Asus ROG Phone aims to be the ultimate gaming smartphone

Cramming gaming PC technology into a handset

Over at Computex 2018, Asus has officially unveiled its new gaming-focused smartphone bearing the ROG brand (which we first heard about back in April).

The ROG Phone is billed as the first smartphone in the world to run with a 3D vapor-chamber cooling system, designed to help keep the hardware inside from overheating when running more demanding games.

That hardware consists of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core chip with the clock speed pushed up to 2.96GHz (as opposed to the normal 2.8GHz), and the integrated Adreno 630 GPU is described by Asus as being gaming-optimized.

This Snapdragon 845 chip is not just designed for speed, but to minimize thermal throttling – obviously with help from that aforementioned cooling  system, which also has a detachable cooler for an extra boost on the overheating prevention front – while still maintaining battery longevity so your gaming sessions on the go aren’t cut short.

The 6-inch screen keeps pace with the core hardware, as it’s an AMOLED display which supports HDR with a 90Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time to help ensure fluid frame rates.

Staying in control

The phone is obviously designed with gamers in mind, and that means side-mounted USB-C ports designed to plug into controller and other gaming accessories, along with highly responsive game-focused controls that include advanced force feedback haptics and a pair of programmable ‘ultrasonic AirTriggers’.

So, this is certainly a nifty looking handset to compete with the rival gaming-focused Razer Phone, and Asus further unveiled a number of optional accessories to go with the ROG Phone.

That includes a TwinView Dock which facilitates a dual-screen handheld mode, and a Mobile Desktop Dock for those who want to use the phone to power a desktop-style gaming experience. There will also be a Gamevice controller, to give you console-like controls, and a WiGig Dock on offer to wirelessly cast your gaming sessions to a big-screen.

Thus far, Asus hasn’t confirmed any details on pricing or availability, but hopefully we’ll hear soon enough. If you’re interested in a potential ballpark measure, the Razer Phone retails at a recommended price of £699 or $699 (around AU$915).