Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Elite Edition!

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After the special ROG Phone II Tencent Edition was launched, ASUS immediately sent out a press release that the Elite Edition would be quite different.

However, after comparing them both (as well as the similar Indian model and the global STRIX model), we can definitely tell you that the ROG Phone II Tencent Edition is A MUCH BETTER DEAL than the ROG Phone II Elite Edition for gamers!

 

ROG Phone II For India

In India, ASUS prepared a special low-cost ROG Phone II, which is almost exactly like the Tencent Edition.

For all intents and purposes, we consider it to be the ROG Phone II Tencent Edition for India.

You can read all about it in our article – ROG Phone 2 India Models vs. Tencent Edition Comparison!

 

ROG Phone II STRIX

The new ROG Phone II STRIX Edition is basically the Tencent Edition, without the Tencent logo.

This release is a slap in the face of those who bought the expensive Elite Edition earlier, and those who claimed that the Tencent Edition was only possible because of Tencent’s sponsorship in China.

ASUS have basically admitted that they can release a much cheaper ROG Phone 2, without sponsorship of any kind… and yes, that the Elite Edition was really just a way for them to make extra money off the foolish and the gullible.

Recommended : Why ROG Phone 2 STRIX Is BETTER Than Elite / Ultimate!

 

ROG Phone II Specifications : Tencent Edition vs. Elite Edition

First, let’s take a quick look at what’s different between the ROG Phone II Tencent Edition, and the ROG Phone II Elite Edition. For your convenience, we compare their specifications in this table :

Specifications ROG Phone 2
(Elite)
 ROG Phone 2
(Tencent / STRIX)
Display 6.59-inch AMOLED display (1080 x 2340 pixels)
– 108% DCI-P3 colour gamut, 10,000:1 contrast ratio
– up to 120 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time
Chassis Glass Back Cover Glass + Metal Back Cover
System Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus
Processor 1 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold core (2.96 GHz)
3 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU Qualcomm Adreno 640 (672 MHz)
RAM 12 GB LPDDR4X 8 GB LPDDR4X
Storage 512 GB UFS 3.0 128 GB UFS 3.0
Front Camera 24 MP front camera
Rear Cameras 48 MP main camera, with Sony IMX586 sensor, and f/1.79 lens
13 MP ultra-wide camera, with 125-degree field of view
4G LTE Cat18
– 211 Mbps UL
– 1.2 Gbps DL		 LTE Cat16
– 150 Mbps UL
– 1.0 Gbps DL
Connectivity WiFi : 802.11ad, 4×4 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0		 WiFi : 802.11ac, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
Sensors Accelerometer, E-Compass, proximity sensor, Hall sensor, ambient light sensor, in-display fingerprint sensor, gyro, ultrasonic AirTrigger shoulder buttons
Audio Dual front-facing speakers with DTS:X Ultra
Battery 6,000 mAh battery
Charger 30 watt 18 watt
AeroActive Cooler Yes No
Bundled Case Aero Case Bumper Case
Box Type Six Prism Box Square Box
Dimensions 77.6 mm wide x 170.99 mm tall x 9.78 mm thick
Weight 240 g
Price RMB 5,999
£899 / $899
 RMB 3,499
£599 / $599

 

ROG Phone II Compared : Tencent Edition vs. Elite Edition

Let’s compare both versions in the eyes of ASUS’ target market – mobile gamers.

Performance : They Are Both EQUALLY FAST

Both the Tencent Edition and the Elite Edition of the ROG Phone II are powered by the SAME Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform, as well as the same LPDDR4x RAM.

The Elite Edition comes with 12 GB of RAM, while the Tencent Edition only comes with 8 GB of RAM. However, which game do you know needs more than 2 GB of RAM?

In fact, high-end mobile games like PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9 use less than 1.2 GB of RAM!

So all you are getting when you purchase the Elite Edition is the right to brag how your ROG Phone II has 4 GB of additional RAM just sitting there doing nothing.

Recommended : The Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 Comparison!

Storage : They Are Both EQUALLY FAST

Both the Tencent Edition and the Elite Edition of the ROG Phone II use fast UFS 3.0 storage.

However, the Elite Edition comes with 512 GB of storage, while the Tencent Edition only comes with 128 GB.

Storage may be important for some users, but frankly speaking, 128 GB is plenty of storage for most users.

For gamers, it’s actually A LOT more than they will ever use. Even PUBG Mobile only takes up 1.54 GB of space.

128 GB of storage in the Tencent Edition should be more than enough to let you install 50-80 large games. Oh, you don’t have that many games? See what we mean?

Paying extra for 512 GB of storage in the Elite Edition is just pointless… at least for mobile gamers.

Connectivity : Practically The Same

To differentiate the two versions, ASUS slightly crippled the connectivity capabilities of the ROG Phone II Tencent Edition, limiting it to LTE Cat16 (1 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL) and WiFi-AC.

The ROG Phone II Elite Edition, on the other hand, boasts LTE Cat18 (1.2 Gbps DL, 211 Mbps UL) and WiFi-AD capabilities.

But for all practical purposes, you won’t be able to tell the difference because mobile games are designed to use very little data!

PUBG Mobile, for example, only uses between 15 MB and 50 MB of data for an entire 20-30 minute game. That works out to a MAXIMUM of 1.7 MB per minute, or 28 KB per second.

And how many of you actually have a WiFi-AD router? Most gamers still rely on a WiFi-AC router, which is plenty fast enough.

Charging : ROG Phone II Elite Edition

The only clear-cut performance advantage the ROG Phone II Elite Edition offers is the 30-watt fast charger. The Tencent Edition only comes with a 18-watt fast charger.

Bundled “Freebies” : ROG Phone II Elite Edition

The Elite Edition comes bundled with the AeroActive Cooler II and the Aero Case, while the Tencent Edition comes with just a bumper case.

But guess what – you can purchase the AeroActive Cooler II and Aero Case for the Tencent Edition as separate upgrades! And you can get them both for less than $100.

ASUS also took pains to share with us that the Elite Edition comes with a premium six prism box, while the Tencent Edition comes with only a square box.

Uh, okay… how is that important? Does ASUS expect us to play with the box, or with the ROG Phone II?

Price : ROG Phone II Tencent Edition

Now, this is the real kicker. The Elite Edition costs 38~41% more than the Tencent Edition for no difference in gaming performance!

  • ROG Phone II Tencent Edition : US$599 / £599 / ~A$724 / ~RM 2,479
  • ROG Phone II Elite Edition : US$829 / £829 / ~A$1,344 / RM 3,499

Recommended : ASUS ROG Phone 2 vs Black Shark 2 PRO : Who Wins?

 

Why We Recommend ROG Phone II Tencent Edition

Frankly speaking, the ROG Phone II Tencent Edition is the true gamer-centric model.

It focuses on delivering top-notch gaming capabilities with the same 120 Hz display, at a much lower price point than the Global Edition!

All you are getting with the Elite Edition is a 38% to 41% higher price tag for a larger storage capacity, a more powerful charger, and the AeroActive Cooler II and Aero Case bundled… and yes, it comes in a fancy six prism box.

If you want to buy one for mobile gaming, get the Tencent Edition. Your wallet will thank you.

Since it is available outside of China as the STRIX Edition, here are the purchase options for the ROG Phone II STRIX Edition :

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If you want to buy one for bragging rights, get the Elite Edition. ASUS will thank you.

 

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