At a look
Skilled’s Ranking
Professionals
- Superfast Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip
- New light-weight design
- 165Hz refresh price
- Very usable cameras
Cons
- Battery life hasn’t improved
- Nonetheless costly
- Solely two OS model updates
Our Verdict
The ROG Cellphone 8 Professional is the system to purchase if you’d like the highest-powered gaming cellphone out there. Nonetheless, a revamped, streamlined design and improved cameras means it’ll enchantment to anybody searching for a premium Android handset.
Worth When Reviewed
From $1,199.99
Greatest Costs Right now: Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional
For some time now, Asus has been the market chief in devoted gaming telephones.
2023’s ROG Cellphone 7 Final was a beast of a tool, immediately changing into the handset to beat for cell avid gamers.
With 16GB of RAM and Qualcomm’s all-conquering Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, it delivered top-tier efficiency, justifying its weighty price ticket. But as highly effective because it was, Asus is hoping to go one higher with its successor, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional.
Like its predecessors, the 8 Professional is an especially highly effective and succesful piece of equipment, however this time, it’s extra than simply one other gaming cellphone.
Design & Construct
- New lighter construct
- Minimalistic black design
- IP68 water and dustproof score
In all probability the headline function of the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional’s design is that it’s noticeably lighter and sleeker than final yr’s entries.
Gone is the (barely brash) white ‘futuristic’ design of the Asus ROG Cellphone 7 Final, with the Cellphone 8 Professional wielding a extra discreet monotone black color palette that can sit extra comfortably with individuals who aren’t devoted avid gamers.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
Most people may even be happy to listen to that the cellphone now weighs 225g, in comparison with 239g for the Cellphone 7. Whereas this nonetheless places it on the bulkier facet of the spectrum, it’s lighter than many different premium Androids (together with the 234g Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely).
The cellphone can be thinner than earlier than, at 8.9mm in comparison with 10.49mm for the Cellphone 7 sequence. Once more, it is a pretty modest distinction, but it surely helps to provide the system a unique really feel and vibe than its stablemates, heightening the sense that it’s concentrating on a wider demographic than in earlier years.
The design of the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional makes it a extra sensible on a regular basis cellphone than its predecessors
Different notable options embody a redesigned squarish digicam module on the cellphone’s again, which homes its triple rear lenses and flashlight. Apart from that, issues are laudably minimal, with a gloss black stripe working diagonally throughout its matte ‘Phantom Black’ rear.
One different enchancment over earlier fashions is that the Cellphone 8 Professional now carries an IP68 score. This make it water-resistant to a depth of as much as 1.5 metres for half an hour, but in addition absolutely protected towards mud. Certainly, the design of the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional makes it a extra sensible on a regular basis cellphone than its predecessors.
Display & Audio system
- Wealthy 165Hz 6.78-inch AMOLED show
- Smaller high bezel & always-on show
- Twin front-facing audio system sacrificed
Very like its predecessor, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional boasts a big 6.78-inch AMOLED show. That features the utmost 165Hz refresh price, however this time it incorporates LTPO know-how. This implies the refresh price can robotically alter from 1-120Hz relying on what you’re doing, serving to to spice up battery life.
Nonetheless, the upper most brightness is arguably extra vital. The 8 Professional can attain a peak of 2500 nits, up from 1500 on the Cellphone 7 Final. This makes a giant distinction when enjoying video games or viewing media which requires a bit extra mild, particularly given how reflective the display is.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
The show might be the largest distinction between the 2 telephones, with the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional additionally introducing the choice of getting an always-on show. This function is comparatively restricted, offering the time, date and battery cost, but it surely’s nonetheless welcome.
As a result of it has thinner bezels round its show, the 8 Professional features a pin-hole selfie digicam this time round. It could be a matter of style, however jettisoning the thicker bezel on the high of the show does make for a extra subtle look.
Nonetheless, the one draw back of getting a smaller high bezel is that the cellphone doesn’t embody the spectacular twin front-facing audio system of the ROG Cellphone 7 Final, which got here with an onboard amplifier. The audio remains to be good, and does profit from the usage of spatial sound, however lacks a few of that ‘wow’ issue we obtained earlier than.
The audio remains to be good…however lacks a few of that ‘wow’ issue we obtained earlier than
Specs & Efficiency
- Excellent Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Max 24GB RAM and 1TB storage
- Mini-cooling fan
The ROG Cellphone 7 Final was one of the vital highly effective smartphones out there on the time of its launch in April 2023, and the Cellphone 8 Professional continues Asus’ custom of outgunning most of its rivals.
To say that the Cellphone 8 Professional is a powerhouse could be one thing of an understatement. With the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip onboard, it simply outperforms its predecessor in most benchmark assessments.
To say that the Cellphone 8 Professional is a powerhouse could be one thing of an understatement
Its pace is boosted additional by the 16- or 24GB of RAM on board. To not point out Qualcomm’s Adreno 750 GPU, which has been designed with gaming in thoughts and may alter body charges to inside 1Hz.
There’s additionally the choice of getting both 512GB or 1TB of inside storage, which in both case supplies loads of area for downloads and saves. Nonetheless, there’s no assist for expandable storage.
Not solely does the cellphone seem to be a juggernaut on paper, it performs like one, with the system dealing with the entire newest Android video games with none points in any way. I attempted video games comparable to Name of Responsibility: Cellular, PUBG Cellular and Want for Pace: No Limits throughout my time with the system, and at no level did the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional expertise any sort of slowdown or lag.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
This implies it could possibly deal with all on a regular basis duties with ease, whereas the cellphone’s energy and pace additionally make it supreme as a piece system. It allowed me to run a number of apps on the identical time with none points, making it good for engaged on paperwork, pictures, movies or anything.
Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional benchmarks
As with earlier ROG telephones, the Cellphone 8 Professional is appropriate with its personal fan accent. Generally known as the AeroActive Cooler X, Asus says it’s 29% smaller than its predecessor (the AeroActive 7) and likewise presents 1.2x the thermal effectivity.
Clipping this onto the facet of 8 Professional is advisable when utilizing the cellphone’s X-Mode, which switches on robotically everytime you start enjoying extra superior titles. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless offered individually, and prices £71.99 at full value.
Cameras
- 50Mp essential rear digicam
- New 32Mp telephoto with 3x optical zoom
- Efficient evening mode
If Asus actually needs the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional to transcend the ‘gaming cellphone’ tag and excel as an on a regular basis system, it must have an ideal digicam. And it is a tough space to compete in, given the big selection of nice digicam telephones obtainable proper now.
Whereas it could possibly’t fairly compete with these, the 8 Professional is a giant step ahead on the subject of digicam efficiency. It includes a triple rear lens digicam module, combining a 50Mp essential lens with 13Mp ultrawide and new 32Mp telephoto. Regardless of transferring to a punch-hole selfie digicam, it’s nonetheless a 32Mp sensor.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
In follow, the principle 50Mp lens – a Sony IMX890 – is able to taking some very nice pictures, with the inclusion of gimbal-based optical picture stabilisation (OIS) serving to to stop blurs and smears. Photographs are sharp and natural-looking, with no actual tendency to oversaturate pictures or add an excessive amount of brightness.
The 8 Professional is a giant step ahead on the subject of digicam efficiency
The opposite two lenses are additionally completely usable, if not fairly as spectacular as the principle digicam. The 13Mp ultrawide does work properly in good mild, providing a barely extra saturated – however nonetheless pleasing – picture than the principle lens.
And whereas the telephoto lens does want a cautious photographer to get the most effective out of it, its 3x optical zoom can deliver you nearer to the motion whereas retaining sufficient element and readability.
It’s additionally good to notice that the cellphone’s evening mode works very properly. As a number of the digicam samples present, it could possibly enable you take fairly vibrant and clear pictures as soon as the solar has gone down, offered you have got a gentle hand.
Battery Life & Charging
- Smaller 5500mAh battery
- 65W wired charging
- 15W wi-fi charging
At 5500mAh, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional’s battery is 500mAh smaller than the cell (really two cells) discovered on the 7 Final. The primary motive for this discount is to assist make the system slimmer and extra light-weight than its predecessors. Nonetheless, Asus claims that battery life stays the identical, due to improved software program efficiencies.
In follow, on a regular basis customers will discover that the cellphone simply lasts a few days without having a recharge. As for normal avid gamers, they need to be capable to make it by means of a complete day, until they solidly play extra intensive video games utilizing the cellphone’s X-Mode.
On a regular basis customers will discover that the cellphone simply lasts a few days without having a recharge
I actually by no means had any points making it by means of the day on the 8 Professional’s battery, benchmark assessments counsel that it doesn’t fairly have the wonderful longevity of earlier ROG Telephones. PCMark’s Work 3.0 battery check simulates real-world utilization at a reasonably typical 200 nits.
The 8 Professional’s rating of 11 hours and 34 minutes is sweet, however not fairly as spectacular 14 hours and 55 minutes of the 7 Final. Nonetheless, neither make it into the highest 10 of your finest battery life telephones round-up.
Nonetheless, charging stays very speedy with the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional, which comes with a 65W charger that may get the cellphone as much as round 80% in half-hour. And in contrast to the 7 Final, it additionally helps wi-fi charging at 15W, though you’ll have to buy a appropriate wi-fi charger (it’ll work with any which might be Qi enabled) individually.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
Software program & Apps
- Android 14
- Extremely customisable gaming modes and choices
- New AI options
As with earlier technology, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional options two key items of software program for avid gamers. The primary is Sport Genie, which pulls up a dashboard from the underside of the display, enabling avid gamers to alter numerous settings whereas enjoying, from the refresh price and gaming mode to controls and display recording.
This helps to reinforce and refine gaming experiences on the 8 Professional, as does Asus’ Armory Crate app. That is principally a one-stop hub for the system’s video games and gaming options, enabling customers to obtain and type titles or fine-tune the cellphone’s efficiency.
Simon Chandler / Foundry
After all, these two options assist cement 8 Professional’s place as one of many main gaming telephones available on the market. But there are a selection of different welcome software program options on board the system, together with these that can enchantment to a wider viewers.
Arguably essentially the most intriguing are a wide range of AI-based instruments. For instance, the cellphone can present AI-powered noise cancellation on calls, in addition to a semantic search function that makes discovering the precise app or web site you need a lot simpler. There are additionally AI options for video games, comparable to X Sense 2.0, which might present in-game hints and prompts.
None of those options are ground-breaking on their very own, however mixed, they assist ship a extra immersive and intuitive expertise.
There are a selection of different welcome software program options on board the system, together with these that can enchantment to a wider viewers
By way of core software program, the cellphone runs on Android 14, with the user-friendly ROG UI working excessive. Other than these above, Asus hasn’t made any large modifications to software program expertise.
However sadly, it solely ensures two Android model updates, which is properly behind many of the competitors. You do a minimum of get 4 years of safety updates, although.
Worth & Availability
The Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional is on the market in two variations, one with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and the extra highly effective reviewed right here with 24GB and 1TB. They price £1,099/$1,199.99 and £1,299/$1,499.99 respectively, and will be ordered immediately from Asus, Asus US or from Amazon.
The cellphone is on the market to pre-order within the UK till 4 February, with Asus working an early-bird supply that gives patrons of the 16GB model with the AeroActive X cooler (usually, solely the 24GB model comes with the cooler out of the field).
Regardless of being so costly, there are not any retailers promoting the cellphone on contract. So that you’ll have to purchase it outright and mix with a SIM-only deal.
Customers searching for options might strive the usual ROG Cellphone 8, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and is priced at £949/$1,099.99. It has solely two different variations: no LED lighting on the again, and an alternate ‘Insurgent Gray’ end.
There are many different gaming telephones value contemplating. However in case you’re fascinated about utilizing it as a daily smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely (from £1,249/$1,199) is certainly one of only a few similarly-priced Android telephones.
Do you have to purchase the Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional?
The Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional largely succeeds in its mission to evolve past being a mere gaming system.
Not solely does it boast superior processing energy that may deal with any recreation or job, but it surely provides an attractively streamlined design and an improved triple lens digicam system.
Sure, it stays costly, however the mixture of a pointy show, speedy charging, versatile cameras and peerless efficiency assist justify the fee. In the event you’re searching for a high-end Android cellphone and may afford it, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional is unquestionably value contemplating.
Specs
- Android 14
- 6.78in HDR10+ LTPO AMOLED (2400×1080) 20:9, 165Hz
- Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor
- 16/24GB LPDDR5X RAM
- 512GB/1TB UFS 4.0 inside storage
- Cameras:
- 50Mp essential sensor
- 32Mp telephoto
- 13Mp ultrawide
- 32Mp entrance going through
- Beneath-display optical fingerprint scanner
- 2D Face recognition
- Wi-Fi 6E/7
- Twin SIM (Nano-SIM, twin stand-by)
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 5,500mAh battery
- 65W wired charging
- 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm
- 225g