ASUS ROG Phone 8 launches with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, muted design

ASUS has been wowing us for years with the ROG Phone series, a modern range of gaming phones packed with impressive hardware, improved cooling and numerous gaming features. As promised, the Taiwanese company has unveiled its latest release, the ASUS ROG Phone 8 series. With the ROG Phone 8 series, ASUS will likely aim to deliver flagship Android experiences. In terms of design, the latest version differs significantly from previous generations. While capacitive shoulder triggers are still available, the company has ditched the ventilation and the typical gaming-focused design we’ve seen on previous devices. So this time around, we have a slightly toned down and slimmer design on the ASUS ROG Phone 8 series, more reminiscent of traditional smartphones, which is consistent with the leaked renders. Additionally, this is the first time a ROG Phone has achieved an IP68 rating, likely because it doesn’t have any ventilation holes. The company has also added wireless charging. So it’s clear that ASUS doesn’t want to limit the series to just gaming-oriented customers and is going all out this time. Still, it’s not like ASUS has missed out on all the great gaming features.In addition to the capacitive triggers, you also get an improved cooling system and an RGB logo on the back. Even though it’s optional, we can’t forget the AeroActive Cooler X fan.

ASUS ROG Phone 8 specs

ASUS ROG Phone 8 is a premium Android phone and the hardware is the same. The ROG Phone 8 and its variants feature the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset paired with an improved cooling system. On the front, we have a 6.78-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, 2,500 nits peak brightness, and 1,600 nits HBM. The ASUS also offers a host of features, including support for Microsoft Phone Link, support for Snapdragon Seamless with the upcoming X Elite laptops, and support for Dirac Virtuo Surround Sound. ASUS ROG Phone 8 also supports artificial intelligence and has improved its gaming experience. You can expect features like AI noise reduction and AI semantic search, which provide more flexible search capabilities within the system. There are also many AI-based game features. Additionally, AI-generated wallpapers will be released in an upcoming update.

The phone is powered by a 5,500 mAh battery, up from 6,000 mAh last year, which is no doubt due to the ROG Phone becoming thinner. Additionally, ASUS has added a 3.5mm port, Bluetooth 5.3 support, Wi-Fi 7 support, and a second USB-C port on the side. Unfortunately, the device does not support eSIM, which has been an integral part of ASUS competitors for years.

ASUS ROG Phone 8 colors, pricing & availability

The latest ROG Phone 8 series from ASUS includes the entry-level ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro and ROG Phone Pro Edition. While the standard ROG Phone 8 is available in two colors: Rebel Gray and Phantom Black, ROG Phone 8 Pro and 8 Pro Edition are only available in Phantom Black. ASUS has confirmed that the ROG Phone 8 will be available for $1,099.99 (€1,099.99 / £949).99) Price of 12GB/256GB model. However, the pre-order price of the phone is $999.99. If you need a larger RAM and storage configuration, the ROG Phone 8 Pro is available with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage for $1,199.99 (€1,199 each).99 / 1,099.99 euros). Meanwhile, the top-end ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition with 24 GB RAM, 1 TB storage and includes AeroActive Cooler.99).

There’s a flagship-grade camera too!

ROG phones have always lagged behind the competition when it comes to the photography experience. However, with the ASUS ROG Phone 8, the company is trying to change this. The ROG Phone 8 is the brand’s most sophisticated design in camera history. For the first time, a ROG Phone features a 3x 32MP telephoto lens. ASUS is also promoting the promising 10x “Hyper Clarity Zoom” and up to 30x digital zoom. In addition to the first telephoto lens, the new ROG Phone has a 50 MP IMX890 main camera with the gimbal stabilization technology that we saw in the Zenfone 10. There is also a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a free-angle lens shape. Finally, on the front there is a 32 MP selfie camera with a larger 90 degree field of view.