Asus ROG Phone 5 vs. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the dedicated mobile gamer, the Asus ROG Phone 5 is the clear winner. Its focus on cooling, high refresh rate display, and gaming-centric features outweigh the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera advantages. However, for users prioritizing camera quality and a more balanced smartphone experience, the Mi 11 Ultra delivers a superior package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 | Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra |
| 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 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, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International |
| 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, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International |
| 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 | 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, March 29 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 26 | Available. Released 2021, April 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.41 in) | 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm (6.47 x 2.94 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 238 g (8.40 oz) | 234 g (8.25 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 Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 900 nits (HBM), 1700 nits (peak) |
| 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 13, MIUI 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 1.1” AMOLED selfie display |
| Single | - | 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 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) | 50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, 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 Tuned by Harman Kardon | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| 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 (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 2.0, 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 36 min 67W wireless, 100% in 39 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Storm White | Ceramic White (Cosmic White), Ceramic Black (Cosmic Black) |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1B048IN, ASUS_I005DB, ASUS_I005DA, I005DA, I005DB | M2102K1G, M2102K1C |
| Price | About 370 EUR | About 1500 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 0.81 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.55 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) | -24.3 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 718864 (v8) GeekBench: 14536 (v4.4), 3745 (v5.1) GFXBench: 72fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 688720 (v8) GeekBench: 3191 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus ROG Phone 5
- Superior battery endurance (110h rating)
- Optimized for sustained gaming performance
- Likely higher refresh rate display for smoother gaming
- Lower peak display brightness (806 nits)
- Camera likely not as advanced as the Mi 11 Ultra
- Slower charging time (52 minutes to 100%)
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
- Higher peak display brightness (943 nits)
- Exceptional camera system
- Fastest charging speeds (36 min wired, 39 min wireless)
- Lower battery endurance (95h rating)
- Potential for thermal throttling during extended gaming
- May not prioritize gaming-specific features
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, but the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra edges out the ROG Phone 5 in peak brightness, reaching 943 nits compared to the ROG Phone 5’s 806 nits. This translates to better visibility in direct sunlight for the Mi 11 Ultra. While both utilize AMOLED technology, the ROG Phone 5’s higher refresh rate (likely 144Hz, though not specified in the data) is a significant advantage for gaming, offering smoother visuals. The lack of refresh rate data for the Mi 11 Ultra suggests a standard 120Hz panel, adequate but not class-leading for gamers.
Camera Comparison
The provided data only indicates 'Photo / Video' capabilities for both devices, lacking specifics. However, the Mi 11 Ultra is widely known for its exceptional camera system, featuring a larger main sensor and advanced image processing. While the ROG Phone 5 likely offers a competent camera, it’s not a primary focus. The Mi 11 Ultra’s camera system is geared towards capturing detailed images in various lighting conditions, with a strong emphasis on dynamic range and low-light performance. The ROG Phone 5’s camera is likely tuned for more casual use and may prioritize speed over ultimate image quality.
Performance
Both the Asus ROG Phone 5 and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra are powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration. Therefore, raw CPU performance will be nearly identical. The ROG Phone 5’s advantage lies in its superior thermal design, crucial for sustaining peak performance during prolonged gaming. While the Mi 11 Ultra is a capable performer, the ROG Phone 5 is engineered to minimize throttling under heavy load, maintaining higher frame rates for longer. The ROG Phone 5’s active cooling system (not detailed in the provided data, but a key feature) is a significant differentiator.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 5 boasts an endurance rating of 110 hours, exceeding the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s 95 hours. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The Mi 11 Ultra compensates with significantly faster charging: 67W wired, 67W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless, achieving a full charge in just 36 minutes. The ROG Phone 5 offers 65W wired, 10W reverse wired, and takes 52 minutes for a full charge. The Mi 11 Ultra’s wireless charging capability is a unique advantage, while the ROG Phone 5’s slightly larger endurance rating suggests better overall battery life under typical usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 if you need a device specifically engineered for extended gaming sessions, prioritize raw performance and cooling, and value gaming-specific features like AirTriggers. Buy the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra if you prefer a top-tier camera system, appreciate fast charging (including wireless), and desire a more polished, all-around flagship experience with a stunning display.