Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review: A gaming beast with a hidden trick

Asus has been making some of the best gaming smartphones for years, and the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is no exception. This phone is packed with powerful hardware, innovative features and a unique design that will appeal to hardcore gamers who want the ultimate performance and cooling. But is it worth the hefty price tag? Let’s find out on Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review.

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate Specs Highlights

• Body: 173.0×77.0x10.3mm, 239g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame; Built-in motorized cooling air vent (AeroActive Portal), IP54 water resistant, 2″ OLED display (on the back), Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers).
• Display: 6.78″ AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak), 1080x2448px resolution, 20.4:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
• Memory: 512GB 16GB RAM; UFS 4.0, NTFS support for external storage.
• OS/Software: Android 13.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.2, 120-degree; Macro: 8 MP, f/2.0.
• Front camera: 32 MP (wide), f/2.45, 1/3.2″, 0.7µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR10+; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 6000mAh; 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min (advertised), 10W reverse wired.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; 3.5mm jack; stereo speakers (2 amplifiers).

Introduction, unboxing and design

The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate comes in a large black box with a red ROG logo on the front. Inside, you’ll find the phone itself, a 65W charger, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a pair of earphones, a SIM ejector tool, some stickers and a user guide. You’ll also get the AeroActive Cooler 7 accessory, which is a fan that attaches to the back of the phone and helps keep it cool during intense gaming sessions.

The phone itself is a beast, measuring 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm and weighing 239 grams. It has a glass front and back with Gorilla Glass Victus and Gorilla Glass 3 protection respectively, and an aluminum frame. The front has a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with thin bezels on the sides and slightly thicker ones on the top and bottom. The top bezel houses a 32MP selfie camera, while the bottom one has an RGB-lit ROG logo.

The back of the phone is where things get interesting. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has a two-tone scheme with futuristic elements, such as hexagonal patterns and lines. The upper part has a triple camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP macro shooter. The lower part has a 2-inch OLED display called ROG Vision, which can show customizable animations, notifications and game stats.

The most intriguing feature on the back, however, is the AeroActive Portal – a hidden door that opens when you attach the AeroActive Cooler 7 fan. This door reveals a vent that allows cool air to flow directly into the phone’s internal cooling system, which consists of a vapor chamber, graphite sheets and copper heat pipes. This way, the phone can maintain high performance without overheating or throttling.

The sides of the phone are also loaded with features. The right side has two ultrasonic buttons called AirTriggers, which can be used as shoulder triggers for gaming. They can also be customized to perform different actions, such as tapping, sliding or swiping. The left side has a SIM tray that supports dual nano-SIM cards (but no microSD card), and a side port that can be used for charging or connecting accessories like the AeroActive Cooler or the Kunai Gamepad.

The bottom of the phone has a USB-C port and a microphone, while the top has another microphone and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone also has stereo speakers with two amplifiers on the front, which deliver loud and clear sound quality. The phone also supports NFC, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and 5G connectivity.