Versatility is useful in most cases, but sometimes, being a master of one trade proves enough for the job. As a dedicated gaming phone, the ROG Phone is built for a niche group of users, and it has yet to fail in delivering expectations. The sixth iteration blew all competition out of the water with its excellent cooling technology, powerful hardware, and stylish aesthetics.
The ROG Phone 7 and ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, in another impressive showing, manage to outperform their predecessor once again, powering through tough demands to become the, well, ultimate mobile gaming beast on the market. Boasting a Snapdragon Gen 2 chip and a Qualcomm Adreno 740 processor, the near-identical phones stay true to the gaming spirit right from the get-go, presenting a mini-game as part of the set-up process.
The exterior rocks a sleek, futuristic design, with a solidly-built phone case available out of the box. A 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED HDR10+ display completes the look, carrying a resolution of 2,440 x 1,080 and an adaptative refresh rate (165Hz, 144Hz, 120Hz, 90Hz, 60Hz) in tow. The camera system has also been upgraded from the ROG Phone 6 lineup, taking the form of a 50MP main, a 13MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro camera.
In true ROG fashion, the devices are armed with specific features that further enrich the gaming experience. The AirTrigger System here allows users to map up to fourteen specific touch points, while the four different system modes — X Mode, Dynamic, Ultra-durable, Advanced — can be cycled out to best fit their demands or preferences.
With the AeroActive Cooler 7 attachment, the number of physical buttons increases by four. The side-mounted cooler can now act as a subwoofer that turns the phone into a portable sound system of sorts, and works to keep things cool with a front cooling air duct, optimised fan blades, and the Thermoelectirc AI Cooling system. Connecting the clip-on cooler on the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate opens the AeroActive Portal, which features a crank-slider design, improved heat dissipation capabilities, and increased hinge durability.
All of this technology aren’t just for show, either. Pitting the device against Genshin Impact, PUBG: Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Diablo Immortal yielded an exceptional performance that saw minimal stutter and frame drops. More impressively, its temperature consistently hovered around 35 to 36 degrees in every scenario, which is impressively low by smartphone standards.
Check out the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate in action below, as it demonstrates why it’s worthy of the ‘Ultimate’ mantle by effortlessly beating the heat:
The ROG Phone 7 is priced at S$1,699 and comes in two colours: Storm White and Phantom Black. Meanwhile, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate retails for S$1,898 and includes an in-box AeroActive Cooler 7 attachment.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
