Tag Archives: ROG

ASUS ROG Mjolnir solar power station is shockingly real, but is it worthy?

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One of the worst days to announce or tease a new product is April 1st. Most people already presume that the majority of “news” going out that day is a hoax, especially if it’s about something outlandish or unbelievable. Then again, it might also be the best time to get as much attention, even if it means being doubted until the product actually lands on store shelves. That’s the kind of situation that ASUS’ Republic of Gamers created when it teased one of the weirdest-looking yet also most interesting portable power stations to grace the industry, only to reveal that, no, it is no April Fool’s joke. But is this Mjolnir-lookalike worthy to be wielded by gamers and enthusiasts or is it just a dastardly plot by Loki to have a laugh at everyone’s expense?

Designer: ASUS ROG

Myeu-muh? What’s a Myeu-muh?

Even if you’re not a comics or movie buff, you’re most likely to already be familiar with the icons of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe given the media over-saturation. This is especially true for the most popular icons and their paraphernalia, such as Captain America’s shield, Iron Man’s mask, and Thor’s hammer. That hammer has a formal name, even in the original Norse mythology, though few will probably be able to utter Mjolnir’s properly unless they watched the first Thor film. It’s MYOL-neer or MYOL-nur, by the way. You’re welcome.

That hammer is the subject of today’s speculation. On the 1st of April, probably one of the trickster god Loki’s favorite days, ASUS’ gaming brand teased and then announced Mjolnir, not as a weapon but as an electrifying computer accessory. It’s a power station that indeed resembled the movie prop to some extent, with a large rectangular box whose sides tapers a bit, and a rod extending from the body acting as a handle. ROG was quick to point out that it’s a real thing, not a hoax, but that in itself could be the joke. But maybe it would have been better if it remained hidden from mortal hands.

What We Know So Far

To be fair, there’s not much we know other than what ROG itself has revealed, but there’s quite a bit already available. The most important is that this power station can be charged using solar energy, drawing power from the sun instead of lightning. How it does that, however, is still anyone’s guess. The teaser showed a dark rectangle on the station’s front that could be a tilting solar panel, though that would be too small to supply the power that this large box needs and was probably just a placeholder graphic.

On the front, you will see an assortment of ports typically found on power stations. There are four AC outlets, two full-sized USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports. There’s an LCD display above these ports that shows important information about the input, output, and remaining battery capacity. Noticeably missing here, however, are DC and car charging ports, which hints that this power station might not have outdoor adventures in mind.

The teaser also mentions that the ROG Mjolnir can illuminate your path with the light it summons, but it unsurprisingly doesn’t say how. That panel on the back could be a very bright flood light, but the better theory is that the handle itself is some sort of lighting component. Either the handle lights up or, more likely, it’s a removable flashlight, which is a better design for a part that would otherwise simply be a cosmetic detail that gets in the way.

Cracks in the Hammer

There’s no denying that the ROG Mjolnir has an interesting design, one that will appeal to a large segment of the market, especially the brand’s gaming audience. Its upturned hammer shape sets it apart from other portable power stations, if the ROG branding doesn’t already make sure of that. The bigger question, however, is whether that design is actually good for the product’s usability or hinders it.

That handle is going to be the biggest point of contention, with a tall rod sticking out from the top of the box. If it acts as a removable flashlight, then it’s not as big of an issue. But if it’s permanently fixed in that position, it will become a problem when storing or moving the power station. It’s not like you can carry the Mjolnir using its handle for real. But if that handle were removable, it also introduces a different kind of problem, one of durability and reliability. There’ll be a hole where the handle connects to the body, which means an opportunity for dust and liquid to get into the sensitive electronics. Definitely not a smart design.

It doesn’t look like the power station is designed for easy carrying either. Depending on how much battery it’s packing inside, this power station can end up being a bit heavy to carry with one hand without a handle. You’d have to hold it with both hands, but there doesn’t seem to be any grips to make that convenient. Admittedly, it doesn’t look too big beside a smartphone, but that’s just a render that might not reflect the product’s actual size.

True Power

There’s admittedly not much we know about the ROG Mjolnir Solar Power Station yet, including its specs, its price, and whether it’s really an actual product or ROG has just been pulling our leg and chuckling at the buzz going around their vaporware. Then again, it’s a pretty niche design as far as a power station is concerned, anyway, and there are plenty of other options in the market, albeit with less sensational aesthetics.

When it comes to solar portable power stations, the BLUETTI AC2A comes with all the bells and whistles, including proven product quality and durability. There are only two AC outlets, yes, but it makes up for it with a wider variety of input and output ports. You will need to plug in a solar panel, but that might also be the case for the ROG Mjolnir anyway. The BLUETTI AC2A is indeed designed more for outdoor use, though it can be an emergency backup for computers at home as well. As far as we know, the ROG Mjolnir is primarily designed to serve gamers’ needs, with rather questionable outdoor survivability.

Designer: BLUETTI

Is the ROG Mjolnir Power Station going to sell? It will probably have a few fans, especially those who will readily throw money at cool-looking and unique designs. It is going to be a practical and usable product? It’s definitely too early to say, and ROG might still end up surprising us, or completely disappointing us with the harsh reality of a month-long joke. Either way, we don’t expect the ROG Mjolnir to be a ground-breaking new design beyond its unique aesthetics, and if you’re looking for truly gamer-ready power solutions, you don’t have to wait for the truth to be revealed.

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ASUS ROG NUC mini PC offers a small gaming box with a big catch

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Handheld gaming PCs might be the buzzword in the industry, but they’re not the only small-form gaming-oriented computers around. In fact, it’s probably thanks to the relative success of the likes of the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion GO, and ASUS ROG Ally that the formula for compact gaming computers has been tested and proven. It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that gaming desktops in mini PC form would be popping up more frequently, like this latest entry from ASUS’ ROG brand that carries in its compact body some pretty big specs, a big legacy, and, unfortunately, an equally big price tag.

Designer: ASUS ROG

Gamers, especially those on the PC side of the fence, might already be familiar with the Republic of Gamers brand, but “NUC” might sound alien to them. The name, which stands for “Next Unit of Computing,” actually came from Intel and was used for the chipmaker’s line of mini PCs. After a decade of existence, Intel decided the product line really bore no fruit, definitely not in terms of profit, and decided to shutter the hardware and license the name to ASUS. Thus, the ASUS ROG NUC is pretty much the merger of two DNAs, one from Intel’s somewhat proof-of-concept mini PCs and the other from ASUS’s gaming house.

Unlike Intel’s NUCs, which were pretty much barebone general-purpose budget computers in a small box, the ROG NUC has the beating heart of a gaming laptop, just crammed in a small box that’s just around two inches thick. That includes an Intel Core Ultra processor, the kind that boasts upgraded AI chops, and an integrated NVIDIA RTX 4060 or 4070, depending on the configuration. There are plenty of ports for connection, as well as options for expanded storage that you can easily access thanks to its tool-less chassis.

While those might sound like juicy features for a gaming mini PC, the starting price of $1,629 makes it look less palatable, or $2,199 for the next step up in specs. For that price, you can already get a respectable gaming laptop with nearly the same or even better specs, and you won’t need to hook it up to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. And unlike a desktop PC, you can’t upgrade anything other than memory and storage, so performance is pretty much a fixed value.

These raise the question of who the ASUS ROG NUC will be for, and the answer is quite a niche market. It will be for PC gamers who don’t exactly need mobility but do have limited desk space for a tower. It might even be for users who already have a more powerful gaming desktop and just need a secondary computer for their office. Either way, these scenarios make that high price tag even less appealing unless ASUS holds a sale immediately after launching the product.

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ROG Zephyrus G16 laptop at CES 2024 brings a thin, all-aluminum frame to your game

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Gaming laptops are powerful beasts, sometimes almost as powerful as some desktops. Most of them, however, almost feel as heavy and as bulky as those towering computers because of how much technology they pack inside, including the required cooling systems. Thanks to the laws of physics and limitations in manufacturing, it almost seems like having a gaming laptop that’s as slim and sleek as a MacBook is just a pipe dream. Consider those dreams fulfilled, then, with the newest duo in the ASUS ROG Zephyrus line, bringing to the CES 2024 crowd the first glimpse of an all-aluminum CNC machined gaming laptop that maintains a mind-blowing thin and light body despite the power it crams inside.

Designer: ASUS Republic of Gamers

Although the typical laptop might have plenty of metal on the outside, the majority of gaming laptops use plenty of plastic or only plastic for the chassis. It’s more resilient to pressure and is cheaper to manufacture, helping to offset the costs of the expensive hardware. However, it also has poorer heat dissipation, is prone to deform from excessive heat, and makes the laptop feel less premium than its price would suggest. The Republic of Gamers is, fortunately, challenging the status quo with the 2024 ROG Zephyrus G16 and its slightly smaller sibling, the ROG Zephyrus G14, bringing a sleek and elegant look you won’t easily find on most of its kind.

With an all-new, all-aluminum CNC-machined chassis, the ROG Zephyrus G16 and G14 bring a touch of class to your gaming gear. It isn’t all just for show, of course, because the change in materials also improves the structural rigidity of the laptop, reduces its overall weight, and increases the space for components inside. That means more room for more things while still keeping the laptop thin and light. At only 1.49cm thick and 1.85kg light, the Zephyrus 16 is pretty much on par with the gold standard of lightweight pro notebooks, the MacBook Pro. For reference, the Zephyrus G14 stands at 1.59cm thick and 1.5kg heavy only.

Of course, Zephyrus laptops are heavy-duty gaming slash workstations, and ROG hasn’t forgotten the traits that truly mark this mobile PC as such. There’s a brand-new LED lighting array, one that runs diagonally across the lid. Appropriately called Slash Lighting, this lighting accent can display customized patterns and animations that quickly set the laptop apart from other premium-looking notebooks. This 2024 generation also welcomes a new colorway, Platinum White, with a matte finish that cements the Zephyrus G16 and G14 as luxury items for gamers.

In terms of hardware, the two aren’t lacking in any department either, sporting the latest Intel and AMD processors paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 or 4090 laptop graphics. In fact, these two boast the first ROG laptops to carry an OLED monitor under the ROG Nebula Display branding, offering rich blacks that truly make graphics pop. They both possess the latest cooling solutions, but the ROG Zephyrus G16 additionally carries a custom vapor chamber to make up for the more powerful hardware. These two stylish and powerful laptops are scheduled to land in markets in the first quarter of the year, though exact dates and pricing have yet to be announced.

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ROG Phone 8 at CES 2024 arrives with a simpler, more premium design

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What is a gaming phone? Since most smartphones can actually handle mobile games, especially the more expensive models, this breed of smartphones differentiates itself from the rest of the crowd with over-the-top performance and, more often than not, over-the-top aesthetics as well. Whether it’s in the form of flashy RGB lighting or an abundance of geometric shapes, the stereotypical gaming phone leaves no room for doubt that these gadgets are miniature versions of gaming desktops and laptops that grab people’s attention one way or another. Great for hardcore gamers who have embraced that aesthetic, not so much for others who want a gaming-worthy phone they can use everywhere as well. That’s the kind of redesign that the new ROG Phone 8 is now carrying, bringing its unparalleled performance for a wider audience to enjoy.

Designer: ASUS Republic of Gamers

There isn’t going to be any debate on the merits of the ROG Phone 8’s gaming prowess. Powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and paired with the fastest memory and storage technologies in the market, it can handle any mobile game currently in existence and then some. The large 6.78-inch AMOLED display promises bright images even under sunlight, and an equally large 5,500mAh battery guarantees hours of enjoyment of games and streaming videos. Those specs are on par with most gaming phones of this caliber, but, for the first time, ROG is adjusting its specs and design to match what not just gamers but also the masses want.

For example, it has a more powerful camera system now, with a 50MP main Sony sensor joined by a surprising 32MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. This is a huge step up from the macro shooter that the brand usually puts on its gaming phones, though the 13MP ultra-wide camera is still minimally decent. ROG has also ensured the durability of the ROG Phone 8 by giving it IP68 dust and water resistance, the first gaming phone to receive this certification. That’s thanks to a cooling system and thermal design that doesn’t require a tiny fan inside, though ASUS ROG will try to convince owners to buy and use the AeroActive Cooler X attachment as well.

The biggest change, however, is also the most obvious. Gone are the sci-fi-like design of the previous ROG phones, replaced by an aesthetic that still looks sleek and stylish but also cleaner. The pentagon-shaped camera island is off to the side, similar to many camera designs these days, and the back sports a dual-tone tone color theme, depending on the colorway. That’s not to say that the ROG Phone 8 completely ditches the hallmarks of gamer aesthetics, as the base model still has a customizable Aura RGB Lighting on the ROG logo. The ROG Phone 8 Pro, on the other hand, gets an “AniMe Vision” Mini LED display composed of 341 lighting elements that can display preset or custom animations.

It remains to be seen whether the ROG Phone 8’s sudden change of direction will help it appeal to more customers beyond the gamer crowd, or if it will actually turn gamers away toward competing brands. Suffice it to say, it’s a bold new design for a gaming phone, one that still packs the power that gamers require, now wrapped in a stylish design that could appeal to everyone as well. The ASUS ROG Phone 8 will be available in Q1 2024 with an SRP of $1,099 for the base model, $1,199 for the ROG Phone 8 Pro, and $1,499.99 for the ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition that includes the AeroActive Cooler X in the box.

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ASUS ROG Phone 8 design takes a very different direction

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Almost every smartphone these days can play games, especially the expensive high-end ones, but there are a few that definitely take the cake. They’re labeled gaming phones not just because of some special feature, such as a tiny fan spinning inside, but also because of the gamer aesthetics that they embrace. For years now, the ASUS ROG Phone has held the crown of having the most gamer-friendly design, but it seems that it’s finally willing to let that title go next year. Based on its own teasers, the next Republic of Gamers smartphone might be embracing a more mainstream design in exchange for what might finally be more capable cameras as well.

Designer: ASUS (via GSMarena)

ASUS ROG Phone 7

To be fair, there is no guidebook on how to apply a gamer aesthetic to products, but you can bet it will have plenty of RGB lighting and lines going in multiple directions that suggest the presence of machine panels. Indeed, the previous ROG Phones have employed those design elements, sometimes even going as far as using small LED screens for more dynamic accents. Of course, none of these are essential to the actual gaming experience, but they do add a nice touch that marks the product as something truly designed with gamers in mind.

ASUS ROG Phone 6

ASUS ROG Phone 6

ASUS ROG Phone 6

Given its history, it’s a bit surprising that the ASUS ROG Phone 8 might do away with those design elements almost entirely. Although nothing’s set in stone yet, the brand’s official teaser suggests that it might be adopting a more minimalist and subdued design, one that eschews the lines and RGB colors. What we see instead is a clean dual-tone composition that, given the gray colors, looks more industrial than futuristic. There could still be some lighting underneath the ROG logo, but could very well be the only place it shows up.

Perhaps more curious is the camera bump design, a thick pentagon laid on top of a square. For generations, the ROG Phones have carried mediocre cameras, so a switch to a triple camera system could be big news for fans of the brand. It’s not a clear win yet, of course, but it’s commendable that ASUS is willing to shake things up to improve its performance.

To its credit, the ROG Phones have slowly been moving towards more conventional and less spectacular designs, but the ROG Phone 8 could have the most drastic changes if the teasers are to be taken at face value. On the one hand, it does help make the ROG Phones more acceptable in “regular” scenarios and won’t stand out as much. On the other hand, if you want a more conventional-looking smartphone that can handle mobile games, there are already plenty of those in the market, making the ROG Phone 8 redundant.

ASUS ROG Phone 7

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ASUS ROG Phone 7 carries a simpler design that belies its power

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Gaming smartphones are a bit of an oddity in the mobile market. While all high-end phones are technically capable of running mobile games, these devices pull out all the stops to squeeze out everything they can from the hardware. Most of them also carry designs that are a bit over the top in order to appeal to gamers’ aesthetics and their love for glowing RGB lights. That, however, might have just been the youthful phase of this niche market. After six yearly iterations, it seems that ASUS’ Republic of Gamers brand, or ROG, has started to dial down its designs, pushing forward a ROG Phone 7 Series that hides over-the-top features behind a more moderate appearance.

Designer: ASUS

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 definitely has all the makings of a top-of-the-line gaming phone, starting with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, a large 6.78-inch FHD+ screen, and an extra generous 6,000mAh battery. Like other ROG phones before it, it has gaming-specific features as well, such as touch-sensitive AirTriggers on the phone’s frame as well as a second charging port so that you can keep the phone plugged in comfortably while gaming.

All that power will naturally generate a lot of heat, and this is one area that gaming phones tend to go to extremes to address. In the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s case, the extra cooling help comes from the new AeroActive Cooler 7 that latches onto the back of the phone. This accessory introduces a thermoelectric Peltier system to really drag down the temperatures when necessary. This external fan works in tandem with the ROG Phone 7’s AeroActive Portal, which is basically a set of air inlets that direct the cooler’s air onto the phone’s vapor chamber.

Amusingly, that same AeroActive Cooler 7 accessory also brings a feature that’s unheard of on smartphones. The attachment houses a five-magnet super-linear subwoofer that complements the phone’s built-in stereo speakers, though that requires the cooler to be attached. Whether that makes a significant difference, especially when playing out in the open, remains to be heard.

Unlike its predecessors, the design of the ROG Phone 7, both the regular and the Ultimate models, are more low-key. The Ultimate still has that strip of LCD that lets you display symbols and icons as you wish, but the distinct lines that divide the back into separate areas are now gone. The non-Ultimate models have a distinct dual-tone color scheme, with the upper half of the phone using a translucent material. Compared to previous ROG Phones, this year’s generation looks a bit more minimalist, perhaps suggesting that the gaming smartphone market is finally coming of age.

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Special Edition Asus tablet designed by ACRONYM is functional and striking work of art

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Asus likes to experiment with unique collaborations with creative outfits, and more often than not, the results are excellent. Back in 2020, they joined forces with Berlin-based ACRONYM to create the ROG ZEPHYRUS G14-ACRNM laptop and now the two camps have again collaborated for a limited-edition tablet.

ACRONYM co-founded in 1994 by Errolson Hugh, a pioneer in the technical-apparel industry, has struck partnerships with the likes of Nike in the past, and now they developed the functional and stylish ROG Flow Z13 ACRNM RMT02 tablet for Asus.

Designer: ACRONYM and Asus

The gaming tablet’s industrial chassis is very artistic, which is obvious since Hugh leveraged the design prowess of Phil Saunders who designed the Iron Man suit. Ideation for this cool-looking machine propped up to go with the existing line-up of ACRONYM jackets, and project head, Rod Chong (LA-based creative director) delivered exactly what was needed. Both camps worked for almost a year on this design and the results are stunning. The package comes with an integrated strap in the body, rubber holds for improved grip and reinforced corners for protection from bump damage. The keyboard and screensaver on this edition have been visually ramped up for that extra flair. All of this while being ultra-functional and looking stunning with any modern outfit.

According to Hugh, Republic of Gamers was the perfect partner for their next big creation since ROG has a very open-minded approach. “Its engineers were willing to go into unknown territory, and they had the know-how and the competence to deliver those ideas.” For Shawn Yen, ROG Vice President of the Gaming Business Unit, their collaboration with ACRONYM opened their perspective towards looking at things “from a different angle.”

Based on the Asus ROG Flow Z13, the one designed by ACRONYM also gets a bump up in specifications for ultimate performance. While the vanilla version has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, the special edition gets an RTX 4070 instead. The same goes for LPDDR5 RAM as well, there’s 16GB on the normal one and 32GB on the ACRONYM edition. Other than that, the 13.4-inch IPS QHD+ (16:10) screen having 165Hz refresh rate, the 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900H processor, 1TB of M.2 SSD storage and the 56Wh battery with 130W charging are identical.

According to Asus, only 14 limited edition versions of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 ACRONYM will be available to purchase. The price for all the added perks and exclusivity will be a mind-numbing $2,500, so one should better stick to the Surface Pro, iPad Pro, or Galaxy Tab S6!

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ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) is a powerful gaming laptop with a personality

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Although laptops have been a part of consumers’ lives for decades now, gaming laptops are still a bit of a novelty considering their target audience. You might not think that if you made rounds at CES 2023, though, or at least kept tabs on related news. There is a plethora of new notebooks from major PC makers, all geared toward gaming as well as content creation. Of course, gaming laptops aren’t new, and they even have the stigma of being bulky, heavy, and almost unwelcoming in appearance. This new generation of gaming laptops, however, do stand out from their peers in their stylish designs and especially their sizes, and the Republic of Gamers’ new Zephyrus M16 clearly sets itself apart with an aesthetic that will probably sing to more than just gamers.

Designer: ASUS ROG

Although it is actually an optional configuration, the defining feature of the 2023 Zephyrus M16 will most likely be its AniMe Matrix dot-matrix display on its lid. The brand’s second laptop to bear this rather quirky design, this display allows for a high level of personalization using images, text, animations, and the like. And with a 16-inch size, there’s an even bigger canvas for users to play with in terms of letting their personality shine through their laptop choice.

The ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) has a design that is both simple yet bold. Intended to look stealthily stylish, the laptop bears a matte black color with an overfiring finish and a fingerprint-resistant surface. The chassis has been polished with ten grinding passes to completely remove any marks left over from the machining process. Those opting to skip the signature AniMe Matrix display won’t feel left out, as a Monochrome Film will be applied to the CNC holes that refract and reflect light in an eye-catching manner. The resulting look exudes an elegance that you won’t easily find in gaming laptops.

As a gaming laptop, the Zephyrus M16 isn’t just a pretty face, though. It is powered by the hottest combination available today, with a 13th-gen Intel Core processor paired with NVIDIA’s strongest GeForce for laptops to date, the RTX 40 series. Not only does this make the laptop excellent for gaming as it was intended, it can also be easily used for heavy work like content creation as well. The laptop is also equipped with ROG’s new Nebula Display HDR, which brings mini LED technology that you’re more likely to hear on TVs than on laptops. With finer control over dimming and brightness, the display promises breathtaking visuals whether you’re playing in a dark room or under bright light.

For all the power and features it bears, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (2023) comes with an equally powerful cooling solution, which includes Tri-Fan technology, Liquid Metal thermal grease, and Arc Flow Fans with 84 thin curved blades each. At under 2.1kg, the laptop still remains relatively portable, at least for a gaming laptop, giving you the freedom to bring it wherever you go and flaunt that personalized animated matrix display that brings out your and your laptop’s personalities.

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This futuristic-looking smartphone is an unfortunate step back in durability

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Gaming smartphones have become quite a thing, even if almost all high-end smartphones are well capable of running those games anyway. This subset of the mobile market promises extra features to level up the gaming experience, like invisible extra buttons for additional controls or tiny cooling fans for better thermal management. Almost all of them also come with telltale designs of a gaming device in contrast to the more discreet looks of typical smartphones. All of these unconventional designs and features are, of course, intended to appeal to gamers, but none of these come for free. Sometimes, the price is quite literal, given how much these gaming smartphones cost. For one such special phone, however, the price also comes in the way you might least expect, especially if you accidentally sit down on or bend the phone out of proportion.

Designer: ASUS

To be fair, ASUS’ Republic of Gamers, or ROG, needs to be lauded for putting out one of the most powerful smartphones this year as well as one of the most striking gaming phones so far. The white ROG Phone 6 Pro, in particular, delivers a unique and novel aesthetic that makes it look like it was taken straight out of a sci-fi movie set. The company’s attention to detail is definitely commendable as well, from the bulky yet interesting packaging to the embossed text on the glass back that exhorts the holder to “Join the Republic.”

There are also a few touches that would really appeal to gamers, like the small LCD display on the back that can be used to display logos and animations, not to mention notifications. There is also a second USB-C port on the side of the phone, allowing the user to play games while the phone charges without the cable getting in the way. The latter is completely new, though, since it was also present in last year’s ROG Phone 5. Unfortunately, the similarities between the two generations of gaming phones don’t end there.

YouTube channel JerryRigEverything’s typical torture test started well enough, with the phone doing quite well when it comes to scratching and burning the phone. That second test is admittedly now just for fun and tradition, but the scratch test inspires confidence that your gaming partner will survive your pocket or bag unscathed. Unfortunately, it might not survive a splash in the tub because of its meager IPX4 dust and water resistance rating.

Unfortunately, things take a nose dive immediately during the bend test. Just like its predecessor, the ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro easily bent in half, suggesting that there may have been no significant improvement to its structural integrity. The rear glass completely shatters, though the small display ironically still works. The main screen is bent beyond repair and no longer works either. It still warrants a thorough investigation with a teardown, but the most likely culprits are the phone’s split batter design and the placement of that second USB-C port.

While you’re unlikely to try and bend a phone the way the YouTuber did, accidents do happen from time to time. It’s definitely not reassuring that a $1,300 phone like the ROG Phone 6 Pro could be so weak, especially when you consider it isn’t properly waterproof either. That doesn’t bode well for the sustainability of the phone in the long run since damages could easily mean throwing away the broken phone. The ROG Phone 6 Pro might look like it’s from the future, but it definitely didn’t make any progress in its durability and sustainability.

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ASUS ROG Phone 6 design may have a cleaner futuristic vibe

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While almost any high-end phone is really capable of gaming, there are a few that stand out as having been designed specifically for that purpose. These sometimes have “active cooling technology,” which pretty much just means it has a tiny fan spinning inside, almost like a miniature gaming laptop. These gaming smartphones take after PC counterparts in other ways as well, particularly with the generous use of RGB lights, dark finishes, and sometimes asymmetrical forms. Some gaming computers, however, started incorporating newer design languages that give off a different personality. It seems that the next version of ASUS’ gaming smartphone is following in those footsteps, and the ROG Phone 6 could probably be one of the most handsome gaming smartphones in the market.

Designer: ASUS (via Evan Blass)

If you are an avid gamer, the aesthetics of gaming devices and accessories might already be normal for you. The motifs employed by the likes of Razer, Dell’s Alienware, and ASUS’ Republic of Gamers all share similar elements such as those mentioned earlier. While the design language conveys images of speed, vibrancy, and activity, it may also speak of chaos, imbalance, and aggressiveness. Based on images shared by tipster Evan Blass, the ASUS Republic of Gamers Phones 6 might be anything but.

The phone might come in a predominantly white case, which in itself is already unorthodox as far as gaming products are concerned. It probably won’t be the only colorway available, but it will most likely be the most popular, given its novelty. Lines still don’t go straight up and down or sideways, but their appearance is more balanced here, forming a trapezoidal shape right in the middle of the phone. With the cleaner lines and lighter hues, the ROG Phone 6 takes on a more utopian appearance compared to the cyberpunk aesthetic of its predecessors.

There are still plenty of blacks and colors to go around, though they seem to be relegated to accessories. The AeroActive Cooler 6 add-on, for example, brings a dash of that RGB lighting to the phone, while a black DevilCase Guardian Lite Plus case offers a perfect contrast to the phone’s white shell. There is also a pair of white detachable controllers similar to the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-cons to complement and complete the look.

There does seem to be a small trend in the gaming market that is moving away from the stereotypical blacks and RGBs of gaming-related products. Dell’s latest Alienware desktops, for example, employ a similar white and light blue color scheme. The “trophy” PlayStation 5, of course, also aimed for a more futuristic visual with a splash of white and smooth curves. Whether it’s a passing fad or a new movement, we’ll have to see if these products catch on with gamers who can be very particular about the way their gaming gear looks.

As for the specs, the ASUS ROG Phone 6 will undoubtedly be a powerhouse, boasting at most 18GB of RAM, which sounds almost overkill for a phone. It will be interesting how it will perform in the camera department, though, since it is an area that’s often overlooked by gaming phones. The phone is expected to debut on the 5th of July, so it won’t be long before we behold the real thing.

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