A gaming writer reviews ASUS' latest gaming smartphone, the ROG Phone 8! Superior gaming performance plus camera and other features make it even better and more convenient!

The following is a list of the variations of the model that will be available for sale.

ROG Phone 8 model list

ROG Phone 8* Body color: Level Gray/Phantom Black

Memory: 16GB/Storage: 256GB......159,800 yen (including tax)

ROG Phone 8 Pro* Body color: Phantom Black

Memory: 16GB / Storage: 512GB......179,800 yen (including tax)

ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition* Body color: Phantom Black

Memory: 24GB/Storage: 1TB......219,800 yen (including tax)

Basically, models are distinguished by memory and storage capacity. The regular and Pro models differ only in storage capacity in terms of performance. The Pro Edition, on the other hand, boasts 24GB of memory and 1TB of storage, the highest level of specifications for a gaming smartphone.

In this paper, we will provide a review of the sample version of this device after touching it. In addition to performance features and advantages, we will also report on how well it runs major titles.

High-spec smartphone with excellent gaming performance

Like its predecessor, the "ROG Phone 7" (hereafter referred to as "7"), this device is specialized for gaming. First of all, regarding the graphics system, the screen size is 6.78 inches with a resolution of Full HD+ (2400 x 1080). The OLED display has a variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz, with a maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz. 6.78" large screen can be smoothly rendered, ensuring good visibility even in fast-moving games such as FPS.

The SoC is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for high-end smartphones, which stands for "System on a Chip," a chip that integrates the main functions of a device, including the CPU for processing various operations and the GPU for graphic rendering capabilities. SoC refers to a chip that integrates the main functions of a device, such as the CPU, which processes various operations, and the GPU, which handles graphics. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is 30% faster CPU and 25% faster GPU than its predecessor, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It is now capable of handling more complex and demanding games.

What impressed me personally was the appearance: one USB Type-C port is located on the bottom and one on the left side of the device. By using the bottom when holding the device vertically and the left side insert when holding it horizontally, the cable will not get in the way when playing games while charging.

Left side

Bottom. From right to left: USB Type-C terminal, SIM card insertion slot, speaker, and earphone jack.

Incidentally, although the screen size is the same as that of the "7," the "8" is slimmer in appearance and lighter in weight. The "7" is 173mm long, 77mm wide, 10.3mm deep, and weighs 239g, while the "8" is 163.8mm, 76.8mm, 8.9mm, and 225g respectively. It would be nice to have a smartphone that is even a little easier to handle.

In addition, the "ROG Phone" series is packed with familiar features. Gamers will appreciate the "AirTrigger," which allows users to indirectly tap on the screen by pressing in the corners, and the "Game Genie," which allows users to tweak various settings on the device and check the performance status in real time during operation.

The change from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor has further improved performance and slimmed down the exterior, and features such as AirTrigger and GAME GENIE, which are familiar to the ROG Phone series, have also been added. GAME GENIE," the ROG Phone 8 has become more sophisticated as a gaming smartphone.

The 8 also features enhanced camera functionality. There are three types of cameras on the back: a main camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera, and a telephoto camera. The main camera has 50 megapixels, the ultra-wide-angle camera has 13 megapixels, and the telephoto camera has 32 megapixels.

I played "Genshin Impact," "Collapse: Star Rail," and "Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile."

From here, I will write about my impressions after actually playing games on the "8". For the samples, we selected "Genshin Impact," "Collapse: StarRail" and "Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.

Genshin Impact

First up is "Genshin Impact. This is an action game by Chinese game maker miHoYo. Players explore the world of Teiwat in search of a brother and sister who were separated during a battle. This is an open-world type game, and the appeal of this game is that players can freely move around in a tremendously large field.

The frame rate was changed from 30 to 60 while the picture quality setting was set to "highest. We tested a wide range of potentially demanding actions, such as exploring the field, fighting enemies, and swimming around underwater, and the frame rate remained at 60 throughout the entire game.
Processing slowdowns occurred only for a few seconds right after starting the game, and after that, the game was stable. Genshin Impact" is one of the most demanding social game titles, so if this level of performance can be achieved comfortably, it seems that other applications can be played with little problem.

Collapse: Star Rail

Next up was "Collapse: StarRail. Like "Genshin Impact," this game was developed by miHoYo, and is an RPG in which the main character, who has been implanted with a substance called "star core," adventures through the galaxy as a member of the "star-culture train" that pioneers the universe. Unlike "Genshin Impact," in which battles are action-based, this game uses a turn-based system in which enemies and allies fight in a fixed order.

The game is played with the picture quality set to "High" and the frame rate set to the maximum limit of 60. The frame rate was maintained at 60, even though I used functions to increase battle speed and other features to efficiently complete battles. This game has elaborate camera work and effects, which should have a certain amount of load, but we did not feel any impact on the game play, and there was no delay in button input. It was just as comfortable as with Genshin Impact.

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile

The last game we played was "Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile," a smartphone version of "Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0," which was released in 2022. The game is a battle royale in which many players descend on a single field and fight until they are the last man standing, while procuring weapons and various other equipment locally. The battle royale mode has several rules, including a "solo" mode where you fight alone, as well as a "multiplayer" mode where you can enjoy "team deathmatch" and "domination". Although it is a free title, it is a great value title that offers both battle royale and multiplayer play.

We selected "high" for picture quality and "no limit" for frame rate, and played the battle royale mode for about an hour. As a result, the frame rate hovered around 40-60. Perhaps because the game is set in a large field, and the graphics are realistic, it seems that a certain amount of load is placed on the machine.

Nevertheless, at least in this review, no processing downtime was observed. The operation feel is very good, thanks in part to the AirTrigger function. The ability to aim and shoot, albeit pseudo, at the touch of a button is a major strength of the ROG Phone series, including the "8".

The heat exhaust function, which can keep the temperature at around 40 degrees Celsius, is very good.

After playing three games, I was impressed by the ROG Phone 8's excellent heat exhaust capability. Direct contact with the heat source, the processor in the center of the device, was not a problem.

According to the official announcement, the 8, which introduces the GameCool 8 and 360° SoC Cooling System Gen 2 cooling mechanisms, is 22% more thermally efficient than the 7. The heat felt through the fingers is even lower than it actually is.

The "8" has a new processor and cooling system, while retaining the AirTrigger and other existing features. Furthermore, the camera and other functions have been tweaked to make the ROG Phone series, which had previously specialized in gaming, even more convenient. As the successor to the 7, it has evolved well. We can confidently recommend this gaming smartphone to those who want to play social games that require higher specs and who want a high-quality smartphone that can be used for both gaming and everyday use.