Asus just launched the ROG Phone 2, and it is undoubtedly one of the most powerful smartphones we’ve seen. The ROG Phone II arrives with a massive bump in performance, first-time innovations and a ton of accessories.
World’s Fastest Smartphone
The ROG Phone II is the first smartphone in the world to run on the Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC, which offers a 4-percent increase in CPU speed and 15-percent improvement in graphical performance. If the bump in chipset performance isn’t enough, the ROG Phone II receives up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.0 storage. The cooling system on the phone includes vents and a vapour chamber to prevent throttling at the SD855+’s peak speeds.
First 120Hz OLED Display
The ROG Phone II gets a 6.59-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels) AMOLED screen with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The phone also packs an in-display fingerprint sensor and 10-bit HDR support. But that’s not all, the panel on the ROG Phone 2 gets a 120Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. The touch sampling rate on the phone stands at 240Hz, while Asus claims its 49ms touch latency is the lowest of any smartphone.
Massive Battery
The Asus ROG Phone II gets a massive 6,000 mAh battery, which Asus claims will deliver more than 7 hours of PUBG with the screen set to 60Hz. A conservative user will easily be able to get past two days of battery life. As far as charging is concerned, the second ROG phone offers 30W fast-charging support with ROG HyperCharge.
Innovative OS
Asus has designed the second ROG phone for both gaming enthusiast and Android power users. The Taiwanese tech giant is allowing users to switch between a game-focused ROG UI or the near-stock Android UI found on the Zenfone 6.
Improved Camera
In terms of camera, the ROG Phone 2 gets a similar dual-camera setup as the Asus 6z without the flipping camera module. On the back, you get a 48-megapixel Quad Bayer primary camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide secondary sensor. Since the dual camera on the back doesn’t flip forward, Asus has opted for a 24-megapixel front shooter. For a gaming smartphone, the camera on the ROG Phone II seems impressive on paper.
Enhanced Audio
The new ROG phone features dual front-firing speakers with DTS:X Ultra support to simulate multi-channel audio. The ROG Phone II has arguably the best speakers on a smartphone. In keeping with the theme of low latency, Asus has also incorporated a 3.5mm audio jack.
Built for Gamers
Asus claims the haptic engine on its latest gaming handset offers 3x stronger vibration than the OnePlus 7 Pro.
The Armoury Crate game launcher on the ROG Phone allows users to customise settings for each game.
Game Genie ensures minimal interruptions while gaming by allowing users to deal with interruptions like incoming calls and notifications efficiently. It can also lock screen brightness while gaming.
X-mode makes your wallpapers and logo glow, but more importantly, ups the frequency of your CPU and blocks RAM-eating applications.
The Asus ROG Phone 2 is designed for gaming, which means the phone will be primarily used in landscape mode. The second side-mounted USB-C port makes it easy to charge while playing. But the big highlight here is the new capacitive AirTriggers, which simulate actual buttons. The new triggers also recognise a swiping gesture. The vibration latency has been reduced from 63ms to 20ms.
What's in the Box
In the box, you get the second-gen AeroActive Cooler (Snap-on fan), which keeps surface temperatures below 5°C. The external cooler features an RGB Republic of Gamers logo and a second headphone jack, while the cooler doubles as a stand. Asus also includes a plastic case and a 30W charging adapter in the box.
Boat-load of Accessories
- Asus also launched several accessories alongside the ROG Phone 2. The ROG Kunai Gamepad draws inspiration from the Joy-Cons on the Nintendo Switch. They can be used together as a wireless gamepad or attached on either side of the phone.
- The ROG Phone 2 Lightning Armour Case utilises NFC to change your wallpaper and a light-up ROG logo on the back.
- The Twin View Dock 2 acts as a second screen for the handset. The dock is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery, while its secondary touch panel boasts a 120Hz refresh rate similar to that of the phone.
- The WiGig Display Dock Plus allows you to stream your gaming sessions directly from the ROG Phone to a TV for a console-style gaming experience. The streaming takes place over an 802.11ad 60 gigahertz network for near-zero latency.
- Lastly, the Mobile Desktop Dock can connect the phone to a monitor, mouse and a keyboard. The dock also supports Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.
Asus has also partnered with Tencent on the new ROG Phone to optimise gaming content. We expect other details, including pricing of the device to be revealed when the device launches in China on July 23. The ROG Phone 2 is expected to start at $899 (Approx. Rs 62,000) and could see a global rollout in early September.
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