Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro vs. Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders: A Deep Dive
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offers a significant performance uplift and improved thermal efficiency over the 888 in the Insiders phone, despite only a slightly faster charging time. While the Insiders phone offers a unique appeal, the ROG Phone 6 Pro delivers a more well-rounded and future-proof experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders | Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 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, 43, 48, 66, 71 - Version A |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave | 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 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat20 2024/210 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 - Version B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, July 08 | 2022, July 05 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 31 | Available. Released 2022, July 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 173.2 x 77.3 x 9.6 mm (6.82 x 3.04 x 0.38 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 | 210 g (7.41 oz) | 239 g (8.43 oz) |
| - | IPX4 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 2400 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~81.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 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 (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB RAM | 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 NTFS support for external storage | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 112˚, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 12 MP, 28mm (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| Snapdragon Sound Technology 32-bit/384kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, 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 | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| 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, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Illuminated Snapdragon fireball icon on the back | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 50% in 30 min, 100% in 50 min | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight blue | Storm White |
| Models | I007D | AI2201_D |
| Price | About 1270 EUR | About 800 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 973756 (v8), 1103188 (v9) GeekBench: 3980 (v5.1) GFXBench: 79fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
- Pure Snapdragon experience for developers
- Faster initial charging speed (0-50%)
- Potentially lower price point (depending on availability)
- Older Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Less detailed display specifications
- Lacks reverse wireless charging
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro
- Significantly faster Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility
- Reverse wired charging for accessory power
- Higher price point
- Slightly slower 0-100% charge time
- Gaming-focused design may not appeal to all
Display Comparison
The ROG Phone 6 Pro boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 829 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Insiders phone. While both likely utilize AMOLED technology, the ROG Phone 6 Pro’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The ROG Phone 6 Pro’s infinite contrast ratio (nominal) is standard for AMOLED panels, ensuring deep blacks and vibrant colors. The Insiders phone’s display specs are less detailed, making a direct comparison difficult, but the ROG Phone 6 Pro clearly has the edge in display quality based on measured data.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are lacking for both. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is challenging. However, given the ROG Phone 6 Pro’s positioning as a flagship, it likely incorporates a more advanced camera system. The Insiders phone, while capable, appears to prioritize the Snapdragon experience over camera innovation. The absence of detailed camera specs suggests neither phone is a standout in the photography space.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The ROG Phone 6 Pro’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) represents a substantial upgrade over the Snapdragon 888 (5nm) in the Insiders phone. The 8+ Gen 1 features a faster Cortex-X2 prime core (3.19 GHz vs 2.84 GHz) and more efficient Cortex-A710 performance cores (2.75 GHz vs 2.42 GHz). This translates to faster application loading, smoother multitasking, and significantly improved gaming performance. The 4nm process node of the 8+ Gen 1 also contributes to better thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during extended gaming sessions. While both phones utilize LPDDR5 RAM, the ROG Phone 6 Pro’s superior chipset provides a clear performance advantage.
Battery Life
Both phones share a 65W wired charging capability, supporting PD3.0 and QC5. The ROG Phone 6 Pro achieves a full charge in 42 minutes, slightly faster than the Insiders phone’s 50 minutes. Both devices have an endurance rating of 119 hours, suggesting similar battery life despite the ROG Phone 6 Pro’s more powerful chipset. The ROG Phone 6 Pro also includes 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent in the Insiders phone, adding to its versatility.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders if you prioritize a focused, 'reference' Snapdragon experience and are comfortable with a slightly older chipset. This phone appeals to developers and enthusiasts who want to benchmark and optimize directly for Qualcomm hardware. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro if you demand the best possible gaming performance, longer sustained performance under load, and a feature-rich experience with gaming-specific accessories and software.