The highly expected Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro has finally made it to the market. Xiaomi’s smartphone embodies the flagship features an iconic device should look like, and it is the world’s second mobile phone to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ chipset.
Like its predecessor, Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro is also a gaming smartphone.
The first smartphone in the world featuring the top-notch Snapdragon 855+ processor is the Asus ROG Phone 2, also offering owners the most impressive performance in terms of gaming, but also when used on a daily basis.
Since these two smartphones are the only two devices sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ chipset and seem to be similar in terms of performance, we decided to make a detailed comparison between these devices. The end result will show which smartphone is worth spending your money on, based on features, speed, and gaming performance.
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro vs. Asus ROG Phone 2
Design
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro’s design didn’t get a significant upgrade over the regular counterpart, but it came with a few adjustments, such as extra LED lights and a revamped back cover. Even so, it cannot be placed at the same level as the Asus ROG Phone 2.
Asus’ flagship sports better materials; for instance, it has a glass back and an aluminum body, the comfortable AirTriggers, which improve the gaming experience, and supports a multitude of external accessories. LED lights are, of course, featured in the Asus ROG Phone 2, but the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro is a bit more lightweight than the Asus flagship.
Display
In terms of display, Asus ROG Phone 2 is the definite winner. The flagship comes with a bigger panel and a better color reproduction due to its high 108% DCI-P3 coverage and the HDR10 technology. Finally, Asus’ display has a 120Hz refresh ratio, which is quite impressive for a gaming smartphone. It also comes with a 240Hz touch sensing for better reactive gameplay experience.
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro lacks a number of the Asus ROG Phone 2 features. However, it sports a high 100% DCI-P3 coverage and a 240Hz touch sensing.
Specs and Software
The most important feature of these devices is the performance. Luckily, they are both powered by the most powerful chipset currently on the market: the Snapdragon 855+, which provides a better graphics performance and a higher clock frequency than its predecessor.
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro’s UFS 3.0 storage put it in the first place on AnTuTu (500k), but the Asus ROG Phone 2 will most definitely equal it. The later will even enable owners to switch between a stock Android user interface and a customized one.
Camera
Both flagships have quite decent camera settings, with the primary camera of 48MP, without OIS, and a secondary telephoto sensor. Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro features 1920fps super slow-motion video recording, and Asus ROG Phone 2 comes with a laser autofocus mechanism.
Battery
Again, Asus ROG Phone 2 takes the first place. The smartphone’s battery is not a simple one; it resembles a power bank better. Asus ROG Phone 2 comes with a massive 6,000mAh battery which supports reverse wireless charging and offers more hours of gameplay.
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro has a regular 4,000mAh battery, just like its predecessor.
Price Tag
Asus ROG Phone 2 was released in China with the price tag of $1000, and Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro’s most affordable version’s cost goes up to only $500.
Conclusion
As we compared the two flagships, the Asus ROG Phone 2 ended up being a better choice when it comes to almost everything. Still, if you only care about performance, and not so much about other functions and features, the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro is quite a decent piece of device, and it comes at a lower price.
Frances might be just at the beginning of her career, but after attending a technical school, she has a fresh perspective on today’s technology. She contributes to the site with tech news.
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