The first-generation ROG Phone was launched almost a year ago, defining how a gaming phone should look and feel like while also packing the internals to match. Well, numerous competitors have since cropped up, including Black Shark and Nubia Red Magic, so Asus has again shouldered the task to bring the best of gaming features to mobile gamers. So, the company has launched its second-gen gaming smartphone – ROG Phone 2 in India at the launch event in New Delhi.
Asus ROG Phone 2 is a massive upgrade over its predecessor. It now includes a flagship processor that’s been overclocked to offer more raw power to gamers, a first-of-its-kind display experience, flagship cameras, and a humongous battery. Here’s everything you need to know about ROG Phone 2:
Specs and Features
Asus has designed the ROG Phone 2 to provide you an optimal and comfortable in-hand feel, especially while gaming, says the Taiwanese giant. It still touts the same glass and metal construction as its predecessor, with sharp elements (and iridescent line that only further elevate the look), an air vent on the side, and RGB-lit ROG logo at the center.
The screen is now taller to offer you more real-estate, such that your thumbs don’t collide while you game. If you don’t know the specs, this may come as a surprise for many of you. ROG Phone 2 is the world’s first smartphone with a “120Hz AMOLED display” panel with a 1ms response rate. And well, Razer Phone may be the first to introduce the higher 120Hz refresh rate on a phone but it was a 120Hz LCD panel, not an AMOLED one.
ROG Phone 2 sports a 6.59-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED screen with thick bezels, both at the top and bottom. You shouldn’t mind the big bezels though as they provide you a grip while gaming and houses dual front-facing speakers from the first-gen ROG Phone. It’s a 19.5:9 panel, with 240Hz touch response similar to Black Shark 2, true HDR 10 support, SDR2HDR conversion, and DCI-P3 color gamut support.
ROG Phone 2 was the first to be released with the new overclocked Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset in tow. You also get up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage, which would be enough to not just install a ton of games but capture photos or videos using the flagship-grade cameras (more on this below) in tow.
This second-gen gaming smartphone runs Android 9 Pie-based ZenUI 6, which is the same software experience we have already seen on the Asus 6z. You, however, have the option to choose between a ZenUI Classic and ROG UI theme. The latter gives the phone the true look and feel of a gaming phone. You also get an Armory Crate in tow, which is designed to show you RAM/ CPU usage, adjust the Air Triggers 2 setting, control of ROG logo’s RGB light, fan accessory, and much more.
In the camera department, ROG Phone 2 bring along the same dual rear-camera setup as the company’s flagship ZenFone 6 (or Asus 6z, as it’s called in India). This means you get a primary 48MP (f/1.79) Sony IMX586 sensor and a secondary 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens on the rear. There’s also a 24MP/4C selfie camera in tow and it is such a tiny module that it fits on the same side as the rear cameras.
The highlight of ROG Phone 2, apart from the 120Hz/1ms AMOLED screen, will have to be the humongous 6,000mAh battery baked into this gaming-centric smartphone. You get a 30W HyperCharger in the box and Asus says that it can juice up 66.66% battery in just one hour. You’ve got a vapor chamber, copper heat spreader, and graphite pads inside for heat dissipation.
Talking about connectivity, ROG Phone 2 still includes dual-USB ports – one at the bottom and other on the side for fast-charging and attaching accessories. It sports Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac in India (WiFi 6 supported in international markets), a 3.5mm headphone jack (coupled with 4 microphones), and four Wi-Fi antennas for perfect reception (better latency) while playing your games. If you want a closer look at the ROG Phone 2 and its accessories, don’t forget to check out our YouTube video:
Price and Availability
The Asus ROG Phone 2 has been priced at Rs. 37,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant and that’s an eye-grabbing (read unbelievable) price tag for this gaming phone. You won’t get the new AeroAcive Cooler 2 in the box with this lower-end variant, but Asus is offering you an 18W charger and AeroCase.
You’ll have to shell out Rs 59,999 for 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, coupled with 30W charger and AeroActive Cooler 2 in the box. Asus is now gunning for the upcoming OnePlus 7T, which debuts on September 26, with such an attractive and salivating price tag.
This gaming phone will be one of the launch specials during Flipkart’s Big Billion Day and will go on sale starting from 30th September at 12 noon. You will be able to avail no-cost EMIs for six months and an additional 10% discount with HDFC credit/debit cards.
