ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate Review

Once again, ASUS ROG have the mobile phone industry in their sights with the ASUS ROG PHONE 7, a device that looks to combine the best high-octane gaming experience with the creature comforts that every high-quality smartphone offers. This year has seen them on on a roll when it comes to releasing premium, powerful gamer gear, and it looks like they won’t be stopping anytime soon.

ASUS ROG has been consistent in bringing the “wow” factor in every ROG Phone iteration, and this one is no different. From its initial news up to its hype-worthy online launch, the excitement has been palpable. While we don’t get a specific theme or game tie-up, it’s one beautiful device that’s definitely poised to blow your mind.

So, were our minds equally blown? Well, let’s check out the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate.

Geek-sthetic

Unboxing the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is an experience on its own. After unraveling its massive, gaudy packaging, you get treated to all its accessories–an ROG Aero Case, a 120cm USB-C to USB-C cable, an ejector pin, a 65W USB power adapter, some nice documentation, and an Ultimate Variant of its patented AeroActive Cooler 7. Quite the package, indeed.

What’s even cooler is the step-by-step process in activating the ROG Phone’s Armory Crate software. It involves placing the phone flat on one of the box’s parts and engaging in a short mini game. So, if you do decide to snag one of these bad boys, make sure to keep the box handy, at least until you get the phone up and running.

Setting things aside, we take a gander at the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. This variant comes exclusively in Storm White, but the non-ultimate versions come in Phantom Black. I has a nice, pearlescent finish that’s resistant to fingerprints and smudges. This is great, as handling this phone without its TPU case is arguably the way to go. Of course, we can’t forget its back screen display that has different settings based on what you’re doing with the phone, and leaves a bit of customizability with your own decals. Up top, we have a triple camera setup to complete the cybernetic, future tech design.

Since we’re here, let’s talk a bit about the AeroActive Cooler 7. First of all, it’s not just a piece of flimsy plastic. It has tactile buttons, a powerful fan, and some nice RGB to boot. In terms of specs, it has a built-in 5 magnet sub-woofer with 13X38mm speakers , 2 x 2 physical buttons, a 3.5mm headphone jack. and dual side cooling. It’s less of an accessory, and more of a very capable appendage.

Binge-Watching Factor

Gaming and binge-watching streams go hand in hand. You enjoy both through the same display, and the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has you covered. Its 6.78″ 165 Hz AMOLED display is bright and vibrant enough to give you a great viewing experience, regardless of how high you crank up the brightness. At 1000 nits, you’re good.

The 82.2% screen-to-body ratio is great for both gaming and watching. Of course, we’re sometimes limited to a certain aspect ratio on some streaming services, but it’s always nice to know that you can always go big whenever you want. In terms of sound, you get some majestic dual speakers that play crisp 32-bit/384kHz audio. I know this may seem run-of-the-mill on paper, but these speakers are just (possibly literally) built different. Also, in the year of our Lord 2023, we have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Blessed.

Gaming Prowess

You might want to get comfy, because this might take a while. Aside from its glorious unboxing, there’s a lot more to unpack with the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate.

Since this baby’s packing a 3.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, 16 GB of RAM, and a Qualcomm Adreno 740 GPU, you’re already guaranteed smooth sailing for most, if not all games. Of course, the clincher lies in whether it can run Genshin Impact at max settings or not. Long story short, it most definitely can.

It’s safe to say that every other game with the the same demanding system requirements or lower will run like a dream. In terms of gaming the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate provided the smoothest experience among all the mobile devices we’ve reviewed thus far. Then again, it is, indeed, a gaming phone. It should work that way. We’re just glad that it exceeds our expectations.

Now, the ROG Armor Crate software just makes your gaming life so much better. Aside from customizable presets for both power management and game performance, tt works in tandem with the AeroActive Cooler 7 in creating macro settings for both the air triggers on your phone and the AeroActive Cooler. We went through the gauntlet of macro presets and it takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you’re used to a bare bones gaming experience on your smart phone. However, it’s something you can grow accustomed to after a bit of time and practice.

The best part of all this is the ease of use. As we list everything down here, it may seem a bit daunting to take note of. But the hardware is plug and play and the software is as user-friendly as can be. You just can’t go wrong.

Geek Photoshoot Capabilities

Now, just because this is a gaming phone, it doesn’t mean ASUS cut corners on the cameras–quite far from it, actually. It’s probably an old wives’ tale from the 2010s that gaming-centric phones focus on performance and nothing else. While that may have been the case before, 2023’s ROG Phone 7 Ultimate ushers us into the future with some very high quality peepers.

In the phone’s three-camera setup you get a 50 MP, f/1.9 main shooter, a 13 MP, f/2.2 ultrawide lens, and a 5 MP, f/2.0 macro lens. It’s a pretty decent setup, and takes some quality photos. You get the usual photo settings such as portrait mode, pro mode, and a surprisingly strong night mode.

While not sporting a telephoto lens, the 10X zoom is still pretty decent. As for the ultrawide, you get a lot of detail. Same goes for the bokeh effect for any portrait snaps.

As for video, the main lens can shoot a whopping 8K at 24fps, tops. For anyone who creates content and wants a bit more oomph, here you go. Of course, if you don’t want to go all out, you still shoot at 4K at 60fps, and 1080p at 60fps, respectively. As for the front cam, it’s a 32MP shooter that can capture video at 1080p at 60 fps. It’s still decent, given everything else it can do. Not to mention the plethora of extra features you can tinker with.

Overall, it’s a great camera setup.

Everyday Reliability

Now, this one is a no-brainer. With a phone that’s decked out this hard, including all of its bells and whistles, your day will be a cakewalk. The chipset and 16 GB of RAM alone can handle just about anything. Throw in the 165 Hz refresh rate, and you’ll be breezing through your productivity apps.

As if that wasn’t enough, you get a 6000 mAh (two 3000 mAh) battery that charges quick and easy at a speedy 65 watts. It took a couple of days for us to empty the juice in the bad boy, and it was back to life quicker than we could decide which game to play on it. Having such an immense battery life and extremely short downtime truly helps, especially for anyone who decides to make this phone their daily driver.

Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict

The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate brings the best of both gaming and smartphone sensibilities. It can serve as your dedicated mobile gaming machine–should you desire, and it can also do everything else you’d expect from a premium flagship. Yes, it’s that good.

If you’re looking to snag an ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, it costs PHP 69,995. As for the non-ultimate ROG Phone 7, you can get the 12 GB/256 GB variant for PHP 50,995, and the 16 GB/512 GB variant for PHP 54,995. As for the AeroActive Cooler 7, you can purchase it separately for PHP 5,995. For more information on special promos and availability, you can check this out.

ROG Phone 7 Ultimate Specs