Almost every tech nowadays that you can use to play games have a “GAMING” version of that product. We have a gaming PC, gaming headphone, gaming monitors, gaming keyboards, gaming laptop; and now even gaming smartphones. So today, let’s compare the features and specification of the two gaming smartphones released recently: the Razer Phone 2 and the Asus ROG Phone. The Razer Phone 2 is actually the second generation from the company; whereas the Asus ROG Phone, is the first gaming smartphones from Asus. If you’re in the market for a GAMING smartphone, you might want to check out the comparison below and find out which gaming smartphone suites you better.
Razer Phone 2 vs Asus ROG Phone – Specs Comparison
Right of the bat, let’s compare the specifications of both the Razer Phone 2 and Asus ROG Phone.
| Razer Phone 2 | Asus ROG Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $799.99 | $899 (128GB) / $1099 (512GB) |
| OS | Android 8.1 Oreo (Nova Launcher) | Android 8.1 Oreo with ROG Gaming X mode UI |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 |
| CPU | 2.8 GHz Octa-core | 2.96GHz Octa-core ("specially-binned") |
| GPU | Adreno 630 | Adreno 630 |
| Memory | 8GB LPDDR4X | 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal Storage | 64GB UFS | 128GB / 512GB UFS2.1 |
| Card Slot | microSD up to 1TB | None |
| Features | IP67 dust / water resistant Razer Chroma / RGB Logo Aluminum Body Nano SIM | IP67 ??? 3 Ultrasonic pressure sensitive zones Aluminum Body Nano SIM |
| Display Type | IGZO IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen | AMOLED capacitive touchscreen |
| Display Size, Resolution | 5.72" inches, 1440x 2560, 16:9 ratio, 513 ppi density | 6.0" inches, 1080x2160, 18:9 ratio, 402 ppi density |
| Display Features | 120Hz Refresh rate, Wide Color Gamut, HDR 580 nits brightness Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Oleophobic coating | 90 Hz Refresh rate (1ms pixel response time), wide color gamut, HDR 550 nits, 108.6% DCI-P3 color gamut, 10,000:1 contrast ratio Corning Gorilla Glass 6 ROG Gaming UI |
| Rear Camera | 12 MP, f/1.75, 25mm (wide), dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.6, 2x optical zoom 4K UHD - 30/60 fps, 1080p FHD - 30/60/120 fps | 12 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), dual pixel PDAF, 3-axis gyro-EIS 8 MP, 12mm, no AF 4K UHD - 30/60 fps, 1080p FHD - 30/60/240 fps |
| Front Camera | 8 MP, f/2.0 1080p@30/60fps | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm 1080p@30fps |
| Audio Features | No 3.5mm headphone jack Type-C to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio Dolby Atmos stereo speakers (THX-certified amplifiers) Vapor Chamber Cooling | 3.5mm headphone jack DTS Headphone:X™ 7.1 virtual surround-sound 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio Vapor Chamber Cooling |
| Wireless Connection | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE NFC, GPS, aGPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD NFC, GPS, aGPS, Glonass, BeiDo, FM Radio |
| Wires Connection | USB Type-C 1.0 | USB Type-C 1.0 |
| Additional Features | Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0+ Wireless fast charging 15W | Fingerprint, Face recognition, accelerator, e-compass, gyro, proximity, etc. ASUS HyperCharge direct charging No wireless charging, Fast wired charging only |
| Battery | Li-Po 4000 mAh non-removable | Li-Po 4000 mAh non-removable |
| Dimensions | 158.5mm x 79mm x 8.5mm | 158.83mm x 76.16mm x 8.65 mm |
| Weight | 220 grams | 200 grams |
| Check Availability | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
Razer Phone 2 vs Asus ROG Phone – Features
Both the Razer Phone 2 and Asus ROG Phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo; with the Razer Phone 2 having a Nova Launcher as its default skin, while the ROG Phone comes with a Gaming X UI. Both are powered with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor but the Asus ROG Phone comes with a slightly higher boost clock speed. Asus claims that the Snapdragon 845 chips inside are specially-binned processors. Both gaming smartphones also have Adreno 630 and 8GB of memory. In terms of performance both are pretty much similar with the Asus ROG Phone having a slight advantage due to the higher clock speed.
I’m not sure yet if the Asus ROG Phone is IP67 or IP68 or if it’s even water resistant, but the Razer Phone 2 is IP67 certified, meaning it’s dust and water resistant. Both features aluminum body but they have a very different body design and aesthetics. The Asus ROG Phone looks more of a “gaming smartphone”, while the Razer Phone 2 is a very clean, rectangular all-black smartphone. The Razer Phone 2 is more professional-looking than the ROG Phone.
Both gaming smartphones have a high refresh rate display, it’s 60 Hz for the ROG Phone and 120Hz for the Razer Phone 2. The display is more fluid and butter smooth on the Razer Phone 2 compared to the ROG Phone. The Razer Phone 2 is also sharper thanks to its higher pixel per inch density and slightly higher resolution. However, the ROG Phone has a brighter display and perhaps more vibrant than Razer’s.
The Asus ROG Phone and Razer Phone 2 have 8 megapixels front facing camera, but they slightly differ on the rear main camera. Razer’s has a 12MP + 12MP configuration, one is zoom and the other is wide; while Asus’ has a 12MP + 8MP setup. Cameras are generally “okay” on both phones, but it’s a hit or miss depending on the situation. Sometimes Razer Phone 2 take better photos, sometimes it’s the ROG Phone. But generally speaking, there are other smartphones with (far) better camera compared to these two gaming phones; example, the Google Pixel 3.
Another thing to consider is the accessory options for both gaming smartphones. The Razer Phone 2 supports wireless charging and currently the wireless charging pad/stand with RGB lighting is the phone’s main accessory; aside from the casing and tempered glass protection. There are other “general accessories” (not exclusive for the Phone 2), like the Razer Raiju Mobile controller and the new Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC headphone. That’s pretty much about it for the Razer.
However, Asus is offering several accessories for the ROG Phone aside from its own phone case ($60). These accessories are exclusive to the ROG Phone and they are as follows: Gamevice controller ($90), Professional dock ($120), Mobile desktop dock ($230), WiGig dock ($330) and TwinView dock ($400). The “fan clip” is already included in the box so no need to buy one. That’s a lot of docks, the good news is you don’t have to buy all these accessories to enjoy the ROG Phone; just buy the one that you (really) need. That controller is very handy though.
Razer Phone 2 vs Asus ROG Phone – Pricing and Availability
Both the Razer Phone 2 and ASUS ROG Phone are now available in the market. The Razer Phone 2 comes with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $799. There’s also an exclusive Satin Black version available on Razer Store only.
Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Phone comes with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $899 for the 128GB storage capacity version. There’s also a 512GB capacity version, with an MSRP of $1,099. The ROG Phone doesn’t have a microSD card option (which sucks), that’s why the company is offering a more expensive version with higher capacity.
Check latest pricing and availability:
- Razer Phone 2 available on Amazon.com
- Asus ROG Phone available on Amazon.com
Razer Phone 2 vs Asus ROG Phone – Conclusion
Gaming aside, both phones are very capable when it comes to normal smartphone use; like messaging, calling, browsing the web, and other things people usually do on a smartphone. The thing that sets them apart from the likes of other smartphones is their gaming-centric features. And it seems the ROG Phone is loaded with more of that compared to the Razer Phone 2.
Reasons Why Choose Razer Phone 2 over Asus ROG Phone:
- Faster 120Hz screen refresh rate; “butter smooth”
- Clean all-black look
- Front firing speaker
- Runs (slightly) cooler than ROG Phone
- Supports wireless charging
- Cheaper than ROG Phone
Reason Why Choose Asus ROG Phone over Razer Phone 2:
- Very slightly faster performance in general
- Brighter screen display, good for HDR content
- Better sound quality
- Has a 3.5mm headphone jack
- Gaming-centric look, and features like AirTrigger
- Several accessory options, but would entail additional cost and they are not cheap
Finally, if camera quality is your priority, I suggest you consider other smartphones instead. Both gaming smartphones have a decent and “okay” camera, but for the same price you can get a smartphone with far better camera quality; like the Google Pixel 3.
There you have it guys, this is just a features and specs comparison of the Razer Phone 2 vs Asus ROG Phone. Which gaming smartphone is the best in your opinion? Honestly, I’m still quite torn between the two. I like the more professional look on the Razer Phone 2, but the Asus ROG Phone edges the Razer Phone 2 by several more reasons.
