ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro Review
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is the latest offering from ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) lineup. This time, ASUS has taken a different approach, positioning the ROG Phone 8 Pro not just as a gaming phone, but as an all-around premium phone for everyday use.
ROG Phone 8 Pro Specifications
| CPU | 3.3 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform |
| GPU | Qualcomm® Adreno™ 750 |
| Display | 6.78” AMOLED FHD+ up to 165Hz refresh rate, 2500 nits |
| Memory/Storage | Up to 24GB LPDDR5X RAM / Up to 1TB UFS4.9 ROM |
| Rear Cam | Main: 50MP f/1.9 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 Wide: 13MP, f/2.2, Free-form Lens Tele: 32MP (ROG Phone 8 Pro only), f/2.4, OIS, 3X optical zoom Macro: 5MP (ROG Phone 8 only) |
| Front Cam | 32MP RGBW Actual output photo: 8MP |
| Colorway | Phantom Black |
| Battery | 5,500mAh (typical), Wired 65W HyperCharge, Wireless 15W Qi cert. charging |
| Accessories included in the Box | Aero Case USB-C® to USB-C® cable (120 cm), Ejector pin (SIM tray needle), USB power adapter (65-Watt), Documentation (user guide, warranty card), AeroActive Cooler X (24GB/1TB Pro variant only) |
Build and Design
The ROG Phone 8 Pro showcases a significant evolution in design. While it retains the gamer aesthetics, it has a more lifestyle-oriented look and feel. The bezel thickness has been reduced by 14% compared to the previous version, and the upper bezel has been reduced by a whopping 71% by moving the front camera under the screen.
The body thickness has also been reduced by 15.2%, thanks to a redesigned middle frame and the new E6 Flexible AMOLED screen. The Anime Matrix, a new addition to the ROG Phone series, is more functional than purely aesthetic. It can display notifications, battery status, and even animations, adding a unique touch to the phone’s design.
Specifications and Hardware
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, with up to 1TB UFS 4.0 ROM and up to 24GB LPDDR5X RAM. The phone features a 6.78-inch E6 Flexible AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,500 nits. It also boasts a 94% display-to-body ratio, making it perfect for gaming and multimedia consumption.
Performance
In terms of performance, the ROG Phone 8 Pro is a beast. It outperforms other Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 devices, including the Galaxy S24 Ultra, in various benchmark tests. The phone’s thermal design, featuring a Rapid-cooling Conductor and a 360° SoC Cooling System, ensures that it stays cool even during intense gaming sessions.
However, the lack of AI-functions on the phone makes it less appealing when compared to the AI features that the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers. Despite having the same chipset with improved NPU functions, the ROG Phone 8 Pro lacks apps to maximize it. ASUS tried to incorporate some AI functions on the gaming side of things though. They managed to sneak in some Automatic – AI triggered presets when playing games like Genshin Impact where it will automatically pick up items when auto-running. While this is the case, I still find this a surface-level implementation of AI on a highly powerful smartphone like this.
Artificial Benchmark Results
Antutu Benchmark
Antutu Benchmark is a popular software tool used to measure the performance of smartphones and other mobile devices. It is developed by Antutu, a Chinese software company, and is available for both Android and iOS operating systems.
The benchmark test evaluates the device’s CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), and storage performance. The tool generates an overall score based on the device’s performance in different tests, including CPU and GPU tests, RAM and storage tests, and user experience tests.
The Antutu Benchmark score is commonly used to compare the performance of different mobile devices and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a particular device. Higher scores generally indicate better performance, but it’s important to note that the benchmark score is just one factor to consider when evaluating a device’s overall performance.
Geekbench 6
Geekbench is a cross-platform benchmark tool developed by Primate Labs that measures the performance of a computer’s CPU and GPU. It is designed to evaluate the single-core and multi-core performance of processors, as well as the performance of the system’s memory and compute capabilities.
Geekbench 6 uses a variety of workloads to test different aspects of a system’s performance, including image processing, encryption, and machine learning. The results are reported as a single score for the CPU and GPU, which can be used to compare the performance of different systems.
Geekbench 6 is widely used by hardware enthusiasts, tech reviewers, and manufacturers to test and compare the performance of different computer systems, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, and is regularly updated to support the latest hardware and software platforms.
Geekbench 6 – Single Core
Geekbench 6 – Multi Core
PC Mark 3.0
PCMark for Android is a benchmark tool developed by UL Benchmarks that measures the performance of Android devices, including smartphones and tablets. The tool evaluates the device’s performance in a variety of scenarios, such as web browsing, video playback, and photo editing, and generates an overall score based on the device’s performance.
PCMark for Android includes several benchmark tests, each designed to evaluate a different aspect of the device’s performance. For example, the “Work 2.0” test evaluates the device’s performance in productivity scenarios, such as document editing and data manipulation, while the “Web Browsing 2.0” test evaluates the device’s web browsing performance.
PCMark for Android is widely used by hardware enthusiasts, tech reviewers, and manufacturers to test and compare the performance of different Android devices. It is available for download from the Google Play Store and is compatible with most Android devices running Android 5.0 or later.
Camera Performance
The camera is another area where the ROG Phone 8 Pro shines. It harps around the strengths of the ZenFone series, making it more content-creator and travel-friendly. The phone’s camera system is capable of taking stunning photos, as evidenced by the images taken in Barcelona during a previous travel. The only major issue I’ve got on the device is the lack of zoom features and the photos have less saturation at default.
Landscape and Portrait Photos
Portrait Photos (Rear Camera) and Selfie Shots
Overall, on the camera side of things, the ROG Phone 8 Pro’s cameras is a huge improvement from previous generation. While it lacks certain features that other flagship smartphones have like better zoom cameras and portrait features, I am satisfied with the quality of photos it produced.
Battery Performance
Despite having a lower battery capacity than its predecessor, the ROG Phone 8 Pro offers insane battery life. This can be attributed to the phone’s power-efficient hardware and software optimizations.
Sound Performance
The ROG Phone 8 Pro delivers excellent sound quality, thanks to its dual front-facing speakers and ESS Sabre DAC. Whether you’re gaming, watching movies, or listening to music, you can expect a rich and immersive audio experience.
Price
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is available in three variants:
- ROG Phone 8 – 12GB/256GB – PHP 50,995
- ROG Phone 8 Pro – 16GB/512GB – PHP 60,995
- ROG Phone 8 Pro + AeroActive Cooler X – 24GB/1TB – PHP 75,995
Each variant comes with a freebie: the AeroActive Cooler X for the first two variants and the ROG Cetra True Wireless (Black) for the third variant.
Verdict
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is a fantastic device that offers top-notch performance, a stunning display, excellent cameras, and insane battery life. While it lacks some AI features compared to its competitors, it more than makes up for it with its gaming capabilities and lifestyle-oriented design. If you’re a gamer looking for a premium phone that can handle anything you throw at it, the ROG Phone 8 Pro is definitely worth considering.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
