game PC in the form of a smartphone
The Asus ROG Phone is a striking device specially made for gamers, but is this smartphone really worth it? You can read that in our review.
Contents
Read our Asus ROG Phone review
The success of Fortnite and other games motivates manufacturers to make special gaming smartphones . The Asus ROG Phone is the most striking example of this new category of devices. This smartphone is part of Republic of Gamers, the product line of Asus especially for gamers.
Design: both cool and cool
The style of the device should lie down. Although the front looks pretty minimalistic, with clear screen edges and two speakers at the top and bottom, the back is a different story. Asus transfers the busy and futuristic style of its other gaming products to the ROG Phone.
The stripes and angular parts should give the device a quick look, with a pulsing logo to finish the picture. The most visible gratings are the most striking, which means the heat of the device can disappear better. The raised edges of the parts at the back do collect dirt quickly. The strikingly shiny material also attracts fingerprints at lightning speed.
Hardware: fast, smooth and bright
The Asus ROG Phone with a suggested retail price of 899 euros is not cheap, but the hardware may be absolute. Mainly the amoled screen of 6 inches (2160 by 1080 pixels) stands out positively. The colors are very clear and with a refresh rate of 90Hz, games look smooth. Watching videos with HDR is also a pleasure.
In addition, under the screen is the hardware to run games excellently. Think of a modified Snapdragon 845 chip, Adreno 630-gpu, 8GB RAM and a robust 4000 mAh battery.
Perhaps the best part is the programmable ‘AirTriggers’ in the upper corners. You can not see these buttons, but touches are still well registered. These buttons can be freely programmed per game, for example to replace a shooting button and jump button on the screen.
Software: everything for gamers
In addition to the design, the device also falls into the software. The main part is the Game Center, where countless institutions can be found. Here you not only see information about the cpu, gpu, memory usage and storage, but you also control the fan speed, set your game profiles and you can even adjust the LED light of the logo.
Also important is the X-Mode, which you can activate by squeezing the phone. When this mode is on, notifications are turned off, apps in the background are closed and the focus of the device is set to performance. With this you can play to your heart’s content.
While playing, you swipe left from the right side of the screen to find a game button next to the familiar Android buttons. Behind this button is a menu with shortcuts to, among other things, set the AirTriggers or to record gameplay.
Accessories
The ROG quickly warms up during gaming despite the strong cooling. That is why an extra fan is included that you click into the device. That works well. Not only is the device noticeably cooler, but as a bonus the cool air feels nice against your sweaty hands during an exciting game.
To put the fan in the device, you have to take a small plastic thing out of the gate. It is so small that you lose it that way. That’s what Asus knows, so you get a few extra when you buy the device. Yet that is not a very elegant solution.
The fan is not the only accessory for this device. The Asus ROG Phone can be expanded with, among other things, a Twinview Dock, giving you a second screen to, for example, stream, and more battery to play longer. Also the Mobile Desktop Dock to game on your PC screen, or a Display Dock to play on your TV are options. However, apart from the fan, we have not tested these accessories.
Also a smartphone
Besides the focus on games, the Asus ROG Phone is also a great smartphone. The layer that Asus puts on Android fits perfectly with the rest of the device, with a lot of screaming red and lines around the icons. Just like the rest of the design, you have to love it. Fortunately, nothing stops you from using another launcher for a more neutral look.
The double cameras on the back also make good photos, while the front camera helps to quickly unlock your smartphone. There is also the fingerprint scanner at the back to use.
Conclusion Asus ROG Phone review
The Asus ROG Phone is not as special as a smartphone, but as a device to play smartphone games fantastic. On most modern high-end phones you can also play fine games, but the Asus ROG Phone really makes a party of it. Both by the exaggerated hardware, extra buttons and the possibility to adjust everything according to your needs. If you play a lot of heavy 3D games on your smartphone, then the Asus ROG Phone is a monster you can have fun with.
