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The ROG Phone series is aimed at the gaming area, integrating several features specially designed for the most demanding players. The Rog Phone 8 model, launched in January of this year, arrives with this reputation and some attributes, but also with a new perspective: to conquer users who favor other aspects, such as lifestyle.
Over the past two weeks, we tested the ROG Phone 8 to analyze its performance in its new essence, which is daily use with a focus on non-gaming features. Spoiler alert: It's great to play with and a fantastic companion in the foam of the day.
Unpacking
Unwrapping the Asus ROG Phone 8 is a good experience due to the accessories that the model comes with. Start with the included 65-watt HyperCharge charger and cable. At a time when chargers are beginning to disappear from this experience, it is always a pleasant surprise to see them inside the box.
The model also comes with a transparent hard protective cover that, at first glance, seems a little out of place, but soon proves crucial for its usefulness and functionality.
I highly recommend using this protection. The rear panel of this model is slippery and this protection ensures that the hand remains “stuck”, in addition to preventing it from sliding so much on surfaces.
This protection was also designed especially for this model as it has cutouts in the right places for charging and not to disturb gaming fans in their gaming sessions.
Redesigned design for a more sober appearance.
Asus has reformulated the design and the ROG Phone 8 has a more sober and elegant look that any user will appreciate. The straight lines, the flat screen and the minimal margins on its frame give it a timeless and modern style.
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You can feel the sturdy quality of its construction in your hand, as well as its weight. Register 225 grams on the scale. It is heavier than other models of its generation and, at this point, there is room for improvement. But it is a weight perfectly bearable with two hands and when we play well we use them.
The rear panel has two areas; one smaller, smoother and immensely slippery, another with a texture that slips less, but still requires the use of the protection provided.
With X mode activated, the Republic of Gamers (or ROG) symbol comes to life with RGB lighting. It is a detail for the players and beyond. Users who are less fond of games will appreciate the touch of luxury and prominence of this more sober design.
I confess that I “played” more than I expected with this attribute that, despite not having a specific functionality for daily use, convinces at first glance.
In short, the new redesign is very welcome and is gaining popularity among non-gaming users. I think Asus can be very successful with this new strategy if they apply it to future ROG phone models.
Good screen, rain or shine
The AMOLED screen of the Asus ROG Phone 8 measures 6,78 inches and has a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels. And the less impressive features end there. This same panel provides a very high refresh rate of 165 Hz and a maximum brightness of 2500 nits.
In practice, the result for users is to have a good screen, on which they can see the content well “in the rain” with lower brightness, or “in the sun” with more intense light.
The incredible 165 Hz refresh rate is a delight for gamers, but it is equally welcome for other users, especially if they use the terminal to play multimedia content. Fluency and speed are the watchwords.
Helping the party are the very small margins of the frames that increase (at least that's the feeling) the viewing area on the screen. The image quality is excellent, as you can see in the photo shown above, and even the small central cutout to house the front camera doesn't get in the way.
This screen may have been developed with gaming in mind, but it is perfect for more lifestyle use and even for those moments when we really have to respond to something at work and perform a task that requires a good screen .
Master of performance
As a premium smartphone, the ROG Phone 8 is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. The version we tested was the configuration available in this model with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage capacity.
In a sentence: the ROG Phone 8 handles everything in the best possible way, proving to be a master of performance. Just challenge it with the most demanding task of the day for this model and show that Asus knows how to make good smartphones. It handles demanding games with ease, plus it doesn't flicker when multitasking.
There is no doubt here: it is a high-performance model. Remember that the ROG Phone 8 exceeded 2 million points on the well-known AnTuTu platform, now imagine, in less demanding daily use, the wonders it is capable of.
Once again, it may have been made with the demanding gaming environment in mind, but no one can remain indifferent to performance like this.
Some reviews of this smartphone point to some heat during the most demanding tasks. I didn't feel that. He never warmed my hands, much less scalded them.
This is the kind of performance that could lead some users to keep the ROG Phone 8 longer before considering replacing it with a new model. But Asus' update policy, which only provides for two major updates to the Android operating system, frustrates these hopes. And this is a fact that may weigh on the purchase of this model.
Enviable autonomy and really fast charging
Asus has also done a good job in the field of autonomy. The built-in 5500 mAh battery lasts well for a full day of demanding use. And, if we are not too demanding, we have a telephone number for two or three days. For this reason, energy efficiency receives top marks.
As already mentioned, the 65-watt HyperCharge charger and corresponding cable are included in the retail box. The brand advertises 39 minutes for a full charge and that is exactly how long it takes for the battery to reach 100%. We are facing a really fast charging.
The Asus ROG Phone has another very interesting and useful detail. It comes with two charging ports. The usual one in the lower area and an extra port on the right side so that the charging cable does not interfere with the gaming session.
Yes, it should be noted that it is a function for this type of users. But again, in other types of uses it can also be very useful, especially if we are watching a movie or series.
Yes, the Asus ROG Phone 8 takes good photos
In a typically gaming model, Asus made a strong commitment to the optical system. The ROG Phone 8 brings with it a 50-megapixel primary sensor and optical image stabilization, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor and a 32-megapixel telephoto sensor, optical image stabilization and 3x optical zoom. Added to all this is a 32-megapixel front camera.
And this is a bet won by the brand. The model captures good photographs, day and night, of cityscapes and kittens. And it doesn't look bad in selfies either.
In night mode, it does not suffer slight resistance and adapts well to the low natural light, typical at the end of the day. It is also good for meeting the challenges of urban night lighting, managing to offer results with good detail and clarity.
The three sensors are also good for capturing during the day and with cloudier skies than desirable. Highlighting the performance of the telephoto sensor, which can provide an excellent level of sharpness and detail.
He also captures the expressions very well, as you can see in this photo, of the cute cat who, at this point, was already tired of being a model. The ROG Phone 8 managed to record the dull air between mustaches for posterity in immense detail. It's also a good option for selfie enthusiasts, especially in the portrait mode shown here.
It may not win the DxOMark ranking as the best of the year, but it is a smartphone capable of giving very good results, which leads us to congratulate Asus for this new bet. If the ROG Phone 8, as its first foray into photography, is like this, imagine the ROG Phone 9 adopting the same strategy...
Endnotes
The Asus ROG Phone 8 is a very good smartphone. It offers the premium features expected in a top-of-the-range model and goes a little further with a champion autonomy that, in less demanding use, can reach two or three days.
The screen does what it is asked to do, whatever content is displayed. It also performs well in more intense sunlight.
The new sober design, in turn, is enough to win over non-gamer users and can succeed in this task. The straight lines, together with a flat screen and such a small frame, give it an almost irresistible charm.
He arrives with a renewed soul as a photographer with the rear camera configuration providing good quality results. Whether day or night, rain or shine, three built-in sensors ensure sharpness, detail and accurate colors. The front camera will also appeal to selfie enthusiasts.
There is no beauty without anything else. This model, although premium, has two years of operating system updates, is a little heavier than desirable and weighs the same on the wallet at a cost of €1.149.
The caveat is that it is cheaper than some models available in the higher segment, but these same models offer a different upgrade policy. If it weren't for this great detail, which can weigh a lot when purchasing, the Asus ROG Phone 8 would have five stars.
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Asus ROG 8 Phone
Display: 6,78 inches, 165 Hz, 2500 nits
Battery: 5500mAh, 65W
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Generation 3
Chambers: 50 megapixels + 13 megapixels + 32 megapixels
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