Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is a powerhouse of a smartphone, designed specifically for hardcore gamers. While it doesn't break the mold in terms of design or camera capabilities, its improved thermals and brightness boost on the display are welcome upgrades. The phone's gaming-related features and customization options are unparalleled, making it a must-check-out for enthusiasts. With a powerful chipset and excellent battery life, this device is geared towards those who demand top-notch performance. Does it justify its place as one of the most advanced mobile devices?
Build Quality and Design
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate boasts an impressive build quality that reflects its premium gaming-focused design. The phone's body is crafted from a durable, high-quality plastic material that provides a solid feel in the hand. One of the first things you'll notice about the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is its unique design. The phone features a distinctive aesthetic with a textured, matte finish on the back and sides, giving it a rugged appearance. The device's dimensions are comfortable to hold, making it easy to navigate and control even during extended gaming sessions. The overall build quality of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is exceptional, with minimal flexing or creaking when subjected to pressure. The phone's weight distribution is well-balanced, allowing for a secure grip without feeling too heavy. Another notable aspect of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's design is its attention to detail. The device features a range of thoughtful touches, including customizable RGB lighting on the back and sides, which can be synchronized with other compatible devices using Asus's Aura Sync technology. The phone's camera module is positioned at the top-left corner of the back, providing a sleek and minimalist look that complements the overall design aesthetic. Overall, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's build quality and design are among its strongest features, making it an attractive option for gamers and anyone seeking a premium smartphone experience. The device's unique blend of style and substance sets it apart from other high-end smartphones on the market.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is its impressive battery life. With a 6000mAh power battery split into two symmetrical cells, this phone promises to last all day and then some. In our testing, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate delivered an endurance rating of 131 hours, which is nothing short of exceptional. Whether you're gaming, watching videos, or simply using the phone for everyday tasks, you can expect a full day's worth of power with this device. The battery life is further complemented by its fast charging capabilities, which allow you to charge from 0-68% in just half an hour with the bundled adapter. This makes it easy to top up your battery when you need it most. In our testing, we found that the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's battery lasted remarkably well even under heavy use. We were able to squeeze out a full day of gaming and video streaming without needing to recharge, which is no small feat for a phone of this caliber. Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's excellent battery life makes it an attractive option for anyone who values all-day power and convenience. Whether you're a gamer or simply someone who likes to stay connected on-the-go, this phone has got your back.
Display
The display on the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is a significant upgrade over its predecessors. This 6.7-inch AMOLED panel boasts improved brightness, with maximum peak brightness now reaching up to 1,500 nits. This results in an overall more vivid and immersive visual experience. One of the standout features of this display is its improved color accuracy and gamut coverage. The screen can display a wider range of colors, making it perfect for gaming and watching videos. The panel's refresh rate has also been bumped up to 165Hz, providing a smoother and more responsive gaming experience. In terms of brightness, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's display is capable of producing an impressive 1,500 nits. This means that even in extremely bright environments, the screen remains readable and easy on the eyes. The display also features Asus' proprietary HDR10+ technology, which provides a more immersive viewing experience with improved color accuracy and contrast. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's display is also capable of displaying up to 1 billion colors, making it perfect for content creators and gamers who demand the best visual fidelity. Additionally, the screen's touch sampling rate has been increased to 300Hz, providing a more responsive and accurate gaming experience. Overall, the display on the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is one of its strongest features. The improved brightness, color accuracy, and refresh rate make it perfect for gaming, watching videos, and other visually demanding activities. Whether you're a hardcore gamer or just someone who wants the best visual experience, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate's display is sure to impress.
Camera
While the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is a powerhouse when it comes to gaming and performance, its camera capabilities are somewhat of an afterthought. The rear cameras haven't changed much since the previous generation, but they still manage to deliver decent results in various lighting conditions. The main 50-megapixel camera produces photos with plenty of detail and true-to-life colors, although dynamic range is decently wide, contrast can be a bit high, and fine details like foliage may look artificial from up close. Digital zoom works adequately, but sharpness can suffer when enlarged. Portraits taken with the main camera are good enough, with proper subject detection and separation. The ultra-wide camera performs well too, capturing photos with excellent detail levels and wide dynamic range. Colors are saturated and look good, although sharpening can be aggressive at times. Close-ups from the macro camera are clean and usable, with nice-looking colors in low-light conditions. In low-light situations, the main camera's auto Night mode processing helps to reduce noise and apply some additional sharpening. However, the ultra-wide camera struggles more, producing darker photos with limited dynamic range and noticeable noise. One positive note is the dedicated night mode on the main camera, which cleans up some of the noise, applies additional sharpening, and contains light sources better. The only drawback is that each shot takes a while to process. The 32-megapixel selfie camera produces great 8-megapixel selfies with plenty of detail, good textures, and natural colors when binning pixels. When it comes to video recording, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate can capture footage in up to 8K at 24fps using the main camera, producing excellent results with vibrant but not over-the-top colors. In summary, while the camera capabilities of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate may not be groundbreaking, they still deliver solid results across various situations. The main camera performs well in good lighting conditions, and the ultra-wide and macro cameras offer decent backup when needed. Overall, a capable but not spectacular camera system that gets the job done for most users.
Price and Value
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is the latest iteration of the brand's gaming-centric smartphone lineup, boasting impressive specs and features that will delight hardcore mobile gamers. However, with its hefty price tag, it raises questions about value for money. Priced at around $1,600, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is not a budget-friendly option by any stretch. In fact, it's one of the most expensive smartphones on the market today. While enthusiasts will argue that the phone's gaming capabilities and advanced features justify the premium price, others might find it hard to swallow. Considering the competition from other high-end smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro, which offer similar specs at a lower price point, one can't help but wonder if the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is truly worth the hefty price tag. The answer lies in its unique gaming features and customization options, which set it apart from other devices. Ultimately, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is for those who value gaming performance above all else and are willing to pay a premium for it. For others, there may be more affordable alternatives that offer similar experiences without breaking the bank.
Performance
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is a powerhouse of a device, boasting exceptional performance that meets the demands of even the most demanding mobile gamers. With the latest chipset, this smartphone delivers lightning-fast processing speeds and seamless multitasking capabilities. In our tests, we were blown away by the phone's ability to handle even the most intensive tasks with ease. Whether it was running multiple resource-hungry games or handling complex video editing software, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate showed no signs of slowing down. One of the standout features of this device is its cooling system. The inclusion of a new Rapid cycle Vapor chamber and redesigned graphite sheets ensures that even during prolonged stress tests, thermal throttling was slow and gradual with no sudden dips. This means that users can enjoy prolonged gaming sessions without worrying about overheating. The X-mode plus setting takes performance to the next level, requiring the cooling fan to be enabled on maximum settings. In this mode, the phone's performance was incredibly stable, and it remained perfectly comfortable to hold even during intense gaming sessions. Battery life is also excellent, with an endurance rating of 131 hours in our proprietary tests. The phone's 6,000mAh battery, split into two symmetrical cells using mmt tag, provides plenty of juice for even the most demanding users. In terms of performance, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate doesn't disappoint. Whether you're a hardcore gamer or simply someone who wants a device that can handle anything you throw at it, this phone is an excellent choice. Its impressive specs and advanced cooling system make it one of the best-performing smartphones on the market today.