000 mAh with 65W wired charging, PD3.0, QC5, and 10W reverse wired charging
- Colors: Phantom Black and Storm White
- Models: AI2201_C, AI2201_F, AI2201-1A030EU, AI2201_A
1) Design
The Asus ROG Phone 6 is a beautifully designed gaming phone with a curved, smooth, pearlesque, frosted glass back and rounded metal sides. It has RGB lighting around the edges and Stargate-style glyphs on the back to give it an out-of-this-world look. The dimensions of the phone are 173 x 77 x 10.3mm and it weighs 239g, which makes it a bit heavier than other phones in its class. It has Gorilla Glass Victus screen protection and IPX4 splash-resistant certification, giving you peace of mind that your phone can handle life's bumps and spills.
The standard ROG Phone 6 is available in Phantom Black and Storm White, while the Pro version comes only in Storm White. On the left side of the phone, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, a secondary USB port, and a USB-C charging port. On the right side, there are a power button and two shoulder triggers. Both the Pro and standard versions have an OLED screen on the back. The screen on the Pro model is in landscape orientation and that on the standard model is in portrait orientation. Asus does not install a pre-fitted screen protector on the phone but offers an official option as a separate purchase.
2) Display
The Asus ROG Phone 6 features an impressive 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED display with a 2448 x 1080 resolution. This is a notable improvement from the ROG Phone 5's 144Hz refresh rate, now boasting 165Hz for a smoother visual experience. The lower resolution of the ROG Phone 6 helps to keep frame rates high, making it a great choice for gaming and watching movies.
The colors on the display are vibrant and perfect for viewing content with clarity. Manual brightness on the ROG Phone 6 works great indoors, going super-dark or climbing up to 800 nits. In direct sunlight, auto-brightness should be activated. Asus has loaded up the display settings with plenty of viewing modes, including Natural, Cinematic, and Standard, and a customizable personal color profile.
3) Cameras
The Asus ROG Phone 6 features an impressive camera system with a 50MP camera sensor with a Sony IMX 766 at its heart. The main camera is accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide and a 5MP macro camera, neither of which is optically stabilized.
The 50MP main camera has autofocus and is the go-to camera for most tasks. It’s also able to capture detailed images in any light condition, as the phone’s night mode kicks in automatically when the lights drop. The ultra-wide lens focuses at around a meter and offers some very useful perspectives. Finally, the macro camera focuses at 4cm, allowing you to get very close to your subject.
The selfie camera and video capture are both excellent, offering up to 8K resolution at 30fps or 4K resolution at up to 120fps.
4) Performance
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The Asus ROG Phone 6 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset that is higher-clocked than the 8 Gen 1 found in other flagships. Asus has repositioned the processor to the middle of the phone to help keep it cool. We found that the phone stayed relatively cool during gaming and 5G downloads, although it did get a bit warmer after extended use. But if you want even better cooling, Asus offers an optional fan accessory that drops the temperature by 3oC.
We also tested out Asus's WiFi and cellular aggregating feature which allows for the smooth streaming of games and other activities. This proved to be quite useful when our area was without a stable WiFi connection. What's more, 5G speeds outperformed WiFi speeds in the area tested. All in all, the performance of the Asus ROG Phone 6 is top-notch, making it one of the best gaming phones on the market.
5) Battery life
The Asus ROG Phone 6 packs a high-capacity 6,000mAh battery that provides great longevity. The battery is capable of lasting all day with heavy usage, and even longer with lighter usage. Furthermore, it supports fast 65W charging, allowing you to top up the battery quickly.
One caveat to note is that the battery drains faster when connected to gaming accessories such as the ROG TwinView Dock 6 and ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad. This can be expected due to the increased power draw when these accessories are in use. Nevertheless, the phone still offers great battery life despite this issue.
6) Value for money
The Asus ROG Phone 6 is available in two different versions, ranging from $1100 to $1900. The standard version of the ROG Phone 6 features 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, while the Pro version of the ROG Phone 6 features 512GB of storage and 18GB of RAM. This is more than what you get at the starting capacity for Red Magic 7, which starts at $739.
Conclusion
The Asus ROG Phone 6 is the best gaming phone for most people, excelling at the fundamentals that make a great device. It delivers a stellar performance, a stunning display, and great battery life, making it an excellent choice for gamers. It also has decent cameras, two USB-C ports, and a headphone jack. However, it does lack wireless charging and Asus' software update commitment is a bit lacking. Additionally, users should be prepared to connect with a fan for longer gaming sessions. All in all, the Asus ROG Phone 6 is the best choice for gamers looking for a powerful device.
