Asus’s ROG phone series has carved out a niche for itself by offering the best specifications and gaming experience out of any Android phone. This has naturally created a lot of buzz surrounding the next iteration called the Asus ROG Phone 8. Here is everything you need to know about it.
When will the Asus ROG Phone 8 launch?
Confirmed by Asus itself, the lineup is set for launch on January 8th at CES in Las Vegas, followed by the China release on January 16th.
Asus ROG Phone 8: Design and Display
Traditionally, the ROG phone series featured top and bottom bezels housing dual front-facing speakers. However, a video from the Chinese ROG account suggests a significant change. This is because the ROG Phone 8 will sport a punch-hole cutout in the display and slimmer bezels.
When talking about the back, official close-up renders reveal a pentagon-shaped camera cutout housing a rectangular triple camera unit at the top left corner. While Asus hasn’t confirmed official colors, renders showcase a dual-tone design, with a diagonal line across the back, complemented by the RGB Asus ROG logo. Additionally, in line with its predecessor, the phone will retain a side-mounted USB Type-C port.
In terms of display, while there haven’t been specific leaks or renders, some rumors suggest a 6.82-inch panel for the ROG Phone 8. Building upon the ROG Phone 7, the display is expected to offer features like 165Hz refresh rate, peak brightness of 1500 nits, and HDR support.
Specifications
Specs have been the biggest selling point of the ROG phone series, and the ROG Phone 8 will be no exception. This is because the device will reportedly house the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, featuring a high-performance Cortex-X4 core clocked at 3300 MHz, five medium-performance Cortex-A720 cores, and two efficient Cortex-A520 cores running at 2260 MHz, paired with the Adreno 750 GPU.
Moreover, in classic Asus fashion, the chip will be overclocked to extract the maximum performance. This was evident in the leaked Geekbench scores, where the ROG Phone 8 Pro (another variant of the device) scored 2,271 points in single-core and 7,360 points in multicore. In addition to the processor, the phone would offer up to 24GB of RAM and at least 512GB of storage.
Cameras
Considering that Asus has primarily focused on gaming, cameras have never been the main selling point. However, recent reports suggest a shift in focus, as Asus appears to be emphasizing the camera department, evident by a new blind camera comparison contest hosted by the company. Although specific details about the camera sensors are unclear, rumors hint at a 108MP main sensor.
Software
While Asus does have its Android flavor called ROG UI, the skin remains lightweight and closely resembles the stock Android, with some additional gaming-focused features such as X mode. The Asus ROG Phone 8 will come with Android 14 out of the box, and judging by its predecessor, the phone will receive at least two years of OS updates and four years of security patches.
Battery and Charging
When talking about the battery capacity, the ROG Phone 8 will reportedly include a staggering 6,000mAh battery and 65W fast charging. However, there’s no confirmation regarding wireless charging support.
How much will the Asus ROG Phone 8 cost?
Rumors indicate that the phone could cost around $1,000 or 79,990 Indian Rupees. However, it is important to note that the pricing may vary based on the specific variant.
