Asus ROG Phone 6 Review

Asus India provided the ROG Phone 6 to IGN India for review.

Millions of people around the world enjoy their favorite games on-the-go as mobile gaming has become increasingly popular in the last decade. With more people playing games on their phones, multiple smartphone makers have taken to developing high-performance phones that are especially designed for gaming. Asus is one of those companies that has gone all in on this with their line of ROG (Republic of Gamers) phones. The latest variant available as part of this line is the ROG Phone 6, a 2022 flagship device that offers top-of-the-line specs and impressive design.

Asus ROG Phone 6 features and specifications

The Asus ROG Phone 6 comes with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor and up to 12GB of RAM. The phone also has a 6.78-inch AMOLED HDR10+ display, with a 165Hz refresh rate. All of this is supported by the hefty 6,000mAh battery.

But the ROG Phone 6 isn’t just a gaming phone — it’s also loaded with features that make it an excellent all-around device. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the ROG Phone 6 and its performance, design, varied features, and discuss why it’s worth considering both for mobile gamers as well as content consumers who demand the best. We will also talk about the preposition of ROG Phone 6 in 2023, just days before the global launch of its successor.

Design and accessories

The design of the Asus ROG Phone 6 is eye-catching. The graphics, branding, and accents on the back of the phone make it visually pleasing. It is also made of glass, which makes it feel premium and gives it a high-end look. But it doesn’t just have good design, the phone is also packed with powerful components that make the user experience a breeze.

One of the things I really like about the design of the ROG Phone 6 is the way it feels in the hand. The phone is a bit on the larger side, but it’s still comfortable to hold. The phone also has a dedicated USB port on the side for connecting accessories, which is a nice touch for gamers who want to use ROG accessories like controllers or external cooling fans. It also allows for a more comfortable gaming experience while charging the phone.

However, I do have to say that the design of the ROG Phone 6 might not be for everyone. The phone is quite large and heavy, which can make it a bit unwieldy for people with smaller hands. The glossy glass back looks nice but is also a fingerprint magnet.

Performance of Asus ROG Phone 6

As a gaming phone, the Asus ROG Phone 6 definitely doesn’t disappoint. It is equipped with the most advanced hardware and features, which makes it a powerful and capable device for gaming and other demanding tasks.

The ROG Phone 6’s 6,000mAh battery can easily last through a full day of use, even with heavy gaming sessions. Equipped with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor that can clock up to 3.2GHz, it has no problem handling even the most power-hungry games and apps.

Gaming performance

I tested a variety of games on the phone, including some of the most high-graphics titles on the Google Play Store, and I was consistently impressed by the phone’s responsive performance. The phone never lagged or stuttered, even when I was playing games for extended periods of time. I could keep a heavy game in memory and go scrolling for twenty minutes on Instagram Reels, then return to the game and pick up exactly where I left off.

One game I particularly enjoyed playing on the ROG Phone 6 is Apex Legends Mobile. This game is known for its intense, fast-paced gameplay, and I was impressed by how smoothly it ran on the phone. The graphics were crisp and detailed, and the phone’s powerful processor and high-resolution display made for an immersive gaming experience. It is sad that the game is sunsetting soon and could not continue. The same can be said for Call of Duty: Mobile, as it offered the highest graphics option and ran on high frames without any issues.

I also tested the phone with the popular open-world adventure game, Genshin Impact. The game can be CPU-intensive on even the most powerful smartphones, especially with its highest graphics settings. However, the ROG Phone 6 was able to handle the game with ease. The phone did get hot when played on 60FPS, but with the ROG AeroActive Cooler 6, the phone remained cooler and didn’t drop frames even after hours of gaming. The phone could handle even the most demanding games with ease, with minimal loading times and high performance.

One often overlooked feature of the phone is its AirTrigger 6, which allows for console-like gaming with ultrasonic trigger buttons and 10 Motion Control Gestures. This provides unmatched game control, allowing for a truly engaging gaming experience on the go.

Other than the AirTrigger 6, the ROG Phone 6 also comes with the updated GameGenie in-game tool and Armoury Crate game control-center. Both have been revamped with updated user interfaces, providing easy access to all the phone’s gaming features. This makes it easy to customise and optimise your gaming experience, whether you’re a casual gamer or a competitive pro.

The Aeroactive Cooler 6

I also used the ROG AeroActive Cooler 6 accessory with the phone, and I was impressed by its unique design and functionality. Asus touted the AeroActive Cooler 6 as the world’s first wireless thermoelectric plus fan cooling accessory, and it offers a variety of useful features for gamers. Since then, other smartphone makers have also showcased similar accessories on the global stage during MWC 2023.

One of the most useful features of the AeroActive Cooler 6, besides the actual cooling, is its four input trigger buttons. These buttons provide additional inputs for games, which can be useful for certain genres of games, such as first-person shooters, where having extra buttons can be helpful. The buttons are also customisable, so you can set them up to your liking.

The obvious benefit of the AeroActive Cooler 6 is its ability to keep the phone cool while gaming. The accessory uses a combination of thermoelectric cooling and a fan to dissipate heat from the phone, which can help improve its performance during extended gaming sessions.

One potential downside of the AeroActive Cooler 6 is its size. The accessory is considerably big, which can make the phone a bit awkward to hold when it’s attached. This may not be an issue for some users, but those with smaller hands may find the combo a bit too big.

Benchmarks

The Asus ROG Phone 6 turned out to be a powerhouse when it comes to benchmarks. I ran a variety of benchmark tests on the phone, and it consistently scored well across the board.

One test I ran was 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, a benchmark designed to test the graphical performance of a device. The ROG Phone 6 scored 2785 on this test, showing its prowess as a device that can handle heavy graphics.

I also ran the PCMark Work 3.0 performance benchmark, which tests the overall performance of a device. The ROG Phone 6 scored an impressive 17606 on this test, which is among the highest scores I’ve seen from a smartphone in 2022.

Finally, I ran Geekbench 5 to test the phone’s single-core and multi-core performance. The ROG Phone 6 scored 1308 on the single-core test and 4293 on the multi-core test. These are both very strong scores, showing that the phone’s processor will easily be able to multi-task and do the heavy lifting.

Audio and vibration feedback

The Asus ROG Phone 6 offers a variety of audio features designed to enhance the gaming experience. The phone is equipped with powerful stereo loudspeakers that provide high-quality sound. These speakers are powered by Dirac Audio technology, which helps create a more absorbing listening experience. I was very impressed with how loud the speakers sounded.

The ROG Phone 6 also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing you to use wired headphones if you prefer. This is a plus point, considering that many smartphones are choosing to skip the headphone jack for some time now.

The phone also supports low-latency audio over Bluetooth, thanks to its support for the aptX Low Latency codec. This can be useful for multiplayer games, where every second counts, as it ensures that audio and video are in sync.

Finally, the ROG Phone 6 offers engaging haptic feedback, with a new X-axis Linear motor that provides vibrations up to 130Hz. This can help make games feel more realistic, as it allows you to feel every bump, crash, and explosion in your games. Taking everything into account, I found the audio capabilities of the ROG Phone 6 well-suited to gaming.

Day-to-day usage, battery backup on ROG Phone 6

In addition to its impressive gaming performance, the Asus ROG Phone 6 is also a great device for day-to-day use. The phone has a fast fingerprint scanner, which responds quickly and unlocks the phone without any delay. It also has support for 5G networks, which makes it a future-proof choice.

Overall, I can say that the Asus ROG Phone 6 makes for a good daily driver, even if you are not gaming on it every day because of its long battery life, daily usage performance, display, and design.

Question of waiting for the upgrade or buying

As mentioned above, the Asus ROG Phone is just seven weeks after from launch in the Indian market. In addition, several flagship smartphones for 2023 have already made their way to India with better hardware specifications like the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. However, newer, and more premium hardware means more expensive the price tag. It also brings forth the real problem of diminishing returns on the top-end of the smartphone market. You won’t get that much higher a performance for money you would be spending.

If you want a great gaming and good all-around smartphone and don’t want the latest and the greatest, then the Asus ROG Phone 6 is still a desirable choice. However, if you have the extra money to spare and want the absolute latest then you should wait for the ROG Phone 7 and pit it against the other 2023 options in the market after it launches.