Google Pixel 6 vs Asus ROG Phone 5s: A Clash of Philosophies
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing camera quality, software experience, and everyday usability, the Google Pixel 6 emerges as the better choice. However, gamers and power users demanding maximum performance and rapid charging will find the Asus ROG Phone 5s the more compelling option.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 6 | Asus ROG Phone 5s |
| 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) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - Version 1 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GB7N6, G9S9B16 | 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 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G9S9B | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GB7N6 | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, October 19 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 28 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm (6.24 x 2.94 x 0.35 in) | 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 207 g (7.30 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~83.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm | - |
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | - |
| 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| 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) |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+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 | 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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired (based on 30W charger), PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 21W wireless Reverse wireless | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 4614 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Sorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, Stormy Black | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | GB7N6, G9S9B16, G9S9B, GR1YH | ZS676KS |
| Price | $ 172.48 / C$ 238.84 / £ 169.99 / € 191.89 / ₹ 23,719 | About 1030 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 86h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -26.9 LUFS (Good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 676831 (v9) GeekBench: 2899 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Google Pixel 6
- Exceptional camera quality and AI features
- Clean and intuitive software experience
- Guaranteed software updates from Google
- Slower charging speeds compared to the ROG Phone 5s
- Potentially lower sustained gaming performance
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Blazing-fast 65W charging
- Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 888+
- Gaming-centric features like AirTriggers (assumed)
- Less refined camera experience compared to the Pixel 6
- Software experience may not be as clean or frequently updated
Display Comparison
Both phones feature displays designed for immersive experiences, though details beyond contrast ratio are limited for the Pixel 6. The Pixel 6 boasts an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. The ROG Phone 5s, while lacking specific brightness data, benefits from Asus’s gaming-focused display expertise, likely offering a high refresh rate (typically 144Hz on ROG phones) for smoother gameplay. The ROG Phone 5s’s display is geared towards responsiveness, while the Pixel 6’s prioritizes visual fidelity and color accuracy, though without specific nit ratings, a direct comparison is difficult.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6’s strength is its computational photography, powered by the Tensor chip. While specific sensor details are absent, Google’s image processing is renowned for its dynamic range and accurate colors. The ROG Phone 5s, geared towards gaming, likely has a competent camera system, but it won’t match the Pixel 6’s AI-powered features like Magic Eraser or Real Tone. The Pixel 6’s focus is on consistently excellent photos and videos in various conditions, while the ROG Phone 5s prioritizes other features.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Google Pixel 6’s Tensor chip (5nm) features a unique CPU configuration with 2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 cores for peak performance, alongside A76 and A55 cores for efficiency. The Asus ROG Phone 5s utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm), with a 1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 core and A78/A55 cores. While both use the Cortex-X1, the Snapdragon 888+ is a proven performer in demanding games, and its Adreno 660 GPU is a significant advantage. The ROG Phone 5s’s thermal design, typical of ROG phones, is likely more robust, mitigating throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Pixel 6’s Tensor excels in AI tasks, but may not match the ROG Phone 5s’ sustained GPU performance.
Battery Life
The Pixel 6 has an endurance rating of 86 hours, indicating solid battery life. It supports 30W wired charging, reaching 50% in 30 minutes, and 21W wireless charging with reverse wireless capabilities. The ROG Phone 5s significantly outpaces the Pixel 6 in charging speed with 65W wired charging, achieving 70% in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes. While the Pixel 6 offers wireless and reverse wireless charging, the ROG Phone 5s prioritizes speed, crucial for gamers who need to quickly get back into the action. The ROG Phone 5s also includes 10W reverse wired charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Google Pixel 6 if you need a consistently excellent camera, a clean and intuitive software experience with guaranteed updates, and a phone that excels at everyday tasks. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prioritize raw gaming performance, incredibly fast charging, and features specifically tailored for mobile gaming, such as AirTriggers and a high refresh rate display (assumed based on ROG branding).