OnePlus 9R vs Asus ROG Phone 5s: Which Snapdragon Phone Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balance of performance and value, the OnePlus 9R emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 870 delivers excellent performance for daily tasks and gaming, coupled with incredibly fast 65W charging, all at a significantly lower price than the ROG Phone 5s. However, serious mobile gamers will find the ROG Phone 5s' superior chipset and gaming-centric features worthwhile.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus 9R | 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) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - Version 1 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46 | 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 | 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 1 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 23 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 14 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161 x 74.1 x 8.4 mm (6.34 x 2.92 x 0.33 in) | 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 189 g (6.67 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| - | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Fluid AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585) | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm 5 MP (macro) 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) | - |
| 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@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | 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, OTG | 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, 100% in 39 min | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Carbon Black, Lake Blue | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | LE2101, LE2100 | ZS676KS |
| Price | About 360 EUR | About 1030 EUR |
| SAR | 1.17 W/kg (head) 0.85 W/kg (body) | - |
OnePlus 9R
- Significantly lower price point
- Extremely fast 65W charging (39 min to 100%)
- Excellent performance for everyday tasks and gaming
- Less powerful chipset compared to the Snapdragon 888+
- Lacks gaming-specific features like AirTriggers
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- More powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset
- Dedicated gaming features (AirTriggers, etc.)
- 10W reverse wired charging
- Higher price tag
- Longer full charge time (52 minutes)
Display Comparison
While both phones likely feature high refresh rate displays (based on brand history), the context data doesn't specify. The core difference lies under the hood. The Snapdragon 888+ in the ROG Phone 5s benefits from a 5nm process, offering improved power efficiency compared to the 7nm Snapdragon 870 in the 9R. This translates to potentially better sustained brightness and reduced heat generation during prolonged use, impacting display performance indirectly. The ROG Phone 5s, being a gaming phone, likely has a higher peak brightness and potentially a more color-accurate panel to cater to visual fidelity.
Camera Comparison
The provided data doesn't detail camera specifications. However, given the ROG Phone 5s’ focus on gaming, its camera system is likely optimized for convenience and social sharing rather than professional-grade photography. The OnePlus 9R, historically, has offered competitive camera performance in its price segment. Without specific sensor details, it’s reasonable to assume the 9R may offer a more refined camera experience, particularly in image processing and low-light performance. The ROG Phone 5s may prioritize video recording capabilities geared towards streaming.
Performance
The Asus ROG Phone 5s’ Snapdragon 888+ represents a significant architectural leap over the OnePlus 9R’s Snapdragon 870. The 888+ utilizes a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.99 GHz, offering a performance advantage over the 870’s Kryo 585 prime core at 3.2 GHz. However, the 870’s efficiency cores are clocked similarly, and the 5nm process of the 888+ mitigates some of the clock speed difference. The ROG Phone 5s will excel in CPU-intensive tasks and demanding games, while the 9R provides a very smooth experience for most applications. The 888+ also boasts a more powerful Adreno 660 GPU, further widening the performance gap in graphics-heavy scenarios.
Battery Life
Both devices feature 65W wired charging, but their implementation and overall battery life differ. The ROG Phone 5s reaches 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, while the OnePlus 9R achieves a full charge in 39 minutes. This suggests a more conservative charging curve on the ROG Phone 5s, potentially prioritizing battery health. The ROG Phone 5s also includes 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the 9R. The Snapdragon 888+'s 5nm process contributes to better power efficiency, potentially offsetting a smaller battery capacity (assuming similar battery sizes) and leading to comparable real-world battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus 9R if you need a fast, reliable daily driver with excellent performance for the price, and value rapid charging over specialized gaming features. It’s ideal for users who want a premium experience without the premium price tag. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prioritize uncompromising gaming performance, are willing to pay a premium for features like AirTriggers, and need the most powerful chipset available for demanding mobile titles.