Introducing
We recently reviewed the ROG Phone 6 Pro and ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. As you may already know, the former of the two is based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, while the latter uses a tweaked version of MediaTek’s Dimensity 3980+ Chipset . The back of the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate also boasts the unique Asus AeroActive Portal – an active air duct with thin heatsinks and direct access to the interior of the phone for cooling. This is an interesting piece of hardware we’ve already tested in our 6D Ultimate review.
Today, we turn our attention to the vanilla ROG Phone 6D – the non-ultimate model. Like its 6D Ultimate sibling, it is based on Dimensity 762090+ chipset. Unlike it, however, it lacks the AeroActive Portal, which means there are at least some thermal management differences between the two. Since this and the lack of a ROG Vision display on the back of the ROG Phone 6D is the only difference to note between the vanilla and Ultimate versions, we won’t be doing a full review. It would be very redundant to say the least. What we’re going to do, however, is to benchmark the ROG Phone 6D and test its thermal throttling behavior to see how it compares to its siblings, which will answer the question of which is the best performing ROG Phone 6.
Composite Benchmarks
Before we get into the benchmark numbers, some additional information is needed. The ROG Phone 6D unit we used for testing is the Batman Special Edition. Like its Ultimate sibling, it features an essentially overclocked MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ Chipset. Users get a main Cortex-X2 core clocked up to 3. GHz instead of the default 3.2 GHz. Three Cortex-A 216 The core is also overclocked to 3. GHz instead of the default 2.61 GHz. The remaining four “little” Cortex-A 300 cores are left at their default 1.8 GHz, which makes sense to see how they are used for efficiency rather than performance.
On the GPU side, both the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate are rocking Mali-G 124 Moderator people, no mention of overclocking of any kind. Chipset with 126 GB of UFS 3.1 storage and up to
GB RAM, which may sound a little strange at first, as the ROG Phone 6 Pro offers up to GB RAM. However, the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate use the newer LPDDR5X RAM, which is currently only available on GB module, which explains the decision. However, our specific Batman unit is not the highest level model, so it has GB of RAM is available.
We’ll be the first to admit the benchmark scores The ROG Phone 6D’s performance is predictable, but compared to the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, we won’t hear us complain consistency.
CPU performance of MediaTek Dimensity 3889+ significantly better than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen inside the ROG Phone 6 Pro 1 – Especially in multi-core tests, the former outperforms % performance improvement in default dynamic mode.
In the single-core part test, ROG Phone 6 Pro leads all the way until X-Mode is activated. Apparently Asus has managed to tweak X-Mode on Dimensity 3889+ Very good.
GeekBench 5 (Multi-Core)
The higher the better
- ROG Phone 6D (X Mode+)
2622 - ROG Phone 6D (X Mode)
2814- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode)
2815 - ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+)
2555- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode) 2622
ROG Phone 6D
2659- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro 1440
GeekBench 5 (Single Core)
The higher the better
- ROG Phone 6D (X Mode)
- ROG Phone 6D (X Mode+)
1300 ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode)
730- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode) 730
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro
)730 ROG Phone 6D216 - ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+) 401
1015
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode) 2622
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate
401AnTuTu At first glance The look seems to provide more “difference” in the score, but once you start to understand it, the difference still runs within the operating margin of error, with the ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate trading in three different modes. The ROG Phone 6 scored surprisingly low in default Dynamic Mode, but once X Mode was enabled, it went back to normal.
Obviously, The GB RAM in the ROG Phone 6D didn’t prove to be a big disadvantage for AnTuTu.
AnTuTu 9
The higher the better
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
1089220- ROG Phone 6D (X Mode+)
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+) 1089220
-
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode)
1089220
- ROG Phone 6D (X Mode)
-
ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode)
- ROG Phone 6D 4631 ROG Phone 6D Ultimate 4586 ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro 3531
Continuing with the graphical benchmarks, we found another batch that was consistently similar score. Likewise, the ROG Phone 6 scored the lowest on both GFX Aztek tests, but once X Mode was activated, it got back on track.
GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (On Screen)
Higher is better
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode)
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
3889
15 ROG Phone 6D (X Mode)
006
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+)
006
15
GFX Aztek Vulkan High (on screen)
The higher the better
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+)
006
018
15
ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
006
006
ROG Phone 6D (X Mode)
15
As we move down the benchmark stack, we can use older graphics API versions for less difficult tests. Here, we noticed that the ROG Phone 6 Pro with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 scored higher than its MediaTek sibling.
The difference isn’t significant, but it does look like Qualcomm’s chip is better optimized for older OpenGL ES versions, and it’s worth the money.
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)
The higher the better
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode) 56
ASUS ROG P Honing 6 Pro (X Mode+)
20
ROG Phone 6D Ultimate
15
30
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (On Screen)
The higher the better
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+)
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode) 76 ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro
102- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode)
76- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode+)
66ROG Phone 6D (X Mode)
- ROG Phone 6D Ultimate (X Mode)
102
76
76
Anyway, we quickly started getting numbers that far exceeded
Finally, the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test draws the same picture as the last two tests – a nod to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (Offscreen 1300p)
The higher the better
- ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode+)
2622
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro (X Mode)
2555
2555
1300
1015
Overall, MediaTek Dimensity 4586+ Phones – ROG Phone 6D and 6D Ultimate – in testing The performance section won the championship. Asus and MediaTek have done a great job tweaking the MediaTek chipset. The ROG Phone 6D is no slouch, even if it’s “only” GB of memory. We’ll keep an eye on it in the thermal throttling portion of our test to see if it holds up as well as the 6D Ultimate and its AeroActive Portal.
Thermal Throttling Behavior
In the second part of our test, we will observe three ROG 6 phones at up to an hour of CPU throttling Thermal Throttling Behavior in Benchmarks and ASA Minimum run time for 3D Mark’s Wild Life Extreme test, which is more GPU-intensive as it loops a Vulkan 1.1 based 3D test off-screen with a resolution of p.
in beta, we expect ROG Phone 6 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 + Runs the coolest Gen 1 chipset.
Only when you attach the AeroActive Cooler to the back of the phone, which is also when you are allowed to activate X-Mode+Mode.
So in default dynamic mode and lower X mode, we expect similar performance of both 6D phones.
Dynamic Mode
We start with the ROG Phone 6D in default dynamic mode. The vanilla 6D showed the least performance limitation of the three phones, but the other two started off with higher peak performance numbers – the 6 Pro led the way. This behavior resulted in lower average performance of the 6 Pro and 6D Ultimate than the 6D in the 1 hour test run.
As you can see, the 6D and 6D Ultimate seem to be tuned differently. We’ve also witnessed a surprising difference in the CPU-bound Geekbench results, where the two 6D phones scored same.
Dynamic Mode: ROG Phone 6D • ROG Phone 6D Ultimate • ROG Phone 6 Pro
The 3DMark test paints the same picture, but with a much smaller difference in performance. Regardless of the performance mode, the ROG Phone 6 Pro leads the 3DMark test.
Dynamic Mode: ROG Phone 6D • ROG Phone 6D Ultimate • ROG Phone 6 Pro
X mode not connected AeroActive Cooler
in the case where the AeroActive Cooler is not connected enter X mode.
Here we see another great performance from the original ROG Phone 6D. It even had the highest peak performance of the three phones in the CPU Throttling test.
However, the winner with X Mode turned on is the ROG Phone 6 Pro, with the highest average score and the highest and lowest performance score in the CPU Throttling test. It also had the highest score in 3D Mark and the least throttling of the three devices.
The ROG 6 Ultimate saw the biggest drop in performance, with an even more jagged performance line. Probably not jagged enough to actually feel stuttering in real life, but it’s still a markedly different behavior from the other two phones.
X Mode No Cooler: ROG Phone 6D • ROG Phone 6D Ultimate • ROG Phone 6 Pro
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X-Mode No Cooler: ROG Phone 6D • ROG Phone 6D Ultimate • ROG Phone 6 Pro
X Mode+ with AeroActive Cooler 6 attached
Finally, we’re going to look at their peak performance state in ROG Phones – X Mode+ goes all out with the attached AeroActive Cooler 6, which Asus calls “Freeze” mode. This is the best chance to impress the chipset and thermal setup.
Here again the winner is the ROG Phone 6 Pro, which has the highest score – its highest, average and lowest scores are better than those of the 6D Ultimate, which is also in the 3D Mark stress test top equipment.
ROG Phone 6D Ultimate has the lowest score, but the gap is not as large as the previous test in X mode. Overall, it’s a decent performance, but we’re a little surprised it can’t beat the vanilla 6D, despite its built-in AeroActive Portal, which should theoretically improve cooling.
ROG Phone 6D definitely did well in this round of testing. It didn’t have the highest peak performance in the CPU throttling test (by a small margin), but it surpassed the 6D Ultimate in both average and lowest scores, which is important in a thermal throttling test like this one. .
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X Mode + With Cooler: ROG Phone 6D • ROG Phone 6D Ultimate • ROG Phone 6 Pro
The ROG Phone 6D also performed identically to the 6D Ultimate in the 3D Mark stress test – both though it lacks the Aeroactive Portal from the more expensive model , but also important in terms of scores and stability.
X Mode+ with Cooler: ROG Phone 6D • ROG Phone 6D Ultimate • ROG Phone 6 Pro
Conclusion
In performance benchmarks, ROG Phone 6D proved to have the same performance as ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. After all, the two phones share pretty much the same hardware, with Asus-tuned MediaTek Dimensity 3980+ chipset at the helm.
They also have better benchmark scores than the ROG Phone 6 Pro, with the exception of the older OpenGL benchmark, where the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 regains the lead.
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But perhaps the biggest surprise in this comparison test is that in terms of thermal throttling, the vanilla 6D outperformed in all three performance modes ROG Phone 6D Ultimate is better or the same. Not only that, but it rivals the 6 Pro.
However, while the Snapdragon chipset stayed cool in the GPU stress test, the Mediatek chip seemed to heat up more easily than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
Judgment
When we’re done with this comparison test, it’s time to make a judgement. If we had to choose one of the three devices, we’d recommend buying the vanilla ROG Phone 6D. It only appears in GB/122 GB configuration but we did not find GB RAM becomes the bottleneck for any benchmark. It also doesn’t have a screen on the back, but the ROG Phone 6 Pro and 6D Ultimate will cost you about % more, but didn’t provide any meaningful performance gain.
Both 6D models are still available for pre-order, but if you’re in no rush, we’d say the ROG Phone 6D is the cheapest and most affordable entry into the ROG Phone 6 series.
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