Asus has released a new version of its gaming phone with the ROG Phone 7, but how does it compare to its predecessor the Asus ROG Phone 6?
We’ve created this guide to explain the key differences between the two phones, so you can determine whether it’s worth paying extra for the additional features that the ROG Phone 7 offers.
We haven’t reviewed either phone just yet, but we’ve dug into the specs and information provided by Asus in order to provide a full breakdown.
ROG Phone 6 is cheaper
When the Asus ROG Phone 6 first launched, it was priced at £899 featuring 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. A more expensive configuration was also available for £999 which packs 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage.
That price has only dropped further since the launch of the ROG Phone 7. The high-end configuration is now available on Amazon for just £827, saving you a mighty £172.
Meanwhile, Asus is only selling the 16GB RAM and 512GB storage configuration of the ROG Phone 7 on its official store – that’s priced at £999.99. While it is seemingly possible to find cheaper configurations of the phone from third-party stores, it’s difficult to find it stocked elsewhere. It may well be more available in other countries.
Either way, there’s no doubt that the ROG Phone 6 is the more affordable phone, especially with the recent discounts following the release of the ROG Phone 7.
ROG Phone 7 is more powerful
The Asus ROG Phone 7 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is one of the most powerful processors you can find in an Android phone. The ROG Phone 6, meanwhile, is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip from the previous generation.
Asus claims the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor is 15% faster and 15% more power-efficient than the previous generation.
We haven’t got comparison data to back this claim up, but our review of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate (which features the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip) showed it to have a significantly more powerful performance than the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, which sports a Mediatek Dimensity 9000+ processor.
As a result, it’s safe to say the ROG Phone 7 is the most powerful gaming phone of the two, and so is your best option if you crave the absolute highest frame rates.
ROG Phone 7 has a new cooling system
If you neglect cooling when slapping a powerful chip inside a phone, then it’s possible your phone will blaze a hole in your pocket. Fortunately you won’t need to worry about scorched thighs, as Asus has added an elaborate cooling system to both phones.
Asus has improved upon its cooling system even further with the ROG Phone 7, implementing a new rapid-cycle vapour chamber design, which reportedly increases heat dissipation efficiency by up to 168%.
It’s hard to measure that in testing, but we were impressed by how the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s performance over a long stretch of time, proving to be even more stable than the super-powerful Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
ROG Phone 7 has louder speakers
Asus has also upgraded the speakers for the ROG Phone 7, with the company claiming it has ‘increased the effective volume’ by 50% compared to the ROG Phone 6.
This should result in louder audio. When using the ROG Phone Ultimate 7, we were impressed by the booming sound effects, feeling more like a home theatre experience than that of a smartphone.
This probably isn’t a good enough reason to upgrade to the ROG Phone 7 alone, but it’s still another feather in its cap to show that it’s an overall better phone than the ROG Phone 6. So it’s really going to come down to price regarding which phone is best for you.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
