Asus ROG Phone 5 vs Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro: A Gamer's Deep Dive
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average gamer prioritizing sustained performance and battery life, the Asus ROG Phone 5 is the better choice. Its 110-hour endurance rating provides peace of mind, while the Black Shark 4 Pro excels in charging speed, reaching 100% in just 15 minutes – a boon for those needing quick top-ups.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 | Xiaomi Black Shark 4 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) / 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, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 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, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA |
| 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, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 2, Version 3 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| 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 | - |
| Dimensions | 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.41 in) | 163.8 x 76.4 x 9.9 mm (6.45 x 3.01 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 238 g (8.40 oz) | 220 g (7.76 oz) |
| RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | Physical pop-up gaming triggers | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~85.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | Super AMOLED, 144Hz, 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, Joy UI 12.5 |
| 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, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 0.8µm |
| 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) | 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro), AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps; HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 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 (China), 5.0 (Global), A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer (China only) |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired | 120W wired, 50% in 5 min, 100% in 15 min |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Storm White | Shadow Black, Misty Grey, Cosmos Black, Dark Blue, Silver |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1B048IN, ASUS_I005DB, ASUS_I005DA, I005DA, I005DB | SHARK PAR-H0 |
| Price | About 370 EUR | About 500 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -24.0 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 110-hour battery endurance
- Higher peak display brightness (806 nits)
- Potentially better thermal management due to larger size
- Slower charging speed (65W)
- Limited camera details provided
Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W charging (100% in 15 min)
- Potentially more aggressive gaming-focused design
- Quick power-up for uninterrupted gaming
- Likely lower battery endurance compared to ROG Phone 5
- Camera specifications are unknown
Display Comparison
Both the ROG Phone 5 and Black Shark 4 Pro utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, meaning graphical performance will be similar. However, the ROG Phone 5 boasts a measured peak brightness of 806 nits, which will provide better visibility in bright outdoor conditions. While the Black Shark 4 Pro’s display specifications aren’t provided, the ROG Phone 5’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio suggests a superior viewing experience, particularly for dark scenes in games. The absence of LTPO technology in either device means refresh rate scaling isn’t as power efficient as newer panels, but both likely offer high refresh rates for smooth gameplay.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is a secondary consideration for gaming phones, and the provided data is limited to 'Photo / Video' for the ROG Phone 5. Without sensor size, aperture, or OIS details, a direct comparison is difficult. It’s reasonable to assume both phones offer adequate camera capabilities for casual photography, but neither is likely to compete with dedicated camera flagships. The absence of details suggests neither prioritizes camera innovation as a key selling point.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset, featuring an Octa-core CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). This means CPU and GPU performance will be largely comparable. The key differentiator will be thermal management, a specification not provided for either device. However, the ROG Phone 5’s larger size potentially allows for a more robust cooling solution, mitigating thermal throttling during prolonged gaming. RAM specifications are also missing, but both are expected to utilize LPDDR5 for fast memory access.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 5’s 110-hour endurance rating is a significant advantage, indicating superior battery life compared to what we’d expect from a phone with similar capacity. The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro, however, completely flips the script with its 120W wired charging – achieving 50% charge in just 5 minutes and a full charge in 15 minutes. This is a game-changer for users who need to quickly top up their battery between gaming sessions. While the ROG Phone 5 offers 65W charging (70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min), it’s significantly slower. The Black Shark 4 Pro sacrifices endurance for unparalleled charging speed.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 if you need exceptional battery endurance for extended gaming sessions, value a more balanced feature set beyond just raw speed, and appreciate a potentially wider ecosystem of gaming accessories. Buy the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro if you prioritize the absolute fastest charging speeds available, frequently find yourself needing to quickly replenish battery levels, and are comfortable with a more focused gaming-centric design.