Asus ROG Phone 3 Strix vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and AI
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the Asus ROG Phone 3 Strix remains the superior choice due to its optimized chipset and gaming-centric features. However, the Google Pixel 6 Pro wins for users prioritizing camera quality, software experience, and long-term software support, despite a slightly less powerful processor.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 3 Strix | Google Pixel 6 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GLUOG, G8VOU |
| 5G bands | 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 4.0 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, July 22. Released 2020, July 23 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 171 x 78 x 9.9 mm (6.73 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 240 g (8.47 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~391 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.59 inches, 106.6 cm2 (~79.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 650 nits (typ) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 10, ROG UI | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with DTS:X stereo speakers (2 dedicated amplifiers) | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, QC4 10W reverse wired | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Ion 5003 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black Glare | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | ASUS_I003DD | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 1400 EUR | € 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 84h |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus ROG Phone 3 Strix
- Optimized for gaming with Snapdragon 865
- Faster wired charging (30W)
- Dedicated gaming features and accessories
- Older chipset compared to Google Tensor
- Camera likely inferior to Pixel 6 Pro
- Software support may be limited
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Superior camera system with AI enhancements
- Google Tensor chip excels in AI tasks
- Long-term software support and updates
- Slightly less powerful GPU for gaming
- Slower wired charging (23W)
- May experience more thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 846 nits measured, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the ROG Phone 3 Strix. While the ROG Phone 3 Strix likely has a high refresh rate (typical for ROG phones), the Pixel 6 Pro’s contrast ratio is listed as infinite (nominal), suggesting superior black levels. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size and potentially superior color accuracy make it better for media consumption, while the ROG Phone 3 Strix’s display is geared towards fast-paced gaming.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro’s camera system is a clear standout, leveraging Google’s computational photography expertise. While specific sensor details are missing for the ROG Phone 3 Strix, it’s unlikely to match the Pixel 6 Pro’s image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The Tensor chip’s image signal processor (ISP) enables features like Magic Eraser and Motion Mode, unavailable on the ROG Phone 3 Strix. The Pixel 6 Pro’s focus is on delivering consistently excellent photos with minimal user effort, while the ROG Phone 3 Strix likely offers a more standard smartphone camera experience.
Performance
The ROG Phone 3 Strix utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+), while the Pixel 6 Pro features Google’s in-house Tensor chip (5nm). The Tensor chip, despite having a similar CPU core configuration (Cortex-X1, A76, A55) to the ROG Phone 3 Strix, benefits from a more efficient 5nm process, potentially leading to better thermal management. However, the Snapdragon 865 is a proven performer, and the ROG Phone 3 Strix’s cooling system is designed for sustained gaming loads. The Pixel 6 Pro’s Tensor chip excels in AI tasks, like voice recognition and image processing, while the Snapdragon 865 prioritizes raw GPU power.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 84 hours, suggesting comparable real-world battery life despite differing battery capacities. The ROG Phone 3 Strix supports 30W wired charging with QC4 and PD3.0, while the Pixel 6 Pro offers 23W wired charging and a notable 23W wireless charging capability. The Pixel 6 Pro’s wireless charging and reverse wireless charging provide added convenience, while the ROG Phone 3 Strix’s faster wired charging can quickly top up the battery for gaming sessions. The 30-minute 50% charge claim for the Pixel 6 Pro is competitive, but the ROG Phone 3 Strix’s 30W charging may offer a slight edge in overall charging speed.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 3 Strix if you need a phone specifically for demanding mobile games, prioritize sustained performance over all else, and appreciate features like high refresh rate displays and dedicated gaming accessories. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prefer a phone with an exceptional camera system, a clean and intelligent software experience powered by Google's Tensor chip, and value features like advanced voice recognition and image processing.