I mostly do all my gaming on my PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC. Between not having the time to actually play and my old-school mentality of not wanting to wreck my battery life by playing hardware-intensive titles, mobile gaming isn’t an idea I haven’t fully embraced.

But what if I had a device that would handle all of my communication needs and was actually built for gaming? Would I even dare enter the rabbit hole? Enter the ROG Phone 6D.

Hot on the heels of the recently released ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, the ROG Phone 6D is the little brother that could. Sporting flagship-level specs such as the 3.2 GHz MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ Mobile Platform, Mali-G710 GPU, 6.78” 2448×1080 AMOLED screen, and a massive 6,000 mAh dual battery setup, it pretty much ticks all of the boxes of what I would expect from a mobile gaming device. But is there anything special about it that makes it an ideal gaming phone for hardcore players?

Here are some of the features of the phone I enjoyed the most during my short time with it!

ROG Phone 6D MLBB M5 Special Edition

Performance Power

Arguably the most important metric for a gaming phone, the ROG Phone 6D not only has capable internals, but it also has a variety of modes to take advantage of that power.

Here’s a quick overview of the relevant specs for the ROG Phone 6D:

According to AnTuTu benchmarks, the ROG Phone 6D scores a whopping 1,146,594 points while playing on X Mode, which favors performance and refresh rates over battery life, offering an optimal gaming experience. Players can choose between Ultra Durable (battery saver), Dynamic (balance between performance and battery), and X Mode (extreme performance) based on their gaming needs, which is a nice bonus that you can mostly see in more advanced gaming handhelds like the ROG Ally.

On X Mode, the ROG Phone 6D can also keep a steady 60fps while playing Genshin Impact, so you can be assured of a similar performance range.

Its 6.78″ screen is also perfect for watching your favorite movies and series from Netflix or some K-pop goodness from YouTube. The ROG Phone 6D screen is also capable of up to 165Hz refresh rate, 800 nits of brightness, and is HDR10+ certified for good color accuracy.

Keeping it Cool

One of my main concerns when playing hardware-intensive games on a mobile device is the heat buildup the longer you play, which not only makes long gaming sessions uncomfortable but also makes me worry about the health of my battery in the long term.

The ROG Phone 6D uses a GameCool 6 cooling system that has been fully revamped from previous iterations, focusing on a 360-degree cooling system that has improved heat dissipation, allowing for longer gaming sessions. Playing Diablo Immortal on full settings was a pleasant experience, and apart from its smooth gameplay, the device did not get so hot that it was uncomfortable.

In the event that surrounding conditions are not favorable, the ROG Phone 6D has another trick up its sleeve – the AeroActive Cooler – an attachment that is basically a wire-free fan that can further improve device temperatures. Because it is USB-C powered, it’ll drain your battery faster, but at the cost of keeping your device and your head cool, it is a good trade-off.

Oh, and attaching the AeroActive Cooler adds four physical buttons that give players more control over their gaming sessions. While the button placement isn’t the best and could take some time to get used to, at least the option is there.

The ROG Phone 6D also has a full suite of battery care options, like allowing users to customize the charging limits, scheduled charging, the ability to detect battery-draining apps, and much more.

Double Trouble

Sticking to the battery discussion, the ROG Phone 6D also powered my gaming sessions longer. This, of course, is a tricky setting to deal with due to numerous factors like phone settings and other variables, but one thing I can definitely say is that I got to play longer than usual with less battery drain (compared to a 100% total) due to simple math.

Yep, math. While most flagship phones these days top out at 4000 or 4500 mAh batteries, the ROG Phone 6D has 6,000 (!!!) thanks to a dual 3,000 battery setup that should be more than enough for your daily needs even with extended Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact playtime.

When needing a quick charge, the included 65W charger supports Quick Charge 5.0 and uses HyperCharge Technology (PD 3.0 + PPS, 3.3V – 21V and 3.0A), capable of charging it from zero to 100 in less than an hour.

Trigger Warning

No, no, not that type of trigger warning! As a console gamer, I’m used to gaming on a controller that has trigger buttons. I prefer using a pro-controller on my Switch, and that goes for my mobile devices as well.

The ROG Phone 6D uses AirTriggers, a weird piece of technology that took getting used to, in my experience. Using a highly customizable touch-sensitive system, the phone allows players to map trigger buttons to various touchpoints that can serve as replacements for physical trigger buttons. This will certainly help for games that require multiple inputs, specifically FPS titles.

One thing I liked about this is that the ROG Phone 6D allows players to fully customize their experience and how they engage with the feature. From tapping to sliding and even gyroscope aiming, it almost feels like using a full-fledged controller without the extra accessory.

If you want the full gamepad experience, the ROG Phone 6D also has the option to utilize the ROG Kunai 3 gamepad, offering a modular design that is fully compatible with the AeroActive Cooler 6 and usable via Bluetooth.

Box of Goodies

A quick reminder that this is not a normal ROG Phone 6D, as this is the MLBB M5 Special Edition that comes with a bevy of bonuses that complete the full experience. Apart from the inclusion of the AeroActive Cooler 6, it also comes with an Aerocase for Cooler 6, a YuZhong Devilcase, a Badge Holder, and a Screen Cleaner, all wrapped in a special box that gives extra value.

You won’t need to look further to purchase accessories for the phone because the MLBB M5 Special Edition includes all of the basics you will need to get started right from opening the box – a case to protect your investment, another case that’s compatible with the AeroActive Cooler 6 accessory, and more.

The ROG Phone 6D MLBB M5 Special Edition is priced at PHP 31,995.