Asus ROG Phone 5s vs. Sony Xperia 5 Plus: A Deep Dive into Performance and Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For gamers prioritizing raw performance and rapid charging, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is the clear winner. However, the Sony Xperia 5 Plus offers a more refined, pocketable experience for users who value a balanced feature set and a less aggressive design.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 5 Plus | 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 | LTE | 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 | 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, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | 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 | Not announced yet | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 168.2 x 71.6 x 8.1 mm (6.62 x 2.82 x 0.32 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 + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | - | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 101.8 cm2 (~84.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR BT.2020 | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB 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 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 12 MP, (wide), 1/1.5", predictive dual pixel PDAF, 5-axis OIS 8 MP, (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 64 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm 2 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | - |
| 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@24/30/60fps HDR, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | 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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue, Red, Black, Grey | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | - | ZS676KS |
| Price | - | About 1030 EUR |
Sony Xperia 5 Plus
- Compact and pocketable design
- Potentially superior color accuracy (based on Sony’s reputation)
- More understated aesthetic
- Significantly older and less powerful chipset
- Slow 18W charging
- Likely lower peak gaming performance
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Much faster Snapdragon 888+ 5G processor
- 65W fast charging with PD3.0 and QC5
- Gaming-centric features (AirTriggers, etc.)
- Larger and heavier design
- More aggressive gaming aesthetic
- Camera performance likely not class-leading
Display Comparison
While both phones feature OLED panels, the specifics differ significantly. The Xperia 5 Plus’s display details (resolution, refresh rate) are not provided, but Sony traditionally focuses on color accuracy and natural tones. The ROG Phone 5s, however, is geared towards visual responsiveness. The lack of LTPO technology in either device suggests both will rely on adaptive refresh rate switching to conserve battery. Bezels are likely smaller on the Xperia 5 Plus due to its more conventional design, while the ROG Phone 5s may have slightly larger bezels to accommodate gaming-centric features.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs for the Xperia 5 Plus, a direct comparison is limited. However, Sony’s expertise in image processing suggests a focus on natural colors and dynamic range. The ROG Phone 5s, while not known for its camera prowess, likely benefits from the Snapdragon 888+'s improved ISP. The absence of information regarding sensor sizes and OIS on the Xperia 5 Plus makes it difficult to assess its low-light performance relative to the ROG Phone 5s. We can assume both phones will offer a variety of shooting modes, but the ROG Phone 5s is unlikely to compete with dedicated camera flagships.
Performance
The performance gap is substantial. The Asus ROG Phone 5s’s Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm) represents a significant leap over the Sony Xperia 5 Plus’s Snapdragon 855 (7nm). The 888+’s Cortex-X1 prime core, clocked at 2.99 GHz, delivers markedly improved single-core performance, crucial for responsive UI and app loading. The 5nm process node also translates to better thermal efficiency, mitigating throttling during extended gaming sessions. The ROG Phone 5s’s likely use of faster LPDDR5 RAM further enhances performance compared to the Xperia 5 Plus’s unspecified RAM speed. This difference will be most noticeable in demanding games and multitasking scenarios.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 5s dominates in charging speed with its 65W wired charging, achieving 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, alongside PD3.0 and QC5 support. The Xperia 5 Plus’s 18W wired charging (PD2.0) is comparatively slow. While battery capacity isn’t specified for either device, the ROG Phone 5s’s faster charging mitigates concerns about battery life, allowing for quick top-ups during gaming breaks. The ROG Phone 5s also offers 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the Xperia 5 Plus.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia 5 Plus if you need a premium smartphone that’s easy to handle, prioritizes a balanced multimedia experience, and doesn’t scream ‘gaming phone.’ Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you demand the highest possible Android gaming performance, require extremely fast charging, and appreciate gaming-specific features like AirTriggers.