ASUS ROG Phone 3 Review: Undisputed King Of Gaming

ASUS ROG Phone 3

ASUS ROG is an iconic brand both for laptops and gaming smartphones. Gamers, techies, reviewers and everyone else have come to respect and love this brand. It is truly aspirational and premium in the gaming space. ASUS never spares anything when it comes to features and specifications. I got my hands on the recently released ROG Phone 3 from ASUS. Here is my review after using it for a considerable span of time

ASUS ROG Phone 3

Here are the specifications

ASUS ROG Phone 3

 

ROG Phone 3
Processor 3.1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 865 Plus 5G Mobile Platform with 7nm, 64-bit Octa-core Processor
GPU Qualcomm® Adreno™ 650
UI Android™ 10 with ROG UI
Display 16.73 cm (6.59) 19.5:9 2340×1080 (391ppi) 144Hz/1ms 10-bit HDR AMOLED;
270Hz touch sampling rate, 25ms touch latency, 18ms slide latency
650nits HBM brightness & 1000nits peak brightness, 113% DCI-P3, Delta E <1%;
1.07 billion colors; 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio;
Front 2.5D Corning® Gorilla® 6 Glass;
TÜV Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) and Flicker Reduced certifications for eye comfort;
Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (supports Glove touch)
Memory/ Storage LPDDR5/UFS3.1
Storage 8GB/128GB |12GB/256GB
SD storage no SD-card reader; NTFS support for external USB HDD
Sensor Accelerator, E-Compass, Proximity, Hall sensor*2, Ambient light sensor, in-display fingerprint sensor, Gyro, Ultrasonic sensors for AirTrigger 3 and grip press
Main Rear

Camera

64MP SONY IMX686 sensor, 0.8 µm pixel size – Quad Bayer technology with 16MP, 1.6 µm large effective pixel size, F1.8, 1/1.7” sensor, 2×1 OCL PDAF, LED flash
Second Rear Camera 13MP, 125˚ ultra-wide, F2.4, Real-time distortion correction, 11mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera
Third Rear Camera 5MP Macro, F2.0
Front Camera 24MP, 0.9µm, Quad Bayer Technology, F2.0
27mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera
Video Recording 8K (7680 x 4320) @ 30 fps (main rear camera)
4K HDR (3840 by 2160) @ 30/60 fps (main rear camera), 4K @ 30 fps (second rear camera), Full-HD @ 30/60 fps, HD @ 30 fps, Time Lapse (4K, FHD, HD)
Front camera – 1080p @ 30/60 fps; 720p @ 30 fps
3-axis electronic image stabilization for rear cameras
Slow Motion video (4K @ 120 fps; 1080p @ 240/120 fps; 720p @ 480 fps)
Take still photo while recording video
Speaker Dual front-facing speakers with GameFX & Dirac HD Sound
7-magnet stereo speaker with dual NXP TFA9874 smart amplifier for louder, deeper and less distorted sound effect
Audio Output Hi-Res audio 192kHz/24-bit standard (USB-C™ output) that is 4 times better than CD quality
ROG GameFX audio system for improved in-game audio experience
New AudioWizard with multiple listening profiles tuned by Dirac
Microphone Quad microphones with ASUS Noise Reduction Technology
Wireless

Technology

WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4 & 5GHz and Wi-Fi 6
2×2 MIMO,

Bluetooth 5.1 (SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX TWS+, LDAC )

Wi-Fi Direct support
Navigation GNSS support GPS(L1/L5), Glonass(L1), Galileo(E1/E5a),
BeiDou(B1/B2a), QZSS(L1/L5) and NavIC(L5)
SIM Cards Dual SIM – Dual standby
Slot 1: 5G/4G/3G/2G Nano SIM card
Slot 2: 5G/4G/3G/2G Nano SIM card
5G+4G or 4G dual SIM dual standby support; 5G services are only supported in 5G network-enabled locations in 5G-ready countries.
2G support [GSM] 850/900/1800/1900
3G support HSDPA 850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100

TD-SCDMA Band34/39 (CN and HK only)

4G support LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 28(700),

TD-LTE:34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)

5G support n41/77/78/79
Data rate Support EN-DC(6DL+FR1, 4DL+2FR1)
FR1: DL up to 4.4Gbps / UL 542Mbps
LTE 6CA DL Cat18 up to 2.0Gbps / UL Cat13 up to 150Mbps
DC-HSPA+: DL 42Mbps / UL 5.76Mbps
4×4 MIMO and CA with 4×4 MIMO support
Interface Side-port: 48 pin Customized/Type C connector USB3.1 gen2/DP 1.4(4K)/Fast Charging (QC3.0+QC4.0/PD3.0) / Direct Charge
Bottom-port: Type-C connector USB2.0/Fast Charging (QC3.0/PD3.0)/Direct Charge
NFC Supported (Card mode support in power off)
OS Android™ 10
Battery 6,000mAh (typ) Polymer
Charger Output: 10V 3A, supports up to 30W QC4.0 / PD3.0 / Direct Charge adapter
Dimensions 171mm (6.73 inches), 78mm (3.07 inches), 9.85mm (0.39 inches)
Weight 240 grams (8.47 ounces)

ASUS ROG Phone 3

ASUS ROG Phone 3 is the most powerful ROG Phone ever, using the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G Mobile Platform with advanced 5G mobile communications and Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming capabilities. Featuring the uprated GameCool 3 cooling system, ROG Phone 3 is engineered to deliver non-stop, ultra-smooth performance for the ultimate mobile gaming experience. Blistering speed, smooth performance and absolutely no overheating.

A 144 Hz / 1 ms AMOLED 6.59-inch display provides Delta-E color accuracy of less than one to ensure vivid and accurate imagery, and an industry-leading 25-millisecond touch latency allows a near-instant touch response. The 10-bit display also supports HDR10+ high-dynamic range content for ultimate visual realism. It will be wonderful when apps start supporting this frequency of screen refresh. Absolute pleasure gaming with it.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

An absolutely massive 6000 mAh battery that will enable gamers to go truly mobile while gaming, and sports a 30W ROG HyperCharge system to top-up charge quickly. With ASUS PowerMaster, the smartphone features superb levels of power-saving options, and also has options that help extend the battery life-span. One a single charge, I was able to get over a day and a half on regular usage and roughly 4 to 6 hours of gaming time on the phone. That is humongous in terms of juice.

The distinctive ROG Phone 3 design retains the core gamer-centric benefits of its predecessors, including the unique side-mounted charging port and a monster 6000 mAh battery. The intuitive AirTrigger 3 system now includes a motion sensor in addition to the programmable ultrasonic touch sensors, giving gamers even more ways to control the action. The X-Mode performance-optimization software now supports adjustment of multiple system parameters, making it easier than ever to unlock the full power of ROG Phone 3. Please note that the X mode will use your battery a tad bit more intensively, but that is an acceptable trade off of you are a true blue gamer.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

Fully immersive gaming with total control is the design goal of ROG Phone 3, which retains the pioneering landscape-oriented ergonomic design of its predecessors.

Upgraded AirTrigger 3 technology provides extra-precise ultrasonic touch controls along the edges of the phone. The gesture capabilities of the AirTrigger 3 side sensors have been further enhanced, including a newly added swipe gesture and dual-partition button emulation, giving gamers a console-level gaming experience. There’s also a brand-new motion sensor that adds another gesture to the armory, allowing gamers to control the action by shaking the device: it’s a whole new way to interact with the device. AirTrigger 3 gives gamers the very best controls available on a gaming smartphone, and sets the ultimate bar for the competition.

The unique side-mounted USB-C® charging port lets users keep their battery topped up without cramping their style while gaming. The port also connects accessories such as the AeroActive Cooler 3, which features a pass-through USB-C connector, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a new kickstand on the back to support ROG Phone 3 on a desk or table for a better viewing and gaming experience.

The gameplay experience was fun, it ran smoothly and didn’t skip frames at all. No lag, no nothing, even on games that would lag in any other phone. It was an amazing experience to say the least. The speakers were amazing, it felt like I was actually in the game world, playing it. X mode really enhances gameplay alot by focusing on the gameplay first, and even when the phone ran out of power, it charged back up in no time so I could continue gaming with no other interruptions. A gamer couldn’t ask for more from a phone. Truly perfect in every way.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

Exceptional audio comes naturally thanks to the audio tuning done by Dirac, a Sweden based company, who has helped the ROG Phone 3 to sport crystal clear audio quality even at the highest possible volume and also includes DSP level tuning technologies that help enable this phone to be a true gamer’s smartphone, even without a headphone. The speakers can also easily fill a room effortless with clear and crisp sound.

A range of ROG original accessories for the ROG Phone 3 makes gaming experience truly world-class, with inclusion of a brand-new accessory – the ROG Clip, which lets you connect a gamepad directly to the smartphone, without needing additional software.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

ROG Phone 3 is the most powerful ROG Phone ever, using the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G Mobile Platform, it crosses the 3GHz mark with relative ease, clocking in at an incredible 3.1GHz. The chipset enables staggering multi-gigabit 5G connectivity and advanced Wi-Fi 6 performance, desktop-level gaming with ultra-realistic graphics, professional-quality high-resolution photography, and intuitive AI experiences. ROG Phone 3 also features Snapdragon Elite Gaming, which delivers ultra-smooth HDR gaming experiences with sustained performance for longer periods of time.

With up to 12 GB of the latest LPDDR5 RAM and up to an ultrafast 256 GB UFS 3.1 ROM, ROG Phone 3 delivers the ultimate in overall performance, so gamers can enjoy a super-smooth gaming experience with absolutely no limitations or compromises.

The enhanced X Mode performance-optimization software now allows customization of different system parameters to suit any gaming or using scenario. In conjunction with carefully calibrated defaults for optimum performance, it’s easier than ever for serious gamers to unlock the full power of ROG Phone 3.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

The upgraded GameCool 3 cooling system has a redesigned Copper 3D vapor chamber, a large graphite film behind the screen to maximize heat transfer, and an enlarged heat sink that’s precisely located to eliminate hotspots. The new cooling system is one of the most effective thermal solutions available on a mobile device, and can remove and dissipate the heat generated during full-speed operation via specially designed cooling vents in the back cover. This allows ROG Phone 3 to easily sustain peak performance during heavy gaming sessions, eliminating throttling to give gamers an expert edge against the competition. For extra cooling during marathon gaming sessions, the new AeroActive Cooler 3 clip-on external fan accessory has been completely redesigned to deliver increased airflow to the hotspots on the casing to lower an astounding amount of heat for greater and longer performance. The AeroActive Cooler 3 not only cools the phone, it also offers 3.5mm headphone jack and 30W USB-C charging connectivity, both while comfortably gaming with connected cables kept away from your grip.

Groundbreaking new ROG HyperFusion technology combined with multi-antenna WiFi and 5G allows simultaneous connections to Wi-Fi and the mobile network, with intelligent redirection to whichever has the best signal. This allows mobile gamers to enjoy the strongest possible signal at all times for uninterrupted connections.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

ROG Phone 3 is equipped with a stunning 144 Hz / 1 ms AMOLED 10-bit display. It’s combined with an industry-leading 270 Hz touch-sampling rate that dramatically decreases touch latency to an unprecedented 25ms, delivering the extreme responsiveness needed to sustain a winning streak. To ensure that visuals on ROG Phone 3 look just like the developer intended, each display is carefully color-calibrated to ensure a Delta-E color accuracy of less than one — making it one of the most color-accurate displays available on a smartphone. There’s also HDR10+ high-dynamic range support for enhanced visual realism. To minimize eye strain while delivering impeccable visuals, ROG Phone 3 passes TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) and Flicker Reduced certifications.

ROG Phone 3 also receives a significant upgrade to its audio performance, tuned in collaboration with audio specialist Dirac. The DXOMARK Audio review gives ROG Phone 3 a high score of 75 for its audio performance, the reviewer stating that “ROG Phone 3 seriously upped its audio game, achieving true flagship level.” DXOMARK Audio also noted that “Despite noticeable bass resonances, audio played back through its speakers demonstrates good overall tonal balance, good dynamics, and good intelligibility even at minimum volumes.”

ASUS ROG Phone 3

There’s now a dedicated Game Mode to further enhance in-game sound effects for immersive gameplay. The powerful dual front-facing speakers positioned at the top and bottom of the phone are now more capable of delivering richer and detailed sound, giving perfect stereo imaging in landscape mode thanks to a brand-new pair of 7-magnet large front-firing loudspeakers. ROG Phone 3 also supports Qualcomm aptX Adaptive for low-latency high-quality audio over Bluetooth® connections.

The inbox accessory includes a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter that can be connected to either of the 2 USB-C ports on the phone, allowing easy vertical or landscape grip with ease. The accessory can also be used as a USB Sound card on computers with a USB-C port.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

ROG Phone 3 introduces ROG Connect, a new online social community — built into the Armoury Crate app — that allows ROG Phone 3 owners to join and play with friends or squads, or even wow the crowd with their uploaded genius gameplay footage and screenshots. ROG Phone 3 gives gamers the very best sharing and community experience.

The addition of two new features, the Marked Clip and the Floating app window, helps gamers to quickly capture glory moments in their favourite games, and the latter allows you to multitask in any other app while you’re intensively gaming.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

The Armoury Crate app single handedly can help customizing the software and hardware capabilities of the smartphones, individually for each game or app allowing you complete control.

ROG Phone III is a thorough gaming phone, and is also equipped with flagship cameras as well. This time, with a 64MP IMX686 F1.8 Sony camera sensor with 16MP Quad-bayer performance, an ultra-wide 13MP camera and a 5MP Macro camera. You also get 8K recording, 4K HDR recording up to 60fps, and a Pro Video mode that lets you record up to 8K, and option to choose to use the front mic or back mic when recording. The free zoom on the Pro video mode feature lets the user select which part they want to zoom into without the need to move the camera. This will result in much smoother and professional looking zooming. With HyperSteady Video, the phone utilizes the wide view camera to enable super steady video capture, and the Wind Filter helps to eliminate wind noise when recording videos.

ASUS ROG Phone 3

The Mic Focus features allow the microphone to focus on the subject you zoom-in on, making the sound from the selected subject more prominent.

The front camera is positioned strategically for video stream capture while you’re gaming, kept away from your palm grip for clear vision. It’s a 24MP F2.0 camera with 1.8µm effective pixel size that can capture Full-HD videos and streams up to 60fps

Here are a few sample pictures I took with the phone

The sale starts on 06th August 2020.

The 8GB RAM / 128 GB Storage version retails at : ₹.49,999/-

And the 12GB RAM / 256 GB Storage version retails at : ₹.57,999/-

Verdict:

The ASUS ROG Phone 3 in my books is the 2020 Undisputed King of Gaming by a long distance. More phone than most phones you will see. Absolute best of a gaming phone.

About Shakthi

I am a Tech Blogger, Disability Activist, Keynote Speaker, Startup Mentor and Digital Branding Consultant. Also a McKinsey Executive Panel Member. Also known as @v_shakthi on twitter. Been around Tech for two decades now.

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