Asus can’t stop and unveils two new high-end smartphones for gamers, the ROG Phone 6D and the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, just one month after the release of the excellent Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro which we consider to be the best gaming smartphone of the market, neither more nor less. Do these new flagships have the weapons to flood the market right after the release of such good models?
Admittedly, the Asus ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate are powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ SoC which (slightly) outclasses the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 from Qualcomm… Enough to justify a launch so close to those of the ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro , released in July/August?
Asus ROG Phone 6D and ROG Phone 6D Ultimate: huge and gray
Barely launched its ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro, Asus returns with two new high-end gaming smartphones, this time available exclusively in space gray. For one as for the other, we stay on refrigerator dimensions: 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm; 239 grams for the ROG Phone 6D and 247 grams for the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate.
They are big, they are heavy, but it is an undeniable asset for playing (like gaming mice to which weights are added). Especially since the gaming functions of Asus smartphones take into account the movements of the smartphone to trigger in-game actions.
Thus, the size is a solid argument for maintaining a good grip while the weight allows you to control your movements more finely and therefore the actions triggered automatically. We also find on both models the excellent AirTrigger, the tactile triggers which considerably improve the gaming experience.
The Asus ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate have the same two speakers on the front as those of the ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro, that is to say the best sound currently available on smartphones. However, the manufacturer does not ignore the 3.5 mm jack port, always offered.
Both models are Dual-SIM compatible (without MicroSD slot) and are IPX4 certified against splashes. They come with Android 12 and ROG UI and get two years of Android OS upgrades and at least two years of security updates. That’s less than the minimum three-year warranty for the Asus ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro – amazing.
What are the differences between these two gaming models?
The two new gaming smartphones from the Taiwanese manufacturer have very few differences, but there is one that is obvious: the AeroActive Portal hatch on the back of the device. In fact, only the Ultimate model has this opening, which allows the smartphone to cool its components more efficiently and to dissipate heat better when connected to the AeroActive Cooler 6 external fan.
Still on the back of the device, we can see the presence of a ROG VISION matrix screen (customizable) for the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, capable of displaying notifications and information concerning the smartphone, while the ROG Phone 6D offers RGB lighting. The configurations of the two gaming smartphones also differ: 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB of memory for the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate.
As for the ROG Phone 6D, it has 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space. Finally, as you can imagine, the two models are not subject to the same price. They will both be marketed in early November, at a recommended retail price of 949 euros for the ROG Phone 6D, against 1429 euros for the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate accompanied by the AeroActive Cooler 6.
Asus opts for the Soc MediaTek Dimensity 9000+
Apart from the elements listed above, the two smartphones are perfectly identical. Thus, they have the same 6.78-inch, hyper-responsive AMOLED screen: it has a sampling rate of 720 Hz with a latency floor of 23 ms.
As for the display, it is strong and fluid since the panel, HDR10+ compatible, can reach a brightness of 800 nits and offers an FHD+ definition (2448 x 1080 pixels; 395 ppi) with an impressive maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz.
Enough to take full advantage of the most demanding competitive games and the most demanding titles thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chip (3.2 GHz) with its Mali-G710 GPU. As mentioned above, the SoC is coupled with 16 or 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM.
Both smartphones have the same photo sensors as the ROG Phone 6 series released in July/August, namely a 12 MP Sony IMX663 (1/2.8; ƒ/2.45) selfie sensor on the front, and a triple photo module in back.
This is made up of a Sony IMX766 main sensor of 50 megapixels (1/1.56″; ƒ/1.9; 2 µm pixels), capable of filming in 8K24ips without stabilization, or in 4K60ips with digital stabilization. It is accompanied by a 13 Mpx (ƒ/2.5) ultra wide-angle lens and a 5 Mpx (ƒ/2.0) macro module.
Finally, both models are equipped with a 6000 mAh battery (2 x 3000 mAh) compatible with 65 W wired fast charging. No change since the previous generation of ROG Phone 5, yet the Taiwanese manufacturer announces faster charging ( gain of about 10 minutes), from zero to 100% in 42 minutes.
Announcing the ROG Phone 6 Batman, an exclusive limited edition version
In addition to its two new gaming smartphones, Asus announces the release of an exclusive limited edition version of the ROG Phone 6D, surprisingly called ROG Phone 6 Batman. Make no mistake, the smartphone does indeed ship the specifications of the Asus ROG Phone 6D with 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of memory and the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ mobile platform.
It will be available for sale in November exclusively on the Asus Store at the indicative retail price of 1329 euros. What makes it special? Its Night Black color with a semi-matte finish with its special Batman Aura RGB logo.
It will be accompanied by its unique accessories, namely a Batman “Aero Case” protective shell, a Bat-Signal mini-projector to call the dark knight to your rescue, a Batarang ejection key with its Gotham-themed stand City and finally a personalized, robust and waterproof storage case.
If these smartphones interest you, do not hesitate to consult our test of the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. And of course, ask your questions in the comments, we will try to answer them as best we can.
Source: Asus conference, press release
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