Tag Archives: ROG Phone 2

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

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ASUS just introduced the STRIX and Ultimate Editions for the ROG Phone 2, so gamers are wondering – which is the best model for them?

Believe it or not – the best option for mobile gaming is also the CHEAPEST – the ROG Phone 2 STRIX. Don’t waste your money on the other two!

 

ROG Phone 2 STRIX = Tencent Edition for Global Market!

From the very beginning, we have been advising people to forego the expensive Elite Edition for the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition, or the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK).

Why? Because those two options offer the best value for your money, and are really what REAL GAMERS need. Not what ASUS wants us to buy.

You can read all about that in our article, Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Elite Edition!

The new ROG Phone 2 STRIX Edition is basically the ROG Phone 2 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.

 

ROG Phone 2 Ultimate = Elite Edition With 1TB Storage

The ROG Phone 2 Ultimate is yet another marketing ploy to pick the pockets of gullible gamers. It is nothing more than the already expensive ROG Phone 2 Elite Edition with 1TB of storage and a higher price tag.

Let’s be honest – how many of you will actually use up 128 GB of storage, much less 512 GB or 1 TB? In fact, many of us are still using laptops with just 256 GB or 512 GB of storage!

So yes, it is colossally STUPID for anyone to buy for gaming. We will show you why…

 

ROG Phone 2 Specification + Price Comparison

First, let’s take a quick look at what’s different between the ROG Phone 2 STRIX vs Elite vs Ultimate in this table :

Specifications ROG Phone 2
STRIX Edition 		ROG Phone 2
Elite Edition		 ROG Phone 2
Ultimate Edition
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
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 8 GB LPDDR4X 12 GB LPDDR4X
Storage 128 GB UFS 3.0 512 GB UFS 3.0 1 TB 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 Cat16
– 150 Mbps UL
– 1.0 Gbps DL		 LTE Cat18
– 211 Mbps UL
– 1.2 Gbps DL		 LTE Cat20
– 316 Mbps UL
– 2.0 Gbps DL
Connectivity WiFi : 802.11ac, 2×2 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0		 WiFi : 802.11ad, 4×4 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 18 watt 30 watt
Dimensions 77.6 mm wide x 170.99 mm tall x 9.78 mm thick
Weight 240 g
Price £599 / $599 £829 / $829 £899 / $899

 

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

Now, let’s show you why the the ROG Phone 2 STRIX is the best option of the three, and why you should NOT pay extra for the Elite or Ultimate Editions!

Performance : They Are ALL EQUALLY FAST

The STRIX, Elite and Ultimate Editions are powered by the SAME Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform, as well as the same LPDDR4x RAM.

The Elite and Ultimate Editions come with 12 GB of RAM, while the STRIX Edition only comes with 8 GB of RAM. However, which mobile 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 or Ultimate Edition is the right to brag about how your ROG Phone 2 has 4 GB of additional RAM just sitting there doing nothing.

Recommended : The Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 Comparison!

Storage : They Are ALL EQUALLY FAST

All three ROG Phone 2 models use fast UFS 3.0 storage. The only difference is how much storage they come with :

  • ROG Phone 2 STRIX : 128 GB
  • ROG Phone 2 Elite : 512 GB
  • ROG Phone 2 Ultimate : 1 TB

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 STRIX 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 really pointless… at least for mobile gamers.
  • Paying extra for 1 TB of storage in the Ultimate Edition? That’s just plain stupid for mobile gamers.

Connectivity : Practically The Same

The Snapdragon X24 LTE modem supports LTE Cat 20 and WiFi-AD connectivity, but ASUS artificially limited their capabilities slightly to differentiate the three models :

  • ROG Phone 2 STRIX : LTE Cat16 (1 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL) + WiFi-AC
  • ROG Phone 2 Elite : LTE Cat16 (1.2 Gbps DL, 211 Mbps UL) + WiFi-AD
  • ROG Phone 2 Ultimate : LTE Cat20 (2 Gbps DL, 316 Mbps UL) + WiFi-AD

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 2 Elite / Ultimate

The only clear-cut performance advantage the ROG Phone 2 Elite and Ultimate Editions offer is the 30-watt fast charger.

The ROG Phone 2 STRIX Edition only comes with a 18-watt fast charger, but in case you are wondering – it’s still fast enough to recharge the phone while you game on it.

Bundled “Freebies” : ROG Phone 2 Elite / Ultimate

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

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

Price : ROG Phone 2 STRIX Edition

Now, this is the real kicker.

The Elite Edition costs 38~41% more than the STRIX Edition, for no difference in gaming performance!

The Ultimate Edition costs 50% more than the STRIX Edition, for no difference in gaming performance!

  • ROG Phone II STRIX Edition : US$599 / £599 / ~A$868 / S$799 / ~RM 2,479
  • ROG Phone II Elite Edition : US$829 / £829 / ~A$1,201 / S$1,299 / RM 3,499
  • ROG Phone II Ultimate Edition : US$899 / £899 / ~A$1,303 / ~S$1,218 / ~RM 3,722

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

 

Why We Recommend ROG Phone 2 STRIX Edition

Of the three models, the ROG Phone 2 STRIX 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 Elite and Ultimate Editions!

All you are getting with the Elite or Ultimate Edition is a 38% to 50% higher price tag for more storage, a more powerful charger, and the AeroActive Cooler II and Aero Case.

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

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

 

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Go Back To > Mobile Devices | Gaming | Home

 

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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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ASUS ROG Phone 2 Global vs Tencent Edition Comparison!

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Worried that gamers are swarming for the highly-affordable ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition, ASUS urgently touted the advantages of the delayed ROG Phone 2 Global Edition.

Let’s compare the specifications of the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition against the ROG Phone 2 Global Edition model!

Note : ASUS has since renamed the Global Edition as the Elite Edition, with a STRIX Edition as the “global version” of the Tencent Edition, with a 1TB Ultimate Edition.

 

ROG Phone 2 – Super Fast Phone, Super Slow Rollout

ASUS launched the ROG Phone last year, calling it the world’s first smartphone designed for mobile gaming. Unfortunately, they squandered that advantage with an ultra-slow rollout in a fast-moving industry.

More nimble, new competitors like Black Shark not only introduced their own gaming smartphones, they literally surged past them.

The Black Shark 2, for example, launched way back in April 2019 with the Snapdragon 855, and they launched the Black Shark 2 PRO that is powered by the same Snapdragon 855+ that the ROG Phone 2 uses… in JULY 2019.

Of course, the ROG Phone 2 boasts a 120 Hz display, with a 1 ms response time that totally crushes the likes of Black Shark 2 and Black Shark 2 PRO, and should guarantee silky-smooth gameplay, albeit at the expense of battery life.

That’s why ASUS gave it a massive 6,000 mAh battery – so it will last for quite a few rounds. The downside? It weighs almost a quarter of a kilo and is almost a full cm thick.

Of course, Black Shark has publicly pooh-poohed the usefulness of a 120 Hz display in this recent Q&A session :

Instead of a higher refresh rate, they opted to use DC dimming to reduce eyestrain, and an integrated DSP with MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) capabilities to eliminate unwanted judder and blur.

There is also the issue of ASUS quietly setting the ROG Phone 2 to use a 60Hz refresh rate instead, to improve battery life.

Recommended : ROG Phone 2 : How To Turn On 90Hz / 120Hz Refresh Rate!

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ASUS ROG Phone 2 Global vs Tencent Edition

Back in August 2019, ASUS and Tencent revealed the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in China, powered by the Snapdragon 855 Plus platform.

However, ASUS did NOT want anyone to think or talk about the Tencent Edition because it is MUCH CHEAPER, and is a darn better deal than the Global Edition that they only introduced in October 2019.

They urged their media friends to talk up the ROG Phone 2 Global Edition instead. But in our honest opinion, the Tencent version is a better deal for gamers. Here’s why!

Recommended : Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Global Edition!

For your convenience, we compare the specifications of both models in this table :

Specifications ASUS ROG Phone 2
Global Edition
 ASUS ROG Phone 2
Tencent Edition
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 / 1 TB UFS 3.0 128 GB UFS 3.0
Front Camera 24 MP front camera
Rear Cameras 48 MP main camera, with Sony IMX586 sensor, f/1.79 lens
13 MP ultra-wide camera, with 125-degree field of view
4G Network 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

 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus

In case you are wondering, the Snapdragon 855 Plus is just a speed-binned version of the regular Snapdragon 855. They are virtually identical.

The only differences are the clock speeds of two parts in the Snapdragon 855 Plus :

  • its single high-performance Kryo 485 Gold core is clocked at 2.96 GHz, instead of 2.84 GHz.
  • its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz.

In other words, its advantage in mobile gaming is a 4% increase in the short boost performance of the CPU, and a 14.9% increase in peak GPU performance.

Recommended : The Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 Comparison!

 

ROG Phone 2 Global vs Tencent : Price + Availability

ASUS finally released the Global Edition (now renamed Elite Edition) in the US and India in September 2019, with other countries like Malaysia receiving a limited number in mid-October 2019.

Based on the US, European and Chinese launch prices of $899, €899 and RMB 5,999, it is a whopping 23% more expensive than the Black Shark 2 PRO – an extra RM 700 / ~US$240 / ~£136 / ~A$249!

The ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition is much cheaper, of course. Its RMB 3,499 retail price in China translates into approximately RM 2,059 / ~US$499 / ~£399 / ~A$724!

That is 80% off the cost of the Global Edition, and 31% cheaper than the Black Shark 2 PRO!

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

In the beginning, it was only available officially in China and India… and while you can purchase one off the grey market, you would not receive any warranty or even OTA updates for them.

But the good news is ASUS has finally released the STRIX Edition, which is basically the global version of the Tencent Edition.

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

 

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ROG Phone 2 : How To Turn On 90Hz / 120Hz Refresh Rate!

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The ASUS ROG Phone 2 boasts an excellent 120Hz display, but did you know that ASUS secretly set it to just 60Hz?

In this guide, we will show you how to switch the ROG Phone 2 from 60Hz to 90Hz or 120Hz!

 

ROG Phone 2 : 120Hz Display Stuck At 60Hz

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU) comes with a really nice and large 6.59-inch AMOLED display.

Its 1080 x 2340 resolution is much lower than the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note10+ or Galaxy S10+, but it boasts a 108% DCI-P3 colour gamut and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Now, that 120Hz refresh rate is the ROG Phone 2’s key selling point. ASUS claims it gives gamers a real advantage against their opponents, as well as a nicer, silkier gaming experience.

However, unbeknownst to many – ASUS actually sets the ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU) to use a 60 Hz refresh rate, making it no different from its chief rival – the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK).

Amazingly, many gamers and some reviewers were not aware of this. If you see people commenting on how smooth the ROG Phone 2 display looks, without mentioning they manually turned on the 120Hz refresh rate – that’s just the placebo effect! 😀

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

 

Why Does The ROG Phone 2 Use 60Hz And Not 120Hz?

Simple – as we pointed out from the very beginning – the 120Hz refresh rate will use up a lot more power than 60Hz.

Both the Qualcomm Adreno 640 GPU and the ROG Phone 2’s AMOLED display, has to work twice as hard with a 120Hz refresh rate, compared to 60Hz.

That’s why ASUS gave the ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU) a large and heavy 6,000 mAh battery. The 120Hz refresh rate would have been murder on battery life.

But ASUS also knew that reviewers and early users would comment about the poorer battery life, even with such a large battery. So the solution was apparently to quietly set the AMOLED display to use a 60Hz refresh rate.

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

 

ROG Phone 2 : How To Turn On 90Hz / 120Hz Refresh Rate!

Now, poorer ROG Phone 2 battery life aside, it would be really foolish to pay so much more for a 120Hz display only to have it run at 60Hz. That would be like buying a Porsche with a 80 km/h speed limiter installed.

So we created this video guide to help you switch your ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU) from its default 60Hz refresh rate to 90Hz or 120Hz.

ASUS offers a total of three ROG Phone 2 refresh rate options – 60Hz (default), 90Hz and 120Hz.

You can switch the refresh rate on-the-fly, but unfortunately, it’s not part of Quick Settings. ASUS buried it in the Display settings.

Here is the quickest way to switch the ROG Phone 2’s refresh rate :

  1. Swipe down from the top of the ROG Phone 2 display to access Quick Settings.
  2. Tap on the Settings icon at the lower right corner, to bring up the Settings screen.
  3. Tap on the Display option.

  1. Under Display settings, tap on the Refresh rate option.
  2. You will see that your ROG Phone 2 is set to use 60 Hz by default.
  3. You can now select either 90 Hz or 120 Hz.

Just select the refresh rate you prefer, and the display will flicker a little as it changes the refresh rate.

That’s it – you are ready to go! Enjoy the higher refresh rate!

Recommended : Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Global Edition!

 

ASUS ROG Phone 2 : Where To Buy

Here are online purchase options for the ASUS ROG Phone 2 :

You can also purchase the much cheaper ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in the grey market. *

* Please note that if you purchase a grey market Tencent unit, you will not be entitled to warranty outside of China.

 

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

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Now that both the ASUS ROG Phone 2 and Black Shark 2 PRO are out and competing with each other, the question mobile gamers are asking – which is the better gaming smartphone?

In this article, we will compare both the ROG Phone 2 and the Black Shark 2 PRO, and see which is the better gaming device!

 

Gaming Smartphones?

Both the Black Shark 2 PRO and ASUS ROG Phone 2 claim to be gaming smartphones. What’s the difference between these two “gaming” smartphones and “regular” smartphones?

While ALL smartphones can handle games pretty well, especially if they are flagship devices, gaming smartphones claim to offer an edge to serious mobile gamers, like :

  • really fast CPU and GPU, with high-speed memory and storage
  • better cooling system to sustain gaming performance
  • large display with a high refresh rate, or low latency, or both
  • better wireless connectivity to ensure no lag during gameplay
  • large battery for longer gameplay
  • better audio for more enjoyable gameplay
  • special controls or buttons, or gamepad add-ons

Of course, many flagship-class smartphones already offer many of those features, which is why some argue that gaming-specific smartphones are merely a way for some brands to carve a niche to survive in the ultra-competitive smartphone market.

But we digress… let’s compare the two top gaming smartphones that are coming, or will soon come to a store near you – the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) and the ASUS ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU).

 

ASUS ROG Phone 2 vs Black Shark 2 PRO Specifications

Let’s start with a quick comparison of their key specifications.

Specifications Black Shark 2 PRO ROG Phone 2
Display 6.39-inch AMOLED display
– 1080 x 2340 pixels
– 108.9% DCI-P3 colour gamut
– 60 Hz refresh rate		 6.59-inch AMOLED display
– 1080 x 2340 pixels
– 108% DCI-P3 colour gamut
– up to 120 Hz refresh rate
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 8 GB / 12 GB LPDDR4X
Storage 128 GB / 256 GB UFS 3.0 512 GB / 1 TB UFS 3.0
Front Camera 20 MP with f/2.0 aperture 24 MP front camera
Rear Cameras 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor, with f/1.75 aperture
12 MP telephoto camera, with f/2.2 aperture		 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor, with f/1.79 aperture
13 MP ultra-wide camera, with 125-degree field of view
Connectivity 4G : LTE Cat18 – 211 Mbps UL, 1.2 Gbps DL
WiFi : 802.11ac, 4×4 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0		 4G : LTE Cat18 – 211 Mbps UL, 1.2 Gbps DL
WiFi : 802.11ad, 4×4 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
Special Sensors ForceTouch Sensors Ultrasonic AirTrigger
Fingerprint Sensor Yes, In-Display Optical Sensor
Audio Dual front-facing speakers Dual front-facing speakers + DTS:X Ultra
Battery 4,000 mAh battery 6,000 mAh battery
Charger 27 watt fast charger 30 watt fast charger
Dimensions 75.0 mm wide
163.6 mm tall
8.77 mm thick		 77.6 mm wide
170.99 mm tall
9.78 mm thick
Weight 205 g 240 g

 

ASUS ROG Phone 2 vs Black Shark 2 PRO

Although there are quite a few more differences between the two models, we are going to focus mainly on the gaming and mobility aspects in this comparison.

Performance : Tie

Both Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK)) and ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU) have the same performance.

They both use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform, and come with 8 GB or 12 GB of LPDDR4x memory.

Recommended : The Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 Comparison!

Storage : ROG Phone 2

Both Black Shark 2 PRO and ASUS ROG Phone 2 use UFS 3.0 storage, which is about 2X faster than UFS 2.1. This is the key point.

The ROG Phone 2 comes with twice as much storage as the Black Shark 2 PRO. However, 256 GB is more than what most gamers will ever use – even PUBG Mobile takes up only 1.54 GB of space!

Honestly, paying extra for 512 GB of storage or even 1 TB is just pointless for gamers. But we will give the advantage to the ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU), if only for the bragging rights.

Cooling : Black Shark 2 PRO

The Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) features a Mille-Feuille full area liquid cooling system that, according to them, is far superior to that of the ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU).

Device CPU Temp. GPU Temp. RAM Temp. Chassis Temp.
Black Shark 2 PRO 65.7 °C 51.2 °C 52.0 °C 35.7 °C
ASUS ROG Phone 2 77.5 °C 54.6 °C 55.0 °C 47.1 °C
Difference + 11.8 °C + 3.4 °C + 3.0 °C + 11.4 °C

Display : Tie

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 boasts a 120 Hz display, while the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) only has a 60 Hz display.

However, Black Shark has publicly pooh-poohed the usefulness of a 120 Hz display in this recent Q&A session :

Instead of a higher refresh rate, they opted to use DC dimming to reduce eyestrain, and an integrated DSP with MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) capabilities to eliminate unwanted judder and blur. So we think this counts as a tie.

Do note too that a 120 Hz refresh rate uses up significantly more power, which is why ASUS actually set it to 60 Hz by default!

Recommended : ROG Phone 2 : How To Turn On 90Hz / 120Hz Refresh Rate!

Touch Screen : Black Shark 2 PRO

Black Shark also focused on reducing the latency of the touch screen display, with 240 Hz report rate even with three fingers. This is, arguably, far more important for competitive gaming than a 120 Hz display.

Touch Report Rate Black Shark 2 PRO ASUS ROG Phone 2 Difference
1 Finger 240 Hz 195 Hz – 45 Hz / 18.75 %
2 Fingers 240 Hz 145 Hz – 95 Hz / 39.58 %
3 Fingers 240 Hz 135 Hz – 105 Hz / 43.75%

They also claim that the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) has a significantly lower touch latency than the ROG Phone 2.

Touch Latency Black Shark 2 PRO ASUS ROG Phone 2 Difference
Not Shooting 30.7 ms 41.6 ms + 10.9 ms / 35.5 %
Shooting 48.6 ms 70.0 ms + 21.4 ms / 44.0 %

Battery : ROG Phone 2

The ROG Phone 2, on the other hand, boasts a 6,000 mAh battery that is 50% larger than the Black Shark 2 PRO‘s battery. This means you will get to play longer on the ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU).

Portability : Black Shark 2 PRO

This may not be important to everyone, but if you want to be able to carry your gaming smartphone in your pocket, the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) is both smaller and lighter than the ROG Phone 2.

Availability : Black Shark 2 PRO

This may not seem important, until you decide you want to buy one.

The Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) was available to purchase for weeks before the first batch of ROG Phone 2 (MY | SG | US | UK | AU) was released.

ASUS has always had a reputation for a slow roll-out, and that hasn’t changed with the ROG Phone 2 – even after it was launched, quantities were limited.

Price : Black Shark 2 PRO

Here is a quick comparison table to show the price difference between the two models :

Countries Black Shark 2 PRO
 (12 GB + 256 GB)		 ASUS ROG Phone 2
(12 GB + 512 GB)		 Difference
Malaysia RM 2,999 RM 3,499 + RM 500 (16.7%)
Singapore S$869 S$1,299 + S$430 (49.5%)
United States ~$729 $889 + $160 (21.9%)
United Kingdom £560 £1,149 + £589 (105.2%)
Australia ~A$1,059 A$1,964 + A$905 (85.5%)

Recommended : Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Global Edition!

 

So Which Is Better?

Frankly speaking, you can game without any issue on any decent smartphone these days. But if you are a serious or professional gamer, a gaming smartphone could give you the competitive edge you need.

But between the two models, we personally prefer the Black Shark 2 PRO (MY | SG | AU | UK) for these reasons :

  • its better cooling system will maintain gaming performance, while keeping the chassis cooler to touch
  • a low latency touch display is arguably more important for gaming, than a high refresh rate display
  • even though the ROG Phone 2 has a larger battery, the 120 Hz display significantly limits its battery life
  • the Black Shark 2 PRO is MUCH CHEAPER than the ROG Phone 2 Global Edition

Recommended : Black Shark 2 PRO In-Depth Review : A Real Gaming Beast!

 

Black Shark 2 PRO : Where To Buy

Here are online purchase options for the Black Shark 2 PRO :

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Malaysia

Singapore

United Kingdom

Australia

 

ASUS ROG Phone 2 : Where To Buy

Here are online purchase options for the ASUS ROG Phone 2 :

You can also purchase the much cheaper ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in the grey market. *

* Please note that if you purchase a grey market Tencent unit, you will not be entitled to warranty outside of China.

 

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ASUS ROG Phone 2 Malaysia – What You Need To Know!

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Almost 3 months after ASUS launched the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in China, it finally reaches Malaysia.

Here is EVERYTHING you need to know about the ROG Phone 2 for Malaysia – its specifications, price, availability and more!

We will also share with you cheaper alternatives, for those who cannot afford the ROG Phone 2!

 

When Will The ASUS ROG Phone 2 Come To Malaysia?

ASUS officially launched the ROG Phone 2 on 16 October 2019, with limited quantities as expected. ASUS has a long history of slow rollouts, to be honest.

 

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 Price For Malaysia

ASUS Malaysia is introducing the ROG Phone 2 Elite Edition with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, and a recommended retail price of RM 3,499 / ~US$834 / ~£655 / ~A$1,241.

The ROG Phone 2 Malaysia model will therefore be 16.7% more expensive than the Black Shark 2 PRO – an extra RM 500 / ~US$119 / ~£94 / ~A$177!

To sweeten the deal, ASUS Malaysia is throwing in the AeroActive Cooler II and the AeroCase, which they say are worth RM 398 / ~US$95 / ~£75 / ~A$141.

Here are the direct online purchase options :

  • ROG Phone II (12 GB + 512 GB) : Lazada | Shopee
  • ROG Phone II (12 GB + 512 GB) SuperPack : Lazada

If you are looking for the Ultimate Edition, which basically just comes with 1 TB of storage, that will probably retail for an insane RM 5,499 sometime in December 2019!

 

ASUS ROG Phone 2 SuperPack for Malaysia!

ASUS Malaysia is also bringing in the ROG Phone 2 SuperPack on 11 November 2019. It’s the same model, but it comes with all their accessories at the nose-bleeding price of RM 6,999 / ~US$1,669 / ~£1,317 / ~A$2,476.

Here is the list of accessories the ROG Phone 2 SuperPack for Malaysia comes with :

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  • ROG AeroActive Cooler II
  • ROG Lighting Armour Case
  • ROG TwinView Dock II
  • Kunai Gamepad
  • ROG Mobile Desktop Dock
  • 30W ROG Charger
  • ROG Type C USB cable
  • ROG Aero Case
  • ROG Limited Edition Luggage

Are all those accessories worth RM 3,500? Or should you just buy TWO ROG Phone 2 instead? Whatever you decide, here are the direct online purchase options :

  • ROG Phone II (12 GB + 512 GB) : Lazada | Shopee
  • ROG Phone II (12 GB + 512 GB) SuperPack : Lazada

 

Is There A Cheaper Alternative???

The ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition is much cheaper, of course. Its RMB 3,499 retail price in China works out to approximately RM 2,059 / ~US$499 / ~£399 / ~A$724!

That is almost half the price of the ROG Phone 2 Elite Edition for Malaysia, and 31% cheaper than the Black Shark 2 PRO!

Unfortunately, it is only available officially in China and India… although you can get them on the grey market * :

* Please note that if you purchase a grey market unit, you will not be entitled to warranty outside of China or India.

Another affordable alternative is to pick up the original ROG Phone, which is almost as fast but now costs less than RM 2.5K! Don’t believe us? Here are some direct purchase options :

Another good and much cheaper alternative is the Black Shark 2 PRO or the Black Shark 2.

 

ASUS ROG Phone 2 Malaysia vs Tencent Edition

On 23 July, ASUS and Tencent revealed the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in China, powered by the Snapdragon 855+ platform.

However, ASUS Malaysia has been trying their best to bury the story, even urging their media friends to talk up the ROG Phone 2 Global Edition.

We don’t blame them because the Tencent Edition is MUCH CHEAPER, and really is a darn better deal than the Elite Edition that they are introducing to Malaysia.

What we don’t understand is why they are not introducing a similar version, like they did for India.

Recommended : Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Global Edition!

For your convenience, we compare the specifications of both models in this table :

Specifications ASUS ROG Phone 2
Edition Edition for Malaysia
 ASUS ROG Phone 2
Tencent Edition
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 / 1 TB 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
Connectivity 4G : LTE Cat18 – 211 Mbps UL, 1.2 Gbps DL
WiFi : 802.11ad, 4×4 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0		 4G : LTE Cat16 – 150 Mbps UL, 1.0 Gbps DL
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, with USB-C to USB-C cable 18 watt, with USB-A to USB-C cable
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

 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+

In case you are wondering, the Snapdragon 855+ is just a speed-binned version of the regular Snapdragon 855. They are otherwise identical.

The only differences are the clock speeds of two parts in the Snapdragon 855 Plus :

  • its single high-performance Kryo 485 Gold core is clocked at 2.96 GHz, instead of 2.84 GHz.
  • its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz.

In other words, its advantage in mobile gaming is a 4% increase in the short boost performance of the CPU, and a 14.9% increase in peak GPU performance.

Recommended : The Snapdragon 855+ vs Snapdragon 855 Comparison!

 

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ROG Phone 2 US Elite Edition vs. Tencent Edition Compared!

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The ASUS ROG Phone 2 US model is finally available… two months after ASUS launched the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in China!

Here is EVERYTHING you need to know about the ROG Phone 2 US model in the United States – its specifications, price, and availability!

 

ROG Phone 2 – Super Fast Phone, Super Slow Rollout

ASUS keep boasting that they are the first to launch a Snapdragon 855 Plus smartphone, but what’s the point if they cannot deliver the actual devices?

More nimble, new competitors like Black Shark keep passing them by. The Black Shark 2, for example, launched way back in April 2019 with the Snapdragon 855, and they started selling the Black Shark 2 PRO with the Snapdragon 855 Plus last month!

Recommended : The ASUS ROG Phone 2 vs Black Shark 2 PRO Comparison!

It took them more than two months to introduce the ROG Phone 2 to the US market, and even then, they are only offering A SINGLE MODEL.

While the Indian market will receive a low-cost variant similar to the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition, ASUS is only introducing what they call the ROG Phone 2 Elite Edition.

Here is a short summary of how the Elite Edition differs from the Tencent Edition, and similar low-cost variants :

  • It comes with 12 GB of memory (which is pointless), instead of “just” 8 GB
  • It comes with 512 GB of storage, instead of 128 GB
  • It comes with faster LTE and Wi-Fi speeds (also pretty pointless)
  • It comes with a 30 W fast charger, instead of an 18 W fast charger
  • It comes with an AeroActive Cooler II, which is basically a bolt-on fan

ASUS says that they are planning to introduce the Ultimate Edition later, with a faster Cat20 LTE modem and 1 TB of UFS 3.0 storage.

 

ROG Phone 2 Elite Edition – Price & Availability In The US

In the US, ASUS will eventually introduce two high-spec models, but only the Elite Edition is available with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage :

  • ASUS ROG Phone 2 Elite Edition (12 GB + 512 GB) : $899.99

Recommended : Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Global Edition!

 

ROG Phone 2 US Elite Edition vs Tencent Edition

Last month, ASUS and Tencent revealed the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition in China, powered by the Snapdragon 855 Plus platform.

However, ASUS does NOT want you to think about the Tencent Edition because it is MUCH CHEAPER, and is a darn better deal than the Elite / Global Edition that they are offering in most countries.

They have been urging their media friends to talk up the Elite / Global Edition. But in our honest opinion, the Tencent version is a better deal for gamers. Here’s why!

For your convenience, we compare the specifications of both models in this table :

Specifications ASUS ROG Phone 2
(United States)		 ASUS ROG Phone 2
Tencent Edition
Display 6.59-inch AMOLED display (1080 x 2340 pixels)
– 118% DCI-P3 colour gamut, 10,000:1 contrast ratio
– up to 120 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time
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
LTE Speeds 1.2 Gbps DL, 211 Mbps UL 1.0 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL
Connectivity WiFi : 802.11ad, 2×2 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, with USB-C to USB-C cable 18 watt, with USB-A to USB-C cable
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 $899.99 Approx. $499.99

 

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ROG Phone 2 India Models vs. Tencent Edition Comparison!

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India is getting both the Tencent Edition, and the Global Edition, of the ROG Phone 2… with prices to match!

Let’s compare their specifications against the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition, as well as their prices!

 

India Gets Two DIFFERENT ROG Phone 2 Models

ROG Phone 2 (8 GB + 128 GB) For India

Basically, the ROG Phone 2 (8 GB + 128 GB) is the Tencent Edition for India. Here are the differences :

  • It has a slightly slower LTE download speed, compensated by slightly faster LTE upload speed
  • It comes with an Aero case
  • It is slightly – about 10% – more expensive than the Tencent Edition

The ROG Phone 2 (8 GB + 128 GB) is priced at ₹37,999 / ~US$529 / ~£429 / ~A$799 / ~RM 2,249

Recommended : The ASUS ROG Phone 2 vs Black Shark 2 PRO Comparison!

ROG Phone 2 (12 GB + 512 GB) For India

In addition, ASUS will also introduce the far more expensive Global Edition to cater to the richer segment of the Indian population.

  • It comes with 12 GB of memory (which is pointless), instead of “just” 8 GB
  • It comes with 512 GB of storage, instead of 128 GB
  • It comes with faster LTE and Wi-Fi speeds (also pretty pointless)
  • It comes with a 30 W fast charger, instead of an 18 W fast charger
  • It comes with an AeroActive Cooler II, which is basically a bolt-on fan

Now, here’s the kicker – this model costs 58% more than the 8 GB + 128 GB model.

The ROG Phone 2 (12 GB + 512 GB) is priced at ₹59,999 / ~US$849 / ~£689 / ~A$1,259 / ~RM 3,559

Again, we would like to point out that, for gamers, the Tencent Edition and similar variants are definitely A MUCH BETTER DEAL than the high-end / Global Edition ROG Phone 2.

Recommended : Why ROG Phone II Tencent Is Better Than The Global Edition!

 

ROG Phone 2 India Models vs. Tencent Edition

To make it easy for you to determine which is a better model for you, we compare the two ROG Phone 2 India models against the Tencent Edition.

Specifications ROG Phone 2
(12 GB + 512 GB)
 ROG Phone 2
(8 GB + 128 GB)
 ROG Phone 2
Tencent Edition
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
System Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus
CPU 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)
System Platform 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 camera with f/2.0 aperture
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
LTE Speeds 1.2 Gbps DL, 211 Mbps UL 800 Mbps DL, 211 Mbps UL 1 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL
Connectivity Wi-Fi : 802.11ad, 4×4 MIMO
Bluetooth : BT 5.0		 Wi-Fi : 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 W, USB-A to USB-C 18 W, USB-A to USB-C
AeroActive Cooler Yes No No
Aero Case Yes Yes No
Dimensions 77.6 mm wide x 170.99 mm tall x 9.78 mm thick
Weight 240 g
Price ₹59,999 ₹37,999 Approx. ₹34,599

 

ROG Phone 2 Availability In India

The ROG Phone 2 (8GB + 128GB) model will start selling at 12 AM, on 30 September 2019.

The 12GB + 512GB is not available yet, but will be “coming soon” like someone who has jerked off way too often.

This is not surprising, because ASUS has a history of super-slow rollouts.

They may boast of being the first to launch a Snapdragon 855 Plus smartphone, but what’s the point if they cannot deliver the actual devices?

More nimble, new competitors like Black Shark keep passing them by. The Black Shark 2, for example, launched way back in April 2019 with the Snapdragon 855, and they started selling the Black Shark 2 PRO with the Snapdragon 855 Plus last month!

 

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The Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 Comparison!

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With brands trying to pitch gaming smartphones based on the Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform, the question arises – is the Snapdragon 855 Plus really necessary for mobile gaming?

Find out what the Snapdragon 855 Plus offers over the “regular” Snapdragon 855, and if they will really affect your gaming experience!

 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus

Announced in December 2018, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus is a mid-cycle refresh of the flagship Snapdragon 855 mobile platform.

Since it started shipping in the first quarter of 2019, some smartphone brands have been promoting it as a “must-have” feature for the ultimate mobile gaming experience.

The ASUS ROG Phone 2, for example, boasts of it as a key selling point. As does the upcoming Black Shark 2 Pro.

 

Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 : What’s Different?

In Qualcomm’s product brief, they even claimed that it would deliver “incredible gains” in performance, and that your gaming experience will take on “a new dimension“.

WOW… That’s some pitch…

But as bombastic as it sounds, the Snapdragon 855 Plus only differs from the Qualcomm 855 in two aspects :

  • its single prime Kryo 485 Gold CPU core has a slightly faster clock speed of 2.96 GHz
  • its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz

Its other features are completely identical to the “regular” Snapdragon 855, as you can see in our comparison table :

Specifications Snapdragon 855 Plus Snapdragon 855
Fabrication Process 7 nm FinFET
Prime CPU Core 1 x Kryo 485 Gold (2.96 GHz) 1 x Kryo 485 Gold (2.84 GHz)
Performance CPU Cores 3 x Kryo 485 Gold (2.42 GHz)
Low-Power CPU Cores 4 x Kryo 485 Silver (1.8 GHz)
Graphics Processor Adreno 640 (672 MHz) Adreno 640 (585 MHz)
Modem Snapdragon X24 LTE Modem
LTE Peak Download Speed 2 Gbps (7 x 20 MHz carrier aggregation)
LTE Peak Download Speed 316 Mbps (3 x 20 MHz carrier aggregation)
Image Signal Processor Spectra 380 + Dual 14-bit CV-ISPs

 

The Snapdragon 855 Plus CPU Performance Explained

The Snapdragon 855 Plus has eight CPU cores, but only its single prime Kryo 485 Gold core has a 4.2% higher clock speed.

This gives single-threaded workloads a small 4% boost in performance. However, you should expect to see the performance difference only in benchmarks.

With multi-threaded workloads, the effect will be even more insignificant and definitely not noticeable.

 

The Snapdragon 855 Plus GPU Performance Explained

Its Adreno 640 GPU, on the other hand, received a significant 15% boost in clock speed. This will improve its graphics performance significantly.

However, whether you can actually feel a difference highly depends on the smartphone.

  • If it’s being used to drive a 4K and/or 120 Hz display, it could mean the difference between silky-smooth and occasionally jerky gameplay.
  • But if it’s just driving a Full HD and/or 60 Hz display… then it’s probably being used for marketing purposes because you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Remember – the regular Snapdragon 855 is a gaming powerhouse in its own right. You haven’t heard anyone complaining about its gaming performance, have you?

 

Is It Worth Paying Extra For The Snapdragon 855 Plus?

That would be like asking if it’s worth paying extra for a Lamborghini.

For the ultra-rich, they will probably settle for nothing less than the very best money can buy.

But for the rest of us – the economic hoi polloi, it really depends on how much extra brands want you to pay for an 855 Plus smartphone.

Recommended : ROG Phone 2 : Tencent vs MY / Global Edition Compared!

If you want to use your smartphone primarily as a gaming device, you should logically not pay more than a 15% premium. After all, the most you can expect is a 15% boost in graphics performance.

We personally wouldn’t pay more than a 5% price premium for what’s really an overclocked Snapdragon 855.

But take note too the other features of the gaming smartphone, like a high frame rate or HDR display. It may be worth paying a higher price premium for those features…

 

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