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Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro review - The better gaming smartphone

For more enthusiasm. The ROG Phone 5 is currently the best gaming smartphone. Asus offers an additional Vision screen, more storage, and a larger scope of delivery with the Pro version. Our review clarifies for whom the upgrade is worthwhile.
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro (ROG Phone Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G 8 x 1.8 - 2.8 GHz, Cortex-X1 / A78 / A55 (Kryo 680)
Graphics adapter
Memory
16 GB 
, LPDDR5
Display
6.78 inch 20.4:9, 2448 x 1080 pixel 395 PPI, Capazitive, 300 Hz Touch Sampling Rate, 24.3 ms Touch Latency, AMOLED, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, glossy: yes, HDR, 144 Hz
Storage
512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash, 512 GB 
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: Audio Jack (3.5 mm), 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerator, E-Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Ultrasonic sensors for AirTrigger 5 an grip press detection
Networking
Wi-Fi 6E (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (850, 900, 1700, 1800, 2100 MHz), 4G (Band 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), 5G (Band 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.9 x 172.83 x 77.25 ( = 0.39 x 6.8 x 3.04 in)
Battery
6000 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 11
Camera
Primary Camera: 64 MPix (Sony IMX686, 1/1.7", f/1.8, PDAF) + 13 MPix (Ultra Wide, f/2.4, 125°) + 5 MPix (Macro, f/2.0); Camera2-API-Level: Level 3
Secondary Camera: 24 MPix (f/2.4)
Additional features
Speakers: Dual, Keyboard: Onscreen, 65W-Charger, USB-Cabel, Plastic Case, AeroActive Cooler 5, ROG UI, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
239 g ( = 8.43 oz / 0.53 pounds), Power Supply: 193 g ( = 6.81 oz / 0.43 pounds)
Price
1199 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
ratingversion
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
89 %7
09/2021
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
SD 888 5G, Adreno 660
239 g512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.78"2448x1080
81.6 %7
08/2021
Nubia RedMagic 6R
SD 888 5G, Adreno 660
186.41 g256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.67"2400x1080
86.3 %7
07/2021
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
SD 870, Adreno 650
210 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.67"2400x1080
87.7 %7
04/2021
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
SD 888 5G, Adreno 660
259 g512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.92"2460x1080

Case, equipment and operation

The ROG Phone 5 Pro is different from the Standard variant visually and the build quality is on the same level. However, the big difference is on the back because the Pro has a so-called ROG Vision display instead of the dot RGB matrix. This can display smaller animations, also provides information about the current battery status when charging the smartphone and accompanies the connection of accessories with suitable animations.

Another difference is revealed in the scope of delivery, because the external AeroActive Cooler 5 is included in the box.

The equipment is unique for a smartphone. Besides the Pogo PINs for the connection to the fan, there is a USB 3.2 port (Gen. 2, up to 10 GBit/s, HDMI and dP support up to UHD, QC 5.0) right next to it and an additional USB 2.0 port (QC 3.0) on the bottom edge, which can be used for power supply while gaming. Furthermore, the additional ultrasonic keys AirTrigger 5 and an audio jack with High-Res Audio DAC are also on board.

The operating system Android 11 with the in-house ROG UI is used. Users who do not like this can switch, during the setup, to the standard UI, which is very similar to a pure Android.

All modern standards are used for the mobile data connection and the number of supported frequency bands for LTE and 5G has been increased again for the Pro version. Wi-Fi 6E is a fast WLAN standard that can connect to two networks simultaneously via dual WLAN and enables high and stable data rates in the test with the Netgear Nighthawk AX12.

The voice quality of the ROG Phone is really good and delivers a very good intelligibility when held to the ear, which only reaches its limits in very loud ambient noise. The speaker mode reverberates slightly, but has a good microphone range and quality. The Asus smartphone can accept two nano-SIM cards and supports VoLTE.

The ROG Phone 5 not only has a high refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, but the touch sampling rate of 300 Hz is also very high and promises a fast implementation of inputs on the touchscreen with a latency of 24.3 milliseconds. For biometric security, an optical fingerprint scanner is available in the display, which offers quite reliable recognition rates, but is not one of the fastest. Two-dimensional face recognition is also possible.

Head side
left
right
Bottom edge

Size comparison

176 mm / 6.93 inch 78.5 mm / 3.09 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 259 g0.571 lbs172.83 mm / 6.8 inch 77.25 mm / 3.04 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 239 g0.527 lbs163.8 mm / 6.45 inch 76.4 mm / 3.01 inch 10.4 mm / 0.4094 inch 210 g0.463 lbs163.04 mm / 6.42 inch 75.34 mm / 2.97 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 186.41 g0.411 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Wi-Fi 6E
1330 (1256min - 1401max) MBit/s
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Wi-Fi 6E
1189 (693min - 1261max) MBit/s -11%
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
680 (620min - 697max) MBit/s -49%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
656 (613min - 676max) MBit/s -51%
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Wi-Fi 6E
877 (842min - 910max) MBit/s
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
811 (771min - 835max) MBit/s -8%
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
789 (660min - 853max) MBit/s -10%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Wi-Fi 6E
788 (710min - 861max) MBit/s -10%
07515022530037545052560067575082590097510501125120012751350Tooltip
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Qualcomm Adreno 660; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø875 (842-910)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Qualcomm Adreno 660; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø788 (660-853)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Qualcomm Adreno 660; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1330 (1256-1401)
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Qualcomm Adreno 660; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø680 (620-697)

Cameras - triple optics in the ROG Phone 5 Pro

Selfie with the ROG Phone 5 Pro
Selfie with the ROG Phone 5 Pro

The ROG Phone 5 Pro relies on a camera setup that consists of three lenses. Besides the 64 MP main lens, an ultra-wide-angle and a macro lens are integrated. Even though the Sony sensor is still from last year, good pictures can be taken with it and the high reserves in terms of resolution allow smaller zoom levels without much loss of quality. Videos can also be recorded in 8k.

The front-facing camera also takes good pictures, but it cannot compensate backlight completely. Videos can be created in Full HD with up to 60 frames per second.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Wide-angleWide-angleUltra wide-angle5x ZoomLow-Light
click to load images
ColorChecker
10.2 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
8.1 ∆E
6 ∆E
8.2 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
10.2 ∆E
9.9 ∆E
1.3 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
6.7 ∆E
1.2 ∆E
9.2 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
1.6 ∆E
2.8 ∆E
ColorChecker Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro: 7.15 ∆E min: 1.2 - max: 12.15 ∆E
ColorChecker
29.1 ∆E
51.7 ∆E
39.1 ∆E
36.3 ∆E
44.4 ∆E
61.2 ∆E
51.7 ∆E
35.7 ∆E
38 ∆E
28 ∆E
62.2 ∆E
62.2 ∆E
31.1 ∆E
47.2 ∆E
35 ∆E
71.4 ∆E
41.3 ∆E
44.1 ∆E
76.2 ∆E
68.2 ∆E
51.5 ∆E
37 ∆E
23.8 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
ColorChecker Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro: 44.98 ∆E min: 13.35 - max: 76.18 ∆E

Display - Improved DC dimming

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

The display of the Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro is identical to that of the Standard variant. It measures 6.78 inches, works with a Full HD Plus resolution and up to 144 Hz. The OLED panel achieves up to 806 cd/m² in a pure white display and enabled ambient light sensor. With an even distribution of bright and dark areas (APL50), it is 1,088 cd/m² and 1,136 cd/m² with APL10. If you adjust the brightness manually, you have 488 cd/m² at your disposal.

It is positive that Asus has improved the DC dimming. Although this still only works with 60 Hz, it actually works now.

794
cd/m²
795
cd/m²
806
cd/m²
789
cd/m²
789
cd/m²
801
cd/m²
792
cd/m²
787
cd/m²
798
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 806 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 794.6 cd/m² Minimum: 5.05 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 789 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.4 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.27
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
AMOLED, 2448x1080, 6.78
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
AMOLED, 2460x1080, 6.92
Nubia RedMagic 6R
AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.67
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.67
Response Times
-30%
111%
-165%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
2.4 ?(1.2, 1.2)
8 ?(5, 3)
-233%
4 ?(2, 2)
-67%
11 ?(5, 6)
-358%
Response Time Black / White *
2.4 ?(1.2, 1.2)
6 ?(3, 3)
-150%
3.2 ?(2, 1.2)
-33%
6 ?(3, 3)
-150%
PWM Frequency
144.5 ?(100)
568
293%
769 ?(51)
432%
162.3
12%
Screen
-77%
-52%
-115%
Brightness middle
789
463
-41%
442
-44%
676
-14%
Brightness
795
466
-41%
442
-44%
669
-16%
Brightness Distribution
98
98
0%
90
-8%
98
0%
Black Level *
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.4
3.24
-131%
2.2
-57%
5.77
-312%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3
5.75
-92%
4.9
-63%
9.81
-227%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.7
4.4
-159%
3.3
-94%
3.7
-118%
Gamma
2.27 97%
2.201 100%
2.25 98%
1.959 112%
CCT
6596 99%
7273 89%
7101 92%
6584 99%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-54% / -62%
30% / 2%
-140% / -131%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.2 ms rise
↘ 1.2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.2 ms rise
↘ 1.2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 6 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 144.5 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 144.5 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 144.5 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Grayscale (Profile: Natural, Target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (Profile: Natural, Target color space: sRGB)
Colors (Profile: Natural, Target color space: sRGB)
Colors (Profile: Natural, Target color space: sRGB)
Color Space (Profile: Natural, Target Color Space: sRGB)
Color Space (Profile: Natural, Target Color Space: sRGB)
Saturation (Profile: Natural, Target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (Profile: Natural, Target color space: sRGB)
outdoors
outdoors
Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance, emissions and battery life

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 888 with a whopping 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM. The graphics calculations are handled by the integrated Adreno 660. Since the Qualcomm chipset is considered difficult to cool, Asus has focused exactly on this aspect and achieves a stable performance at all times in combination with the fan. Although the surface temperatures increase noticeably, they only get warm to the touch and remain absolutely harmless.

There is no game that Asus' smartphone cannot master in the highest detail settings, and it also offers broad support for titles with more than 60 FPS.

The two front-facing speakers can not only get very loud, but also provide a comparatively good sound image. There is also wide support for Bluetooth codecs as well as an excellent audio jack.

In terms of battery runtimes, the Pro model presents itself even more efficient than the standard variant; the manufacturer seems to have improved here as well.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1119 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1132 Points +1%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
1129 Points +1%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
1002 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (976 - 1198, n=27)
1118 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=214, last 2 years)
900 Points -20%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
3728 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
3702 Points -1%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
3660 Points -2%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
3394 Points -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (3204 - 3810, n=27)
3571 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=214, last 2 years)
2947 Points -21%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0 (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
17085 Points
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
13273 Points -22%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
16054 Points -6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (11435 - 17085, n=21)
14307 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=209, last 2 years)
11643 Points -32%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
11286 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
11302 Points 0%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
10365 Points -8%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
10111 Points -10%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
11064 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (8065 - 11534, n=20)
10135 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points -20%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
16638 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
16586 Points 0%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
15623 Points -6%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
14884 Points -11%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
14968 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (10491 - 17179, n=20)
15130 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points -5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5309 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5344 Points +1%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
4764 Points -10%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
4759 Points -10%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
5784 Points +9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (2975 - 5434, n=20)
4760 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points -18%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
7596 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (6140 - 7596, n=2)
6868 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=104, last 2 years)
2680 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
9436 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (6816 - 9436, n=2)
8126 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=104, last 2 years)
2667 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
4514 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (4514 - 4557, n=2)
4536 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=104, last 2 years)
3126 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
9649 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
9839 Points +2%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
9374 Points -3%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
8921 Points -8%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
8975 Points -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (6110 - 9839, n=21)
8532 Points -12%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=177, last 2 years)
6571 Points -32%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
12563 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
12914 Points +3%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
12396 Points -1%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
12266 Points -2%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
10646 Points -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (7930 - 12914, n=21)
11629 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=176, last 2 years)
9383 Points -25%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5326 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5366 Points +1%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
5058 Points -5%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
4565 Points -14%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
5793 Points +9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (2579 - 5366, n=21)
4511 Points -15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=176, last 2 years)
4169 Points -22%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5778 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5887 Points +2%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
5859 Points +1%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
4351 Points -25%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (3958 - 5942, n=26)
5674 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (395 - 9839, n=132, last 2 years)
2528 Points -56%
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5762 Points
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
5876 Points +2%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
5839 Points +1%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
4352 Points -24%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (3959 - 5925, n=26)
5617 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (394 - 20068, n=197, last 2 years)
6135 Points +6%
Wild Life Stress Test Stability (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
97.4 (33.6min - 34.5max) %
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
90.4 (5293min - 5852max) % -7%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
0 % -100%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (54.7 - 97.4, n=24)
78.1 % -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (36 - 99.8, n=185, last 2 years)
84.2 % -14%
Wild Life Extreme (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1515 Points
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
1535 Points +1%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
1234 Points -19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (1236 - 1602, n=21)
1516 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 5226, n=202, last 2 years)
1647 Points +9%
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
1513 Points
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
1516 Points 0%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
1246 Points -18%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (974 - 1564, n=21)
1421 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (110 - 5248, n=197, last 2 years)
1656 Points +9%
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
98.1 (8.91min - 9.08max) %
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
97.8 (8.85min - 9.05max) % 0%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
0 % -100%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (54.9 - 99.7, n=18)
82.2 % -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (33.7 - 99.7, n=173, last 2 years)
84.7 % -14%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
66 fps
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
60 fps -9%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
66 fps 0%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
53 fps -20%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (32 - 73, n=26)
55.7 fps -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=221, last 2 years)
43.1 fps -35%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
85 fps
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
71 fps -16%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
79 fps -7%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
61 fps -28%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (46 - 87, n=27)
70.4 fps -17%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=221, last 2 years)
63.1 fps -26%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
42 fps
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
40 fps -5%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
42 fps 0%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
34 fps -19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (25 - 51, n=26)
38.5 fps -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=221, last 2 years)
32.1 fps -24%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
31 fps
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 16384
27 fps -13%
Nubia RedMagic 6R
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, Adreno 660, 12288
29 fps -6%
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G, Adreno 650, 6144
23 fps -26%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
  (19 - 32, n=26)
27.5 fps -11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=221, last 2 years)
25.1 fps -19%
Asus ROG Phone 5 ProLenovo Legion Phone Duel 2Nubia RedMagic 6RXiaomi Black Shark 4Average 512 GB UFS 3.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-4%
-14%
-7%
15%
-2%
Sequential Read 256KB
1864
1999
7%
1330
-29%
1663
-11%
1877 ?(1695 - 2023, n=23)
1%
1471 ?(215 - 4512, n=213, last 2 years)
-21%
Sequential Write 256KB
785
754
-4%
690
-12%
760
-3%
1156 ?(575 - 1876, n=23)
47%
1084 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=213, last 2 years)
38%
Random Read 4KB
292.9
262.6
-10%
227.2
-22%
283.1
-3%
281 ?(208 - 386, n=23)
-4%
243 ?(22.2 - 543, n=213, last 2 years)
-17%
Random Write 4KB
287.2
261.5
-9%
312.9
9%
259.9
-10%
333 ?(221 - 503, n=23)
16%
267 ?(13 - 709, n=213, last 2 years)
-7%

Temperature

Max. Load
 36.5 °C
98 F
37.3 °C
99 F
36.5 °C
98 F
 
 35.2 °C
95 F
36.9 °C
98 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 33 °C
91 F
36.5 °C
98 F
35.4 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 37.3 °C = 99 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
32.9 °C
91 F
35.2 °C
95 F
35.2 °C
95 F
32.2 °C
90 F
35.8 °C
96 F
35.4 °C
96 F
32.1 °C
90 F
34.9 °C
95 F
35.1 °C
95 F
Maximum: 35.8 °C = 96 F
Average: 34.3 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  26.4 °C = 80 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.3 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 35.8 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Wild Life Stress Tests

051015202530Tooltip
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.4.2: Ø9.03 (8.91-9.08)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; without Fan: Ø9 (8.85-9.05)
Nubia RedMagic 6S Pro Adreno 660, SD 888+ 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test: Ø8.74 (8.24-9.31)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.5.1: Ø5.17 (5.07-6.49)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø34.2 (33.6-34.5)
Nubia RedMagic 6S Pro Adreno 660, SD 888+ 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø32.2 (30.3-34.9)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø20.4 (19.2-31)


Loudspeaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.637.62525.544.13129.739.84031.142.25034.940.46323.9438023.650.21002351.612517.350.216018.458.520014.45925013.658.731514.963.840011.967.650010.274.263011.580.180011.678.1100011.979125013.277.7160013.278.6200013.282.1250012.784.1315013.483.9400013.881.6500014.580.1630013.978.6800014.173.6100001472.51250014.373.41600016.266.6SPL25.592.4N0.794.7median 13.8median 77.7Delta0.97.442.341.636.538.931.735.232.437.23936.831.732.722.137.121.244.115.849.317.553.214.554.113.357.312.460.912.56414.3681773.222.176.820.275.914.974.414.674.814.573.41571.916.871.418.369.91970.919.672.520.171.620.872.420.267.921.165.930.384.91.264.8median 17median 70.92.76.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG Phone 5 ProLenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (92.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 13% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 0.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 9% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 88% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life

Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
6000 mAh
Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2
5500 mAh
Nubia RedMagic 6R
4200 mAh
Xiaomi Black Shark 4
4500 mAh
Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
885
907
2%
541
-39%
710
-20%
912 ?(424 - 2844, n=223, last 2 years)
3%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 92)
14h 45min

Pros

+ strong performance
+ many interfaces
+ Audio jack with Quad-DAC
+ powerful speakers
+ bright and accurate display

Cons

- no wireless charging
- no microSD support
- heavy
- no IP certification

Verdict - Little Pro, but more memory

In review: Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro. Test device provided by Asus Germany.
In review: Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro. Test device provided by Asus Germany.

Asus' ROG Phone 5 Pro has surprisingly little added value for its rather steep surcharge. The Vision display on the back is certainly a nice gimmick, but it does not offer any added value in everyday use. The doubling of the memory and the additional frequency bands could be more interesting, and the AeroActive Cooler 5 is included, which would otherwise also cost 60 Euros (~$70).

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro is primarily aimed at memory-hungry users.

Nevertheless, the ROG Phone 5 Pro remains the best gaming smartphone at the moment, with a strong configuration. Besides the 144 Hz AMOLED display, the performance-stable processor, additional ultrasonic sensor keys, two USB ports, and the broad support of games with 120 and 144 Hz are particularly important.

Cheaper alternatives are the Black Shark 4 or the RedMagic 6R, but they also have to make concessions in the areas of speed, features and optional accessories.

Price and availability

The ROG Phone 5 Pro is currently difficult to get hold of and at the time of this review has even disappeared from the Asus eShop and can primarily be purchased via Asian sites like AliExpress.

Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro - 08/31/2022 v7
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
85%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
99%
Connectivity
73 / 70 → 100%
Weight
87%
Battery
90%
Display
92%
Games Performance
71 / 64 → 100%
Application Performance
93 / 86 → 100%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
81 / 90 → 90%
Camera
70%
Average
85%
89%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro review - The better gaming smartphone
Daniel Schmidt, 2021-09-20 (Update: 2021-09-20)