Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate vs. ROG Phone 6: A Deep Dive for Gamers
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For serious mobile gamers prioritizing peak performance, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is the clear winner thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However, the ROG Phone 6 offers excellent value and a very similar experience for a lower price, making it ideal for budget-conscious gamers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 6 | Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Version A, Version C | 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, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66, 71, - Version A | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Version A | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat20 2024/210 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE (Up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Version C | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 05 | 2023, April 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 13 | Available. Released 2023, May |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in) | 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 239 g (8.43 oz) | 239 g (8.43 oz) |
| IPX4 water resistant Illuminated RGB logo (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | Built-in motorized cooling air vent (AeroActive Portal) IP54 water resistant 2" OLED display (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13 | Android 13, up to 2 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 NTFS support for external storage | UFS 4.0 NTFS support for external storage | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, 28mm (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.5, 29mm (wide), 1/3.2", 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| 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 3.1 (side), DisplayPort 1.4; USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| 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, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wired | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Storm White | Storm White |
| Models | AI2201_C, AI2201_F, AI2201-1A030EU, AI2201_A, AI2201-1A029EU | - |
| Price | C$ 1,599.00 / € 805.42 | About 780 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 131h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1325105 (v9) GeekBench: 5139 (v5.5), 5567 (v6) GFXBench: 107fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus ROG Phone 6
- More affordable price point
- Excellent gaming performance with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Fast 65W charging
- Older chipset compared to the 7 Ultimate
- Potentially more thermal throttling under sustained load
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- Superior performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Higher peak display brightness
- Improved thermal management
- Higher price tag
- Battery life is similar to the ROG Phone 6 despite the more efficient chipset
Display Comparison
Both phones feature large displays, but the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate edges ahead with a measured peak brightness of 1095 nits. While both offer excellent viewing angles, the 7 Ultimate’s higher brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The infinite contrast ratio (nominal) on the 7 Ultimate suggests a superior OLED panel, though both likely utilize similar AMOLED technology. Details regarding refresh rates and touch sampling rates are missing, but given Asus’s focus on gaming, both are expected to be high-performance.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but specific details are lacking. Given the ROG Phone’s gaming focus, camera performance isn’t a primary selling point. However, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate likely benefits from the improved ISP (Image Signal Processor) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, resulting in better image processing, particularly in low-light conditions. Without sensor size or aperture information, a definitive comparison is impossible, but expect incremental improvements in image quality on the 7 Ultimate.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) represents a significant leap over the ROG Phone 6’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm). The Gen 2 features a new CPU architecture – Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.2GHz versus the 6’s 3.19GHz Cortex-X2 – and improved GPU performance. The 7 Ultimate’s CPU configuration (1x3.2GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8GHz Cortex-A715, 2x2.8GHz Cortex-A710, 3x2.0GHz Cortex-A510) is more efficient than the 6’s (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510). This translates to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and higher sustained frame rates in demanding games. Both utilize LPDDR5X RAM, but the 7 Ultimate’s improved thermal management, likely due to the more efficient 4nm process, will allow it to maintain peak performance for longer periods.
Battery Life
Interestingly, both phones share an endurance rating of 131 hours. Both also support 65W wired charging, achieving a 100% charge in 42 minutes, utilizing PD3.0 and QC5 standards. Both also offer 10W reverse wired charging. This suggests that despite the more powerful chipset in the 7 Ultimate, Asus has optimized power consumption to maintain similar battery life. The real-world impact will depend on usage patterns, but gamers pushing the 7 Ultimate to its limits will likely see a slightly faster battery drain.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 6 if you need a high-performance gaming phone at a more accessible price point and are satisfied with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 capabilities. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate if you demand the absolute best in mobile gaming performance, benefit from the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and appreciate the incremental improvements to the display and overall user experience.