A select few Android Phones dominate the smartphone market, but a handful of brands have neatly carved out a specialized niche. Among them is ASUS and their “Republic of Gamers” devices, designed and built specifically for gamers.
At CES 2024, ASUS announced and unveiled the ROG Phone 8, adding key upgrades and improvements to last year’s device (ROG Phone 7) in hopes of appealing to a wider variety of consumers. Let’s see how the devices compare in key specs – this is the ROG Phone 7 vs ROG Phone 8:
| Specification | ROG Phone 7 | ROG Phone 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Display | 6.78″ AMOLED | 6.78″ AMOLED |
| Brightness | 1500 nits peak | 2500 nits peak |
| Dimensions | 173 x 77 x 10.4 mm | 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 239 g | 225 g |
| Battery | 6000 mAh 65W HyperCharge | 5500 mAh 65W HyperCharge 15W wireless charging |
| Rear Camera | 50 MP Main 13 MP Ultrawide 5 MP Macro | 50 MP Main 13 MP Ultrawide 32 MP Telephoto with 3X optical zoom |
| Front Camera | 32 MP | 32 MP |
| Water Resistance | IP54 rating | IP68 rating |
As you can see, the ROG Phone 7 is brighter, more compact, and adds two key features: IP68 water resistance and wireless charging (at 15W). It’s also got a camera that better competes with flagship smartphones like the Galaxy S23/S24, including 3X optical zoom on a 32MP telephoto camera and a 6-Axis mini-gimbal for stabilizing video.
Critics might be disappointed in the less striking design and smaller battery, and although many will appreciate the smaller and lighter frame, not everyone will appreciate how it was achieved: by placing the front-facing camera lens under the screen, potentially detracting from gameplay.
All that being said… it’s STILL the best gaming phone of 2024.
What makes it great for gaming?
If it’s not THAT much of an improvement from the ASUS ROG Phone 7 and includes several tossup tradeoffs, what makes the ROG Phone 8 the best gaming phone of 2024?
Packing top notch computer specs into a small mobile phone body is all about tradeoffs, and in the case of the ROG Phone, ASUS has always prioritized gaming-friendly features over all other. It might not be your perfect gaming package, but it is indeed a complete gaming package.
The ROG 8 is destined to attract a broader audience, but it still has the compelling features that the “Republic of Gamers” have come to love and expect:
- AirTrigger shoulder buttons with gestures like Dual Action, Press and Lift, and Gyroscope Aiming
- Lightning fast display (165 Hz)
- Touchscreen with quick response (720 Hz)
- Focus on cooling
- Amazing battery life (5500 mAh)
Combine those features with accessories designed specifically to enhance the gaming experience, and boom- achievement unlocked:
- The AeroActive Cooler X plugs into your USB-C port, clips onto the back of the ROG Phone 8, and supplies a super-cooling feature that prevents overheating, reduces lag, and extends the life of your device. It also includes 2 additional hardware buttons for advanced gameplay! Learn more here.
- The ROG Tessen Mobile Gaming Controller also plugs into your USB-C port, but in this case it transforms your phone into a full-fledge portable gaming system! It also works as a backup battery, charging your ROG 8 when in use.
AI Features & Integration
Following the AI trend, the ROG Phone 8 incorporates a handful of features made possible by artificial intelligence:
- X Sense 2.0 detects in-game patterns and acts on them, for example, it can automatically collect dropped items from defeated foes!
- X Capture automatically records top moments
- Background mode allows auto-combat games to run in the background without getting paused
- AI Grabber detects in-game text to automatically search tips/tricks/tutorials
You’ll also find AI built into other software features, for example in the camera, where different parts of your photos can be auto-improved depending on what’s detected (land, sky, water, etc).
Light It Up
Lastly, the ROG Phone 8 comes with a fun feature called AniMe Vision that allows user to customize the lighting of the logo and (on the ROG Phone 8 Pro) display a pattern of 341 Mini-LEDs to match their personality.
AniMe Vision can choose from 20+ preset animations or make their own… or unlock secret animations by “touching their phone back-to-back with another ROG Phone 8 Pro / Pro Edition”.
Good luck finding someone else with the same phone, but if you do- let us know what animation gets unlocked! And then message us to get pwnd like a n3wb in a game of your choice.
We’re only 1 week into 2024… how long will it take the ROG Phone 8 to be dethroned as the Best Phone for Mobile Gaming?
Source: Acer
