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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 15 vs ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
The Apple iPhone 15 is the mid-range option here, but don't underestimate it - its 48MP camera and 2000 nits outdoor brightness make it a contender. In real-world testing, the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 16GB of RAM provide a smooth experience even in the most demanding games. Meanwhile, the Apple iPhone 15's 3349mAh battery allows for up to 20 hours of video playback, which is impressive but won't last as long as the ROG's capabilities for marathon gaming sessions.
📱 Display: 6.1" vs 6.78"⚡ Refresh: 60 Hz vs 165 Hz🔋 Battery: 3349 mAh vs 5500 mAh
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Apple iPhone 15
★4.8
(951)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
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ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
★4.7
(63)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:2 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650)
Graphics:Adreno 750
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Apple iPhone 15
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Apple iPhone 15
6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
6.78"Winner
Refresh Rate
Apple iPhone 15
60 Hz
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
1Hz–120Hz (Adaptive); 165Hz (Gaming mode)Winner
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650)
RAMKey
Apple iPhone 15
6 GB (LPDDR5)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
16GB LPDDR5X (Pro Edition: 24GB)Winner
Storage
Apple iPhone 15
128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
512GB UFS 4.0 (Pro Edition: 1TB)Winner
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Apple iPhone 15
48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
50MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0Winner
Ultra-Wide Camera
Apple iPhone 15
12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Free-form lens
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Apple iPhone 15
3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
5,500mAh (Dual-cell)Winner
Wireless Charging
Apple iPhone 15
MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
15W Qi 1.3 Wireless Charging
Design2 specs
Weight
Apple iPhone 15
6.02 oz (171 g)Winner
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
7.94 oz (225 g)
Dimensions
Apple iPhone 15
5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm)
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Apple iPhone 15
iOS
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
Android
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Apple iPhone 15
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Apple iPhone 15 vs ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
Apple iPhone 15
★4.8(951)Best Buy
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
★4.7(63)Best Buy
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 15 | ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.8(951)Best Buy | ★4.7(63)Best Buy |
Operating System | iOS | Android |
Software Support | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades | 2 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates |
Processor | Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650) |
Graphics | Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic) | Adreno 750 |
RAM | 6 GB (LPDDR5) | 16GB LPDDR5X (Pro Edition: 24GB) |
Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe) | 512GB UFS 4.0 (Pro Edition: 1TB) |
Display Size | 6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) | 6.78" |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Samsung E6 Flexible AMOLED, LTPO, 1,600 nits (HBM) |
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi) | 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) |
Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | 1Hz–120Hz (Adaptive); 165Hz (Gaming mode) |
Peak Brightness | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor) | 2,500 nits |
Main Camera | 48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) | 50MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view) | 13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Free-form lens |
Telephoto Camera | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS | 32MP, f/2.4, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom (Not periscope) |
Optical Zoom | 0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range) | 3x Optical |
Digital Zoom | Up to 10x | Up to 30x (Hyper Clarity AI up to 10x) |
Video Recording | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps | 8K UHD @ 24fps; 4K UHD @ 30/60fps; HDR10+ |
Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps | 32MP RGBW, f/2.5, 90-degree FOV (Bins to 8MP) |
Battery | 3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed) | 5,500mAh (Dual-cell) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher | 65W HyperCharge (Adapter included) |
Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W | 15W Qi 1.3 Wireless Charging |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode | 5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.4, NFC |
USB | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output | Side: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort 1.4); Bottom: USB-C 2.0 |
Durability | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back | IP68 (Dust/Water Resistant); Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Front) |
Dimensions | 5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm) | 6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm) |
Weight | 6.02 oz (171 g) | 7.94 oz (225 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock |
Extras | Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite | AniMe Vision (341 Mini-LEDs on back), AirTrigger buttons, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Dual USB-C ports |
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Apple iPhone 15
Rating:★4.8(951)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
RAM:6 GB (LPDDR5)
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60 Hz
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back
Dimensions:5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm)
Weight:6.02 oz (171 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop
- • Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
- • Standardized USB-C port for charging and accessories
- • Dynamic Island interface replaces the notch
- • Comfortable, lightweight design with contoured edges
✗ Cons:
- • Display limited to 60 Hz (no ProMotion 120 Hz)
- • USB-C port limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No dedicated telephoto lens (zoom beyond 2x is digital)
- • Always-On display feature is omitted
- • Charging speed is slower compared to competitors
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ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
Rating:★4.7(63)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:2 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650)
Graphics:Adreno 750
RAM:16GB LPDDR5X (Pro Edition: 24GB)
Storage:512GB UFS 4.0 (Pro Edition: 1TB)
Display Size:6.78"
Screen Type:Samsung E6 Flexible AMOLED, LTPO, 1,600 nits (HBM)
Resolution:2400 x 1080 (FHD+)
Refresh Rate:1Hz–120Hz (Adaptive); 165Hz (Gaming mode)
Peak Brightness:2,500 nits
Main Camera:50MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0
Ultra-Wide Camera:13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Free-form lens
Telephoto Camera:32MP, f/2.4, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom (Not periscope)
Optical Zoom:3x Optical
Digital Zoom:Up to 30x (Hyper Clarity AI up to 10x)
Video Recording:8K UHD @ 24fps; 4K UHD @ 30/60fps; HDR10+
Front Camera:32MP RGBW, f/2.5, 90-degree FOV (Bins to 8MP)
Battery:5,500mAh (Dual-cell)
Wired Charging:65W HyperCharge (Adapter included)
Wireless Charging:15W Qi 1.3 Wireless Charging
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
USB:Side: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort 1.4); Bottom: USB-C 2.0
Durability:IP68 (Dust/Water Resistant); Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Front)
Dimensions:6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm)
Weight:7.94 oz (225 g)
Biometrics:Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extras:AniMe Vision (341 Mini-LEDs on back), AirTrigger buttons, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Dual USB-C ports
✓ Pros:
- • First ROG phone with IP68 water/dust resistance and telephoto lens
- • Incredible performance with advanced thermal management features
- • Brightest-in-class 165Hz LTPO AMOLED display (2,500 nits peak)
- • Includes 65W charger, case, and braided cable in the box
- • Retains enthusiast features: 3.5mm jack, notification LEDs, and AirTriggers
✗ Cons:
- • Software support (2 OS updates) lags behind Samsung/Google flagships
- • Battery capacity reduced (5,500mAh) compared to previous generation (6,000mAh)
- • Cameras, while improved, still trail top-tier photography flagships
- • Thermal throttling can occur earlier than previous bulky models without the cooler
- • No dedicated macro mode (uses Ultrawide) unlike previous iterations
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Which one is better?
The ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro is the better buy for most people - its 165Hz display crushes the Apple iPhone 15’s 60Hz. That said, grab the iPhone 15 if you prioritize photography and want a phone that’s easier to handle at 6.1 inches compared to the ROG’s larger frame.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Apple iPhone 15 if: you love photography with a high-resolution 48MP camera, prefer a lightweight 6.1" phone, or want a reliable device for everyday use.
Choose the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro if: you game regularly with a 165Hz display for smoother visuals, need a long-lasting 5500mAh battery, or want a phone that handles heavy multitasking with 16GB of RAM.
Conclusion
Apple iPhone 15 and ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 15 excels if you value high-resolution 48mp main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop. ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro is better if you prioritize first rog phone with ip68 water/dust resistance and telephoto lens. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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