Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate vs OnePlus 2: A Generational Leap?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate utterly dominates in performance and features thanks to its Snapdragon 888 and advanced gaming capabilities. The OnePlus 2, while offering impressive battery life for its time, is simply outmatched by the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate's modern hardware and features. It's a generational difference.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate | OnePlus 2 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2015, July. Released 2015, August |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 07 | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.41 in) | 151.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.98 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 238 g (8.40 oz) | 175 g (6.17 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) Touch sensor; ROG Vision monochrome PMOLED display (on the back) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~73.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | IPS LCD |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (4x1.56 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.82 GHz Cortex-A57) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 (20 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 430 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI | Android 5.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), Oxygen 3.5.6 UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 18GB RAM | 16GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | eMMC 5.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | - | 13 MP, f/2.0, 1/2.6", 1.3µm, OIS |
| 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 | 4K@30fps, 4K(DCI)@24fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | - |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 5 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 720p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with DTS:X stereo speakers (2 dedicated amplifiers) | Yes |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 4.1, A2DP |
| NFC | Yes | No |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| 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, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired | - |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Po 3300 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Matte White | Sandstone Black |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1B063IN, I005DC | ONE A2003, ONE A2005, ONE A2001 |
| Price | About 1300 EUR | About 300 EUR |
| SAR EU | - | 0.43 W/kg (head) 0.20 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -94.2dB / Crosstalk -94.3dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 61h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: 1187 (nominal), 2.165 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 75dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 80dB |
| Performance | - | Basemark OS II 2.0: 1622Basemark X: 21937 |
Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
- Blazing-fast Snapdragon 888
- High refresh rate AMOLED display
- 65W fast charging
- Advanced gaming features (cooling, triggers)
- Superior camera system
- Can be expensive
- Bulky design
- Gaming-focused design may not appeal to everyone
OnePlus 2
- Excellent battery life (for its time)
- Relatively compact design
- Simple and clean software (OxygenOS)
- Good value (if found used)
- Outdated hardware
- Slow performance by modern standards
- Limited camera capabilities
- No longer receiving software updates
Display Comparison
The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate features a modern, high-refresh-rate AMOLED display (likely 144Hz) offering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and smooth visuals. The OnePlus 2 had a respectable display for its time, but its contrast ratio, while high, doesn't compare to the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate's superior technology and refresh rate. Sunlight readability is comparable, but the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate's brightness likely surpasses it.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate's camera system is vastly superior. Expect better image quality, more features, and improved low-light performance. The OnePlus 2's camera was decent for its time, but it's no match for modern smartphone cameras.
Performance
This is where the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate truly shines. The Snapdragon 888 is significantly faster and more efficient than the Snapdragon 810 in the OnePlus 2. Expect drastically improved gaming performance, faster app loading times, and smoother multitasking on the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate's cooling system also provides sustained performance during intense gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 2 boasts an impressive endurance rating of 61 hours, a testament to its efficient hardware and software optimization. The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, with its 65W fast charging, offers quicker top-ups and likely comparable real-world battery life despite its more power-hungry components. The 65W charging is a significant advantage.
Buying Guide
The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is for serious mobile gamers who demand the absolute best performance, display, and features. The OnePlus 2 is a nostalgic choice for those seeking a simple, reliable phone with excellent battery life, but it's largely obsolete for modern use.