Update: February 18, 2021 (05:30 PM ET): Asus has now confirmed the name and launch date for the Asus ROG Phone 5. Read on for all the latest details!
Original article: January 18, 2021 (1:10 PM ET): The Asus ROG Phone series has established itself as the lineup of choice for those wanting the best phone for gaming, and it’s easy to see why. Between the high refresh rate OLED screen, the top-notch horsepower, and those neat shoulder triggers, the device family is one of the best picks for gamers.
We’re expecting Asus to offer a new ROG Phone in 2021. It will have high standards to live up to thanks to the ROG Phone 3, but the upcoming device will likely set a new standard for the range when it launches.
We thought it would be a good idea to gather all of the major leaks and rumors in one place. Make sure you bookmark this page! We’ll be regularly updating it with the latest credible Asus ROG Phone 5 leaks and rumors.
Name and release date
We figured at first that the upcoming device would be called the ROG Phone 4. This would make sense considering the release of the ROG Phone 3 last year. However, Weibo user WhyLab (h/t: MySmartPrice) posted an image in mid-January, showing “05” branding on a supposed device. This suggested that the new handset would be called the Asus ROG Phone 5.
See also: The best gaming laptops you can buy right now
Why would Asus skip a number and go to five? It’s because of a Taiwanese/Chinese superstition. The number four is believed to be unlucky, as it sounds similar to the Chinese word for “death.” In fact, Asus wouldn’t be the first OEM to skip the number. OnePlus and Realme also went straight to five for their popular devices.
Eventually, Asus confirmed the name. First, in an official Weibo post, the company confirmed that it would skip from four to five. Then, it not only confirmed the name but also announced the official launch date for the device: March 9, 2021. The launch event will happen in Taipei on that date starting at 7:00 PM local time (6:00 AM ET).
Design
The ROG Phone 5 is expected to offer a very similar design to the ROG Phone 3. That phone, in turn, had a similar design to the ROG Phone 2. Quite possibly the first real-world ROG Phone 5 image via Weibo user WhyLab lends credence to this, as it features that familiar back panel. This image does offer up a few potential tweaks though, such as the aforementioned “05” branding. Check it out below.
However, a video posted on Weibo (embedded below) and spotted by MySmartPrice on January 19 shows an Asus ROG Phone 5 with a tiny secondary display strip on the back. We’ve previously seen displays on the back of phones, such as the Vivo Nex Dual Display Edition.
There’s no word on what to expect from this screen. However, we’re guessing that it’ll be used as a notification ticker and a hub for essential quick-toggle settings (e.g. Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb) at the very least. Knowing gaming brands, we wouldn’t be surprised to see customizable light effects either.
Oddly enough, Asus teased a ROG Phone with what looked like a full-screen design earlier in January. Yet, looking at the video above, it’s clear that the phone has a slim forehead in place to host the selfie camera and other sensors.
A new ROG phone with model number I005DA was also listed on the Chinese regulatory website TENAA. However, the images attached in the listing don’t show a secondary display. They do, however, feature a phone with the “05” branding and a triple rear camera system as seen on the real-world images and video pasted above.
Specs and features
The Asus ROG Phone line traditionally adopts the latest flagship Snapdragon 800-series chipset. This likely means the ROG Phone 5 will land with the Snapdragon 888 processor.
Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station on January 16 said the phone could pack a 6,000mAh battery capacity and 60W to 65W charging. These battery details were also touted in an NCC certification listing spotted by Twitter leaker Sudhanshu Ambhore as well as the aforementioned TENAA listing. The latter also suggested that the phone could house a pair of 3,000mAh batteries to make up the full 6,000mAh capacity.
The charging speed would be an improvement over the ROG Phone 3’s 30W wired charging option, which took over 100 minutes to hit full capacity in our experience.
Our verdict: Asus ROG Phone 3 review — A gaming powerhouse for everyone
The TENAA certification also confirms that the ROG Phone 5 will carry a 6.78-inch display and come with Android 11 out of the box.
The leaked video and image above also points to a triple rear camera setup with a 64MP primary shooter. For what it’s worth, the ROG Phone 3 packed a 64MP main camera, 13MP ultra-wide snapper, and 5MP macro lens.
We saw the ROG Phone 2 and 3 ship with trigger keys, with two serving as shoulder buttons when in landscape mode. The previously disclosed video and image indeed show a red button on the lower-left edge. This suggests physical buttons could be included.
Asus ROG Phone 5 price and availability
The ROG Phone 3 launched at $999 and €999 in the US and Europe, respectively. 2019’s ROG Phone 2 retailed for $899/€899 in those same areas. If Asus follows the trend of price hikes, then we can expect a more expensive ROG Phone 5. Nevertheless, we hope that the brand maintains the current price or even follows Samsung’s lead and comes down a notch.
As in year’s past, it will likely be a while before the phone makes its way outside of China. Buyers in the US specifically might need to wait some weeks or even months before they’ll be able to grab the Asus ROG Phone 5 without needing to import it from overseas.
from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2XPkPT1
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