Xiaomi just launched its latest gaming phone for the year 2020. And it delivered to the hype that surrounded it was released.
Here we have the Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro, the bigger brother of the Black Shark 3.
As you might expect from a gaming phone, the specs sheet on the Black Shark 3 Pro has been amped up with an aggressive and edgy design to justify its for-gamers status.
But as you know, Black Sharks aren’t the only gaming devices that are swimming in the large sea of smartphones (pun intended). Queue the ASUS ROG Phone 2 Strix Edition.
Just like Xiaomi’s Black Shark line, ROG (Republic of Gamers) is also a brand created by ASUS that specializes in gaming equipment and smartphones.
However, since ROG’s offering is a couple of months older, does it still have what it takes to conquer the latest from Black Shark? We’ll find out in our Xiaomi Black Shark 3 versus ASUS ROG Phone 2 specifications and features comparison.
| Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro | ASUS ROG PHONE II Strix Edition | |
| Operating System | Android 10 Joy UI 11 | Android 9 Pie Zen UI 6/ROG UI |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 7.1-inch QHD+ AMOLED 3120 x 1440 pixel resolution ~483ppi HDR10+ 90Hz refresh rate MEMC 2.0 display processor | 6.59-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~391ppi 120Hz refresh rate 1ms response time Delta E HDR support Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Processor | 2.84GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core Dual Heatsink | 2.96GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core GameCool II heatsink |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB | 8GB/12GB |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 640 |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB UFS 3.0 non-expandable | 128GB/512GB UF 3.0 non-expandable |
| Front camera | 20-megapixel | 24-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 64-megapixel (f/1.8) 13-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.25) 5-megapixel (depth sensor) PDAF LED flash | 48-megapixel (f/1.8) 13-megapixel (ultra-wide) PDAF Laser autofocus LED flash |
| Audio | Headphone jack Stereo speakers | Headphone jack Stereo speakers |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NAVIC USB Type-C Magnetic pins | 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2×2 MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS 2x USB Type-C |
| Others | Physical trigger buttons | RGB lighting AirTriggers Proprietary accessories |
| Dimensions | 177.9 x 83.29 x 10.1mm | 170.99 x 77.6 x 9.78 mm |
| Weight | 253g | 240g |
| Battery | 5,000mAh 65W fast charger Magnetic 18W charger (sold separately) | 6,000mAh 30W ROG HyperCharge Quick Charge 4.0 Secondary Type-C charging |
| Colors | Lightning Black Armor Gray | Black |
| Price | 8GB/256GB: CNY4,699 (~Php34,300) 12GB/256GB: CNY4,999 (~Php36,400) | Php34,995 |
Well, I guess we have a clear winner here. The Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro gets all the benefits of being the newer device on this specs comparison — making it take the lead over the ASUS ROG Phone 2 Strix Edition.
Black Shark 3 Pro gets to have the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. One of the best chipsets in the market this 2020. Meanwhile, the ROG Phone 2 comes with an older Snapdragon 855 — the best chipset available when it was released last year.
Xiaomi even included two heatsinks on both sides of the motherboard to really improve the thermals after extensive gaming which prevents overheating.
Thanks to its newer processor, the Black Shark 3 Pro gets a 5G connectivity and WiFi 6. These are the latest connectivity standard that we’ll see on smartphones in the next couple of years.
Another ‘big’ lead that the Black Shark 3 Pro has over the ROG Phone 2 is the display. This has a 7.1-inch QHD+ AMOLED screen, which is bigger and sharper than the 6.59-inch FHD+ display that the latter has.
But to ASUS’ credit, the ROG Phone 2 does come with a faster 120Hz display versus the 90Hz on the former. It will improve the responsiveness of the screen and make everything smoother — from browsing the interface to gaming.
The ASUS ROG Phone 2 also has a bigger 6,000mAh battery than the 5,000mAh on the competition.
However, the Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro takes back the lead with its faster 65W charging support. That’s two times faster than the 30W HyperCharge on the ROG Phone 2.
Both devices come with two triggers on each sides for extra controls on games. However, the physical pop-up buttons that the Black Shark 2 Pro has should provide a more tactile feeling than the touch-sensitive AirTriggers on the latter.
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The Black Shark 3 Pro is finishing strong with its impressive cameras. This thing comes with a 64-megapixel primary shooter — the same sensor you can find in most high-end smartphones today. Plus, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide snapper and 5-megapixel depth sensor.
That easily outshines the 48-megapixel and 13-megapixel ultra-wide combo on the ROG Phone 2.
We expect the pricing for the ASUS ROG Phone 2 to come down as a successor is expected to arrive soon. But still, the Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro has tons of features that are way better than the ROG Phone 2, and even in any smartphones in the sub-Php35k category.
But if you really are an ASUS ROG fan, then you might just have to wait until a third ROG phone gets revealed. We’ll have a comparison between that and the Black Shark 3 Pro ready once it comes out.