ASUS ROG Phone 7 Review: The Ultimate Weapon for Serious Mobile Gamers?

In the realm of mobile gaming, the landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation, particularly in Southeast Asia, where competitive titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and PUBG Mobile have conquered the hearts of millions, rivalling even the popularity of PC gaming giants like VALORANT or Dota 2. Within this ever-expanding community, there exists a dedicated breed of gamers — a league of serious enthusiasts relentlessly seeking a mobile device specifically engineered for their gaming ambitions.

Acknowledging this fervent demand, ASUS presents the ROG Phone 7, the pinnacle of their flagship gaming lineup, designed to redefine the boundaries of mobile gaming excellence. In this comprehensive review, we embark on a deep dive into the vast arsenal of features, untamed performance, and unrivalled gaming prowess of the ROG Phone 7, scrutinising its potential to either reshape the gaming landscape or fade into the abyss of mere novelty.

Design and Build Quality

Having enjoyed the seamless performance of the ROG Phone 5 for over two years, I eagerly awaited the arrival of its successor, the ROG Phone 7, wondering if it would justify the upgrade. Upon first laying eyes on the ROG Phone 7, an initial sense of déjà vu washed over me as its design bore a striking resemblance to its predecessor. The similarities were so uncanny that, for a moment, the two devices blended, leaving me intrigued about any potential differentiators that lay beneath the surface.

When it comes to gaming on the go, be prepared to turn heads in public settings like subway commutes or restaurant outings. The unmistakable gamer aesthetic of the ROG Phone 7 makes a bold statement, capturing attention with its back design. The illuminated ROG logo on the rear panel serves as a glowing emblem of gaming prowess, while the sleek Gorilla Glass 3, featuring a captivating pearly two-tone finish, adds a touch of elegance.

Immersing oneself in the visual marvels of the ROG Phone 7 goes beyond the mere exterior. Intricate patterns, carefully crafted textures, and a thoughtfully chosen palette of colours come together, creating a harmonious symphony of design elements. From the captivating artwork that pays homage to the gaming culture to the precisely placed accents that amplify the phone's gamer spirit, every detail contributes to an aesthetic appeal that is simply captivating.

At the front, the ROG Phone 7 retains the sturdy Gorilla Glass Victus found on its predecessor, the ROG Phone 6. While the front design remains familiar, ASUS has fortified the device with an impressive IP54 rating, rendering it more resilient against the intrusion of dust particles and safeguarding it from splashes of water. This improved durability ensures that your gaming sessions can venture beyond controlled environments, granting you the freedom to indulge in your favourite titles without worry.

Compared to other flagship phones in the market, the ROG Phone 7 features relatively thicker bezels. While this might initially seem counter-intuitive, it's a deliberate design choice with gamers in mind. The noticeable bezels serve a functional purpose, providing gamers with something substantial to grip onto during extended gaming sessions, enhancing control and reducing the risk of accidental touches.

However, it's important to note that the ROG Phone 7's size goes hand in hand with its weight, tipping the scales at approximately 239 grams. While the substantial bezels do offer comfort during gripping, the overall heft of the device can become cumbersome when holding it for extended periods of gaming or enjoying a movie marathon.

One notable improvement in the ROG Phone 7's design compared to its predecessor, the ROG Phone 5, is its enhanced resistance to smudges and fingerprints on both the front and back. The phone's surfaces are noticeably more resilient, allowing for a cleaner and more polished appearance even after extensive use. However, it's regrettable to mention that despite this improvement, a hairline scratch has already appeared next to the iconic ROG logo on the back. While the phone does come with a case, it understandably leaves the logo exposed, and this vulnerability serves as a reminder of the trade-off between aesthetic appeal and potential surface imperfections.

Display and Audio

The ROG Phone 7 continues the tradition set by its predecessor with a magnificent 6.78-inch AMOLED display boasting an impressive 165Hz refresh rate. With a resolution of 2448 x 1080, the visuals on this device truly come to life, vibrant and stunning in their presentation.

The display not only excels in showcasing HDR content with exceptional clarity and contrast, but the high refresh rate takes gaming to new heights of smoothness. Even for those who may not consider themselves hardcore gamers, everyday tasks like scrolling through social media platforms become a delightfully silky experience. As a dedicated user of the ROG 5, which operates at a 144Hz refresh rate, I was initially skeptical about noticeable differences, but the upgraded 165Hz refresh rate on the ROG Phone 7 genuinely shines.

Undoubtedly, one of the most awe-inspiring features of the ROG Phone 7 is its remarkable pair of front-facing speakers, delivering an audio experience that surpasses expectations for a smartphone. The audio clarity achieved by these speakers is truly unrivaled, setting a new benchmark in the realm of mobile devices.

With the ROG Phone 7's superior audio output, your gaming and entertainment encounters are elevated to new heights, providing a truly immersive and gratifying auditory experience. The speakers produce such exceptional sound quality that you might even consider using the device as a portable Bluetooth speaker during lively gatherings or parties, captivating your audience with its powerful and crisp audio delivery.

Performance and Gaming Features

Now, let's delve into the aspect that truly captures the attention of gamers: the performance of the ROG Phone 7 when pushing graphic-intensive games to the limit.

As I mentioned earlier, the ROG Phone 7 hides remarkable differentiators beneath its surface. At the core of this gaming powerhouse lies the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, currently the pinnacle of Android device processors. Coupled with an Octa-core 3.2GHz processor and an Adreno 740 GPU, the ROG Phone 7 takes a leap forward from its predecessor, the ROG Phone 6, in terms of raw power and graphical prowess.

The model under review is the 256GB variant with 12GB of RAM, offering ample storage and memory for demanding gaming and multitasking. For those who require even greater storage capacity and an additional boost in RAM, there is also a 512GB variant available with 16GB of RAM. It's worth noting that, similar to its predecessors, the ROG Phone 7 does not feature expandable storage through card slots. However, considering the generous built-in storage options, it's unlikely that most users will find the need for additional space.

When it comes to real-world performance, the ROG Phone 7 lives up to its promising specifications. Seamless app switching and multitasking are a breeze, while graphically intensive games like Honkai: Star Rail, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Asphalt 9: Legends effortlessly run at a smooth 60fps with maximum settings, all without putting excessive strain on the CPU and GPU.

During extensive usage, the average CPU utilisation hovers around 40 per cent, with GPU utilisation at approximately 60 per cent. Furthermore, the system temperature remains relatively stable, ranging between 35 and 40°C.

App and game loading times are impressively quick, and the gaming experience is consistently silky smooth. Although extended periods of gaming or high settings may cause the phone to warm up, the entire design of the device maximizes heat dissipation.

The Snapdragon chip is strategically placed at the centre of the phone, enclosed within an aluminium midframe that aids in heat dissipation. This midframe is further complemented by a graphite sheet on the back for heat dissipation and a rapid-cycle vapour chamber with active liquid cooling on the front.

While the localised heat near the power button during gaming sessions is far from where hands typically rest, in hotter regions like Malaysia, the overall warmth of the phone can be felt. To address this, I recommend considering the AeroActive Cooler 7, an external phone cooler specifically designed to lower the surface temperature by up to 25°C.

Notably, unlike a typical phone, the ROG Phone 7 maintains optimal performance even after prolonged gaming sessions. I did not observe any performance drops or throttling, which is a testament to its exceptional heat management.

For avid gamers who enjoy fast-paced titles such as PUBG Mobile or immersive RPGs like Genshin Impact, the ROG Phone 7 offers a unique gaming advantage. Located on the right edge of the phone, there are two touch-sensitive panels that serve as shoulder buttons, enabling quicker response times and enhanced control.

These trigger zones can be customized and mapped to on-screen controls, providing a seamless and intuitive gaming experience. While some individuals may have a preference for physical buttons, I personally find the haptic vibrations when pressing these touch-sensitive panels to be highly satisfying, adding an extra layer of immersion to the gameplay.

Software and User Interface

To complement the striking exterior of the ROG Phone 7, ASUS offers users the flexibility to choose between two distinctive user interface options. The gaming-inspired ROG UI, known as Dark Matter Flow, embraces the phone's gaming aesthetics. Alternatively, users can opt for the classic theme, which resembles the familiar interface of a standard Android phone. During the initial setup, I personally chose the Stock Android option, opting for a clean and minimalistic user experience.

Running on Android 13, the ROG Phone 7 benefits from the latest Android software. ASUS has committed to providing two major OS updates and four years of security updates, ensuring a reasonably satisfactory level of software support. While this may not be the most extensive support compared to some other brands, it remains a commendable commitment.

Another noteworthy aspect of the ROG Phone 7's software experience is the indispensable Armoury Crate app. While this app has become a staple in ROG phones, it's worth emphasizing its importance once again. With Armoury Crate, you can not only monitor your device's health but also unleash the full potential of the phone's beefy specifications.

The app allows for extensive customization, including the ability to personalize the ROG logo lighting and create custom profiles tailored to specific games. This level of control enhances the overall gaming experience, ensuring optimal performance for each title.

In terms of performance customizations, the ROG Phone 7 offers several options. The X Mode is designed to allocate the majority of the phone's resources to system performance, refresh rate, and networking enhancements, albeit at the expense of battery life.

For daily use, the Dynamic mode provides optimized performance for regular tasks, striking a balance between power and efficiency. And when you find yourself needing to conserve battery life at the end of a long day, the Ultra Durable Mode minimizes hardware performance to preserve power.

Battery Life and Charging

The ROG Phone 7 comes equipped with dual 3,000mAh batteries, delivering a combined capacity of 6,000mAh. This ample battery capacity proves to be an endurance beast, providing extended usage for regular tasks. In my experience, the phone lasted an impressive 18 hours on a single charge, encompassing light gaming, media consumption, and standby time.

In cases where your battery is running low and a charger is not readily available, the ROG Phone 7 offers a power-saving function to help extend battery life.

During moderate to heavy gaming sessions at maximum settings, the phone can provide approximately 8 hours of gameplay. Moreover, the device supports fast charging at 65 watts, allowing for quick replenishment of the battery.

One noteworthy feature accessible via the ASUS Game Genie app is the automatic bypass charging function. This feature effectively maintains the phone's cool temperature by pausing the charging process when the battery reaches a sufficient power level. It then resumes charging automatically to ensure the phone maintains an optimal power level while minimizing heat generation.

Camera

The ASUS ROG Phone 7's camera capabilities may not be the primary focus of the device, but it is important to assess its performance. Equipped with three rear cameras and a selfie cam, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate offers a decent camera setup.

The main 50MP sensor produces lifelike and clear photos, delivering modest performance in low-light conditions. However, upon closer inspection, some softness in the images becomes apparent when zooming in.

The ultra-wide camera, unfortunately, falls short. While it captures a wider field of view, even a cursory look reveals softness and noise creeping into the images, detracting from the overall quality.

Although the macro camera is an improvement over the previous model, it still fails to provide impressive results. The images captured with the macro camera do not appear notably better than digitally zooming in 2X using the main sensor, and in fact, they tend to look considerably worse.

On a positive note, the selfie camera on the ROG Phone 7 is surprisingly good, thanks to a different sensor with increased resolution. The quad-bayer binning algorithm reduces the resolution from 32MP to 8MP, resulting in sharp and naturally coloured selfies, even in moderate lighting conditions.

While the camera performance of the ROG Phone 7 may not be its strongest aspect, it is still capable of capturing satisfactory photos in various scenarios, with the main sensor delivering the best overall results.

Verdict

In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Phone 7 is priced in the premium category, with the 12GB+256GB model retailing at RM3,599 and the 16GB+512GB model at RM4,299 in Malaysia. At this price point, there are other flagship smartphones available that offer comparable features and likely come with better camera capabilities.

It is important to note that the ROG Phone 7 caters to a niche audience. Those who choose to purchase this device will undoubtedly stand out from the crowd, but it comes at a significant cost. The hefty price tag may deter potential buyers who prioritize a well-rounded smartphone experience, including excellent camera performance, at a similar price range.

Overall, while the ROG Phone 7 offers unique gaming-oriented features and powerful specifications, it may struggle to compete with other flagship smartphones in terms of camera quality, making it a more specialized choice for gamers and enthusiasts rather than a mainstream option.