With ROG Phone 2, ASUS raised the bar for gaming phones even more than last year. At this point, we’re starting to wonder how could this others catch up – although Razer is probably going for the throne just as fiercely. It’s not just the impressive specs that put this phone in the lead on the mobile gaming arena, but also the software and accessories that go with it. We sat with Brian Tang, Senior Director at ASUS, to understand how can gamers benefit the most from their phone.
Everything that could be upgraded, was upgraded. Tang highlighted just three main points (but there are more, believe us): display refresh rate, battery and chipset.
The ASUS Rog Phone 2 now has an 120Hz AMOLED display which, unlike other concepts, actually supports a large range of games. Those who can be played in that refresh rate are also listed plainly in a page in-device, a place where you can also get suggestions on what to play depending on the compatible features.
Brian showed us the available games with Air Triggers or the best with vibration, for example. All these can be played for more time than possible before, thanks to a monster 6,000mAh battery!
Plus, Brian told us, gamers will not only enjoy content more but faster and better with the first edition of Qualcomm 855 Plus. This version increases the CPU and GPU frequency, therefore improving the GPU performance by 15%.
What are the accessories gamers must have for this phone? The TwinView Dock II and Gamepad, if nothing else. The dock is lighter now, has dual vibration and has made Asphalt 9 developers deliver the mobile experience perfectly fitted to the accessory.
The Aero Active Cooler 2 is equally important, but comes with the phone, so you don’t have to worry about buying it separately. This one decreases the temperature of the phone by 5 degrees and is helped by the vapor chamber cooling system and the fan next to the CPU to cool down the entire device.
What’s up with the Game Genie? Here is where the streamers can thrive. It’s a separate section dedicated to them, says Brian. Normally, streamers have to use several devices to broadcast but ROG Phone 2 wants to eliminate all that hustle.
In Game Genie, with just a tap, streamers can start their live on YouTube or Twitch. They can also record game play to share just the best moments after on social media and stay in touch with the community.
In the same place, gamers can choose to remove unwanted data and boost their phone’s performance, discover game cheats and how to’s or find out how to get to the boss through video walkthroughs. It’s an all-in-one place for everything a gamer might need.
What’s the next step for ASUS? Can they upgrade this further? You’d think not, what with the specs and the dual mics, dual speakers, DTS:X Ultra, dual vibration motors and USB-C. However, Brian Tang is confident that the next renditions will have a lot to gain from the AR progress as he believes gamers “always need to be more immersed in the game but [want] to also connect with the real world”.
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