🌞 Hello, Hadlee here once again! I just found out that Coheed and Cambria released a new album a few weeks ago. So I know what I’ll be hearing this week.
Asus ROG Phone 6: More than a gaming phone?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority Asus has finally released the ROG Phone 6, the latest device in its long-running gaming phone line. It sure looks like a beast of a phone for gamers when they look at the spec sheet and feature list. Between the new Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, 6,000mAh battery, capacitive shoulder triggers, and 165Hz OLED display, there’s a lot to like. It even has a 3.5mm port! There’s also a Pro model, equipped with more RAM and a secondary rear screen.
So what is the catch?
We published our review of the ROG Phone 6 Pro yesterday, and my colleague Rob Triggs thought the company really pulled out all the stops for mobile gamers. However, he noted that the Pro model was a very tough sell at €1,299 (~$1331) in Europe. At this price point, you’d expect some features like wireless charging, a telephoto lens and an IP68 rating. But all these features are missing here. Now, we don’t usually expect premium flagships in gaming phones. After all, the whole point of a gaming phone is to… play games! So resources are spent on the chipset, cooling, things like shoulder triggers, a large battery and software. But typical 2022 gaming phones like the Red Magic 7 series and the Black Shark 5 Pro cost $800. It’s much easier to justify the missing premium extras at this price point.
Gaming phones don’t exist in isolation
The ROG Phone 6 Pro is about $500 more expensive than its competitors. This puts it in the same range as the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Yes, you lose the updated silicon, capacitive shoulder triggers, and fantastic stable performance (and a 3.5mm port), but the S22 Ultra is still a good choice for modern gaming. Samsung’s phone also features wireless charging, an excellent rear camera system (including a 10x periscope camera), and an IP68 rating. Asus also brings just two years of OS and security updates. For a phone that costs ~$1,300 and has 18GB of RAM. Samsung opts for four OS upgrades and five years of security patches. Even other players like OnePlus and Xiaomi are bringing bigger update commitments.
Instead, consider the standard ROG Phone 6
Fortunately, the standard ROG Phone 6 is also an option. It’s available for a much more palatable £899 or €999. It’s still a bit pricey compared to rival gaming phones and in line with flagship phones. But those aforementioned omissions are much easier to justify when you’re paying €300 less than the Pro version. That being said, Asus still has no carrier partnerships for these phones. I guess his internet based strategy works very well given the niche nature of these devices.
Roundup
🍏 The EU just hit Big Tech again — Here are the newest rules: The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act take on the likes of Google and Apple (Android Authority). Minions: The Rise of Gru is now in theaters, but it turns out that some theaters are banning costumed youngsters from attending these screenings. It all sounds very strange, but it turns out that groups of teenagers are dressing up in formal attire to watch the film as part of a #gentleminions trend. Universal Pictures even endorsed the trend with a tweet last week. Unfortunately, the BBC reports that some of these teenagers were making noise, throwing things, abusing staff and getting to their feet during screenings. Some cinema representatives noted that they suffered a significant financial impact as they had to issue refunds to families and others affected by the riots. Have a great day and respect your fellow filmmakers! Comments
