It’s common for smartphone brands to highlight the gaming capabilities of phones, but the Asus ROG Phone 6 is built with gamers specifically in mind.

Every part of the phone caters to gamers: its design, its specifications, and its performance.

I spent some time with the phone. Here’s what I found…

Asus ROG Phone 6 features and specifications

The ROG Phone 6 has a few features that stand out. Firstly, in terms of aesthetics, there’s the programmable RGB lighting on the cover.

It has a large display with an incredibly fluid 165Hz refresh rate. This hardware is accompanied by a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 processor and a heap of RAM: 16GB in fact.

The phone also has a large battery to keep your gaming sessions going, along with quick charging.

You can see a summary of the phone’s specs below:

• Display: 6.78-inch FHD+ (2448 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED display with 165Hz refresh rate
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1
• Battery: 6000mAh
• Main camera: 50MP + 13MP + 5MP
• Selfie camera: 12MP
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
• On-board storage: 512GB

So how does all this hardware perform in daily usage?

Designed for gamers; inside and out

From the moment you unbox the phone and turn it on, you can tell that it was designed with gamers as the target audience.

The design of the phone has some unique flourishes, including light-up “Dare to Play” text and an RGB ROG logo. Both are programmable in terms of colour, while you can also choose lighting patterns for the RGB. I set the RGB to pulse with a specific colour gradient.

Starting up the phone, you’re immediately greeted by Asus’ Armory Crate app. Here you can set up RGB profiles and settings, but also explore suggested games and switch between performance modes.

A unique cover is also included in the box, which allows you to show off the lighting while still protecting the edges of the device from drops.

If you’re looking for something different, the design of this phone stands out.

Performance

The performance of the smartphone is exceptional, allowing you to play a range of games smoothly.
I tested the ROG Phone 6 with Marvel Snap, Township, Genshin Impact, and Call of Duty Mobile.

When playing Marvel Snap, the fluid 165Hz refresh rate and fast performance stand out. While card flips often stutter on my own premium device, you don’t miss a frame on the ROG Phone 6. This elevates the visual experience of gameplay.

In a game like Genshin Impact, your character can move easily between mission locations and slaying enemies. The game is a bit more intensive in terms of hardware requirements, but you can enjoy a stutter-free experience on the device.

Call of Duty Mobile was similarly fluid. Meanwhile, the device’s large screen still fits comfortably in your hands for long gaming sessions.

But rather than relying only on my subjective experience of games, what do benchmarking tests say about the phone’s performance?

I ran the PCMark for Android performance 3.0 benchmark on the device, both in its standard performance mode and in its gameplay-ready, performance-boosting X-Mode.

In its standard mode, it scored 16,711. In its boosted mode, it scored 18,129.

The scores put it among the best Android 12 devices to undergo the Work 3.0 performance test.

The top three Android 12 device scores recorded on PCMark for Android app are the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (18,357), the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro (17,323), and the Motorola Edge S30 (16,835).

The device also does a great job of keeping cool. While some powerful devices are renowned for the heat they generate during intensive tasks, the cooling system of the ROG Phone 6 handles the load well.

While you will feel the device get warmer, it doesn’t get uncomfortable.

All this combines to create a gaming powerhouse that can fit in one hand. If mobile gaming is important to you, this device can give you an exceptional experience.

Camera

While gaming is the focus of the Asus ROG Phone 6, it still provides a good camera experience.

Its main camera includes a triple-lens setup, including a 50MP main lens, 13MP ultra-wide lens, and 5MP macro lens.

The camera performs best in well-lit areas, where it can deliver crisp, clear, and colourful pictures.

However, when in very bright environments, images may appear a little washed out. When it comes to low-light environments, the quality of photos is noticeably reduced.

While this wouldn’t be a camera I’d recommend for creators, it’s perfect for ordinary users who just want a good camera to record their memories.

Battery life

There’s no point in using a phone for gaming if its battery can’t last. Luckily, the 6000mAh battery on the ROG Phone 6 provides ample battery.

When running it through a PCMark for Android battery test, the device lasted 12 hours and 33 minutes at 50% brightness. The test drains the battery from 100% to 20%.

This score puts it around the same battery life as the Xiaomi Poco X3, Lenovo Legion Y70, and the Google Pixel 6.

When your battery is drained, the included 65W charging adaptor can refill it in no time. You even have two charging ports to choose from, meaning you can still hold it comfortably when charging it during a gaming session.

Is the Asus ROG Phone 6 worth it?

If you’re enthusiastic about gaming and want a device that can handle the latest mobile games, the Asus ROG Phone 6 provides a high-performance option with a unique design.

The screen, the design, the battery, and the hardware all work together to create a fantastic experience.

Its camera performs well for daily usage. All-in-all, this is an excellent phone.

If you’re interested in checking it out for yourself, make sure to visit the Asus South Africa store.