Asus recently introduced the latest addition to its gaming smartphone lineup, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the ROG Phone 6 Pro, Asus has once again enhanced the device’s processor. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is currently one of the fastest Android SoCs available. Additionally, an upgraded cooling system ensures efficient heat dissipation.
The Ultimate version of the phone comes equipped with an external fan that connects via USB-C and includes four extra control buttons.
The display of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is equally impressive, matching the strength of its predecessor. Sporting a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2448 x 1080, the device achieves frame rates of up to 165 Hz and features a touch sampling rate of 720 Hz.
Asus has created a gaming smartphone in the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate that leaves no room for compromise. Almost all the hardware components are top-of-the-line, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, and a 6.78-inch 165 Hz display. But it doesn’t stop there. The phone also boasts a 6000 mAh battery and includes features like an external fan.
Gaming phones have traditionally catered to a niche market, but Asus has refined and improved the formula with the ROG Phone 7. In fact, we would highly recommend it to anyone seeking an exceptional media and gaming experience.
The phone’s speakers, positioned on either side of the display, are unmatched by any other device on the market. Individually powered, these speakers produce loud, well-balanced sound with rich bass and excellent stereo separation. Combined with the fantastic, large, and vibrant display, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate delivers an unparalleled audiovisual experience.
Moreover, the phone packs substantial power, ensuring fast and lag-free performance across all types of games. Thanks to its enhanced cooling and thermal efficiency, it can sustain this performance for extended periods without any issues.
However, there are a few downsides to consider, namely the phone’s hefty build and the accompanying high price tag. While it excels in one camera department, the other two cameras may not meet flagship standards. Nonetheless, the overall experience of using the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has been an absolute delight.
The build quality of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is exceptional, with a sturdy construction that remains resistant to twisting or denting despite its 6.78-inch screen size. Weighing in at 239 grams, it matches the weight of the ROG Phone 6 Pro, making it a heavyweight contender. The display-to-surface ratio of 82 percent is not particularly impressive, but the slightly thicker screen frame on the shorter sides helps prevent accidental typos when using the gaming smartphone in landscape mode.
The back cover of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, while the display is shielded by Gorilla Glass Victus. Although the smartphone is not waterproof, it holds an IP54 certification, safeguarding it against dust and splashes of water.
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is available in a single configuration, featuring a generous 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB of UFS 4.0 storage. This configuration is officially priced at around US$1200.
Unusual for a smartphone, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is equipped with two USB-C ports. The bottom USB-C port operates at USB 2.0 speed and primarily serves for charging the smartphone. It supports Quick Charge 3.0 and PD 3.0. The second USB-C port, situated in the middle of the left long side, operates at USB 3.2 Gen.2 speed. It also supports Quick Charge 5.0 and can output 4K via DisplayPort 1.4. The SIM slot accommodates two Nano SIM cards.
Running on Android 13 with Asus’s custom ROG UI user interface, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate benefits from gaming-oriented features. Notably, the highest performance mode, X mode, is seamlessly integrated into the UI. Additionally, apps like Game Genie and Armory Crate allow users to configure various smartphone components, including AirTrigger, the back cover display, and the external fan. Asus commits to providing two OS upgrades and four years of security updates for its smartphone.
The Asus ROG Phone 7 provides extensive coverage of mobile frequencies, supporting 24 4G bands and 20 5G bands, ensuring a reliable signal in nearly any location. It also features NFC and Bluetooth 5.2 capabilities.
For wireless connectivity, the smartphone utilizes WiFi 6E and incorporates three antennas for Wi-Fi, delivering highly stable and fast transmission rates when used with the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 reference router. However, it does not support WiFi 7.
In terms of location services, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate utilizes a range of satellite navigation systems, including GPS (L1/L5), Glonass (L1), Galileo (E1/E5a), BeiDou (B1/B2a), QZSS (L1/L5), and NavIC (L5). During testing, the smartphone demonstrated quick positioning capabilities with an accuracy of up to 3 meters.
While the camera may not be the most critical aspect of a gaming smartphone, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate does not compromise in this area either. It features a 50 MP main camera utilizing the Sony IMX766 sensor, which is also found in the ROG Phone 6 Pro.
In daylight conditions, the Asus smartphone captures high-quality photos with good dynamics, natural colors, and sharp image details. Low zoom levels produce satisfactory results as well. However, the camera struggles with noise and reaches its limits in low-light situations. Nevertheless, the photos still surpass those taken by many non-gaming smartphones.
The ultra-wide-angle camera, with a resolution of 13 MP, falls behind the main camera in terms of performance. While it is suitable for casual snapshots, closer examination reveals pixelation and a lack of detail. The macro camera has a comparatively high resolution of 8 MP but exhibits visible image noise even in well-lit environments.
For selfies, the front-facing camera employs the Omnivision OV32 sensor with a resolution of 32 MP. It captures decent self-portraits with natural colors. The front-facing camera can record videos up to Full HD at 30 frames per second. The main camera supports up to 8K resolution at 24 frames per second and includes electronic image stabilization.
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate delivers an exceptional gaming experience, thanks to its highly responsive display. With a touch sampling rate of 720 Hz, the AMOLED panel registers every input with minimal delay, ensuring incredibly smooth operation throughout.
In terms of biometric authentication, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate offers both 2D face recognition and an optical fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor performs excellently, delivering high recognition rates.
Continuing the tradition from its predecessor, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate features AirTrigger ultrasonic sensors that simulate the L and R keys found on traditional gaming controllers. Positioned at the top and bottom of the right side, these AirTriggers are easily accessible with the index fingers. When used in conjunction with the attachable AeroActive Cooler 7 external fan, which provides four additional input keys, the AirTriggers support a total of 18 tapping, swiping, and sliding gestures. Two new gestures introduced in the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate are aiming via gyroscope and “Press & Lift.”
The 6.78-inch display of the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate boasts a resolution of 2448 x 1080 pixels and supports HDR10+. It can run at a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz, which is adjusted based on the system mode. For example, the Ultra-durable mode limits the maximum refresh rate to 60 Hz, while 165 Hz is available only in X mode. Users can also manually set the refresh rate in the settings, choosing from options such as 165, 144, 120, 90, or 60 Hz.
Compared to the ROG Phone 6 Pro, Asus has further enhanced the brightness of the display in the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. With an average brightness of 1016 cd/m², the AMOLED panel shines even brighter than its predecessor’s display, which averaged at 868 cd/m² when displaying a pure white background.
Under conditions with a balanced distribution of bright and dark areas (APL18), the smartphone achieves a peak brightness of 1631 cd/m². Without a brightness sensor, it can reach a maximum brightness of 495 cd/m², and even at the lowest brightness level, it still maintains a fairly bright 4.91 cd/m².
It’s worth noting that the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate exhibits PWM flickering, a common occurrence in OLED panels. At the minimum display brightness, the flickering fluctuates between 122 and 513 Hz. At higher brightness levels, the fluctuations are less noticeable, but individuals with sensitivity to PWM flickering may find it bothersome. The Android settings include a DC dimming mode, but it only functions at 60 Hz.
The Asus ROG Phone 7 is the ultimate gaming and multimedia smartphone, offering exceptional performance, impressive gaming software, and reliable speed and battery life throughout the day. It boasts a powerful processor, a vibrant display, and the best smartphone speakers on the market. With long battery life, it ensures extended gaming and media sessions. However, the phone is large, heavy, and comes with a hefty price tag. Additionally, its secondary and tertiary cameras do not meet flagship standards. Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 7 is the top choice for gamers and multimedia enthusiasts.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate specs:
Design – Storm White
Weight and Dimension 246g IP54
Operating System Android 13
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2, SM8550, Qcta-core CPUs,3.2 Ghz
Qualcomm Adreno 740
Memory LPDDR5X 16GB
Storage UFS4.0 512GB
Display
6.78″ 20.4:9 (2448 x 1080) Samsung AMOLED. Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus. Delta-E < 1
Rear Camera
Main Rear Camera: Sony® flagship IMX766 50 MP image sensor – 1/1.56” large sensor size, 1 µm pixel size. F1.9 aperture, 23.8mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera
Second Rear Camera: 13 MP, Ultrawide-angle camera, 12.5mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera
Third Rear Camera: 5 MP, Macro
Front Camera
32 MP (Uses pixel binning to output 8MP image)
29.4mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera
Audio
Speaker:
Symmetrical dual front-facing speakers with Dirac HD Sound
5-magnet stereo speaker with Cirrus Logic amplifier for louder, deeper and less distorted sound effect
Audio Output:
Hi-Res Audio up to 384 kHz / 32-bit for 3.5mm output
Qualcomm WCD9385 for Hi-Res output
AudioWizard with multiple listening profiles
Dirac Virtuo for Headphone™ Spatial Sound
Microphone: Tri-microphones with ASUS Noise Reduction Technology
Video Recording: 8K UHD (7680 x 4320) video at 24 fps for main rear camera
4K UHD (3840 x 2160) video at 30 / 60 fps for main rear camera, at 30 fps for second rear camera
1080p FHD video recording at 30 / 60 fps
720p HD video recording at 30 / 60 fps
3-axis electronic image stabilization for rear cameras
Time Lapse (4K UHD video)
Slow Motion video (4K at 120 fps; 1080p at 240 / 120 fps; 720p at 480 fps)
Take still photo while recording video
Wireless Technology
(802.11 be/ax/ac/a/b/g/n, 2×2 MIMO)
Supports 2.4GHz/ 5GHz/ 6GHz WiFi
Bluetooth® 5.3 (HFP + A2DP + AVRCP + HID + PAN + OPP), supports Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive and aptX™ Lossless
Wi-Fi Direct
NFC
*WiFi 7 availability and features are dependent on regulatory limitations.
Navigation
GNSS support GPS (L1/L5), Glonass (L1), Galileo (E1/E5a), BeiDou(B1i/B1c/B2a), QZSS (L1/L5) and NavIC
SIM Cards
Dual slots: Dual-SIM / Dual-Standby support
Slot 1: 5G/4G/3G/2G Nano SIM card
Slot 2: 5G/4G/3G/2G Nano SIM card
* 5G services are only supported in 5G network-enabled locations in 5G-ready countries.
