Asus has today launched the ROG Phone in India, which was announced back in June this year. The phone will go on sale on Flipkart from 29 November, priced at Rs 69,999. The device is among the first gaming-focused devices in India, packing in hardware and features that underline its purpose as a device meant for smartphone gamers. However, the big question is whether it’s worth the price, and how it compares to other smartphones in the price segment.
We’ve put the Asus ROG Phone head-to-head with two capable devices that come with similar specifications: the OnePlus 6T and the LG G7+ ThinQ. Can its gaming chops give the Asus ROG Phone an edge over the competition, or does brand power and superior features command more respect? We find out.
Design and Display
With most flagship smartphones going the notch way, it may come across as a bit surprising that Asus is sticking to a standard rectangular 18:9 display on the ROG Phone. However, as any gaming fan will tell you, a notch tends to hamper the gaming experience. Therefore, gamers will appreciate the lack of a notch on the ROG Phone, while most other buyers will likely prefer the screen stretching all the way to the top edge, as is the case on the OnePlus 6T and LG G7+ ThinQ. While the OnePlus 6T and Asus ROG Phone sport AMOLED screens, the LG G7+ ThinQ comes with an IPS-LCD display.
In terms of size, the OnePlus 6T has the largest screen at 6.41 inches, with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and full-HD+ resolution. The LG G7+ ThinQ sports a 6.1-inch QHD+ screen with a similar 19.5:9 aspect ratio, while the Asus ROG Phone has a 6-inch full-HD+ screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The LG device has an additional benefit in the form of support for HDR content, while the Asus ROG Phone has a peak screen frame-rate of 90fps with supported content and games.
All three smartphones also feature a combination of glass at the front and back, sandwiching an aluminium frame. The Asus ROG Phone has an advantage in its modern and aggressive looks, while the LG and OnePlus devices look similar to their predecessors. However, the OnePlus 6T has a cleaner design thanks to the fingerprint sensor being under the display, while the LG and Asus options use rear-mounted fingerprint sensors. Interestingly, the Asus ROG Phone sports two USB Type-C ports, for easier charging and connectivity even when the phone is being used in landscape mode.
Specifications and Features
Under the hood of all three phones is the excellent Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, which is widely considered the best Android smartphone chipset in the world. You also get either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on the device and variant purchased. The LG G7+ ThinQ offers a standard 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage, while the OnePlus 6T comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The Asus ROG Phone comes with a standard 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
The three phones all use fast charging to quickly top up their batteries, with OnePlus using the Dash Charge standard, and LG and Asus opting for Qualcomm Quick Charge. Asus has an advantage here with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0 support and 30W charging for its 4,000mAh battery, which is the biggest of the three phones here.
The Asus ROG Phone features ‘Air Triggers’, which are pressure-sensitive zones on the phone’s edge that can be used as trigger buttons during action games. These can be configured to work with most games, and work similar to the mechanical triggers than can be bought online. Additionally, the phone also comes with a multi-layer cooling system which will help keep the phone performing well even with heavy games.
The Asus ROG Phone and LG G7+ ThinQ both sport 3.5mm jacks for audio connectivity, while the OnePlus 6T does away with it, forcing users to switch to either USB Type-C audio or wireless headphones. The LG G7+ ThinQ has a further advantage in the form of its Quad DAC, which promises better audio output with headphones, making it the device of choice for many audiophiles.
Software is a key department for flagship Android devices, and OnePlus currently has the lead here. Having launched with Android 9 Pie out of the box, the OnePlus 6T has a strong advantage over the Asus and LG devices, which both come with Android Oreo. Although updates may be in the works, these two brands have a poor track record when it comes to timely updates being delivered. OnePlus also has another advantage in the quality of OxygenOS, the custom UI on top of Android. ZenUI on Asus and LG’s custom UI have been criticized for their lack of features and cluttered interface.
Camera
All three phones here come with dual-camera setups at the rear, along with single-camera setups at the front. The Asus ROG Phone features a 12-megapixel + 8-megapixel setup, the LG G7+ ThinQ sports two 16-megapixel cameras, while the OnePlus 6T has a 16-megapixel + 20-megapixel combination. At the front, the Asus and LG phones come with 8-megapixel shooters, while the OnePlus 6T has a 16-megapixel camera.
All three phones support 4K video recording and slow-motion video recording, capping at 240fps on the Asus and LG phones, and 480fps on the OnePlus 6T. The OnePlus and LG devices also come with OIS on their primary cameras, while the Asus device sports gyro-assisted EIS.
Price and Availability
The Asus ROG Phone is the most expensive of the three phones here, priced at Rs 69,999. This puts it at a significant disadvantage when compared to the LG G7+ ThinQ and OnePlus 6T, which are priced at Rs 40,000 and Rs 37,999 respectively. Given that the specifications are largely similar and Asus has its gaming chops as its only significant USP, the price difference might be the device’s biggest failing. All three phones are available to buy online, with OnePlus available on Amazon India while the Asus and LG options can be purchased on Flipkart.
| Features | Asus ROG Phone | OnePlus 6T | LG G7+ ThinQ |
| Display | 6-inch full-HD+ AMOLED | 6.41-inch full-HD+ AMOLED | 6.1-inch QHD+ IPS |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 |
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB / 8GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB / 256GB | 128GB |
| Rear Camera | 12-megapixel + 8-megapixel | 16-megapixel + 20-megapixel |
16-megapixel + 16-megapixel |
| Front Camera | 8-megapixel | 16-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| Battery | 4,000mAh | 3,700mAh | 3,000mAh |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| OS | Android Oreo / Zen UI | Android Pie / OxygenOS | Android Oreo / LG UI |
| Price | Rs 69,999 | Rs 37,999 onwards | Rs 40,000 |
