Asus ROG Phone 8 Launched: A Proper Camera And Gaming Phone Rolled In One
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Asus joined the CES 2024 festivities by kicking off its presence with the launch of the ROG Phone 8 series. In addition to improved internal hardware, the new gaming smartphones feature a design overhaul and camera systems, which makes them closer to a proper smartphone than before.
Asus ROG Phone 8 (Pro) design
Starting with the exterior, both the ROG Phone 8 and Phone 8 Pro feature a slimmer and lighter build at 8.9 mm thin and 225 grams, respectively. The dimensions and weight are substantial reductions from the ROG Phone 7 (review) which measured 10.5 mm thick and tipped the scales at 239 grams. Both new entries also come with upgraded IP68 dust and water resistance certification.
The main design difference between the standard ROG Phone 8 and the Phone 8 Pro is the former has a familiar lit-up Aura RGB logo at the back while the Pro gets a dynamic and customizable white LED matrix called Anime. Think of the latter as the Glyph interface found in Nothing's Phone 2 (review).
The display panel on this year's Asus gaming device is the same 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a 165 Hz refresh rate. However, this now uses LTPO tech for additional variable refresh rates between 1 Hz and 120 Hz and outputs higher peak brightness at 2,500 nits. In addition, the thick top and bottom bezels have been replaced with a punch-hole camera cutout, consequently shaving the footprint of these gaming phones.
Furthermore, the dual front-facing speakers on both handsets were replaced with a combination of one front and one bottom-firing speaker. Asus' signature should trigger buttons on one side have been retained and sit alongside the volume rocker and power key.
Asus ROG Phone 8 (Pro) internals
Qualcomm's vanilla Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC powers the ROG Phone 8 and Phone 8 Pro. Meanwhile, the memory ranges from 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256 GB UFS 4.1 storage for the base model up to 24 GB/1 TB storage for the top-of-the-line option.
While battery capacity has been reduced from 6,000 mAh to 5,500 mAh, the improved chipset's efficiency could compensate for the smaller cell. Asus is also throwing in 15-watt Qi wireless charging on top of a 65-watt wired charging that promises going from 0 to 100 percent in just 39 minutes.
Asus also redesigned the cooling system on the ROG Phone 8. It now uses a conduction-based thermal system which is much smaller, not to mention increased effectiveness up to 20 percent compared to the ROG Phone 7. Alternatively, you can pair the Phone 8 with the new Aero Active Cooler X accessory for additional cooling.
First on the ROG Phone range is a new 32 MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom that complements the 50 MP Sony IMX-890 primary sensor. The latter also inherits the 6-axis hybrid Gimbal stabilization found in the Asus Zenfone 10 (review). There is a usual 13 MP ultrawide snapper on both camera phones while the non-Pro ditches the telephoto lens in favor of an irrelevant macro sensor.
Asus ROG Phone 8 (Pro) price and availability
Asus plans to open pre-orders for the ROG Phone 8 in the USA along with Europe and major markets in Asia soon. The base costs $1,000 a pop while the ROG Phone 8 Pro with more RAM and double the storage retails for $1,200. You can get the fully loaded ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition with 24 GB/1 TB for $1,500, which is bundled with the Active Cooler X.
What are your thoughts on the new design and specs of the Asus ROG Phone 8? Do you intend on buying one? We're eager to hear your answers.
