Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
First Impressions of the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
In India, Asus is the only company that still sells bulky, powerful, dedicated gaming phones. The ROG Phone 7 series arrives on time, with the latest flagship Qualcomm SoC, demonstrating that the Taiwanese conglomerate is still committed to making improvements even as its competitors have slowed. Is a gaming phone still relevant in 2023, or would you prefer a more mainstream phone that's a little less powerful but a lot cheaper and easier to carry?
If you're familiar with any of the previous Asus ROG Phone models, you'll notice that the company has stuck to its design and feature formula. There's nothing groundbreaking or revolutionary here. There are two models available: the standard ROG Phone 7 and the ROG 7 Ultimate, which has more RAM and storage, a small PMOLED display on the back, and a vent that can physically open for better cooling (more on this later). The Ultimate model comes in a more elaborate box and includes the AeroActive Cooler 7. It's also only available in silvery-white matte glass, whereas the standard ROG Phone 7 is available in Storm White and Phantom Black.
The base Asus ROG Phone 7 model costs Rs. 74,999 in India, while the Ultimate model costs Rs. 99,999. The AeroActive Cooler 7 will cost Rs. 6,999 on its own. Buyers can register their interest beginning today, though units will not be available for purchase until an unspecified date in May 2023.
The core specifications and dimensions of both versions are the same. The ROG Phone 7 weighs 239g, which is a hair lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and just 5g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, putting it in the same ballpark as other flagship phones. The 10.4mm thickness is also reasonable. However, you may not find either of these variants to be as comfortable in everyday use. Having used several previous ROG Phone models, I can tell you that they aren't easy to carry around in a pocket, and even just reading or typing for an extended period of time can be tiring.
By today's mainstream standards, the screen borders are quite thick, but this means there's no notch or hole for the front camera, and you get dual front-firing speakers for balanced stereo sound. The ROG Phone 7 series, like last year's models, has 6.78-inch screens with a 1080x2448-pixel resolution, a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, and a maximum touch sampling rate of 720Hz. A 1500nit peak brightness and auto HDR conversion are new features.
The ROG Phone 7 series is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC with its integrated Adreno 740 GPU, as expected, and if you're paying this much for a gaming phone, you'd expect the latest and greatest. The standard ROG Phone 7 comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, while the Ultimate version comes with 16GB and 512GB. Asus claims that the two 3000mAh battery units allow for faster charging and better heat dissipation. Although 65W USB-PD fast charging is supported, you only get a 30W charger in the box for some reason. There is no wireless charging available. Wi-Fi 7 connectivity is supported.
On the front is Gorilla Glass Victus, and on the back is Gorilla Glass 3. Both ROG Phone 7 models have the same IP54 rating, but the Ultimate does not when the cooling vent on the back is open.
That vent is intended to allow the AeroActive Cooler 7, a rather large clip-on fan attachment, to physically interface with the phone's cooling system in order to conduct heat away from its body. It is claimed that using it can reduce the temperature of the rear panel by up to 25%, and that it does so quickly. The accessory also includes a slew of RGB LEDs, a small subwoofer, and four physical trigger buttons.
So, what distinguishes the ROG Phone 7 from other devices with similar high-end hardware? For starters, the gamer-centric design prioritises features like front-firing speakers and highly effective cooling over weight reduction. On the frame, there are also dedicated "AirTrigger" sensors that line up with your forefingers to act as physical controls in games. A second USB Type-C port on one side, as with its predecessors, allows you to charge your phone while gaming.
Furthermore, there are numerous software tweaks available, including the ability to programme the AirTriggers and create macros, apply game-specific UI themes, select a performance preset, and fine-tune graphics and other hardware parameters. An overlay can display performance information as well as estimated battery life. When certain input sequences are detected, the ROG Phone 7 series introduces vibration mapping and automatic clip recording.
On the downside, Asus cannot guarantee that the ROG Phone 7's cameras will be comparable to those found in today's more common premium Android phones at this price. The main camera has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor, and the secondary cameras are only basic 13-megapixel ultra-wide and 8-megapixel macro cameras. There is a 32-megapixel front-facing camera.
The ROG Phone 7 models are definitely not for everyone. They are only appropriate for those who prioritise gaming performance above all else. You are Asus' target audience if you are extremely competitive, enjoy playing games for long periods of time, and plan to use the triggers and software tweaks. You could get a very capable and slick modern flagship Android device, or even an iPhone, for these prices. If you're the type to spend a few lakhs on a good gaming laptop and upgrade your desktop PC every few years, the ROG Phone 7's price won't seem so out of line.
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