Newsletter
ASUS really outdid itself with the ROG Phone 5, but there are still ways for it to improve on the device line and we’re hoping to see some or all of those improvements with the ROG Phone 6. The ASUS ROG Phone 6 is due to be revealed later this Summer on July 5 at around 5am PT/8am ET.
The ROG Phone 5 with its Ultimate variant and the slightly less powerful 5s model (which came out after the 5 and 5 Pro that launched alongside the Ultimate) were the pinnacle of mobile gaming. And in many ways they still are. Mobile games simply feel smoother and look just as good as they do on the competition. Even with its 1080p screen.
And when it comes to audio, the ROG Phone 5 with its DTS:X dual stereo speakers is hard to beat. For once we felt that you didn’t really need headphones to fully enjoy the audio of a game you were playing. However, that’s not to say that ASUS made the perfect gaming smartphone, and we’re hoping the ROG Phone 6 can bring things a little closer to that. Here are some things we’d like to see ASUS do with its upcoming device.
The ROG Phone 6 needs a centered USB-C port
ASUS may have a good reason for implementing it, but the off-center USB-C port on the ROG Phone 5 needs to go. With the ROG Phone 6, a centered USB-C port would make it easier to use mobile game controllers like the original Kishi and the Backbone One. Though even being off-center, the Backbone One and the new Kishi V2 may still be compatible. Since the corners of the device aren’t enclosed like they are with the original Kishi.
Still, a centered USB-C port would ensure proper compatibility. And since the ROG phone series is built for mobile gaming, a little controller action would be nice to have. Sure, there’s ASUS’s Kunai gamepad. But it’s more expensive than other options and it’s not universal if you want to connect it directly. A direct connection only works with ROG Phone devices. While the Kishi and other similar controllers work with a wide variety of phones.
ASUS, please, for the love of all that is good in this world, bring us a centered USB-C charging port.
A higher resolution display
We get it, the 1080p screen on the ROG Phone 5 and prior models makes for less battery drain and probably helps some with refresh rate. And naturally it probably helps cut down on the cost of the phone overall. Considering how many other features are packed into these gaming phones.
However, it would be really nice to see a screen with a higher resolution this time around. Something that’s maybe QHD or UHD for even better looking visuals to go with all that power. While we’re not sure how much this would shoot up the cost, it may not matter.
The ROG Phone series has always been a super niche phone category anyways. The people that are buying these phones are consumers would probably pay a little extra. As long as it meant a better quality display.
Wireless charging
We realize this may cause the device to charge slower compared to using its turbo charging adapter that comes in the box. But wireless charging would still be a lot more convenient to have as an option. The battery on the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate lasts a good long while. But there are often times where a few short game sessions will drain the battery pretty quickly.
Easy access to a wireless charger at the desk would make it simple to pop the device onto the charging pad and let it juice back up. Without having to go plug it in. This would also ensure you don’t have to have multiple cable chargers plugged into multiple outlets. Or move the charger between outlets.
While the LED screen on the back of the ROG Phone 5 series was cool, it didn’t really serve any functions other than aesthetics. And I’d gladly see it gone if it meant ASUS could then use that space to put in a wireless charger.
Water resistance
I’m typically careful with my phones and all my tech these days. I rarely if ever drop any of it. But there’s little you can do to protect the ROG Phone 5 from water. While you can avoid using it outside in the event of sudden downpour, and keep it away from anything that could potentially spill on it, accidents happen.
And it’s not as if you can just go buy a waterproof case for the ROG Phone 5 since, most companies don’t make cases for it at all. ASUS could easily overcome this drawback by adding water resistance and an official IP rating to the ROG Phone 6. It doesn’t need to be swimproof. But it would offer some peace of mind if it was able to withstand enough submersion if it fell into a puddle. As well as withstand rain and sweat.
Now that I’m back to living in a climate that’s more wet than dry most of the year, the lack of an IP rating is ever more present. Many phones have some form of water resistance these days. Especially at the prices ASUS is charging for its ROG Phones. It just seems like a no-brainer feature to add.
The ROG Phone 6 could use better cooling
The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is by far the best phone in the series when it comes to cooling. But it can still get pretty warm if you’re playing games that are more demanding with high-end graphics. It doesn’t take long for the phone to get noticeably warm when playing Genshin Impact, for example. One of the most graphically demanding games on mobile.
Thankfully ASUS did include the fan attachment with the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, and you can optionally buy it for the other models. But then you still have to carry around an extra accessory, and in the end it doesn’t drop the temperatures that much. Enough that it’s no longer uncomfortable, but not as much as we’d like.
We’d love to see the ROG Phone 6 come with an improved cooling system that can perform just as well as if not better than the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate with its fan attachment. But without actually needing a fan attachment in the first place.
Lastly, a better camera or better camera software
Phones are the main camera tool for most people these days. Because the camera on your phone is generally always accessible since you always have it on you. The camera on the ROG Phone 5 was fine. Pretty good, in fact. But we still found that it doesn’t do as well in low-light situations as the Pixel line.
And some of the additional features like macro mode and portrait mode are unfortunately lacking. The ROG Phone 6 with a better camera system and perhaps better software would make the camera on this device feel like more than an afterthought.