Asus ROG Phone 2 Review: Powerful Gaming Beast Offering Flagship Experience At Rs 37,999

For starters, ROG brand is 'Republic of Gamers' that is used by ASUS for making some of the best hardware for gaming devices. Unlike PC gaming, ASUS entered the space of mobile gaming by launching its first gaming phone 'ROG Phone' in the country last year. Loaded with high specifications and gaming features, the ROG Phone carried a hefty price tag along with some camera incapabilities. To make a name in the mobile gaming space, ASUS went ahead to launch the second generation of the ROG Phone in India. The new ROG gaming smartphone was introduced in India a couple of months ago with more powerful specifications at an attractive price point. Can ROG Phone 2 surpass the shortfalls of its predecessor? Let's find out!

The overall appearance of the ROG Phone 2 is retained from the predecessor; however, there are some subtle changes to the design. This time the company has incorporated a more prominent 6.59-inch display with 120Hz refresh rate, making it the only phone offered with that refresh rate. Additionally, the company has added two USB Type-C ports on the device that are positioned at the bottom and the side. Moreover, the conventional fingerprint scanner at the rear is replaced by an in-display scanner. As gaming being its USP, the phone is tall, making it a bit difficult for the regular users. Asus 6Z Review: A Steal Deal With Distinctive Camera Design, Premium Looks & Affordable Pricing.

It is challenging not to fall for this device, mainly when you are a mobile gaming enthusiast that features a 6.55-inch HDR OLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. Staying true to its gaming aesthetic, the gradient colours on the second generation ROG Phone 2 is underlined by a polished gunmetal body design making it a badass.

Moreover, the Air Triggers are lifted from the first generation ROG phone that now has textured buttons with miniature engravings so that the users are aware of where to press for activating them. Additionally, the Air Triggers come embedded in the matte coated metal chassis, ensuring better tactile feedback.

The company has added a rubber plug for added waterproofing, which can be removed and should be kept pretty securely. Another highlighting aspect is ROG Phone's RGB lighting that immediately stands out amongst other Android phones giving it more like a sci-fi weapon.

Camera: As the first-generation camera was a significant disappointment, Asus has worked on this department, making it way better, which comes with a dual rear camera at the back. The setup comprises of a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary sensor along with a 13MP ultra-wide angle lens. The rear camera on the ROG Phone 2 is definitely way better than the one seen on the predecessor churning out well-balanced images during the excellent lighting conditions. Moreover, the portrait images are just fine with some work required on the edges blurred along with the background. At the front, there is a 24MP shooter for handling selfies and video calls.

Performance: As far as the specifications are concerned, the phone is undoubtedly a monster packed with Qualcomm's flagship chipset - Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC that is overclocked at 2.96 GHz. Another underline that makes ROG Phone 2 an excellent gaming phone is the speakers, making it one of the loudest on the phone available in the market. Games like Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty, Mobile Legends & PUBG will be loved while playing in the landscape mode, which is the default orientation in the high-end gaming devices. Asus has worked on the graphics, sound, extra features and power, ensuring an excellent experience for the users for gaming. Moreover, the customers that are non-games will also love the device as it comes with an exceptional display, bigger battery, performance and storage.

Battery: The ROG Phone 2 from Asus ships with a massive 6000mAh battery that can easily last for a couple of days, depending upon the usage. When used with its full capabilities including complete brightness and all antennas deployed throughout with heavy gaming, it can last for a day easily.

Verdict: For us, the user experience of the Asus ROG Phone 2 has been a near-perfect. Apart from the specifications, the phone comes loaded with a lot of additional features derived to enhance the gaming experience for users. Available for pre-order at Rs 37,999 for the base model, the Asus ROG Phone 2 will unmistakably lure game lovers as well as performance-oriented customers for the fact that it provides an overall flagship experience at an affordable price tag.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 26, 2019 05:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).