The new Asus ROG Phone 8 is still a gaming phone, but this time Asus has designed it with everyday usability in mind. It’s smaller and lighter than before and has better dust and water resistance at IP68 (versus IP54 on last year’s model).
Major changes include a 32MP 3x telephoto camera and improved stabilization for the main camera (Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0). Now wireless charging (15 W), although the battery capacity is slightly reduced (at 5,500 mAh it is by no means small).
As a gaming phone, it benefits from the new variable refresh rate (1-120Hz) enabled by the LTPO panel. Some games can also take advantage of 165Hz mode, although the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 may not reach this target for more demanding titles.
The Asus ROG Phone 8 is available for pre-order in Europe and costs €1,100 (12/256GB) for the base model. In the US, the same model costs $1,100.
There is also a Pro model with a small LED matrix on the back, and this model costs 1,200 euros for 16/512 GB. The Pro Edition model has 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage and costs €1,500. The Pro will also be available in India and will be priced at INR 95,000 and the Pro version will be priced at INR 1,20,000.
The Red Magic 9 Pro also has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, but lacks an LTPO display. Thanks to the built-in cooling fan, no water escapes. On the bright side, the international model is much cheaper: a 12/256GB unit costs just $650/€650 and a 16/512GB unit costs $800/€800. However, there is no remote camera or wireless charging in this model.
With a new design philosophy, ROG Phone 8 competes with regular flagships. The OnePlus 12 will launch globally later this month, the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 is approaching and the Xiaomi 14 should be available outside of China sooner or later (though the 14 Pro won’t be).
What do you think of the Asus ROG Phone 8 – is it your next phone or has the company missed the mark? However, we have the ROG Phone 8 and 8 Pro in the office and are already working on a test report So stay tuned to know more about the latest gaming phone from Asus.
