Built for gaming: ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro smartphones announced

ROG
ROG Phone 5s Pro (Image credit: ROG)

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has today announced the new ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5s Pro gaming smartphones. The ROG Phone 5s series features the latest flagship Snapdragon 888+ 5G Mobile Platform with advanced 5G capabilities and premium Snapdragon Elite Gamin features. The processing power is complemented by up to 18 GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM and the optimised GameCool 5 cooling system, with the AeroActive Cooler 5 and the performance manager in Armory Crate, ensures maximum performance is available for even the most heated gaming session. 

(Image credit: ROG)

Snapdragon 888+ 5G Mobile Platform

Snapdragon 888+ 5G Mobile Platform powers the ROG Phone 5s series, providing boosted performance, unrivalled speed and multi-gigabit class WiFi 6E. Clock speed is now up to a blistering 3 GHz and the CPU performance is designed to deliver unmatched mobile processing power. Both models also feature up to 18 GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM to dramatically increase the overall gaming performance.

The 144 Hz / 1ms AMOLED display used in the ROG Phone 5s series boasts a 360 Hz native touch sampling rate, which ensures a super-smooth gaming experience. The ROG Phone 5s Pro model also features a color version of the innovative ROG Vision rear matrix display, which shows customizable animations in response to a variety of system events.

AirTrigger 5 control system now supports the two rear touch sensors on ROG Phone 5s Pro, which ROG says gives mobile gamers: “truly console-like control capabilities.” The ultrasonic side sensors on both models also support dual gestures, such as tap-and-slide or tap-and-swipe, for total control.

(Image credit: ROG)

GameCool 5 cooling system

Both models feature GameCool 5 cooling system, which has an optimum thermal structure featuring a cantered CPU with the battery split into two parts, one located on each side of the CPU. This ensures that the heat generated by the CPU is transferred to all the edges and corners of the chassis simultaneously for higher thermal efficiency. The re-shaped 3D vapor chamber and extensive graphite sheets also help to spread the heat evenly across the device to reduce heat build-up in the middle. Lastly, the AeroActive Cooler 5 intakes and expels an incredible amount of air directly onto the centre of the phone, where the CPU is, to deliver up to 10°C drop in the CPU temperature.

Triple-camera system

The triple-camera system on ROG Phone 5s series consists of a flag Sony IMX686 64MP main wide-angle camera, an ultrawide 13MP second camera, and a macro camera. Enhanced software features include a Pro Video Mode as well as Free Zoom, Wind Filter and Acoustic Focus functions to make your video quality stand out. There’s also a 24MP front camera for selfies and live-streaming videos.

ROG Phone 5s Pro features GameFX audio system – symmetrical seven-magnet dual speakers for truly balanced stereo sound effects, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack in conjunction with a hi-fi grade ESS DAC. 

Having teamed up with some popular game titles, ROG are able to offer a series of different theme packs that allow owners to turn their ROG Phone 5 series or ROG Phone 5s series into a truly unique gaming device, which we can see being very popular.

ROG Phone 5s Series price and availability 

ASUS ROG Phone 5s will start their European availability from today, while ROG Phone 5s Pro will start pre-orders in Europe from ASUS Online store and selected retailers. The ROG Phone 5s Pro(888+/18G/512G) will cost £1099 and the ROG Phone 5s (888+/16G/512G) will cost £999.

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Rachael Sharpe

Rachael is a British journalist with 18 years experience in the publishing industry. Since working on www.digitalcameraworld.com, she’s been freelancing, and contributing to some of the world’s best-loved websites and magazines including T3.com and TechRadar.com and has also had a book, iPad for Photographers, published. She's currently acting as editor of 5GRadar.com - a website specializing in the latest cellular technology.