The ROG Phone 8 is a gaming flagship from ASUS. The company announced it at CES in January 2024, together with the ROG Phone 8 Pro. In the US, it launched at $1,099.99. Compared with earlier ROG phones, it has a slimmer body, an IP68 rating and wireless charging.
Design and display
The phone measures 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm and weighs 225 g. It uses an aluminum frame and a matte glass back with a customizable Aura RGB ROG logo. It comes in Rebel Grey and Phantom Black.
The 6.78-inch Samsung Flexible AMOLED panel has a 2400 x 1080 resolution and Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The LTPO screen runs from 1 Hz to 120 Hz. In games, it can reach 165 Hz. ASUS lists 2,500 nits of peak brightness and HDR10 support.
Performance
The phone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with an Adreno 750 GPU. It pairs 12 GB or 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM with 256 GB of UFS 4.0 storage. There is no microSD slot. Gaming extras include AirTrigger ultrasonic shoulder buttons and a second USB-C port on the side. That port also docks the optional AeroActive Cooler X fan.
Cameras
The main camera uses a 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor. It has an f/1.9 lens and gimbal stabilization. A 13 MP ultrawide and a 32 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and OIS join it. However, in some regions, such as India and Australia, a 5 MP macro camera replaces the telephoto. The rear camera records video up to 8K at 24 fps. The 32 MP front camera records 1080p video at 30 fps.
Battery and charging
The 5,500 mAh capacity comes from two 2,750 mAh cells. The phone supports 65W wired charging, and ASUS includes a 65W charger in most markets. For the first time in the series, it also supports 15W Qi wireless charging.
Software and updates
The ROG Phone 8 shipped with Android 14 and ROG UI. Users can also switch to a stock-style Android look. ASUS promises two major Android updates and four years of security patches.
Should you buy the ROG Phone 8?
The ROG Phone 8 suits mobile gamers who want a fast chip, a 165 Hz screen and gaming controls. It also keeps a 3.5 mm headphone jack and stereo speakers. However, the update policy is shorter than on many flagships at this price. In addition, buyers outside the US should check whether their regional model has the telephoto or the macro camera. ASUS has since released the ROG Phone 9 as its successor.
