Over at Computex 2018, Asus has officially unveiled its new gaming-focused smartphone bearing the ROG brand (which we first heard about back in April).
The ROG Phone is billed as the first smartphone in the world to run with a 3D vapor-chamber cooling system, designed to help keep the hardware inside from overheating when running more demanding games.
That hardware consists of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core chip with the clock speed pushed up to 2.96GHz (as opposed to the normal 2.8GHz), and the integrated Adreno 630 GPU is described by Asus as being gaming-optimized.
You can read our hands-on Asus ROG phone now, and you can also check out our first impressions in the video below.
This Snapdragon 845 chip is not just designed for speed, but to minimize thermal throttling – obviously with help from that aforementioned cooling system, which also has a detachable cooler for an extra boost on the overheating prevention front – while still maintaining battery longevity so your gaming sessions on the go aren’t cut short.
The 6-inch screen keeps pace with the core hardware, as it’s an AMOLED display which supports HDR with a 90Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time to help ensure fluid frame rates.
Staying in control
The phone is obviously designed with gamers in mind, and that means side-mounted USB-C ports designed to plug into controller and other gaming accessories, along with highly responsive game-focused controls that include advanced force feedback haptics and a pair of programmable ‘ultrasonic AirTriggers’.
So, this is certainly a nifty looking handset to compete with the rival gaming-focused Razer Phone, and Asus further unveiled a number of optional accessories to go with the ROG Phone.
That includes a TwinView Dock which facilitates a dual-screen handheld mode, and a Mobile Desktop Dock for those who want to use the phone to power a desktop-style gaming experience. There will also be a Gamevice controller, to give you console-like controls, and a WiGig Dock on offer to wirelessly cast your gaming sessions to a big-screen.
Thus far, Asus hasn’t confirmed any details on pricing or availability, but hopefully we’ll hear soon enough. If you’re interested in a potential ballpark measure, the Razer Phone retails at a recommended price of £699 or $699 (around AU$915).
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