Recently, the Black Shark 5 Pro was unveiled, which could well be one of the best gaming phones of the year, and it got us thinking, how does it stack against one of the all-time greats, the Asus Rog Phone 5S Pro?
Let's take a look at some of the key differences between the two, and which one you should consider going for if you're searching for your next upgrade.
Black Shark 5 Pro vs Asus Rog Phone 5S Pro
The Asus Rog Phone 5S Pro was released in August 2021, so it is the older phone, but for many, it's one of the best gaming phones out there. Let's take a look at each device side by side and see what, if any, differences there are.
Display
The Black Shark 5 Pro has an OLED, 1B colours display with a 144hz refresh rate and HDR10+.
It's sized 6.67 inches, and is 1080 x 2400 pixels, with an always-on display.
The Asus Rog Phone 5s Pro has a 6.78 inch AMOLED display, with 1B colours, HDR10+, and a 144hz refresh rate.
It also packs a very high peak brightness (1200 nits) and has a 1080 x 2448 pixel resolution.
On the surface, they're very evenly matched here, with only a slight difference in pixel volume. Both are listed as having the same pixel density, so again, it's super close.
Chipset
The Black Shark 5 Pro packs a Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm), with the Asus Rog Phone 5s Pro opting for the older Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm).
Of course, the Black Shark 5 Pro is a more recent product, so it's expected that it'll have a more refined chipset, but that doesn't take anything away from the Snapdragon 888, which is still 5G, we might add.
In terms of memory, the Black Shark 5 Pro comes in a few different configurations:
- 256GB / 8GB RAM
- 256GB / 12GB RAM
- 512GB / 16GB RAM
The Asus Rog Phone 5s Pro looks to have just one option, a significant 512GB and 18GB RAM.
Again, if we look closely at the specs here, the Rog Phone 5s Pro is still a force to be reckoned with.
Camera
Phones designed mostly for gaming don't exactly go the whole hog on their camera set, but in this case, we've still got a fairly decent setup on both phones.
The Black Shark 5 Pro packs the following main camera setup:
- 108 MP (wide)
- 13 MP (ultrawide)
- 5 MP (telephoto macro)
- 16 MP (wide) - Selfie Camera
With the main camera, it can record video at 4K/ 30fps to 1090p at 960fps, and with HDR10+.
The Asus Rog Phone 5 Pro has a slightly different setup.
- 64 MP (wide)
- 13 MP (ultrawide)
- 5 MP (macro)
- 24 MP (wide) - Selfie Camera
When it comes to recording video, it actually boasts 8K/ 30fps, 4K at up to 120fps, and 720p at up to 480fps.
Both phones look impressive in their own ways, but the Asus Rog Phone 5 Pro seems slightly more catered to high-quality video and selfies, with the Black Shark 5 Pro going all-in on their main camera, with almost double the amount of MP tan the Asus Rog Phone 5.
Read More:Does the Poco X4 Pro support wireless charging?
Battery
Let's take a look at how these phones stack up with battery. It's an important spec to look at, especially since these are both gaming phones.
The Black Shark 5 Pro packs a 4650 mAh battery, with 120W fast-charging, which is claimed to reach 100% in 15 minutes.
The Asus Rog Phone 5 Pro has a massive 6000 mAh battery, with 65W fast charging, which boasts 70% in 30 minutes, and 100% in 52 minutes.
It even has reverse charging, up to 10W, so you can charge other devices with your phone should you need to.
The Asus Rog Phone 5 Pro may not have the crazy-fast charging of the Black Shark 5 Pro, but with the added functionality of reverse charging and the extra 1000 mAh, again, it shows its quality even now.
Design & Features
Both phones are loaded with features, but it's the fingerprint scanners that are slightly different.
The Black Shark 5 Pro has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, while the Asus Rog Phone 5 Pro has an under-display optical variation.
When it comes to design, there are a few differences of note too, mainly around the structure of the camera. While the Asus phone has opted for an inconspicuous band of cameras, the Black Shark 5 Pro's design really draws attention to them, placing them in their own block.
We think both phones look great regardless.
Read More:Best Mid-Range Phone 2022: Top Picks for Performance and Value
Price
According to reports, the Black Shark 5 Pro will come in at the equivalent of $660 when released in China. The Asus Rog Phone 5 Pro is listed at £1,099.99 or the equivalent of around $1440.
Black Shark 5 Pro vs Asus Rog Phone 5s Pro: Which Should You Buy?
On our side, it really comes down to your budget. Yes, the Asus Rog Phone 5s Pro is an absolute beast, but it's also just as much as some of the most premium phones out there today.
Most of the time, if you're getting a gaming phone, you're hovering around $600 - $800, which is still expensive but not as much as some of the latest Samsung and Apple products.
For the price you pay, the Black Shark 5 Pro is a bit of a powerhouse for gamers, offering the latest Snapdragon chipset, plus a 144hz refresh rate. The camera looks more geared towards taking photos over the super-high-resolution video, but that's neither here nor there.
Ultimately, if you're sticking to a budget, the Black Shark 5 Pro may be your best bet, but if you're looking to splash out, then the Rog Phone 5S Pro may be the one for you...
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