Android’s new speed king still can’t keep up with iPhone

Not even the fastest Android handset comes close to matching the performance of the iPhone.

The new Asus ROG Phone performs better than every other Android in early benchmark tests. It also scores higher than the latest iPad Pro lineup. When it comes to iPhone XS and XS Max, though, the gaming handset is way behind.

Android flagships always look more impressive than the iPhone on paper, but in reality, rival manufacturers simply can’t match Apple in performance. Every year they pack in faster processors and more RAM, and yet they continue to fall behind.

For instance, Samsung’s recently-released Galaxy Note 9 looks like a pocketable powerhouse with its eight-core processor and 6GB of RAM — but it gets beaten by the year-old iPhone X’s quad-core chipset and 3GB of RAM in benchmark tests.

Now there’s a new contender from Asus, and the result remains the same.
Asus ROG Phone easily beaten by iPhone XS

The benchmarking experts at AnTuTu today revealed their list of the best-performing Android handsets for September. The ROG Phone firmly takes the top spot with a score of 299,706, followed by the Xiaomi Mi Black Shark with a score of 290,602.

The impressive OnePlus 6 has dropped down to third with a score of 289,424, while the Vivo NEX S comes in fourth with a score of 289,049. The only Samsung phone in the top 10 is the Note 9, but that sits in seventh place with a score of 283,240.

It’s not too surprising to see the ROG Phone coming in first given its focus on being a gaming handset. But if you were to include Apple smartphones as well, it would actually be ranked third — right after the iPhone XS and XS Max.
iPhone XS leaves the competition in the dust

The iPhone XS earned itself a score of 348,581 in AnTuTu benchmarks, while the XS Max earned a score of 348,148. Last year’s iPhone X earned a score of 236,403, while the latest iPad Pro lineup scores over 270,000.

What makes the iPhone’s scores so impressive is that it achieves them with what looks like inferior hardware.

The latest models are powered by a six-core A12 Bionic chipset accompanied by 4GB of RAM, which doesn’t seem all that impressive compared to the ROG Phone’s internals. Asus’ latest device has an eight-core Snapdragon 845 chip and a whopping 8GB of RAM.

The iPhone’s performance is a testament to Apple’s engineering. Having complete control over its hardware and software, including the chipsets, means that it can finely tune everything to work perfectly together. It makes a huge difference.