Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Review: The Ultimate Gaming Powerhouse
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro: A powerful gaming phone with top performance, improved cameras, and a sleek design for gamers and everyday use.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate was one of the best gaming phones last year but it was expensive and not very practical for everyday use. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro, while still pricey, has improved a lot. It’s now a more well-rounded flagship phone, not just a gaming device.
Design is more subtle, without flashy gamer look and it includes useful features like IP68 rating and wireless charging. Camera is also much better, delivering sharp, bright images for everyday use which is a first for a gaming phone.
While it doesn’t have same performance as some other gaming phones like Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro, it’s still fast with 6.78-inch 165Hz AMOLED display that’s big, smooth and colorful. It also keeps features like Air Trigger shoulder buttons and secondary USB-C port for better gaming experience.
ROG Phone 8 Pro is great gaming phone that also works well for everyday use, making it a more versatile option.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Specification
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 📶 Network | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 📏 Body | Size: 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm Weight: 225 g Build: Glass (front/back), aluminum frame |
| 💧 Durability | IP68 Waterproof (1.5m for 30 min) |
| 📱 Display | 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED, 165Hz, HDR10+, 2500 nits (peak) Resolution: 1080 x 2400, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| 🖥 Platform | OS: Android 14 Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU: Octa-core GPU: Adreno 750 |
| 💾 Memory | 512GB/16GB or 1TB/24GB Storage: UFS 4.0 |
| 📸 Main Camera | 50MP (wide), 32MP (telephoto, 3x zoom), 13MP (ultrawide) Video: 8K, 4K, 1080p, HDR10+ |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | 32MP Video: 1080p |
| 🔊 Sound | Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, Hi-Res audio |
| 🔋 Battery | 5500mAh Charging: 65W (Intl.), 30W (India), 15W wireless |
| 🌐 Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6e/7, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, NFC, Dual USB-C |
| 🎮 Features | Under-display fingerprint, gaming triggers, LED back panel |
| 💰 Price | $929.99 / €1,129.99 |
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Price and Availability
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is available now, starting from $1,199 / £1,099 (around AU$1,790). It began shipping on January 16, 2024.
There are three variants of phone:
- ROG Phone 8 Pro: $1,199 / £1,099 (16GB RAM, 512GB storage, LED lighting)
- ROG Phone 8: $1,099 / £949 (12GB RAM, 256GB storage, RGB lighting)
- ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition: $1,499 / £1,299 (24GB RAM, 1TB storage, LED lighting and AeroActive Cooler X fan) – available only from official Asus store.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Design
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro introduces a more refined design compared to its predecessors. It’s still large and heavy (225g, 8.9mm thick), but its rounded edges and subtle colors make it look more like a regular smartphone rather than flashy gaming phone. Back has small, dark “Dare to win” text and a 341-LED area called AniMe Vision which shows notifications and charging status.
It’s also first ROG Phone to have IP68 rating, making it water-resistant. To achieve this, phone no longer has AeroActive Portal, but it still comes with AeroActive Cooler X fan for cooling.
Phone has a smaller bezel, making it 10mm shorter than its predecessor, but it now has a punch-hole selfie camera. Speakers have good sound quality but lack front-facing stereo speakers of earlier models.
Gaming features remain, including Air Triggers (mappable buttons for games) and a secondary USB-C port for better gaming in landscape mode. 3.5mm headphone jack is still present for low-latency audio.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Display
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro features a 6.78-inch E6 OLED display with FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2400). While not sharpest compared to other high-end Android phones, it gets very bright, with a peak of 2,500 nits in HDR and 1,600 nits in high brightness mode for outdoor use. Even without auto-brightness, it reaches around 775 nits which is excellent.
Display is color-accurate and looks natural once switched to Normal mode. It’s LTPO panel, meaning it adjusts refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz for regular tasks, saving energy. In gaming mode, it can go up to 165Hz, preparing phone for future high-refresh-rate games.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Cameras
ROG Phone 8 Pro takes a big leap in camera quality, making it a serious flagship contender.
- Main Camera: A 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX890 sensor (same as OnePlus 11) paired with a 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal stabilizer ensures steady shots and crisp details in all lighting conditions. Night shots are especially clear and bright, thanks to gimbal and larger sensor.
- Video: gimbal system keeps video super steady, with a helpful UI showing when it’s active.
- Ultra-Wide Camera: A 13MP lens with a freeform design captures wide scenes effectively.
- Telephoto Lens: A 32MP 3x zoom lens adds versatility for distant shots.
The ROG Phone 8 Pro has an improved camera for great photos and videos.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Performance
ROG Phone 8 Pro delivers top-tier performance excelling in both gaming and daily tasks.
Powerful Chipset: Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, fastest chip for 2024.
Ample RAM: For seamless multitasking, select 12GB, 18GB, or 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM.
Storage Options: Available in 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage for quick data access.
In tests, it performs on par with or better than other high-performance phones, handling demanding games effortlessly.
Gaming Performance: Runs graphically intensive games smoothly at the highest settings.
Cooling: Without an external fan, the phone heats up during long gaming sessions. However, using the AeroActive Cooler X (included in the top model) improves sustained performance.
Despite a slight drop in battery life compared to the Red Magic 9 Pro, the performance remains strong.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Software
ROG Phone 8 Pro runs Android 14 with Asus’s ROG UI offering a clean and easy-to-use interface with minimal customizations. Setting up device is smooth and free of bugs, unlike some competitors.
During setup, you can choose between a stock Android or Asus-optimized layout—a rare and welcome option. ROG UI is similar to Zen UI on Zenfone 10, with minor tweaks like gamer-themed wallpapers & few pre-installed apps like Instagram and Facebook.
For gamers, Armoury Crate app is a key feature. It lets you customize performance, configure Air Triggers, and set up game-specific controls. You can also access overlay during gameplay to adjust settings on fly.
Asus offers two major Android updates (up to Android 16) and four years of security updates. While decent, it falls short for a premium phone, especially since users tend to keep their devices longer. For price, extended software support would have been better.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Battery
ROG Phone 8 Pro has a 5,500mAh battery, smaller than 6,000mAh battery in its predecessor. Despite more efficient chip and display technology, Asus acknowledges a slight decrease in battery life compared to ROG Phone 7 which is less ideal for a gaming phone.
Competitors like Red Magic 9 Pro offer larger 6,500mAh batteries. In tests- ROG Phone 8 Pro lasted a full day of moderate use with four hours of screen time, leaving about 50% battery. This is good but Red Magic 9 Pro lasts longer, with about 65% remaining under similar conditions.
Charging is fast with included 65W charger which takes phone from empty to full in about 40 minutes. ROG Phone 8 Pro also supports 15W wireless charging, a rare and convenient feature for a gaming phone.
Pros and Cons of Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + 🖥️ Practical design | – 🔋 Not the best for long gaming sessions |
| + 📸 Better camera system | – ✂️ Design cuts down on some features |
| + ⚡ Great performance | – 🛑 Only two years of software updates |
| + 🌟 Bright and accurate display | – 🔽 Smaller battery than some competitors |
| + 🔋 15W wireless charging | – ❄️ Lacks built-in cooling for heavy gaming |
Conclusion
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is a top-tier gaming phone with incredible performance but what sets it apart is how enjoyable it is to use daily. It has sleek design, good camera and useful features like wireless charging and IP68 rating.
