ROG Phone 6 is here and more

🌞 Hey, Hadlee here again! I just found out that Coheed and Cambria released a new album a few weeks ago. So I know what I’m going to hear this week.

Asus ROG Phone 6: More than a gaming phone?

Asus has finally launched the ROG Phone 6, the latest device in its long-running line of gaming phones. It certainly looks like a beast of a gamer’s phone judging by the spec sheet and feature list. Between the new Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, 6,000mAh battery, capacitive shoulder triggers and 165Hz OLED screen, there’s a lot to like. It even has a 3.5mm connector! There’s also a Pro model that comes with more RAM and a second rear display.

What’s the catch?

• We released the ROG Phone 6 Pro review yesterday, and my colleague Rob Triggs felt the company has indeed pulled out all the stops for mobile gamers.
• However, he noted that the €1,299 (~$1,331) Pro model was a very tough sell in Europe.
• At this price point, you’d expect some features like wireless charging, a telephoto lens, and an IP68 rating. But these features are all missing here.
• Now we don’t typically expect premium flagship extras on gaming phones.
• After all, the whole point of a gaming phone is, well… to play games! So resources are spent on the chipset, cooling, things like shoulder releases, a big battery and software.
• But your typical 2022 gaming phones like the Red Magic 7 series and Black Shark 5 Pro cost $800. It’s much easier to excuse a lack of premium extras at this price point.

Gaming phones don’t exist in isolation

• The ROG Phone 6 Pro is around $500 more expensive than its competitors. That puts it in the same territory as the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
• Yes, you’re missing out on refreshed silicon, capacitive shoulder triggers, and fantastic sustained performance (and a 3.5mm port), but the S22 Ultra is still a solid choice for modern gaming.
• The Samsung phone also offers wireless charging, a great rear camera system (including a 10x periscope camera) and an IP68 rating.
• Asus also only brings operating system and security updates for two years. For a phone that costs ~$1,300 and has 18GB of RAM.
• Samsung opts for four OS upgrades and five years of security patches. Other players such as OnePlus and Xiaomi also have longer update obligations.

Consider the standard ROG Phone 6 instead

• Thankfully, the standard ROG Phone 6 is also an option. It’s available for a far more palatable £899 or €999.
• It’s still a little pricey compared to competing gaming phones and in line with flagship phones.
• But those omissions mentioned above are much easier to excuse when you pay €300 less than the Pro version.
• Asus still hasn’t signed any carrier partnerships for these phones.
• I think its online-driven strategy works well given the niche nature of these devices.

Summarize

🍏 The EU just beat up Big Tech again — Here are the latest rules: The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act are taking the fight to companies like Google and Apple (Android authority).

Minions: The Rise of Gru is in theaters now, but it turns out some theaters are banning young people in suits from attending these screenings. It all sounds very strange, but it turns out that as part of a #Gentleminions trend, groups of teenagers are dressing up in formal wear to attend the movie. Universal Pictures even supported the trend a tweet last week.

Unfortunately the BBC reports that some of these teenagers made noise during the performances, threw things, verbally abused staff and stood up. Some cinema representatives said they suffered significant financial repercussions as they had to provide refunds to families and others affected by the riots.

Have a nice day and respect your fellow cinema-goers!