The first gaming phone of 2024 has launched in the form of the new ROG Phone 8 from Asus that packs in all the goodies while boasting a more grown-up design over its predecessors. Slimmer, lighter, and better protected from the elements, the ROG Phone 8 still packs all the grunt you need for a slick gaming experience but with increased performance in the camera department.
It’s Still A Gaming Smartphone…
The 6.78-inch Dynamic AMOLED display features FHD+ resolution with 1-120HZ LTPO and a maximum 165Hz refresh rate; brightness levels peak at 2,500 nits.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and featuring 12/16/24GB of LPDDR5X memory, the ROG Phone 8 also benefits from 256/512GB/1TB of speedy UFS 4.0 storage. A big 5,500mAh battery supports 65W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
There are the requisite shoulder triggers (AirTriggers) along with the RGB-lit logo on the rear panel, plus there’s an improved cooling chamber to help keep the processor cool. And when the gaming gets intense, you can always snap on the optional AeroActive Cooler X Fan.
You won’t find two things on the ROG Phone 8: the cooling vent and the gaming aesthetic found on previous models. But, you’ll still find a 3.5mm audio jack and dual-SIM networking, although there is bad news with Asus confirming the lack of e-SIM support. The ROG Phone 8 runs Android 14 out of the box with the ROG UI on top.
But It’s More Than Just A Gaming Phone
Asus wants the ROG Phone 8 to be more of an all-around smartphone with nods to the gaming side rather than an all-out gaming phone that appeals to a more limited audience. Besides wireless charging, the ROG Phone 8 also features IP68 water and dust resistance for the first time.
Gaming phones until now have always lacked in the camera department, with the bar being set at ‘acceptable’ for social media at best. Not so with the ROG Phone 8, which offers a more capable set of cameras, including a 32MP 3x telephoto lens with OIS for the very first time in the range. This sensor also offers 10x “Hyper Clarity Zoom” and up to 30x digital zoom.
The 50MP IMX890 main sensor features Asus’s Gimbal OIS technology, and the 13MP ultra-wide lens packs a free-form lens. The front-facing camera has 32MP but, thanks to pixel binning, will output 8MP images.
AI
Naturally, Asus is including a bunch of AI-enhanced features with the ROG Phone 8, including the following:
- AI Object Sense: Divides the image into multiple sections — sky, sea, and sand, for example — and optimizes the contrast and saturation separately, producing vivid yet natural-looking results
- Quick Shot: Seize the moment with a double press on the volume key: the camera captures three photos instantly, so you don’t miss any significant moments
- Light Trail Mode: This mode uses multi-frame image stacking with AI to create breathtaking long-exposure handheld shots
- Semantic Search in Gallery App: The ROG Phone 8 can use natural language for photo search by adopting multimodal learning. For example: “Show me the sunset photos I took in Tokyo.”, and the system will find the best matches for you
- OZO Audio: You can choose to eliminate wind noise for crystal-clear recordings or capture an immersive, high-fidelity 3D surround-sound experience
Pricing and Availability
The 12/256GB model will go on sale for $1,099, although you can snag a $100 saving if you pre-order the handset. The 16/512GB ROG Phone Pro is priced at $1,199, and the 24/1TB ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition, which includes the AeroActive Cooler X fan will set you back $1,499.
