Asus has its gaming-centric ROG laptop series and it recently extended ROG's branding to smartphones. After the original ROG Phone, Asus brought ROG Phone 2, which has finally made it to India in its full glory. The company revealed competitive pricing for the gaming flagship, which is packed with unbelievable specs.
The second-gen gaming-centric flagship smartphone by Asus was launched in New Delhi on Monday, sharing the complete details about ROG Phone 2 for the Indian consumers. Before we jump right into the crazy specifications of the phone and our first impressions, here's how much it is going to cost in India along with the sale details.
ROG Phone 2 8GB+128GB: Rs 37,999
ROG Phone 2 12GB+512GB: Rs 59,999
ROG Phone 2 base model goes on sale via Flipkart starting September 30. Buyers can avail 10 percent instant discount on ICICI bank credit cards and Axis bank cards and no-cost EMI for 6 months. The top-end variant with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage is expected to hit the shelves soon, but there's no final date for it yet.
ROG Phone 2 completely justifies being a gaming flagship, not just by its specs, but also with the range of accessories Asus offers. If you're a serious mobile gamer, ROG Phone 2 can be paired with several accessories aimed to enhance the gaming experience like no other phone in the market.
Asus has a TwinView Dock for Rs 19,999, a Mobile Desktop station for Rs 12,999 and ROG Kunai Gamepad for Rs 9,999. While the smartphone comes with a 10W charger in the box, there's a ROG 30W charger sold separately for Rs 1,999.
Now, let's take a look at the ROG Phone 2 as a flagship and a gaming phone.
ROG Phone 2 has the most unique design for a smartphone and it easily strikes as a gaming phone with those sharp aesthetics, ROG's iconic logo that lights up, well-thought aerodynamics, air triggers for games and the mix of grey and orange colours to create a visually-striking flagship. We have been using the phone for the last couple of days and it feels handy despite contrary appearance.
ROG Phone 2 comes with a Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a good move considering serious gamers would want to connect their high-end gaming headphones while playing their favourite game. The volume controls and power/lock button are on the right and there's another Type-C port on the left to connect your accessories. There are front-facing speakers, which are a boon whether you're into gaming or just wish to stream movies.
Inside the box, there's an Aero Case, which is the coolest phone case ever. It doesn't hide the ROG branding and looks like a part of the phone. Overall, the ROG Phone 2's design is stunning.
Coming to the display, it's one of a kind. The 6.59-inch screen has a Full HD+ resolution, Gorilla Glass 6, no notch and slim bezels on the top and bottom. But the biggest highlight is the 120Hz refresh rate with 1ms response time and 10-bit HDR support. The upgrade is evident, especially if you're coming from a 60Hz display, which is the standard for most smartphones out there. You will never go back to 60Hz after experiencing ROG Phone 2's 120Hz panel. The handset also boasts an in-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock, both of which work flawlessly.
For a smartphone to be so focused on gaming, Asus has left no stone unturned in packing the powerhouse element. There's a Snapdragon 855+ running the show, LPDDR4X RAM, UFS 3.0 storage, DTS: X Ultra support on front speakers, upgraded ultrasonic Air Triggers 2, and an ever-lasting 6,000mAh battery.
But the best part about the phone is that it doesn't feel heavy, as the weight is distributed well enough to let you handle the phone with ease - be it for binge-watching your favourite shows or playing PUBG Mobile in a row.
Asus has surely not forgotten the cameras while giving importance to the gaming aspect. There's a 48MP primary camera paired with 13MP 125-degrees ultra-wide-angle lens on the back and the front camera is equipped with a 24MP sensor. The handset is powered by Android 9 Pie with a custom ROG UI, which doesn't take you away from the stock experience or responsiveness of it.
There's just so much ROG Phone 2 offers, it is almost unbelievable. Whether or not you're looking for a gaming smartphone, ROG Phone 2 can be your daily driver in a densely populated premium smartphone market. Stay tuned for a full review coming up soon.
