Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro review - The better gaming smartphone
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Version | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 09 / 2021 | Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 239 g | 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.78" | 2448x1080 | |
| 81.6 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 08 / 2021 | Nubia RedMagic 6R SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 186.41 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86.3 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 07 / 2021 | Xiaomi Black Shark 4 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 210 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 87.7 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 04 / 2021 | Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 259 g | 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.92" | 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.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro | |
| Nubia RedMagic 6R | |
| Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 | |
| Xiaomi Black Shark 4 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro | |
| Xiaomi Black Shark 4 | |
| Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 | |
| Nubia RedMagic 6R | |
Cameras - triple optics in 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
Display - Improved DC dimming
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.
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Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 789 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.4 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
99.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.27
| Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro AMOLED, 2448x1080, 6.8" | Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 AMOLED, 2460x1080, 6.9" | Nubia RedMagic 6R AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.7" | Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.7" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | -30% | 111% | -165% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 2.4 ? | 8 ? -233% | 4 ? -67% | 11 ? -358% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 2.4 ? | 6 ? -150% | 3.2 ? -33% | 6 ? -150% |
| PWM Frequency | 144.5 ? | 568 293% | 769 ? 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
| ↔ 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. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.7 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 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.4 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| 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 8439 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
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.
| Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro | Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 | Nubia RedMagic 6R | Xiaomi Black Shark 4 | Average 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -4% | -14% | -7% | 19% | 34% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1864 | 1999 7% | 1330 -29% | 1663 -11% | 1852 ? -1% | 2054 ? 10% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 785 | 754 -4% | 690 -12% | 760 -3% | 1227 ? 56% | 1667 ? 112% |
| Random Read 4KB | 292.9 | 262.6 -10% | 227.2 -22% | 283.1 -3% | 286 ? -2% | 286 ? -2% |
| Random Write 4KB | 287.2 | 261.5 -9% | 312.9 9% | 259.9 -10% | 348 ? 21% | 327 ? 14% |
Temperature
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.3 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 35.8 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °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 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Tests
Loudspeaker
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 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 82% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, 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 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 11% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, 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% | 1035 ? 17% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Little Pro, but more memory
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 (old)
Daniel Schmidt
Price comparison
