Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro vs. OnePlus 9 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Beyond
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro is the clear winner. Its gaming-centric features and sustained performance outweigh the OnePlus 9 Pro’s camera advantages. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro offers a more versatile experience for everyday users who value photography and a polished software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro | OnePlus 9 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) / 1800 / 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, July 02 | Available. Released 2021, March 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.41 in) | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 238 g (8.40 oz) | 197 g (6.95 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 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) |
| Single | - | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| 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) | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 | 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 (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired | 65W wired, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Glossy Black | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1A079IN | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | About 680 EUR | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
- Superior sustained gaming performance
- Advanced cooling system minimizes throttling
- Gaming-specific features like AirTriggers
- Slower charging speed compared to OnePlus 9 Pro
- Less versatile camera system
- Bulky and aggressive design
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Excellent camera system with Hasselblad tuning
- Faster charging (wired and wireless)
- More refined and balanced user experience
- May throttle under sustained gaming load
- Less focused on gaming-specific features
- Potentially less raw gaming power
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, but their display approaches differ. The OnePlus 9 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 859 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s peak brightness isn’t specified, its focus is on refresh rate and responsiveness for gaming. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s display is likely tuned for color accuracy, appealing to content creators, while the ROG Phone 5 Pro prioritizes low latency and high refresh rates for competitive gaming. Bezels are likely comparable, but the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s design language is more aggressive, potentially impacting perceived screen real estate.
Camera Comparison
The OnePlus 9 Pro distinguishes itself with its camera system, though specific sensor details are missing. It’s known for its Hasselblad partnership, focusing on color science and image processing. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s camera is likely competent but not its primary selling point. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s emphasis on photo and video quality, combined with its advanced image processing, makes it the superior choice for photography enthusiasts. The ROG Phone 5 Pro likely prioritizes speed and convenience over ultimate image fidelity.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) with an identical CPU configuration – Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). However, the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s cooling system is significantly more robust, designed to sustain peak performance for longer durations during demanding games. While both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s thermal management allows it to extract more consistent performance from the chipset, minimizing throttling. The OnePlus 9 Pro, while capable, may experience more performance dips under sustained load.
Battery Life
Both devices offer 65W wired charging, with the OnePlus 9 Pro achieving a full charge in 29 minutes, while the ROG Phone 5 Pro takes 52 minutes. The OnePlus 9 Pro also adds 50W wireless charging (43 minutes to full) and 5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the ROG Phone 5 Pro. Both have an endurance rating of 86h, suggesting comparable battery life despite potentially different capacities. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s faster charging and wireless charging capabilities provide greater convenience for users who frequently top up their devices.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro if you prioritize raw gaming performance, extended gaming sessions without throttling, and unique gaming features like AirTriggers. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you value a top-tier camera system, fast wireless charging, and a more streamlined, everyday smartphone experience with a focus on photography and content creation.