Asus ROG is a popular brand known to make premium gaming hardware and computers. Last year, they brought a gaming-oriented phone to the market to tempt all mobile gamers out there.

We got to play with the second iteration of the ROG Phone, the ROG Phone II, and we were curious to know whether the gaming badge on a phone even make sense, considering it has similar specs to a flagship? Let's find out.

Included case with ROG Phone II

What I Liked

Display

The ROG Phone II features a 6.6-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2340x1080 pixels. However, what makes it stand out is the fact that it is one of the first phones in the Indian market to include a 120Hz refresh rate panel.

The 90Hz on last year's model was already butter smooth, but this just takes things to a whole new level. The display also gets 240Hz touch input, which registers input faster than any other phone, as well as HDR10 and support for DCI-P3 colour gamut.

The panel is really bright, offers stunning contrast and detail and doesn't disappoint. It is completely notch-less and has a slight top and bottom bezel, which houses the camera and the front-firing speakers. The device might look a bit dated, but the bezels won't really bother your gaming experience.

Design

While all other phone makers take a conventional approach to smartphone design, ROG Phone II takes things to an edgier level. It is not very different from its predecessor with the LED-lit ROG logo, the sharp cutouts for air vents (yes air vents, where you can attach cooling fans).

Without Case

The glass back is sandwiched with a gun-metal body in all matte that looks quite sick.

Hardware and Performance

It ain't a gaming phone if it doesn't have beefy specifications. And the ROG Phone II has it all. It was the first phone to come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 Plus processor - the overclocked variant of the 855, paired with 8GB/128GB and 12GB/512GB variants.

We got our hands on the basic 8GB variant and the phone was snappy to boot. Browsing through the menus and options was smooth and I didn't experience any jitters or lag - neither while gaming nor in day-to-day use. Gaming on the device was also hassle-free even with graphics on PUBG and COD Mobile maxed out to highest settings. The phone did get a bit hot while gaming, but nothing that would make the experience uncomfortable.

Battery Life

One place where this phone truly excels is battery life. Asus has gone with a 6000mAh battery in the ROG Phone II which is the highest on any phone in India today. On a single charge with lots of gaming, the device can last a whole day with ease.

As a regular phone, this phone can easily last two days. It also supports 30W Fast Charging to juice up the battery instantaneously. What's more, you can charge another phone with the secondary USB Type-C port to the side. How cool is that?

The Gaming Elements

While all phones try to get the best possible specs, Asus's special sauce is the gaming elements that it has nailed at the right spot. For example, the device's edges have pressure-sensors that register input while gaming. You can map different inputs like a trigger or reload on them to have a more engrossing experience on the screen.

As mentioned earlier, Asus has also included a secondary USB Type-C port to the left that can either be used to charge other phones or charge your phone when you're playing in landscape mode. The placement is so ergonomically satisfying.

The onboard stereo speakers are the loudest I have ever heard on a phone and with DTS X, it creates a more immersive experience. If you want to play discreetly, Asus was cool enough to include a headphone jack.

You can also pick from a bunch of accessories that Asus has to offer like a gamepad or a secondary display or a simple fan to cool the device when under immense load

Camera

Another place where the ROG manages to keep up is the camera performance.

At the back, you get a primary 48-megapixel shooter and a secondary 13-megapixel ultra-wide shooter. At the front, you get a 24-megapixel selfie shooter.

If I were to describe the camera experience in two words it'd be - exceptionally ordinary.

Don't get me wrong, the camera manages to click some really stellar images in well lit and poorly-lit conditions.

It definitely doesn't come close to what OnePlus 7T, iPhone 11 or even the Galaxy Note 10 has to offer, but for the price, it will give you decent shots.

What I Dislike

Weight

Before you decide to buy this phone, you should definitely know that this is one heavy device. It weighs a hefty 240 grams which is fine if you're gaming, but really inconvenient with single-handed use. The weight comes from the massive battery inside, so if you want the best battery life, its a small price to pay.

No water resistance

With a wide cut to cool the insides of the device, it lacks any kind of water-resistance whatsoever. This means you'll just have to be extra cautious around water bottles or soda cans because if it spills, it kills.

Verdict: The Perfect Gaming Phone You Can Buy Today

Asus ROG Phone gets a lot of things right when you look at it clearly with the agenda of gaming. It has ways to make the gaming experience more convenient, it performs top-notch, lasts long and balances out everything in a neat little package that is really hard to miss. Sure there are flagships that exist with similar specifications, but what ROG Phone II offers is not just a phone, but an experience that mobile gamers would find really helpful.

The availability of additional (and a tad bit expensive) accessories just help make things better and even though game streaming (like Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now) isn't as popular today, this phone will be perfect for that. At a price point of Rs 37,999 (for the 8GB/128GB variant) it doesn't get better than this.