Bearing top-notch offerings for smartphone gaming has so far been the selling feature in the ROG series. The ASUS ROG Phone 5 re-affirms this fact, with offerings that set it in a place as a successor to the ASUS ROG Phone 3 which was also a great gaming smartphone in its prime.
Where to Buy ASUS ROG Phone 5
Jumia Nigeria – See Offers | AliExpress – See Offers
ASUS ROG Phone 5 Key Specs and Features
- 6.78 inches AMOLED Display, 1080 x 2448 Pixels (395 PPI), 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Android 11, ROG UI
- Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 888 (5nm)
- 8GB/ 12GB / 16GB RAM
- 128GB / 256GB Built-in Storage
- 64MP + 13MP + 5MP Triple Rear camera
- 24MP Front Camera
- 5G Support
- Fingerprint Scanner (Under Display)
- Fast Charge (65W Capacity)
- 10W Reverse Charging
- 6000 mAh Non-Removable Li-Po Battery
Design and Design
The ASUS ROG Phone 5’s design capitalizes on its predecessor’s chassis design, which leaves us with a familiar design with added aesthetic features.
Slapping an opaque case may help this smartphone pass as being regular, however, a full reveal do otherwise, as the placements on the rear speak high volume of its gaming DNA.
On the rear, we have got the most eye-catching feature of its chassis design, which is the ROG logo with LED lights whose colours can be changed with the Armoury crate app.
Unlike the rendition we had on the ROG phone 5 ultimate, the ROG logo is pretty much the only thing you would be able to display on this LED display. However, you can customize the colour of the LED lights for notifications.
Please note that enthusiasts have two colour options on this Android phone they include Phantom Black and Storm White. The colour differences are evident on the rear panel.
Moving on to the front panel, we find a 6.78 inch AMOLED display, border on top and bottom by bezels that can be seen as places to rest your hand when playing games. This display has a resolution of 1080 x 2488 pixels, a density of 395 PPI, and a 144Hz refresh rate.
Ergonomics
Bearing top-shelf specs isn’t really a big deal anymore, basically, any smartphone brand can decide to make a high-end smartphone with the high-end specs, as long as it doesn’t disrupt their budget scheme.
What sets gaming smartphones like the Asus Rog Phone 5 from regular high-end smartphones, party the provisions they make under the umbrella of Ergonomics. Asus has over its few years of its existence, being a leader in smartphone gaming ergonomics, providing adjustments that make smartphone gaming more enjoyable.
For starters, we have a USB type-c port on the bottom and also on the side, which means you basically won’t have to deal with the obstruction the USB cord brings when playing games at certain orientations.
Asus also included ultrasonic triggers here, which are basically customizable touch points on both ends of the right frame of the Asus ROG Phone 5. These ultrasonic triggers can be customized to match the controls on the game, which gives you a much larger screen estate since you won’t be cramming your fingers into the display when playing games.
Aside from the ultrasonic triggers on the body, enthusiasts will also get extra triggers when they mouth the coolant fan on the rear of their device.
The Cameras
The ASUS ROG Phone 5 camera department reminisces on the setup we saw on the Rog Phone 3. It’s the same sensor on the rear and the same camera upfront. However, this analysis is based on paper specs, actual usage may actually reveal improvements.
On the rear, we have a 64MP primary camera with an aperture of f/1.8, a 13MP ultrawide camera with an aperture of f/2.5, and a 125˚ field of view. Lastly, we have a 5MP macro camera with an aperture of f/2.0. This rear setup is capable of shooting videos up to 8K @ 30fps like the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S21.
On the front camera side, we have a single 24MP camera with an aperture of f/2.5. This camera is capable of recording videos up to 1080 @ 30fps.
Hardware
The hardware performance department on the Asus Rog Phone 5 is pretty much pumped one of the most capable setups, which is something you might have already been expecting, due to the past records of ROG phones.
Under the hood, we have got the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with a 5nm processor, an Adreno 660 GPU, option for either 8GB /12GB / 16GB of RAM, and an option for either 128GB or 256GB built-in storage.
The battery on this device is of 6000mAh capacity, it was split into two sections to help reduce the heat that goes with charging and also to foster faster charging. Speaking on charging speed, the Asus Rog Phone 5 bears a 65W charge capacity.
Software
On the software side, the Asus Rog Phone 5 runs the ROG user interface on top of the Android 11 operating system.
Asus made software provisions to make gaming experience more enjoyable. This is expressed through its Armoury crate app which helps optimize games for better performance.
The Armoury Crate app lets users set profiles for different games. Users can set games to launch with a particular refresh rate, a certain CPU boost, and more.
Connectivity
The Asus Rog Phone 5 features two USB Type-C ports, one on the side and one on the bottom. We also have a 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC support, and Bluetooth 5.1.
Internet connectivity is capped at 5G. This goes to say enthusiasts in areas with 5G reception can utilize 5G connectivity for downloads, streaming, and uploading.
You may also be interested in the ASUS ROG Phone 7 and ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate.
Asus Rog Phone 5 Price and Availability
ASUS ROG Phone 5 price starts at around $475 at leading online stores. This translates to about 361,425 Naira in Nigeria, 104,186 KSH in Kenya and 5,444 GHS in Ghana.
Enthusiasts who desire the 12GB / 256GB variant will have to shell out approximately $1,066, while those who desire the 16GB / 256GB variant will have to pay approximately $1,185.
The ASUS ROG Phone 5 was announced on March 10th 2021 and is expected to go sale in May 2021.
ASUS ROG Phone 5 Specs
Here are a few specs of the ASUS ROG Phone 5:
General Features
- Platform: Android 11, ROG UI
- Processor: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 (5 nm) (Octa-core: 2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 2.42 GHz tri-core Kryo 680 & 1.80 GHz quad-core Kryo 680)
- GPU: Adreno 660
- Memory: 8GB/ 12GB /16GB RAM
- Colours: Phantom Black, Storm White
- Dimension: 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm
- Weight: 239 g
- SIM Type: Nano-SIM
- SIM Count: Dual-SIM
Display
- Display: 6.78 inches AMOLED, 1080 x 2448 Pixels, ~82.0% screen-to-body ratio, ~395 PPI, 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
- Foldable Display: No
Camera
- Rear Camera: 64 MP (Primary) f/1.8 + 13MP (Ultrawide) f/2.4, 125˚ FOV + 5MP (Macro) f/2.0
- Rear Camera Features: LED flash, HDR, Panorama, PDAF, 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS
- Front Camera: 24MP Camera, f/2.5, Panorama, HDR, 1080p@30fps
Storage
- Built-in Storage: 128GB / 256GB
- Memory Card Support: No
- Bundled Cloud Storage: –
Network Support
- 2G GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
- 2G CDMA 1X: –
- 3G WCDMA: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100
- 3G CDMA EVDO: –
- 4G LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71
- 5G: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA
Internet & Connectivity
- GPRS: Yes
- EDGE: Yes
- 3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
- HSPA+: Yes
- CDMA EVDO: Yes
- 4G LTE: Yes
- 5G: Yes
- WLAN: A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, GNSS
- Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
- NFC: Yes
- Infrared Blaster: –
- USB Port: USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), accessory connector, USB On-The-Go
Messaging
- SMS/MMS: Yes
- Instant Messaging: –
- Push Emails: –
- Email Protocol: Yes
Entertainment
- Music Player: Yes
- Video Player: Yes
- FM Radio: No
- Loudspeaker: Yes
- 3.5mm Jack: Yes
Navigation
- Navigation: A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, GNSS
- Maps: Yes
Sensors & Control
- Digital Compass: Yes
- Accelerometer: Yes
- Proximity Sensor: Yes
- Light Sensor: Yes
- Barometer: –
- SpO2: –
- Pedometer: –
- Heart Rate Monitor: No
- Gyroscope: Yes
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes (under display, optical)
- Iris Scanner: –
- Face Unlock: –
- Stylus Pen: No
- Intelligent Digital Assistant: Yes
- Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: –
- Voice Control: Yes
Other Features
- Video Streaming: Yes
- Active Noise Cancellation: –
- Wireless Charging: –
- Built-in Mobile Payment: –
- Water Resistant: No
- Dust Resistant: No
- Image Editor: –
- Video Editor: –
- Document Viewer: –
- Document Editor: –
Battery
- Battery: Non-Removable 6000mAh Li-Po Battery
- Talktime: –
- Standby Time: –
- Fast Charging: 65W Fast Charging Capacity
