Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is the epitome of gaming smartphones, designed to take your gaming experience to new heights. With its powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset and massive 18GB of RAM, this phone is a true beast when it comes to performance. The stunning AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate ensures smooth and immersive visuals. The phone also features pressure-sensitive gaming triggers and a ROG Vision monochrome display on the back, adding a touch of uniqueness. The 64MP triple camera setup and 24MP selfie camera capture stunning photos and videos. With a 6000mAh battery and 65W fast charging, you can game for hours without worrying about running out of power. Although the price is on the higher side, around 1300 EUR, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is definitely worth every penny for avid gamers and tech enthusiasts.

Design and Build Quality

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate boasts an impressive physical appearance with a sleek and stylish design. Its large dimensions of 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm and weight of 238 g give it a substantial feel in the hand, emphasizing its gaming capabilities. The phone features a glass front and back, both protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, and an aluminum frame, ensuring a premium and durable construction. The use of these materials not only enhances the phone's aesthetics but also provides a sense of luxury and sturdiness.

In terms of ergonomics and comfort, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate excels with its strategic placement of buttons and controls. The phone incorporates pressure-sensitive zones, known as gaming triggers, which enhance the gaming experience by providing additional input options. These triggers, along with the well-positioned physical buttons, allow for precise and effortless control during intense gaming sessions. Additionally, the phone's grip is comfortable, thanks to its slightly curved edges and smooth finish, ensuring a secure hold even during extended gaming sessions.

Durability is a key consideration for any gaming smartphone, and the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate doesn't disappoint in this aspect. With its robust construction and the use of Gorilla Glass Victus for both the front and back, the phone offers excellent resistance against scratches and accidental drops. The materials used in its construction provide a sense of durability, ensuring that the device can withstand the rigors of intense gaming usage.

Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate showcases an exceptional design and build quality. Its physical appearance exudes a sense of sophistication, while the strategic use of materials enhances its durability. The ergonomic design and comfortable grip further contribute to an optimal gaming experience. Whether it's the aesthetics, materials used, or the overall construction, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is undoubtedly a top choice for gamers looking for a high-performance and visually appealing smartphone.

Display

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate boasts a stunning display that elevates the gaming experience to new heights. With a large screen size of 6.78 inches and a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 82%, users can fully immerse themselves in their favorite games and multimedia content. The display resolution of 1080 x 2448 pixels ensures sharp and detailed visuals, with a pixel density of around 395 ppi.

Featuring AMOLED technology, the display delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks, adding to the overall visual appeal. The color accuracy and vibrancy are impressive, making images and videos look lifelike and captivating. The display also supports HDR10+ for enhanced contrast and a wider color gamut, further enhancing the visual experience.

In terms of brightness, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers up to 800 nits of typical brightness and 1200 nits of peak brightness. This allows for excellent outdoor visibility, ensuring that the display remains easily readable even in bright sunlight. Additionally, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, providing durability and resistance against scratches and accidental drops.

The display's touch responsiveness is top-notch, allowing for smooth and precise gaming controls. It also features pressure-sensitive zones and gaming triggers, providing an immersive and tactile gaming experience. The viewing angles are wide, ensuring consistent and vibrant visuals from various angles.

Furthermore, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers features like an always-on display, adaptive brightness, and a blue light filter for added convenience and comfort. Users can also calibrate the display to their preferences, further enhancing their viewing experience.

Overall, the display of the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a standout feature, offering a combination of impressive specifications, vibrant visuals, and excellent touch responsiveness. Whether for gaming or multimedia consumption, this display provides an immersive and visually stunning experience.

Performance

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a powerhouse when it comes to performance. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, this gaming phone delivers top-notch processing power and efficiency. The octa-core CPU consists of a Cortex-X1 core clocked at 2.84 GHz, three Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.42 GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.80 GHz. This combination ensures smooth multitasking and lag-free performance, even when running demanding games and applications.

In terms of GPU performance, the Adreno 660 GPU in the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a beast. It handles graphics-intensive tasks with ease and provides an exceptional gaming experience. Gaming benchmarks and synthetic benchmarks consistently show high graphics scores, further highlighting the phone's gaming capabilities. Whether you're playing the latest AAA titles or graphically demanding mobile games, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate delivers stunning visuals and smooth gameplay.

The phone's system optimization plays a crucial role in its overall performance. The ROG UI, based on Android 11, is specifically designed for gaming, offering a host of features and optimizations to enhance the gaming experience. The device also features pressure-sensitive gaming triggers, providing additional control options for gamers.

Thermal management is another area where the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate excels. The phone is equipped with a highly efficient cooling system, which includes a vapor chamber, graphite sheets, and vents. This ensures that the device stays cool even during extended gaming sessions, preventing thermal throttling and maintaining peak performance.

In real-world usage, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate shines. Users report smooth user experiences, fast app loading speeds, and snappy performance across the board. The phone's 18GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking and allows for seamless switching between apps and games.

Benchmark tests further corroborate the phone's impressive performance. Whether it's CPU benchmarks or GPU benchmarks, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate consistently delivers top-tier scores. Synthetic benchmarks showcase the device's processing power and efficiency, highlighting its ability to handle resource-intensive tasks with ease.

Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a performance beast. Its powerful chipset, efficient GPU, and optimized software make it a top choice for gamers and power users alike. Whether you're looking for a device that can handle the latest games or need a phone that can handle heavy multitasking, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate ticks all the boxes.

Software and User Interface

The software of the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate runs on Android 11 with the ROG UI on top. This operating system version provides a smooth and seamless user experience, ensuring that the phone operates efficiently. The ROG UI adds a touch of customization to the interface, giving users the ability to personalize their device to their liking.

One notable aspect of the software is the absence of bloatware. The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate comes with minimal pre-installed apps, allowing users to have more control over their device's storage and performance. This is particularly beneficial for gamers who prioritize having ample space for their games and other media.

The user-friendliness of the software is commendable. The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it simple for users to access their desired settings and applications. Additionally, the software supports various gesture controls, enhancing the overall user experience.

Furthermore, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers additional gaming-centric features through the ROG UI. These features include a Game Genie overlay, which provides quick access to various gaming tools and settings, as well as the ability to customize touch sensitivity and trigger buttons. These additions cater to the needs of gamers, enhancing their gaming experience on the device.

In conclusion, the software of the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, with its Android 11 operating system and ROG UI, offers a user-friendly interface with minimal bloatware. The customization options and gaming-centric features further enhance the overall user experience, making it a desirable choice for gamers and tech enthusiasts alike.

Camera

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate boasts a powerful camera setup that ensures excellent image quality in various conditions. The main camera is a triple-lens system, featuring a 64-megapixel wide lens with a large aperture of f/1.8 and a focal length of 26mm. This allows for detailed and sharp images with good depth of field. The 13-megapixel ultrawide lens with a 125˚ field of view is great for capturing wide landscapes and group shots. Additionally, there is a 5-megapixel macro lens for close-up photography. The camera setup is equipped with LED flash, HDR, and panorama mode, providing users with more creative options.

During daylight photography, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate delivers stunning results with accurate colors and excellent sharpness. The camera's dynamic range helps to capture details in both highlights and shadows, ensuring well-balanced exposures. Indoors or in low-light situations, the camera performs admirably thanks to its low-light sensitivity and noise reduction capabilities. The device also offers a night mode that enhances low-light performance and reduces noise for better night photography.

For video recording, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is capable of shooting 4K videos at 30, 60, and 120 frames per second, providing users with smooth and high-quality footage. Video stabilization ensures steady recordings, even when moving, and slow-motion video and time-lapse features add creativity to video capture. The phone supports various video formats, allowing for compatibility and flexibility in sharing and editing videos.

Overall, the camera features of the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offer a diverse range of shooting modes and options, ensuring users can capture stunning photos and videos in any situation.

Battery Life

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is equipped with a massive 6000mAh non-removable Li-Po battery, providing impressive battery life. This high-capacity battery ensures that users can enjoy extended gaming sessions and heavy smartphone usage without needing to worry about running out of power. Additionally, the device supports 65W wired charging, allowing for quick charging times. It boasts the ability to charge up to 70% in just 30 minutes and reach a full charge in 52 minutes, as advertised. The phone also supports 10W reverse wired charging, which allows users to charge other devices using their Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. The battery performance of this device is further enhanced by power efficiency and optimization features, ensuring that energy is used efficiently. Overall, the battery of the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers excellent performance, fast charging capabilities, and sufficient power for gaming and everyday use.

Connectivity and Networking

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers a wide range of connectivity options, making it a versatile device for users. It supports 5G network compatibility, ensuring fast and reliable data speeds for seamless browsing, streaming, and gaming experiences. In terms of wireless connectivity, the phone features Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, allowing users to connect to various Wi-Fi networks and take advantage of the latest Wi-Fi standards. Bluetooth 5.2 is also available, enabling users to connect their devices wirelessly and enjoy enhanced data transfer rates and improved audio quality. Additionally, the phone supports NFC, which facilitates quick and easy contactless payments and file transfers. The presence of USB Type-C ports ensures fast charging and data transfer speeds. Dual SIM capability allows users to use two SIM cards simultaneously, providing flexibility and convenience for managing personal and professional contacts. GPS and navigation features are also included, allowing users to navigate accurately and efficiently. Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers a comprehensive range of connectivity features, making it an ideal choice for users seeking a device with versatile connectivity options.

Additional Features

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate comes packed with a range of additional features that enhance its functionality and user experience. Although it does not have an official IP rating for water and dust resistance, it does offer a robust build quality with a glass front and back protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, along with an aluminum frame.

In terms of storage, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers a generous 512GB of internal storage, which should be sufficient for most users. However, it does not have a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

When it comes to charging, the device supports fast wired charging with a 65W charger, allowing you to charge the phone to 70% in just 30 minutes. It also supports Qi wireless charging, offering the convenience of wireless charging without the need for cables.

The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate features dual SIM functionality, allowing you to use two SIM cards simultaneously. This can be useful for those who want to separate personal and work numbers or take advantage of different network providers for better coverage.

In terms of sensors, the phone is equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, and other advanced sensors. These sensors enable various motion-controlled features and enhance gaming experiences. However, specific details about the sensor suite are not provided in the available information.

Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate offers a range of additional features that cater to the needs of gamers and smartphone enthusiasts. While it lacks official water and dust resistance ratings and expandable storage options, it compensates with its durable build, fast charging capabilities, wireless charging support, dual SIM functionality, and advanced sensor suite.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a high-performance gaming phone that competes with other devices in the market. When comparing it to related gadgets, such as the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate stands out with its unique gaming features and powerful specifications.

In terms of performance, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset and a massive 18GB of RAM. This combination ensures smooth multitasking and lag-free gaming experiences. In comparison, the iPhone 12 Pro Max features Apple's A14 Bionic chip and the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with either the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, depending on the region.

The display of the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a high peak brightness of 1200 nits. This makes it ideal for gaming and consuming media. The iPhone 12 Pro Max sports a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen. Both devices also offer high refresh rates and vibrant colors.

One of the standout features of the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is its gaming-centric design, including pressure-sensitive zones and gaming triggers. These physical buttons enhance the gaming experience by providing additional control options. The iPhone 12 Pro Max and Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, don't offer such specialized gaming features.

In terms of pricing, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is positioned as a premium device with a price tag of around 1300 EUR. This puts it in direct competition with other flagship smartphones, such as the iPhone 12 Pro Max and Galaxy S21 Ultra, which also have high price points.

Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate stands out in the market with its gaming-focused design and powerful specifications. While it may not have the same mainstream appeal as the iPhone or Samsung Galaxy devices, it offers a unique proposition for gamers and power users who prioritize performance and gaming features.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate stands out as a top-tier gaming smartphone that delivers exceptional performance. With its powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset, 18GB of RAM, and 144Hz AMOLED display, it offers a smooth and immersive gaming experience. The inclusion of gaming triggers and a monochrome PMOLED display on the back adds a unique touch to enhance gameplay. The device also excels in terms of camera capabilities, with a versatile triple camera setup and impressive video recording options. Additionally, the massive 6000mAh battery ensures long-lasting gameplay sessions. While the price may be steep, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is a collector's item for gaming enthusiasts who demand the best.