7.5/ 10 SCORE Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Pros
Revamped design
Powerful specs
Decent pictures
Cons
AI options are delicate in comparison with rivals
Smaller battery
Short replace timeline
There’s one thing totally different in regards to the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. The Asus ROG gaming cellphone line at all times surprises me with its distinctive model historically interesting to players. Yet, this 12 months’s ROG Phone 8 sequence shocks me by how mainstream it appears. Gone are the spaceship-like white hues of the ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 7 and in comes a restrained matte black look — an understated look for a mature gaming cellphone. While standing tall with its 6.78-inch show, gone is the higher bezel that hid the final ROG Phone 7’s front-facing digicam — in any other case final seen in 2019 on telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Google Pixel 4. The ROG Phone 8 Pro has a punch-hole front-facing digicam simply as we see on most Android telephones. The full-color secondary show on the again of the cellphone says goodbye in favor of a nonetheless eye-grabbing mini-LED show, which is much more arresting on the Pro mannequin. What outcomes is one thing that appears harking back to the black model of the Nothing Phone 2 with the gaming chops of prior ROG telephones in addition to the specs and $1,200 (£1,100) beginning value that we count on from this 12 months’s Android flagships. My specific evaluation unit is the kitted out $1,500 model of the ROG Phone 8 Pro, with a ludicrously excessive 24GB of reminiscence and 1TB of storage. That maxed-out configuration permits me to simply multitask, which by means of my testing included alternating between Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Dead Cells and texting whereas ready endlessly to queue into GeForce Now’s free tier for cloud gaming. The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro now consists of an animating mini-LED show. Carly Marsh/CNETThe ROG Phone 8 Pro’s look may not stand out as a lot in a lineup of different premium Android telephones, however as soon as I really used it, I may rapidly inform it is nonetheless a gaming cellphone. Unlike mainstream telephones on this value vary, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro features a headphone jack. It additionally continues to supply two USB-C ports, one on the underside and one other on the left aspect, for 2 totally different attachments or to cost your gadget simpler whereas holding it horizontally. This was notably good to have when plugging in my Xbox controller whereas charging. That aspect USB-C port additionally connects the AeroActive Cooler X fan accent, which now not opens a door into the cellphone to relax the cellphone’s inner elements. Instead, the ROG Phone 8 Pro has a sealed exterior to attain IP68 certification to maintain out water and mud, and the Cooler simply chills the skin of the cellphone. Clipping the accent to the cellphone does nonetheless really feel like attaching a spider to assist preserve it cool. If you’ve gotten the $1,200 mannequin, that accent prices $100, and it is included with the $1,500 mannequin.The Phone 8 Pro does a pleasant job capturing pictures and movies, with processing that is assisted by synthetic intelligence powered by its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. It’s early days for flagship telephones geared up with the brand new AI-focused chip, and I discover the opposite ways in which the Phone 8 Pro takes benefit of AI to be extra delicate. They embody with the ability to carry out contextual searches on the gadget, AI noise canceling on calls and textual content recognition inside video games. The 6.78-inch show has a 165Hz refresh price and a 720Hz contact sampling price. Carly Marsh/CNETThe AI options are good and definitely useful, however nowhere close to the extent of picture manipulation that we’re seeing on Google’s Pixel 8. While Asus possible plans to maintain the Phone 8 Pro gaming targeted over AI-focused, we nonetheless should take into account that in 2024 it is extremely possible that different firms’ flagships are going to have AI entrance and heart. It’s doable that the ROG’s AI options will really feel extra like a lightweight contact by comparability.But even with extra delicate AI ambitions, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro at its beginning spec of 512GB of area and 16GB of reminiscence continues to be a beast. You get the latest chip, tons of area, numerous reminiscence, and it is the one high-end cellphone on the market that offers you as many ports as a MacBook Air. To the proper of the cellphone’s digicam is an “Est. 2006” printing. Carly Marsh/CNETAsus ROG Phone 8 Pro design, software program, gameplayWhile at first the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro appears like another massive black cellphone, the corporate consists of a lot of fashionable thrives together with a brand new animated mini-LED display screen on its again. Asus prints its Republic of Gamers emblem, its “Dare to Win” mantra and an “Est. 2006” message prefer it’s a pair of Levi’s denims. A pretty big digicam hump homes a trio of cameras.But the star of the cellphone is its animating AniMe imaginative and prescient mini-LED show on the again. While I’m unhappy to see the complete colour secondary show retire, the brand new show consists of loads of particulars that I’d like to see on extra telephones. For occasion, by default the display screen rotates between exhibiting the time, your battery degree and the ROG emblem. The mini-LED display screen can show a digicam icon when you’re taking a photograph, a music visualizer when listening to music or customized animations that you could arrange in settings. It jogs my memory of the LEDs on the again of the Nothing Phone 2, besides this small display screen permits for textual content and numbers which might be simpler to delineate than Nothing’s summary gentle patterns. This display screen can be turned off if you don’t need all this blinking. The AniMe mini-LED show reveals contextual info, like textual content or a digicam icon when taking a photograph. Carly Marsh/CNETThe entrance 6.78-inch show has an optical in-screen fingerprint sensor that may unlock the cellphone. By default the display screen runs at an adaptive refresh price between 1 and 120Hz, however you possibly can have the display screen run at 165Hz always. The display screen has a 720Hz contact sampling price — the identical as final 12 months’s Phone 7 — for responsiveness. Both options helped once I performed Dead Cells, for the reason that sport helps the next refresh price and battling by means of dungeons was simpler with that responsiveness price. The Phone 8 Pro additionally consists of its AirTriggers sensors, which I can program like shoulder buttons when holding the cellphone horizontally. My desire continues to be to hook the cellphone up with a sport controller when time and area enable, however for subway commuting the responsiveness for the touchscreen has been enough for the fast-paced sport.Like different gaming telephones, the Phone 8 Pro will get heat when enjoying video games on the greater graphics and body charges that the cellphone is able to. While Asus says that the cellphone now makes use of conductive cooling to attract warmth to the again of the cellphone, I did discover that it makes the again of the cellphone noticeably scorching to the touch. A case ought to assist alleviate that, as ought to the aforementioned AeroActive X cooler attachment. The AeroActive Cooler X attaches to the again of the cellphone to help with cooling. Carly Marsh/CNETUsing 3DMark’s 20-minute stress take a look at when paired up with the fan attachment operating at its highest cooling setting, the cellphone’s dashboard reported a temperature beginning at 35 levels Celsius (95 levels Fahrenheit) and ending at 44 levels Celsius (111 levels Fahrenheit). By comparability once I ran the take a look at with out the attachment, the cellphone began at 33 levels Celsius (91 levels Fahrenheit) and ended at a noticeably hotter 53 levels Celsius (127 levels Fahrenheit). It’s value noting that 3DMark’s take a look at is especially demanding for any cellphone however may very well be a comparability for a gamer that is notably adept at pushing the bounds.Asus carried over different gaming-focused options from prior years, together with a Background mode that may preserve an app lively even when you flip off the display screen, an in-game dashboard to rapidly entry settings, the power to customise settings for specific video games and the brand new AI-grabber to scan textual content inside a sport. Asus means that the function may very well be helpful for rapidly copying and pasting phrases inside a sport after which looking the online for associated guides.Another of the Phone 8 Pro’s AI options is its noise cancellation function for voice and video calls, which works throughout any service that makes these. This consists of companies like WhatsApp and inside sport chat companies like Discord.While these gaming modes are the primary draw for the ROG Phone 8 Pro, the brand new redesign comes with a number of perks towards how the cellphone appears and feels. It’s noticeably lighter than final 12 months’s cellphone, coming in at 225g versus the Phone 7 Ultimate’s 246g. And by eliminating the highest bezel of the cellphone, the Phone 8 Pro’s now 163.8mm (6.4-inches) tall, shorter than the Phone 7 Ultimate’s 173mm (6.7-inches). While Asus was capable of preserve the show measurement between the 2 telephones the identical, it is value noting that the front-facing digicam now occupies a punch-hole area inside the show very like different Android telephones, which could not be nice for players that favor an uninterrupted view throughout their total display screen. This is the primary ROG cellphone to incorporate wi-fi charging. Carly Marsh/CNETGaming cellphone rival RedMagic as an example makes use of an under-display front-facing digicam to offer that unobstructed view, however pictures taken by under-display cameras aren’t but on the identical high quality as these taking pictures from a gap reduce out of the show. To accommodate this, Asus offers an choice to both let video games fill the complete display screen or shrink the show space barely with a view to keep away from the cutout from interfering. Most video games are unlikely to be affected by the lack of area, however the possibility is there within the occasion that it’d.The ROG Phone 8 Pro has a 5,500mAh battery, which is smaller however nonetheless sizable in contrast with the ROG Phone 7’s 6,000mAh battery. While I discovered the ROG Phone 7’s 6,000mAh to simply get me by means of two days of use, I discovered a extra blended outcome with the ROG Phone 8 Pro. On days with heavy use, akin to one the place I ran GeForce Now within the background for a number of hours whereas I did different duties and performed video games saved domestically, I drew the complete battery right down to 20% by the tip of the day. With much less intensive use, which nonetheless included an hour of gameplay and miscellaneous duties like calls, texting and music, I used to be capable of stretch the battery to final by means of two days of use on a single cost. While your mileage will fluctuate in keeping with how energy hungry your utilization is, Asus does ship the cellphone with a 65-watt wired charger and this 12 months’s cellphone consists of 15-watt wi-fi charging. In my 30-minute wired charging take a look at, I used to be capable of get the battery from 0% to 69% whereas the 30-minute wi-fi charging take a look at took it from 1% to 26%. This model of the cellphone features a minigame that interacts with its field. Mike Sorrentino/CNETThe ROG Phone 8 Pro runs Android 14, and Asus plans to offer two years of main software program updates and 4 years of safety updates. While this is similar timeline as final 12 months, Google’s Pixel 8 sequence is now together with seven years of software program and safety replace help, making the Phone 8 Pro’s timeline fairly quick for the worth vary. While the gaming cellphone viewers may nonetheless improve their telephones extra typically to have the newest chips, that is nonetheless a really costly gadget that some prospects could wish to use for so long as doable. The ROG Phone 8 Pro’s cameras. Carly Marsh/CNETAsus ROG Phone 8 Pro camerasI’ll be direct: The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro takes good pictures for a gaming cellphone. It has a 50-megapixel foremost digicam, a 13-megapixel ultrawide and 32-megapixel telephoto. In my testing, the cameras have been capable of decide up a number of colour and element — and I wager the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is doing a number of the heavy lifting. Shrimp and avocado salad picture taken by Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNET A self-taken picture on the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro’s 32-megapixel front-facing digicam. Mike Sorrentino/CNETMy meals pictures of a shrimp and avocado salad captured the glisten of the French dressing sprinkled on high, and my workplace take a look at pictures of a grass wall replicated lots of the shades of inexperienced on show. The cellphone’s 32-megapixel front-facing digicam does a good job of differentiating between my black face masks and cardigan and held up for my video calls. The grass wall in CNET’s workplace taken on the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNET The grass wall documented by the RedMagic 9 Pro’s digicam. Mike Sorrentino/CNETI took comparability photographs with the RedMagic 9 Pro, which additionally runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and packs a 50-megapixel foremost digicam. Compared with pictures taken by its Asus counterpart, the RedMagic 9 Pro’s pictures have extra colour and element. Astor Place picture taken on Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Photo of Astor Place taken on the RedMagic 9 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNETThis included pictures taken of the Arcade1Up cupboards within the workplace utilizing each the default zoom and 3x zoom. Arcade1Up cupboards in CNET’s workplace, snapped on the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro at default zoom. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Arcade1Up cupboards taken on RedMagic 9 Pro on the default zoom. Mike Sorrentino/CNET 3x zoom picture taken on the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNET 3x zoom picture taken on the RedMagic 9 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNETBoth telephones did a great job brightening up CNET’s TV lab, which is a lowlight space when all of our blackout curtains are arrange. Both telephones have been capable of discern our sofa and the ground. CNET’s TV lab — which is a lowlight surroundings with the blackout curtains — as taken on the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Night mode on the RedMagic 9 Pro. Mike Sorrentino/CNETWhen turning the cameras towards a pitch black space — which is especially demanding — the Asus was capable of soften out the picture noise and discern no less than a number of particulars. But the RedMagic was drowned out by picture noise. We have not but reviewed the RedMagic 9 Pro, but it surely’s essential to notice that its beginning value is a a lot decrease $649 than the ROG Phone 8 Pro’s $1,200 pricetag. The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro’s Night mode in a nook with virtually no gentle. Mike Sorrentino/CNET The RedMagic 9 Pro created a number of picture noise trying to {photograph} the identical extraordinarily darkish area. Mike Sorrentino/CNETThe Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro also can document video at 8K and 24 frames per second, in addition to at 4K and 60fps. When testing that 8K setting, I did discover the cellphone chug a bit bit, however the video high quality nonetheless got here out first rate for a gaming cellphone. Asus features a stabilizer in its digicam that the corporate says is used for each pictures and for movies.It’s nice to see that the Phone 8 Pro can flip in some good pictures, and that can make the cellphone considerably extra helpful as a communication gadget in addition to a gaming machine. But Asus additionally has a first-mover benefit proper now, and we’re prone to quickly see telephones that embody the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that give the digicam much more emphasis. When enjoying a sport, the mini-LED show reveals a “Game Start” animation. Carly Marsh/CNETAsus ROG Phone 8 Pro backside lineThe Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is an costly cellphone at $1,200 with solely the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and that iPhone 15 Pro Max coming near that value, however in case you are in search of a high-spec gaming monster that also looks like a glossy cellphone, it’s comparably priced towards what we might count on from different high-end telephones with 512GB of storage. Doubly so in case you are in search of a media-focused powerhouse, due to its excessive refresh show, connectivity choices, quick charging and headphone jack.However most individuals who aren’t in search of a gaming-focused cellphone ought to wait and see what Samsung is planning to disclose with its rumored Galaxy S24 line and OnePlus with the OnePlus 12. Even although neither firm particularly focuses on gaming, each make telephones that readily play most cell video games, present broader pictures help and longer software program replace timelines.That mentioned, current ROG followers and others who’re drawn towards gaming telephones will discover a number of methods to customise how they play video games with the Phone 8 Pro. And its lighter redesign that helps it act extra like a typical cellphone will make it all of the extra usable.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Unboxed: A Unique Package for a Sleek Gaming Phone
See all pictures How we take a look at phonesEvery cellphone examined by CNET’s opinions workforce was really utilized in the actual world. We take a look at a cellphone’s options, play video games and take pictures. We study the show to see if it is brilliant, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP-rating for water-resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes, utilizing standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark in addition to our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.All the cameras are examined in quite a lot of circumstances, from brilliant daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like evening mode and portrait mode and evaluate our findings towards equally priced competing telephones. We additionally take a look at the battery life by utilizing the cellphone each day in addition to operating a sequence of battery drain assessments.We keep in mind extra options, like help for 5G, satellite tv for pc connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus help, quick charging speeds, and foldable shows, amongst others that may be helpful. And we stability all this towards the worth to provide the verdict on whether or not that cellphone, no matter value it’s, really represents good worth. Though these assessments could not at all times be mirrored in CNET’s preliminary evaluation, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances. Watch this: How We Test Phones
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