Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro 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 5 Pro is the clear winner, offering superior sustained performance and gaming-centric features. However, the Google Pixel 6 Pro excels in photography, software experience, and AI-powered features, making it the better choice for mainstream users who value a balanced smartphone experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro | Google Pixel 6 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 | 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 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 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 (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 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 | 2021, March 10 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, July 02 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.41 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 | 238 g (8.40 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) Touch sensor; ROG Vision color PMOLED display (on the back) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB 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@30/60/120/240fps, 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/2.5, 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 | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with DTS:X stereo speakers (2 dedicated amplifiers) | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | 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/6e, 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 | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 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 | Glossy Black | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1A079IN | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 680 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 5 Pro
- Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 888
- Faster 65W wired charging
- Advanced cooling system for sustained performance
- Less refined camera system compared to Pixel 6 Pro
- Bulky and less ergonomic design
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Exceptional camera quality and AI features
- Clean and intuitive Android experience
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Slower 23W wired charging
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
Display Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 846 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s brightness isn’t specified, its AMOLED panel is geared towards color accuracy for gaming. The Pixel 6 Pro’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED displays, delivers deep blacks. Both phones likely utilize high refresh rate panels (assumed 120Hz on the ROG Phone based on market positioning), but the ROG Phone’s panel is likely tuned for faster response times, crucial for competitive gaming. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size may be preferable for media consumption, while the ROG Phone’s focus is on immersive gaming visuals.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro’s camera system is a major strength, leveraging Google’s computational photography expertise. While specific sensor sizes aren’t provided, the Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing is renowned for its dynamic range and accurate colors. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s camera is likely more focused on general-purpose photography, lacking the advanced AI features of the Pixel. The Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing capabilities, powered by the Tensor chip, offer features like Magic Eraser and Face Unblur, enhancing photo quality and usability. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s camera is adequate, but doesn’t compete with the Pixel 6 Pro’s photographic prowess.
Performance
Both devices utilize octa-core CPUs with the Cortex-X1 prime core, but differ in their supporting cores and chipsets. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) features three Cortex-A78 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores, while the Pixel 6 Pro’s Google Tensor (5nm) uses two Cortex-A76 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores. While clock speeds are similar, the Tensor chip’s architecture prioritizes AI and machine learning tasks. The Snapdragon 888 is known for its raw GPU power, making it ideal for gaming. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s superior thermal design, including advanced cooling systems, allows it to sustain peak performance for longer periods, mitigating throttling. The Pixel 6 Pro’s Tensor chip excels in tasks like image processing and voice recognition, but may exhibit more thermal throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 84 hours, suggesting comparable overall battery life. However, their charging approaches differ significantly. The ROG Phone 5 Pro supports 65W wired charging, achieving 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, alongside 10W reverse wired charging. The Pixel 6 Pro offers 23W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes) and 23W wireless charging, plus reverse wireless charging. While the Pixel 6 Pro offers wireless charging convenience, the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s significantly faster wired charging is a major advantage for gamers who need to quickly top up their battery between sessions.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro if you demand the highest possible frame rates in demanding mobile games, require extensive customization options, and prioritize a long-lasting gaming session over all else. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you value a clean Android experience, exceptional camera capabilities, and intelligent features like Magic Eraser, and prefer a phone that excels at everyday tasks and photography.