The ROG Phone 5 series is finally revealed and this is the ultimate gaming smartphone from Asus. Despite the number 5 in the name, this is their fourth generation gaming device and it offers a high 144Hz refresh rate along with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor.
Pricing and availability
The ROG Phone 5 series is priced as follows in Malaysia:
- ROG Phone 5 – 8GB RAM + 128GB storage – RM2,999
- ROG Phone 5 – 16GB RAM + 256GB storage – RM3,799
- ROG Phone 5 Pro – 16GB RAM + 512GB storage – RM4,499
- ROG Phone 5 Ultimate – 18GB RAM + 512GB storage – RM4,999
The standard ROG Phone 5 will be available for pre-order from 11th to 25th March 2021 with stocks expected to arrive in April 2021. Pre-order customers can get a Kunai 3 Gamepad worth RM499 for free while stocks last. You can place your order at all authorised dealers listed here. You can also pre-order online via Shopee from 19th March.
Meanwhile, the higher-spec Pro and Ultimate variants are set to arrive in Malaysia in May 2021 and both comes with an AeroActive cooler included. Buyers of the Ultimate version will also receive an Ultimate Fan Gift Box.
Below is the price list for ROG Phone 5 accessories:
- AeroActive Cooler 5 – RM149
- Lightning Armor Case – RM199
- ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad – RM499
- ROG Kunai 3 Bumper – RM69
- ROG 1.8m USB-C to USB-C cable – RM59
- ROG Strix Go Core – RM319
- ROG Cetra II – RM499
- ROG Cetra II core – RM199
ROG Phone 5
The base ROG Phone 5 device is available in either Phantom Black or Storm White. Across the range, it gets a larger 6.78″ Full HD+ (2448×1080 pixels) AMOLED display that’s HDR10+ certified. For a fluid and responsive gaming experience, the screen supports a high 144Hz refresh rate and it has a 300Hz touch sample rate.
Under the hood, it runs on a 2.84GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor that can be configured with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage which isn’t expandable. In terms of cameras, the rear gets a triple-camera setup, consisting of a 64MP main camera with Sony IMX686 sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 5MP macro camera. Upfront, there’s a 24MP selfie camera.
Similar to its predecessor, it offers front-facing stereo speakers and the ROG Phone 5 still retains a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack. The ROG Phone 5 also gets air triggers which can be customised according to your gaming preference. Similar to the previous ROG phone models, there’s also an RGB ROG logo at the rear.
Powering the device is a large 6,000mAh battery that uses a dual-cell design. Asus still retains the bottom and side-mounted USB-C ports which makes it practical to charge while gaming. The device supports both Quick Charge 5.0 and Asus HyperCharge fast charging protocols, and Asus is bundling a 65W charger as standard. Out of the box, it runs on Android 11 with the option of either gaming-inspired ROG UI or Zen UI skins.
ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate
Despite the Pro and Ultimate moniker, the two higher-spec variants share a lot of similarities as the standard ROG Phone 5 model. You also get the same 6.78″ 144Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display and the same Snapdragon 888 processor.
The biggest difference would be the amount of RAM and storage. The Pro version gets 16GB of RAM while the Ultimate variant gets an insane 18GB of RAM, which is the most you can get on a smartphone. Both versions are offered with 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage as standard.
In terms of colours, the Pro device is offered in Glossy Black, while the Ultimate is only offered in Matte White. In addition to the shoulder Air triggers, the Pro and Ultimate variants also offer additional L2 and R2 trigger functions via a hidden touch sensors on the back cover.
Unlike the standard model which features an RGB logo, the two high-tier models also get an ROG Vision PMOLED display on the rear that can be used to display notifications and customised animations. What’s strange is that the more expensive Ultimate model gets a monochrome screen while the Pro version gets a colour display.
