Asus ROG Phone 5

Even more toned-down, but still ROG-inspired gamer's design with great build quality.

No longer backwards compatible with most ROG Phone II or 3 accessories. Available accessory ecosystem is significantly smaller than on previous models

Perhaps Asus is amidst some business "reorientation" here. Shifting focus away from end users and extravagant accessories to capture headlines and laser-focusing on delivering pro tools for the e-sports contestants and organizers exclusively. It seems...

Stunning screen ; The best audio on a smartphone today ; Masses of power and ability ; Very fast charging ; Effective, well thought-out gaming features ; Excellent software package

Big and heavy ; Camera doesn't match the competition ; No IP68 water resistance

Long-lasting, fast-charging battery;144Hz AMOLED screen;Fantastic stereo speakers

No telephoto camera;No wireless charging;Display resolution could be higher

Remarkable performance Neat built-in gaming features Great display and speakers

Still no telephoto lens ‘Gamer chic’ looks might be too much for some Large, heavy and dense

The Asus ROG 5 is the best gaming smartphone you can buy with design features and software perks that augment the playing experience. Incremental improvements on its predecessor make it a superior choice that make the phone appealing to non-gamers as...

Loads of power ; Good value for money ; An out of the box experience to savour ; Great display ; So much customisation for gamers

No optical zoom in camera setup ; Rubber bung on the side is just going to get lost ; It's huge

A phone built for gamers, offering loads of power, fantastic audio, and customisation of controls to give players the edge. But it's also a super phone outside of gaming: great for entertainment, with a smooth running system, although it can't quite...

Unmatched performance on Android ; Excellent battery life ; Beautiful responsive 144Hz display ; Headphone jack with Quad DAC ; Extensive software optimization

No wireless charging ; Weak camera performance ; Poor software support track record

The Asus ROG Phone 5 isn’t trying to compete with traditional flagships, it’s playing a different game —and winning.

I don’t see the 999€ or 1099€ variants of the ROG Phone III being worth it, however the 799€ base model should make for a quite balanced phone which shines in terms of battery life, and gives you a great high-refresh rate experience. If you can live...

Unmatched performance ; Superb display ; Accessory ecosystem ; Excellent speakers

Lacks refinement in some areas ; Average camera performance

Fast 144Hz AMOLED display ; Industry-leading performance ; Great gaming-focused features

Gets hot quickly ; Too tall and heavy to use one-handed ; Dot-matrix design not customisable

The Asus ROG Phone 5 is undoubtedly one of the most powerful smartphones available right now with a plethora of gaming-dedicated features that some will really enjoy, but with a large display and a weighty body, the heft and difficulty with one-handed...

Impeccable performance ; Gorgeous display and punchy audio ; Deep set of gaming features ; Full range of optional accessories

Not exactly cheap ; As portable as the average house brick

The ROG Phone 5 is our favourite gaming smartphone of 2021, thanks to those beefy specs, clever tools and impressive accessory support