Asus ROG phone – gaming handset launched in UK

ASUS UK today announced details of the launch for the ROG Phone in the UK. At an exclusive event at the BelowZero Ice Bar in Mayfair, London, it was announced that the ROG Phone will be available in the UK. Additionally, for a limited run from 16th of November, there will be £100 off the device when pre-ordering.

Asus ROG Phone performance

As you would expect from a phone emblazoned with Asus’s Republic of Gamers livery, performance is the focus here. The ROG Phone takes mobile gaming performance to the next level, with each and every component optimised for a lag-free, responsive experience.

Each specially selected octa-core Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform is speed-binned for maximum performance. The upshot here is that it will deliver the world’s fastest sustained clock speeds of up to an incredible 2.96GHz. Furthermore, the gaming-optimised Adreno 630 GPU is a graphics powerhouse, with performance outstripping the previous generation by up to 30%. All of this power is complemented by up to 8GB of RAM and a massive 128GB of onboard ROM storage.

Cool under pressure

A high-end phone running graphics-intense, fast-paced AAA action games can generate a killer amount of heat. As well as being uncomfortable to hold, a hot phone is a slow phone. Every gamer will be aware of thermal throttling, and this can bring even the fastest CPU to its knees. ROG Phone packs an exclusive GameCool system featuring highly efficient 3D vapour-chamber cooling inside. This cooling mechanism provides a 16X-larger surface area for heat dissipation than a standard heat-pipe cooling system. This cooling system is enhanced with a copper heat spreader and carbon cooling pads on the circuit board for maximum cooling performance.

The end result is a superb cooling system that enables sustained clock speeds up to 50% faster than a standard smartphone CPU. Also, you get peak clock speeds for 5X longer than a conventional cooling system. There’s also a detachable external AeroActive Cooler for an extra cooling boost when the going gets really tough.

Fast net

You’re also going to need speedy internet connectivity. Fortunately, ROG Phone also packs ultrafast wireless connectivity in its inventory, including Cat 16 LTE and the latest gigabit-class 60GHz 802.11ad Wi-Fi.

It’s easy for users to get optimum gaming performance on ROG Phone with the special X Mode. Just a single tap frees up all background RAM and dedicates it to games, optimises game-data processing performance, and maximises the efficiency of the AeroActive Cooler. X Mode also prevents RAM-eating and battery-sapping app activity, based on a customisable list of apps.

Asus ROG phone screen

The ultimate gaming phone deserves the best display. ROG Phone uses an ultrafast AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a jaw-dropping 1ms pixel response time. With a wide 108.6% DCI-P3 colour gamut, colours are incredibly vivid too. Additionally, high-dynamic-range (HDR) visuals with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio help reveal every hidden detail in the shadows.

Asus ROG phone control

Let’s face it, the lack of physical buttons on phones all too often compromises gameplay. ROG Phone is designed to give gamers total control and a more console-like experience, with three unique ultrasonic AirTrigger touch sensors.

Two of these ultra-responsive sensors are optimised as left/right triggers at the top of the display for landscape-mode gaming (the third is designed for use in portrait mode). Not only that, but the controls are fully programmable to activate any available on-screen action: aiming, firing, inventory selection. With ROG Phone, gamers free up two extra fingers to control gameplay, giving them the edge over their thumb-bound rivals.

AirTriggers use ultrasonic technology, so they only need a feather-light touch. An advanced haptic actuator provides a powerful force-feedback system for totally immersive gameplay.

Comfy charging

Charging a phone while playing can make gaming impossibly awkward. However, ROG Phone throws away the design book away and starts from scratch, optimising the entire layout for landscape-mode gaming. There’s an additional side-mounted custom USB-CTM connector that supports direct charging, HDMI output, gigabit LAN and headphones.

And when the AeroActive Cooler is deployed, it provides a side-mounted USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack for unhindered gameplay. The side connector’s also used for the exclusive expansion modules, including the Mobile Desktop Dock and TwinView Dock.

Asus ROG phone engineering

Using a combination of tough, precision-crafted 2.5D- and 3D-curved Corning Gorilla glass, diamond-cut highlights and copper detailing, the metal-framed, water-resistant ROG Phone looks as good as it feels in the hand.

The addition of ASUS Aura RGB lighting is a nice touch too. The illuminated rear ROG logo can display a whole rainbow of lighting schemes: static, breathing, strobing or colour cycling. Lighting effects can be triggered by phone events such as incoming calls, notifications and more, to give ROG Phone a unique personality.

The speakers are generally a let down on most smartphones. With the new Asus device, you get ultra-powerful front-facing stereo speakers with an audio engine that supports 24-bit/192Khz Hi-Res Audio playback. DTS Headphone:XTM provides theatre-quality virtual surround-sound over headphones, and there’s support for high-definition audio via Bluetooth.

Asus ROG phone battery

ROG Phone is built to cope with the power-intensive demands of gaming, with a high-capacity 4000mAh battery. The bundled ROG Phone power adapter supports ASUS HyperCharge, a direct-charge technology that delivers more power (up to 20W) for shorter, safer charge times, and also means ROG Phone stays cooler when it’s charging.

Asus ROG phone extras

ROG Phone features a unique range of optional expansion peripherals too.

The TwinView Dock turns ROG Phone into a powerful dual-screen console for the ultimate gaming and live-streaming experience. The 6-inch AMOLED (2160 x 1080) auxiliary screen is excellent for split-screen live-streaming, extended game display or group communication. As well as that, it packs a front-facing quad-speaker system, two extra physical trigger buttons, dual-haptic force-feedback engine, an enhanced cooling system and a high-capacity 6000mAh extended battery pack.

With the Gamevice controller and the WiGig Dock — using 60GHz 802.11ad Wi-Fi — ROG Phone morphs into a portable console with a full inventory of physical gaming controls and ultra-low-latency wireless display connectivity. It packs dual analogue joysticks, left and right fire triggers and bumpers, a D-pad, along with A, B, X, Y and L3, R3 buttons.

Price and availability

Pre-Orders will begin on Friday, November 16th 2018 at 9 am, and the ROG Phone will start shipping on 14th December 2018.