Asus ROG Phone 5s 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 5s is a gaming smartphone that takes mobile gaming to exhilarating new heights. With its powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G chipset and Adreno 660 GPU, the ROG Phone 5s delivers lightning-fast performance and stunning graphics. The 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support ensures an immersive gaming experience. The phone features pressure-sensitive gaming triggers and an RGB light panel on the back, adding a touch of futuristic flair. With up to 18GB of RAM and a massive 6000mAh battery, the ROG Phone 5s is ready for extended gaming sessions. Available in Phantom Black and Storm White, this gaming beast is priced at around 1030 EUR. Get ready to level up your gaming with the Asus ROG Phone 5s!

Design and Build Quality

The Asus ROG Phone 5s boasts a stunning physical appearance and an aggressive aesthetic that will immediately catch your attention. It features a sleek glass front and back, both protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and an aluminum frame that adds to its premium feel. The device measures 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm, making it quite large but still manageable in the hand. Despite its size, it weighs 238g, which may feel slightly heavy for some users.

In terms of ergonomics and comfort, Asus has done an excellent job. The curved edges and smooth finish of the phone make it comfortable to hold for extended gaming sessions. Additionally, the device features pressure-sensitive zones and gaming triggers, which further enhance the gaming experience by providing additional input options.

Durability is a key consideration for any smartphone, especially one designed for gaming. The Asus ROG Phone 5s is built to withstand the rigors of intense gaming sessions. With its Gorilla Glass Victus protection and aluminum frame, it offers robust protection against accidental drops and scratches.

The construction of the Asus ROG Phone 5s is top-notch, showcasing Asus' commitment to quality. The device feels solid and well-built, with no creaks or flexing. The use of premium materials further adds to its overall durability and longevity.

In conclusion, the Asus ROG Phone 5s excels in its design and build. Its physical appearance and aggressive aesthetics make it a standout device. The use of high-quality materials, ergonomic design, and durable construction ensure both comfort and longevity. Whether you're a dedicated gamer or simply looking for a powerful and well-designed smartphone, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is definitely worth considering.

Display

The Asus ROG Phone 5s boasts a stunning display that is sure to impress gamers and multimedia enthusiasts alike. With its large 6.78-inch AMOLED screen, users are treated to an immersive viewing experience. The display resolution of 1080 x 2448 pixels ensures sharp and detailed visuals, with a pixel density of approximately 395 ppi. The aspect ratio of the display is around 20.4:9, providing a widescreen format that enhances the cinematic feel of videos and games.

One of the standout features of the display is its 144Hz refresh rate, which allows for ultra-smooth scrolling and gameplay. This high refresh rate ensures that every swipe and tap on the screen is met with instant response, enhancing the overall touch responsiveness of the device. Additionally, the display supports HDR10+ technology, delivering vibrant and lifelike colors with excellent contrast and depth. The wide color gamut further enhances color accuracy and vibrancy, making images and videos appear more vibrant and true to life.

Outdoor visibility is also impressive, with the display capable of reaching up to 800 nits of brightness under typical conditions and even peaking at 1200 nits. This ensures that the screen remains visible even under bright sunlight, allowing users to enjoy their content outdoors without any visibility issues. The display is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, offering robust protection against scratches and accidental drops.

The Asus ROG Phone 5s features a nearly bezel-less design, with slim bezels surrounding the display, resulting in an impressive screen-to-body ratio of approximately 82%. This maximizes the screen real estate and provides a more immersive visual experience. The display also supports an always-on display feature, allowing users to quickly glance at the time, notifications, and other important information without having to wake up the device. Users can also take advantage of the blue light filter and adaptive brightness features, which help reduce eye strain by adjusting the display's color temperature and brightness based on ambient lighting conditions.

Overall, the display of the Asus ROG Phone 5s offers a fantastic combination of size, resolution, refresh rate, color accuracy, and brightness levels. It is a standout feature of the device, providing users with an exceptional visual experience whether they are gaming, watching videos, or simply browsing the web.

Performance

The Asus ROG Phone 5s boasts impressive performance capabilities, thanks to its powerful chipset and GPU. Equipped with the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) chipset and Adreno 660 GPU, this gaming smartphone delivers exceptional performance for both gaming and multitasking. In CPU benchmarks, the Asus ROG Phone 5s showcases its prowess with its octa-core configuration, including a Cortex-X1 core clocked at 2.99 GHz, Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.42 GHz, and Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.80 GHz.

When it comes to gaming performance, the Asus ROG Phone 5s truly shines. The device is specifically designed to cater to gamers, providing them with a lag-free and immersive gaming experience. The powerful GPU ensures smooth graphics rendering, allowing for stunning visuals and seamless gameplay. The phone's 144Hz AMOLED display with HDR10+ support further enhances the gaming experience by offering vibrant colors and excellent contrast.

In terms of graphics scores, the Asus ROG Phone 5s has consistently performed well in benchmark tests. It achieves high scores in synthetic benchmarks, showcasing its GPU efficiency and ability to handle demanding graphics-intensive tasks. This makes it an ideal choice for gamers who want to experience the latest games at their highest settings without any compromises.

Aside from gaming, the Asus ROG Phone 5s also excels in overall performance metrics. The powerful chipset and ample RAM options ensure smooth multitasking and app loading speeds. The device's system optimization allows for a seamless user experience, with apps launching quickly and running smoothly. Whether you're switching between multiple apps or running resource-intensive tasks, the Asus ROG Phone 5s can handle it without any significant lag or slowdowns.

Thermal management is a crucial aspect of any gaming smartphone, and the Asus ROG Phone 5s doesn't disappoint in this regard. It features an advanced cooling system to keep temperatures in check during intense gaming sessions. This ensures that the device maintains optimal performance and prevents any throttling that could impact the gaming experience.

In conclusion, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is a top-tier gaming smartphone that delivers exceptional performance across the board. Its powerful chipset, GPU, and efficient thermal management make it a formidable device for gaming enthusiasts. With high benchmark scores, smooth user experience, and impressive multitasking capabilities, this phone proves to be a worthy investment for those seeking a premium gaming experience

Software and User Interface

The software of the Asus ROG Phone 5s runs on Android 11, with an upgrade to Android 12 available. It also comes with the ROG UI, which is Asus' own user interface skin. The software offers a range of customization options, allowing users to personalize their gaming experience. Users can customize the RGB light panel on the back of the phone, as well as the pressure-sensitive gaming triggers. This level of customization enhances the gaming experience and allows users to tailor the phone to their preferences.

In terms of pre-installed apps, the Asus ROG Phone 5s offers a clean and user-friendly interface. The phone does not come with excessive bloatware, which is a welcome feature for users who prefer a clutter-free experience. The absence of unnecessary pre-installed apps allows users to have more storage space and a smoother overall performance.

The ROG UI offers a user-friendly interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate. Users can access various settings and features with ease, making it convenient to customize and optimize their gaming experience. The UI also includes gaming-specific features, such as a gaming dashboard and game-specific settings, to enhance the gaming performance and provide a seamless gaming experience.

Overall, the software of the Asus ROG Phone 5s offers a user-friendly interface, customization options, and a clean installation of apps, making it a suitable choice for gamers who prioritize performance and personalization.

Camera

The Asus ROG Phone 5s comes equipped with a powerful triple camera setup that offers impressive photography capabilities. The primary camera boasts 64 megapixels with an aperture of f/1.8 and a focal length of 26mm. This combination allows for detailed and sharp images with excellent depth of field. The phone also features a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 125-degree field of view, which is great for capturing expansive outdoor scenes or group photos. Additionally, there is a 5-megapixel macro camera for close-up shots. The camera sensor size is not specified, but Asus has implemented image stabilization technology to ensure shake-free photos and videos.

In terms of image quality, the Asus ROG Phone 5s performs admirably in various lighting conditions. It excels in daylight photography, capturing natural colors and preserving details with its high resolution. The phone's dynamic range is commendable, allowing for well-balanced exposures in challenging lighting situations. The low-light performance is impressive, thanks to its low-light sensitivity and noise reduction capabilities. The device offers a dedicated night mode, which further enhances low-light photography by optimizing settings and reducing noise.

The Asus ROG Phone 5s also has a range of camera features to enhance creativity. It includes portrait mode, which produces stunning bokeh effects, and HDR mode for capturing scenes with high contrast. The panorama mode allows for capturing wide-angle landscapes, while the pro mode offers manual control over settings. The camera also benefits from AI scene recognition, which automatically detects and adjusts settings for different subjects and environments.

In terms of video recording, the Asus ROG Phone 5s supports 4K video at various frame rates. It offers video stabilization to minimize shaky footage and slow-motion video for capturing captivating moments in detail. The device also supports time-lapse videos, allowing users to condense hours into seconds. The phone supports various video formats, ensuring compatibility with different platforms and editing software. Overall, the camera capabilities of the Asus ROG Phone 5s are impressive, delivering excellent image and video quality across a range of shooting scenarios.

Battery Life

Connectivity and Networking

The Asus ROG Phone 5s offers extensive connectivity options to ensure a seamless user experience. It supports 5G network compatibility, allowing for ultra-fast data speeds and a reliable connection in areas with 5G coverage. Additionally, the device features dual SIM capability, which is convenient for users who need to manage multiple phone numbers or travel internationally.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the Asus ROG Phone 5s supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, ensuring compatibility with the latest Wi-Fi standards. This enables users to connect to Wi-Fi networks with ease and enjoy fast and stable internet connections. Bluetooth 5.2 is also supported, providing efficient and reliable wireless communication with other devices, such as headphones or speakers.

For seamless data transfer and charging, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is equipped with a USB Type-C 3.1 port on the side and a USB Type-C 2.0 port on the bottom. This allows for fast file transfers and charging speeds. Additionally, the device supports USB On-The-Go (OTG), enabling users to connect external devices such as USB drives or game controllers.

Other connectivity features of the Asus ROG Phone 5s include NFC, which allows for convenient contactless payments and data transfer, and GPS with multiple satellite systems (L1+L5, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC), ensuring accurate positioning and navigation capabilities. Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5s provides a comprehensive range of connectivity options, making it suitable for users who require fast and reliable connections for gaming, browsing, and multimedia consumption.

Additional Features

The Asus ROG Phone 5s comes with a range of additional features that enhance its functionality and user experience. Firstly, it is important to note that the device does not have an official IP rating for water and dust resistance, so caution should be exercised in exposing it to such elements.

In terms of storage, the ROG Phone 5s offers multiple options with its internal memory variants ranging from 128GB to 512GB. Unfortunately, there is no microSD card slot for expandable storage, so users will have to rely solely on the provided internal memory.

The phone supports dual SIM functionality, allowing users to use two SIM cards simultaneously. This can be advantageous for individuals who want to separate personal and work contacts or take advantage of different network plans.

In terms of sensors, the ROG Phone 5s is equipped with a comprehensive sensor suite, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity sensor. These advanced sensors enable precise motion tracking and enhance gaming experiences.

While the Asus ROG Phone 5s does not support wireless charging, it comes with a fast-charging capability of up to 65W, allowing for quick and convenient recharging of its substantial 6000mAh battery.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Asus ROG Phone 5s is a high-end gaming smartphone that offers impressive specifications and features. When comparing it to related devices in the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the ROG Phone 5s stands out with its dedicated gaming features and powerful hardware.

In terms of specifications, the ROG Phone 5s boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ processor and up to 18GB of RAM, which ensures smooth and lag-free gaming performance. This is on par with the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which also feature top-of-the-line processors and ample RAM for demanding tasks.

One of the unique features of the ROG Phone 5s is its RGB light panel on the back and pressure-sensitive gaming triggers. These additions enhance the gaming experience and give the phone an edge over its competitors. The Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max lack such gaming-specific features, making the ROG Phone 5s a preferred choice for gamers.

In terms of display, the ROG Phone 5s sports a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. This is comparable to the Galaxy S21 Ultra's 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and the iPhone 13 Pro Max's 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display. All three devices offer stunning visuals, but the ROG Phone 5s' higher refresh rate gives it an advantage in smoothness during gaming sessions.

When it comes to pricing, the ROG Phone 5s is positioned as a premium device with a price tag of around 1030 EUR. In comparison, the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are priced similarly, making them direct competitors in the high-end smartphone market.

Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5s stands out among its competitors with its gaming-focused features, powerful hardware, and competitive pricing. It offers a unique proposition for gamers who prioritize performance and immersive gaming experiences.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is a top-tier gaming smartphone that offers a minor boost in performance compared to its predecessor. With its powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset and up to 18GB of RAM, this device delivers exceptional gaming performance and multitasking capabilities. The AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support provides an immersive gaming experience. Additionally, the RGB light panel on the back and pressure-sensitive triggers enhance the gaming experience further. The phone also features a versatile camera setup, a long-lasting 6000mAh battery, and a sleek design. Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is a worthy investment for gamers and tech enthusiasts looking for a high-performance gaming smartphone.