The Asus ROG Phone 5 Review: The Ultimate Mobile Gaming Experience!

Hey there, dear readers This is my first review post, and I hope it provides you with the most accurate information about the product I'm about to describe. So, without further ado, let's get started.

Gaming cellphones have established a place for themselves in the Android market over the last several years. Users are drawn to gaming phones because they want that extra oomph in performance, trigger buttons for FPS games, and the RGB jazz. Asus is a well-known name in the gaming business, and it has been producing gaming smartphones since 2018. Now, early this year, Asus released the ROG Phone 5 series in India, bringing us another formidable beast. The firm bypassed the ROG Phone 4 (since the number four is considered unlucky in China) and went straight to the ROG Phone 5 name with this announcement. The gadget has been available in India for three months, and if you are on the fence about acquiring this gaming phone, we have you covered. Continue reading to find out if the Asus ROG Phone 5 is worth your money.

Review of the Asus ROG Phone 5:-

ROG Phone 5 Specifications:-

What's Inside the Box?

Power adaptor for Asus ROG Phone 5 30W HyperCharge QC 4.0

USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable

Case for Aeroplanes

Stickers ROG

User guide and warranty card

Asus Rog Phone 5 Design:-

With the ROG Phone 5, Asus has embraced the unmistakable ROG design. While there hasn't been much change in terms of appearance since the ROG Phone 3, there have been a few adjustments to the phone's design language. The distinctive ROG logo has been relocated to a lower position than normal at the back. The new logo design is one aspect of this design that I really appreciate. The dot-matrix display from Asus' ROG laptop series has been incorporated into the ROG logo. Rather than a basic RGB-lit logo, this offers the ROG Phone 5 a more distinct and game-like appearance.

The volume rockers and colored power button are located on the phone's right side, while the left side has an extra USB-C port and accessory connection Pogo pin connector. On the right side of the phone, you'll also discover two touch-shoulder buttons. There's also a notification LED light on the front, which is nice to see in this day and age of always-on screens.

The return of the 3.5mm headphone port at the bottom is perhaps the most beneficial update in the ROG Phone 5. In case you missed it, Asus eliminated the 3.5mm headphone port with the ROG Phone 3, but it is now back on the company's newest gaming phone. The standard USB-C connector is also available at the bottom.

Ergonomics and Construction:-

Display:-

Given the display size, a QHD (2K) display on the ROG Phone 5 would have been preferable. However, the Full-HD+ display is enough and keeps the gadget running, whether used for gaming or video watching. Notably, the smartphone is free of the dreaded black crush problem that plagued the ROG Phone 3.

Furthermore, the 144Hz frame rate provides a fluid surfing experience, and scrolling through Twitter conversations or Instagram Reels is a joy. Furthermore, with the return of PUBG Mobile to India in the guise of BGMI, the 300Hz touch sampling rate will be useful for shooting down adversaries.

According to the firm, Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus is used for further protection. Glass Victus has twice the scratch resistance of Gorilla Glass 6 and can withstand falls of up to 2 meters.

Performance:-

The Snapdragon 888 5G chipset found under the hood ensures that the Asus ROG Phone 5 delivers on performance. We've included synthetic benchmarks, game performance data, and information regarding the device's thermals.

Benchmarks

Here are the AnTuTu and Geekbench results for the ROG Phone 5 with X mode (Asus' performance mode) enabled:

Thermals and gaming performance

Throughout this study, I checked out some of the most popular Android games, such as Battlegrounds Mobile India, Call of Duty, and Genshin Impact. All games were set to the maximum feasible settings. While playing demanding games on the ROG Phone 5, I found that it becomes considerably warm after an hour of continuous action. That isn't totally a negative thing, though.

Asus worked hard to improve heat dissipation with the ROG Phone 5. As a result, the gadget makes an effort to distribute the extra heat created when executing various resource-intensive operations. While the gadget does heat up when pushed to its limits during prolonged gaming sessions, it does not become uncomfortably hot.

According to Asus' temperature measuring overlay (see figure below), the device reached temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius during my gameplay sessions. However, I didn't observe frame drops reviews or learn anything about it. This gadget does not overheat when used daily.

Don't get me wrong: if you play games for hours on end, the back of the gadget, particularly the middle, will grow hot. But it's nothing to be concerned about. If you want to keep the temperatures under control, consider purchasing the Aeroactive Cooler 5, which costs an extra Rs.3,000. Unfortunately, Asus does not include the cooler with the ROG Phone 5 basic model.

One of the YouTubers conducted a thorough CPU and game performance test on the ROG Phone 5. It should provide you with a better understanding of the phone's overall performance. Check out the video link below:

       Here is the Link

Camera:-

The cameras are one area where the ROG Phone 5 falls considerably short of its premium counterparts. However, for a gaming phone, it's not terrible. On the back, Asus has utilized a 64MP f/1.8 Sony IMX686 sensor, a 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP f/2.0 macro camera. On the front, there is also a 21MP camera for selfies. A telephoto lens is one conspicuous absence here.

While the primary camera performs admirably, the ultra-wide lens fails to keep the colors vibrant. The 64MP camera produces color-accurate and vibrant images with minimal post-processing, which I like. On the other hand, the ultra-wide sensor is unable to keep up, resulting in color discrepancy.

I haven't used the phone yet, so I can't give you an honest assessment of the camera's quality.

Audio quality:-

If the return of the headphone jack isn't enough to pique your interest, the inclusion of the ESS Sabre ES9280AC Pro DAC will. It supports up to 32-bit/384kHz sampling rates, which should be handy if you have audiophile headphones for Hi-Fi listening. Now that Apple Music Lossless Audio is out and Spotify HiFi is on the horizon, the ROG Phone 5 is the simplest way to get started in the audiophile world. If you don't already have an Apple Music membership, we recommend that you obtain one and activate lossless audio in Apple Music to hear the subtle nuances in your favorite music.

Not to mention the amazing stereo speakers that Asus has included with the ROG Phone 5. The Dirac-tuned stereo front-facing speakers can provide strong and vibrant sound. And when I say loud, I mean very loud. And the greatest thing is... Even if you turn up the level to 110%, the sound does not get distorted. It is without a doubt the finest audio output I have heard from a smartphone speaker in a long time. Asus also included an Audio Wizard companion software that allows you to customize the scenario effect and equalization presets.

Connectivity:-

The ROG Phone 5 offers dual-band Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 3 antenna and 22 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.2, and 5G connection. The device supports the 5G bands n1, n3, n7, n8, n20, n28, n38, n41, n77, n78, and n79, making it one of the finest 5G phones in India. While we won't receive 5G across all of these bands, it's a nice feature to have when 5G becomes a reality soon. It's also worth noting that the handset does not support mmWave 5G.

During my time with the smartphone, I had no problems with call quality or network connectivity. The calls were clear, and no one on the other end complained about voice dropouts. If you have a stable Wi-Fi connection, you may also enable Wi-Fi calling from the Settings menu to improve indoor call reception. The Bluetooth connection with TWS earphones and my Mi Band was quite strong, as expected from a premium phone.

In terms of phone calls, the Asus ROG Phone 5 has a dual nano-SIM card slot. However, you won't be able to increase the capacity with a microSD card, which is a bit frustrating for power users.

Software:-

The ROG Phone 5 is powered by Android 11 with the ROG UI on top. It comes with what Asus refers to as the Star Ship theme out of the box. It's a little too...gamey. Fortunately, you can switch to a Classic theme with a stock Android-like feel by going to Settings -> Themes & Wallpapers -> My Themes. You may also look through Asus' theme store to pick a theme that fits your tastes. Of course, you could always install an Android launcher to customize your phone. In my experience, I did not encounter any serious software problems or issues during my usage.

Aside from appearances, the Armoury Crate app simplifies gaming-related changes on the ROG Phone 5. This program allows you to create scenario profiles for each game, switch between gaming modes – X Mode, Dynamic, and Ultra-durable – and even manually change the thermal limit, CPU, GPU, and RAM performance. This software also allows you to modify the sliding sensitivity, sliding precision, key mapping, examine AirTriggers settings, and touch sensitivity for particular games. In a nutshell, Armoury Crate acts as a good control center for fine-tuning the device's performance.

When it comes to the ROG UI, the UI elements are similar to stock Android, but Asus has added some useful features, such as a Battery care feature that allows you to schedule charging and set the charging limit to extend the battery's lifespan, and Game Genie – a game overlay that offers quick controls to system tasks and allows you to record gameplay.

Software Updates:-

Having said that, one important element of the software to consider before purchasing the ROG Phone 5 is software upgrades. ROG phones often have delayed software upgrades, and the ROG Phone 5 is no different. As of writing this review, the device is still running the April security patch, even though it is now July!

When it comes to the ROG range, the ROG Phone 2 debuted with Android 9 Pie and has yet to receive the Android 11 upgrade. Furthermore, the Asus ROG Phone 3, which shipped with Android 10 out of the box, only recently began receiving the Android 11 beta. And this is happening at a time when Android 12 is only a few months away.

Charging and Battery Life:-

One disappointing aspect of the ROG Phone 5 offered in India is that it comes with a 30W power adaptor, as opposed to the worldwide edition, which comes with a 65W charging brick. While this is unquestionably preferable to having no power brick (looking at you, Apple, and other manufacturers that took advantage of the situation), it is difficult to obtain an approved 65W charger in India. Now that that's out of the way, here are the charging times and battery tests I ran on the ROG Phone 5.

Charging time

When I was researching the charging capabilities of the ROG Phone 5, I discovered that charging the device from 0 to 50% takes 35 minutes. The device reached 43 percent in the first 30 minutes. The ROG Phone 5's battery was 75% charged after 50 minutes. It took an hour and 15 minutes to fully charge the smartphone. These statistics are less than what the gadget is capable of because Asus still includes a 30W adapter with the ROG Phone 5 in India. While a 30W charger is likely better for battery endurance, if you want to fully exploit the handset's capabilities, you need to invest in a 65W charger (perhaps this 65W GaN charger from Stuffcool).

Pros and Cons of the Asus ROG Phone 5                       

Pros 

144Hz display

Excellent performance

Long battery life

Outstanding stereo speakers

Features for gaming

Cons

hefty and massive

There is no wireless charging, no IP certification, and no storage expansion.

Inconsistent and delayed software updates

Ordinary cameras

In the box, there is a 30W charger.

Asus ROG Phone 5 Review: Does It Live Up to Asus' Gaming Prestige?

ROG Phone 5 remains an appealing bundle for anybody in the market for a beefed-up and powerful gaming phone. Although Asus has toned down the game player look of the ROG series since its launch, the ROG Phone 5 is still unabashedly a gaming phone. If you're searching for a cheaper Snapdragon 888 alternative, the iQOO 7 Legend (starting at Rs. 39,990) is a good option, as long as you're comfortable with Funtouch OS.

The ROG Phone 5 is not cheap, with a starting price of Rs. 49,999. If you are not a gamer and just want a phone with a huge screen, there are other alternatives, including the S21 Ultra (Rs. 1,15,990), OnePlus 9 Pro (starts at Rs. 64,999), as well as the Mi 11X Pro (starts at Rs. 39,990). Indeed, Asus' irregular software update situation, the device's weight, and average cameras make me cautious to suggest the ROG Phone 5 to a casual user who does not play a lot of games.

Having said that, if you're looking for a gaming phone, the ROG Phone 5 is a good choice. If gaming is one of your top three priorities and frequent software updates and camera performance aren't important to you, you won't be disappointed with the ROG Phone 5.

As of now, it is not accessible in India; however, as soon as it becomes available, I will notify you all.

As I stated at the beginning, this is my first review and I have not used this product, so if you see any errors in the post, please let me know by providing your suggestions.

Pathakji...