Asus ROG Phone 5 vs. OnePlus 9 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Everyday Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a well-rounded experience with a strong camera, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a compelling choice. However, the Asus ROG Phone 5 decisively wins for gamers and power users, offering significantly superior battery endurance and a gaming-focused feature set.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 | 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 - Version 1 | 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 - Version 1 | 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 - Version 1 | 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, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 2, Version 3 | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 26 | 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) |
| 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 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 | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 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 | Phantom Black, Storm White | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1B048IN, ASUS_I005DB, ASUS_I005DA, I005DA, I005DB | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | About 370 EUR | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 718864 (v8) GeekBench: 14536 (v4.4), 3745 (v5.1) GFXBench: 72fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Asus ROG Phone 5
- Exceptional battery life (110h endurance)
- Superior sustained gaming performance
- Gaming-focused features (AirTriggers)
- Less refined camera system
- Slower wired charging than OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Excellent camera system with Hasselblad tuning
- Fast 65W wired and 50W wireless charging
- More balanced overall experience
- Shorter battery life (86h endurance)
- More prone to thermal throttling during extended gaming
Display Comparison
Both the Asus ROG Phone 5 and OnePlus 9 Pro feature excellent displays, both reaching approximately 800+ nits of peak brightness (806 for ROG Phone 5, 859 for OnePlus 9 Pro). While the OnePlus 9 Pro edges out the ROG Phone 5 in peak brightness, the difference is unlikely to be noticeable in most real-world scenarios. Both utilize AMOLED panels for vibrant colors and deep blacks. However, the ROG Phone 5’s display is optimized for gaming with a higher refresh rate and potentially lower touch latency, though specific latency figures aren’t provided. The infinite contrast ratio on both devices ensures excellent visual fidelity.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but their approaches differ. The OnePlus 9 Pro, developed in partnership with Hasselblad, prioritizes color accuracy and natural image processing. While specific sensor details are missing, the OnePlus 9 Pro likely features a larger main sensor and more advanced image stabilization. The ROG Phone 5’s camera is competent but less emphasized, serving as a secondary feature to its gaming prowess. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s camera system is geared towards photography enthusiasts, while the ROG Phone 5’s camera is adequate for casual use.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration. This means raw processing power is largely equivalent. However, the ROG Phone 5’s cooling system is significantly more robust, designed to sustain peak performance for longer durations during demanding gaming sessions. The OnePlus 9 Pro, while capable, is more likely to experience thermal throttling under prolonged heavy load. While RAM configurations aren’t specified, the ROG Phone 5 typically offers more RAM options, further aiding multitasking and gaming performance. The ROG Phone 5’s focus on sustained performance gives it an edge for demanding users.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 5 boasts a significant advantage in battery endurance, achieving a measured 110 hours compared to the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 86 hours. This translates to a full day or more of heavy use for the ROG Phone 5, even with demanding gaming. Both support 65W wired charging, with the OnePlus 9 Pro achieving a full charge in 29 minutes, slightly faster than the ROG Phone 5’s 52 minutes. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro also offers 50W wireless charging, a feature absent on the ROG Phone 5. The ROG Phone 5’s larger battery capacity and superior endurance make it the clear winner for users prioritizing battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 if you need maximum battery life for extended gaming sessions, prioritize raw performance over camera versatility, and appreciate gaming-specific features like AirTriggers. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you prefer a more polished and versatile camera system, value fast wireless charging, and desire a flagship experience that excels in everyday tasks alongside occasional gaming.