Asus ROG Phone 6D
. Asus knows how to make good gaming phones as demonstrated by the Asus Rog Phone 6D. It has a near identical design to the Asus Rog Phone 6 but with superior cooling so it's never going to overheat while you play.
. Asus and MediaTek have proven that flagship gaming phone power isn't a one-horse, Qualcomm race with the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. A reimagining of the excellent 6 and 6 Pro and launching alongside both. With a new heat dissipation system, the phone games cooler than anything we've tested. Also packing excellent speakers, a mighty screen, and a fun, gaming-optimized UI. While the camera isn't going to blow you away, for a gaming phone, the 6D hits its mark.
launching Date
If you thought Asus was done launching flagship gaming phones in 2022 after the excellent ROG Phone 6 was announced just two months ago – think again. The ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate supplement the current line with MediaTek power, a mechanical air vent, and even a Batman Edition.
Series
Very similar to the 6 and 6 Ultimate, the 6D series features a virtually identical design, except for the fact it now ships in a gunmetal grey. In its Ultimate edition, the 6D also sports a flap around the back that raises when you hook up the AeroActive Cooler fan for improved airflow and heat management.
Display And Processor
Advanced cooling may only be reserved for the Ultimate edition, but both the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate get a color screen around the back and are powered by MediaTek's new Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset.
The first time we've seen a mainstream smartphone maker pick MediaTek for a flagship experience in the West, the Dimensity 9000 Plus has big shoes to fill. After all, the ROG Phone 6 introduced the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 to the market – now the gold standard for Android performance.
Storage And Battery
Thankfully, in our time with the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, MediaTek's chip performed incredibly well. And that winning impression was helped along by the phone's huge 6,000mAh battery and ample 512GB storage.
Price
The ROG Phone 6D series has the same camera whether you get the vanilla version or the Ultimate, and it's the same camera mix introduced in the ROG Phone 6. That means it's good enough, but isn't best-in-class, especially in the Ultimate, which costs £1,199 (roughly $1,370 / AU$2,040).
Wireless Charging
The phone also misses out on wireless charging and has a relatively low-resolution Full HD+ screen. That said, those last two omissions make sense on a gaming phone. After all – wireless charging crams the chassis with more elements, which isn't great for heat management, and games are output in 1080p for Android, so the resolution is actually well-optimized for gamers.
And so, just as the ROG Phone 6 was the best gaming phone we'd tested, the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate are more of the same, with the 6D being a bit more affordable, and the 6D Ultimate being a bit pricier (and cooler).
Ram And chipset
The Asus ROG Phone 6D won't be available in the US, though has been confirmed for the UK and other regions. Pricing undercuts the original ROG Phone 6 in its base capacity. While the ROG Phone 6 launched at £899 (roughly $1,023 / AU$1,530) for the standard version with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM, the 6D costs £799 (roughly $910 / AU$1,360).
In its most premium, ROG Phone 6D Ultimate guise, however, you can expect to pay £1,199 (roughly $1,370 / AU$2,040), which is £100 more than the 6 Pro. It's the first time we can recall seeing a MediaTek version of a smartphone cost more than the Qualcomm option. That said, the price difference is more likely down to the 6D Ultimate's advanced cooling system, as opposed to the choice of chipset.
As for availability, pre-orders are open right now, and the phone will hit shelves at the end of October 2022.
Design and Color
While we wouldn't go so far as to call the ROG Phone 6D understated, for a gaming phone, there's something quite restrained about its design. Sporting the same general shape and styling as the rest of the 6-series, it features a smooth, pearlesque, frosted glass back, and rounded metal sides.
Unlike the ROG Phone 6, which was available in black or white, the 6D can be picked up in Space Grey, which is sort of a gunmetal grey, and it looks rich – a touch less standout than the white 6 Pro we reviewed.
Measuring 173 x 77 x 10.3mm, the phone's is a tall, relatively narrow thing that's thicker than most smartphones, but doesn't quite feel unwieldy. At 247g, it's heavier than the 237g ROG Phone 6. For context, the iPhone 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max weigh 240g.
The curvy, frosty back and matte sides do make the ROG Phone 6D feel rich and alluring, but it is pretty slippery, so you'll want to put a case on as soon as you start using it. Luckily, in the box, you get a lightweight, hard plastic shell that protects the corners, adds a little extra grip, and works with the cooling fan.
The ROG Phone's screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, and while the phone doesn't sport IP68 water or dust resistance, it's IPX4 splash-resistant, even when the AeroActive Portal is open.
Cooler fan
A flap on the back of the phone that mechanically rises when the fan's attached, the AeroActive Portal is inspired by the design of ROG gaming laptops. It features heat dissipation fins under the flap, and the other end of the vapor chamber is connected to the CPU.
When the flap is open and the AeroActive Cooler fan is connected to the 6D Ultimate, Asus claims nearly one liter of cold air is blown into the fins per second, and by way of air ducts, directly cools the CPU and dissipates heat. Very cool stuff, and the flap even uses technology Asus developed for its Asus Zenfone series, with its flip-out camera.
Dotted around the curved metal frame of the ROG Phone 6D are more ports than we're used to seeing. In addition to the 3.5mm headphone jack, there's a second USB port on the side of the phone. This is for accessories – like the dock and fan – but it also makes for a comfortable charging option when gaming in landscape orientation.
Pre-fitted screen protector
Asus doesn't install a pre-fitted screen protector on the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, but does offer up an official option as a separate purchase. We had no issues with the in-display fingerprint scanner, and also set the phone's face unlock up to ensure we could get into it quickly.
OLED Screen
It's worth dwelling on the OLED screen around the back of the ROG Phone 6 and 6D series. This is horizontal on the 6 Pro and 6D Ultimate models, and at an angle on the entry-level models.
More than just a flashy highlight for gamers, Asus adds some utility to the second screen. It can display your notification icons, and battery capacity while charging. The main purpose though is as a visual flourish, and the fact it can mirror the theme you're using on the 6D is excellent. We had our rear screen flashing up with the Streets of Rage 4 logo, and it was over the top in all the right ways.
ASUS ROG PHONE 6D ULTIMATE PRICE AND RELEASE DATE
6D and 6D Ultimate won't launch in US
Entry-level 6D available in UK from £799
6D Ultimate available in UK from £1,199 w/ AeroActive cooler
The Asus ROG Phone 6D won't be available in the US, though has been confirmed for the UK and other regions. Pricing undercuts the original ROG Phone 6 in its base capacity. While the ROG Phone 6 launched at £899 (roughly $1,023 / AU$1,530) for the standard version with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM, the 6D costs £799 (roughly $910 / AU$1,360).
In its most premium, ROG Phone 6D Ultimate guise, however, you can expect to pay £1,199 (roughly $1,370 / AU$2,040), which is £100 more than the 6 Pro. It's the first time we can recall seeing a MediaTek version of a smartphone cost more than the Qualcomm option. That said, the price difference is more likely down to the 6D Ultimate's advanced cooling system, as opposed to the choice of chipset.
As for availability, pre-orders are open right now, and the phone will hit shelves at the end of October 2022.
This is the same pricing structure we've seen from Asus's ROG Phone line before – charging more than much of the gaming phone competition but delivering a superior user experience. The Red Magic 7s Pro starts at £669, in contrast, and is a fine option for anyone who doesn't mind a few rough edges. That said, Asus offers a much more refined software experience and a superior accessory suite.
Value score: 4/5
ASUS ROG PHONE 6D ULTIMATE DESIGN
Available in Space Grey
New AeroActive Portal for advanced cooling
Heavier than ROG Phone 6 Pro at 247g
While we wouldn't venture to such an extreme as to call the ROG Telephone 6D downplayed, for a gaming telephone, there's something very controlled about its plan. Donning a similar general shape and styling as the remainder of the 6-series, it includes a smooth, pearlesque, iridescent glass back, and adjusted metal sides.
Not at all like the ROG Telephone 6, which was accessible in dark or white, the 6D can be gotten in Space Dim, which is somewhat of a gunmetal dim, and it looks rich - a touch less champion than the white 6 Ace we checked on.
Estimating 173 x 77 x 10.3mm, the telephone's is a tall, generally restricted thing that is thicker than most cell phones, yet doesn't exactly feel clumsy. At 247g, it's heavier than the 237g ROG Telephone 6. For setting, the iPhone 13 Star Max and 14 Master Max weigh 240g.
The surprising, cold back and matte sides really do cause the ROG Telephone 6D to feel rich and charming, yet it is really tricky, so you'll need to put a case on when you begin utilizing it. Fortunately, in the case, you get a lightweight, hard plastic shell that safeguards the corners, adds some additional hold, and works with the cooling fan.
The ROG Telephone's screen is safeguarded by Gorilla Glass Victus, and keeping in mind that the telephone doesn't brandish IP68 water or residue obstruction, it's IPX4 sprinkle safe, in any event, when the AeroActive Entryway is open.
ASUS ROG PHONE 6D ULTIMATE CAMERAS
50MP camera features a Sony IMX 766 sensor
13MP ultra-wide camera
5MP macro camera
We had high expectations for the ROG Telephone 6 camera when we tried it. All things considered, its principal camera sensor was the equivalent 50MP Sony IMX766 that led the Oppo Find X5 Master's photography experience.
We've seen this sensor on a couple of telephones - however it's by and large succeeded when it's been coordinated with optical picture adjustment (OIS). On the ROG Telephone 6 line, notwithstanding, the focal points are not really optically balanced out.
The phone packs three cameras around the back in total: the main 50MP, f/1.9 camera, an ultra-wide 13MP, f/2.2 camera, and a 5MP f/2 macro camera. Only the main camera packs autofocus, with the ultra-wide focusing from around a meter, and the macro camera focusing at 4cm.
That all isn't to say you can't get great photographs from the ROG Telephone 6D. It gets pleasingly shallow profundity while shooting close-up articles, and shots taken in splendid lighting are, obviously, wealthy exhaustively.
Frustratingly, Asus overprocesses its pictures in auto mode, so photographs are packed with contrast. All things considered, it doesn't get down to business on sound decrease, so dim regions caught in blended lighting conditions look grainy when you squeeze in.
Many will like the ROG Telephone 6D's punchy photographs, nonetheless, if you truly need to get the best from it on extraordinary events, you'll need to shoot in Crude and alter your photos physically. It's likewise important, that with no OIS, handshake creeps in to scupper your shots, so you'll need to keep the telephone as consistent as conceivable to allow it the best opportunity of catching an extraordinary photograph.
The telephone's night mode is more amazing than its auto mode, strangely, and it kicks in consequently when the lights drop, whether shooting on the essential or super wide cameras.
The super wide camera has comparable shortcomings to the principal camera, however they're a smidgen more articulated when night mode isn't started up. Concerning the full scale camera, this is the most vulnerable camera of the three. More often than not, we had the option to come by better full scale results by shooting with the fundamental camera and editing in.
The ROG Telephone 6D's 12MP selfie sensor is an IMX663, and its photograph and video catch are among the most amazing parts of the camera blend. While detail from the front camera isn't champion, it works effectively of catching normal, complimenting photographs.
Video from the ROG Telephone 6D is caught at up to 8K goal at 30fps, or 4K goal at up to 120fps. Film is all around balanced out at up to 8K 30fps or 4K 60fps, and looks perfect in splendid conditions. Center is quick as well, and lovers can start up Master video for more granular command over camera settings.
Camera score: 3.5/5
Camera samples
ASUS ROG PHONE 6D ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE AND SPECS
MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus CPU
Ultimate Edition: 16GB RAM and 256GB storage
Runs cool even after an hour of gaming with fan
The Asus ROG Telephone 6 presented Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Or more Gen 1, and the ROG Telephone 6D presents the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Or more: the principal lead processor from MediaTek to highlight in a top-level gadget in the West.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Or more 5G is delivered on a 4nm interaction, includes a computer processor clock speed of up to 3.2GHz and a Mali G710 MC10 GPU. It has 16GB Smash and 512GB stockpiling - all top-level numbers,
Likewise with the ROG Telephone 6, Asus has situated the processor (the intensity source) in the telephone for the 6D, which is the reason the 6D Extreme's AeroActive Gateway is in the focal point of the telephone.
Placing the processor and cooling framework in the focal point of the telephone does a couple of perfect things: it moves the intensity further away from your hands, particularly while playing in scene direction. It additionally moves it further from different sides of the metal casing (heat transmitters) and positions it precisely under the included fan extra.
We previously valued how cool the Asus ROG Telephone 6 Star ran, yet the 6D Extreme runs much cooler. Utilizing the AeroActive Cooler fan, we had the option to play an hour of Genshin Effect at most extreme designs settings while keeping the temperature under 40 degrees.
We also gamed with the phone using the Kunai 3 gamepad, which we were easily able to map the buttons on-screen, even for touch titles like Genshin Impact. The AeroActive Cooler also has four shoulder buttons too, making for a really customizable gaming experience.
It isn't just heat that's managed well by the ROG Phone 6D. We were able to stream games super-smoothly using Asus's WiFi and cellular aggregating feature. Where we tested, our 5G speeds actually outperform our WiFi speeds, so using both meant we got excellent results while streaming Nvidia's GeForce Now, or Xbox Game Pass.
Performance score: 4/5
ASUS ROG PHONE 6D ULTIMATE SOFTWARE
Runs Android 12 with Asus's gamer-centric UI
Armory Crate aggregates games library and settings
Game Genie features loads of in-game tools
Asus's ROG Phone 6D Ultimate runs with Android 12, and games and apps are widely available through the Google Play Store.
The whole interface is gaming-themed, and when you squeeze the sides of the phone, the ROG Phone's performance mode – X-Mode – activates; complete with a wallpaper change.
This over-the-top interface won't be for everyone, but for gamers and geeks, the ROG Phone's 6D's UI shines, loaded up with motion wallpapers and lock screens. That being said, if you want to dial things back, you can activate a much more stock mode. This gives you access to all the apps and features you'll need from your gaming phone, but with a much more conservative look and feel.
Put the phone in a traditional case, and when the dialed-back theme is active, you wouldn't be able to tell the ROG Phone 6D is a gaming phone.
It's a shame the phone doesn't support multiple user profiles. With the 512GB inside the Ultimate Edition, there's plenty of room, and it could have been a great tool for a parent or spouse who wants to add extra users while keeping their data private.
The best software enhancements on the ROG Phone 6 series come in the form of Armory Crate and Game Genie. The first, Armory Crate, is where you can find your games, control your official accessories, find new high-refresh-rate titles, and access the ROG community and your own profile.
This is also where you can control the OLED screen around the back of the phone, and open the AeroActive Portal for cleaning.
Game Genie is Asus's in-game software that supports game-specific profiles, be they mapped keys, macros, or setting crosshairs – and that's just scratching the surface.
We used Game Genie to map keys for our various controllers, converting non-controller optimized games, and playing them back on our TV, plugged in via an HDMI adapter.
Software score: 4.5/5
ASUS ROG PHONE 6D ULTIMATE BATTERY LIFE
Large 6,000mAh battery
Fast 65W charging
No wireless charging
Very much like the ROG Telephone 5 and ROG Telephone 6, the 6D and 6D Extreme get 6,000mAh batteries, and we were unable to be more joyful. Obviously, the telephone endures an entire day with standard use, and up to two in the event that you're moderate. Yet, it's the point at which you plug in the adornments that battery duration goes way down.
With the fan started up at most extreme power, an hour of gaming depleted the battery by north of 30%. Include the Kunai Gamepad with everything else, and you can expect several hours of ongoing interaction in X Mode while tearing through a requesting title.
Asus has incorporated a discretionary, sidestep charging mode. This gives capacity to the framework from the charger without really fueling up your battery, consequently decreasing battery wear and overseeing heat somewhat better.
With 65W quick, wired charging, the ROG Telephone 6 energizes by 18% shortly, 50% shortly, and 100% in less than 50 minutes. The telephone likewise delivers with a quick charger in the case.
Try not to anticipate remote charging - the component hasn't made it into any gaming telephone at this time - however we live in trust. In the event that the ROG Telephone 6D Extreme had a superior camera and remote charging, it would be one of the most mind-blowing telephones around.
Battery score: 4/5
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