Mobile gaming has certainly come a long way, from the good ol’ days of playing Snake on a physical number pad, to gunning down enemies with trusty buddies in competitive titles like PUBG Mobile, and soon, battle royale sensation Apex Legends. The rise of gaming-oriented phones, thus, is hardly surprising, with industry veteran ASUS pushing out one of their own under the ROG Phone branding.
And it sure was a well-received first outing, too. Impressing users with its fast refresh rate, visual prowess, processing speed, and dedicated peripherals, the phone has established itself as the one to beat upon its launch. It doesn’t mean ASUS has been resting on its laurels, however, following up the debut showing with a more powerful beast of a successor – the ROG Phone II.
First announced slightly less than two months ago, the newest member of the family is set to build upon its predecessor’s convex design for maximum gripping comfort, while welcoming a host of upgrades. In a world’s first, the ROG Phone II is outfitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform and a 120Hz/1ms AMOLED display refresh rate, which promises a smoother, faster, and more responsive gaming experience.
The performance front is enhanced further with a GameCool II 3D vapour-chamber cooling system, alongside the accompanying mix of AirTrigger II touch controls, Dual Surrounding Vibration technology, and capable front-facing stereo speakers, that increases the overall immersiveness.
Where 4,000mAh remains the industry norm for mobile battery life, the ROG Phone II comes extremely well-equipped with a 6,000mAh battery, so users can say hello to longer gaming sessions while on the go. The increased stamina hardly compromises on the charging rate as well, with its HyperCharge direct-charging technology allowing for shorter, safer charge times.
Those seeking out that extra oomph of power, meanwhile, can turn to the ROG Phone II Ultimate Edition bonus option. Featuring an exclusive new colour theme and upgraded specifications that include a massive 1TB ROM, it offers the welcome integration of design, technology, and function.
Outside of the numbers game, ASUS has also teamed up with various renowned game developers to bring exclusive in-game content, optimised performance, and early Closed Beta access to owners. Blazing Games Inc, Capcom, Gameloft, and MADFINGER Games have all hopped on board with different benefits in tow.
The price and availability in Singapore have yet to be announced, but considering how its predecessor retailed at S$1,598, the ROG Phone II is expected to hit S$1,600 and above. It’s a little pricey, but you know how the saying goes: quality comes with a price.
Interested gamers in Singapore can register your interest here, and be invited the moment pre-orders start on October 1st.
Specifications
| Model | Asus ROG Phone II |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie) |
| CPU | Qualcomm SDC855 Snapdragon 855 Plus (7 nm) 64-bit octa-core processor |
| Display | 6.59-inch, 19:5:9 (2340 x 1080 pixels) 120Hz/1ms AMOLED 10-bit HDR display , 600 nits Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Memory | 256/512 GB Ultimate Edition: UFS 3.0 1TB Up to LPDDR4x12GB RAM |
| Camera | Rear 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide) 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm (125 degrees ultrawide) Front 24 MP, f/2.2 |
| Dimensions | 171 x 77.6 x 9.5mm |
| Weight | 240g |
| Battery | 6,000mAh |
| Colour(s) | Black |
| Retail Price | TBC |
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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Edwin Teo
