Since the launching of the Nokia N-Gage in 2003, gaming phones have evolved significantly. Over time, fewer concessions have been made, and the specifications that make a phone great for gaming can now transfer into a better overall experience. Asus’ ROG Phone 8 Pro is the most recent top-tier gaming phone, boasting impressive hardware. The device also costs $1,200, comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra.
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is available in two variants: 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, and another with 1TB of storage and 24GB of RAM, both priced at $1,200. It’s available in most nations, although you’re unlikely to locate it in physical stores or through carriers. Depending on your location, you’ll need to purchase it from either Asus or Amazon.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra includes 12GB of RAM in all models with storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. The S24 costs $1,300, which is $100 more than the ROG Phone but provides half the capacity. It is available internationally through Samsung and all major retailers and carriers. This provides a huge advantage for the S24 Ultra. Not only is it available in more places, but it is virtually always on sale. Carrier and trade-in deals ensure you’ll rarely spend the full $1,300, and it’s often less than the ROG 8 Pro.
ROG PHONE 8 PRO VS. GALAXY S24 ULTRA: SPECS COMPARISON
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is an amazing beast, including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, up to 24GB of RAM, and lightning-fast UFS 4.0 storage. Combine that with Asus’ gaming software and integrated Air Triggers to create a strong gaming gadget that also makes phone calls. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the company’s most powerful device yet. The display is supernova bright, the new Gorilla Armor protects against damage, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 enables some impressive AI functions. Even at this price, adding seven years of OS updates makes for an attractive bundle.
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Both phones have decent battery life, but the ROG Phone 8 Pro outperforms the S24 Ultra. The ROG Phone boasts a 5,500mAh battery that, along with the 1080p display, can easily last two days of everyday use and longer gaming sessions than anything else. That massive battery can be recharged at 65W using either a USB-C connector or a 15W Qi wireless charger. The S24 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery that will last a whole day, but it is not comparable to the ROG. The battery may be charged at 45W via USB-C or 15W wirelessly. The S24 Ultra has another trick up its sleeve: 4.5W reverse wireless charging for accessories.
Moving on to the cameras, Samsung has prioritized these over Asus. The ROG 8 Pro’s cameras outperform those of its predecessors, featuring a 50MP primary sensor, 32MP 3X telephoto, and 13MP ultrawide. The S24 Ultra outperforms those figures both on paper and in practice, featuring a 200MP primary camera, 10MP 3X telephoto, 50MP 5X telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide.
The ROG produces good images under most lighting circumstances and has a dependable camera setup. The S24 Ultra feels more filled out, with additional modes and unique features that make it enjoyable to use, albeit it does occasionally struggle with moving objects.
However, if you’re buying a gaming phone, the cameras aren’t a major priority, so they’re more than enough for the intended audience.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
Both of these phones feature stunning AMOLED displays. The ROG display is somewhat smaller at 6.78 inches, despite the phone’s wider bezels making it just under 2mm taller. The ROG Phone 8 Pro’s 1080p screen can dynamically alter its refresh rate from 1 to 165Hz, has a maximum brightness of 2,400 nits and is covered by Gorilla Glass Victuis 2.
The S24 Ultra features a 6.8-inch 1440p AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 1 to 120Hz, a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits, and Gorilla Armor protection. The displays then exchange blows, with the S24 having a greater resolution and somewhat higher brightness, while the ROG phone refreshes more quickly. Those distinctions are not visible until you go out of your way to seek them, but the glass has a significant impact. Gorilla Armor is 75% less reflective than the Victus 2 used on the ROG Phone, meaning the S24 Ultra does not need to use its maximum brightness as frequently because it is not fighting reflections.
These phones have diverse approaches to their general design. The S24 Ultra is a boxy smartphone with sharp corners and symmetrical bezels. The phone’s design is simple, with each camera lens projecting independently rather than as part of a camera bump. The phone’s bottom houses the SIM card, speaker, and S Pen. The buttons are all on the right side, with the remainder of the device blank. In addition to Gorilla Armor on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back, the frame is composed of titanium.
The ROG Phone 8 Pro’s corners are more rounded, making it more comfortable to handle for extended durations. The frame is aluminum, and the back is plastic, but it still seems like a high-end product. The camera hump is noticeable, but what truly distinguishes this phone is the LED display on the rear panel. This can be set to display different animations or messages.
Another noticeable feature of the ROG is the number of ports it has. It’s one of the few phones to still have a headphone jack, but it also includes two USB-C connectors. One is off-center on the bottom, alongside the audio jack, integrated SIM/SD card slot, and speaker, and the other is on the left side. In this manner, you may charge your phone while playing games in landscape mode without losing your grasp.
The ROG also incorporates what Asus refers to as Air Triggers in each right-side corner. These may be customized to accept various game inputs, making the phone feel more like a gaming controller. Asus also included an attachable cooler for the 1TB that clamps into the phone’s rear and two physical triggers that can be remapped. You can purchase it separately for the 512GB phone for $100.
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
Both phones have the same processor and storage type: a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with UFS 4.0. Both have outstanding performance, and you won’t notice much of a difference in ordinary day-to-day use, except the ROG 8 Pro’s somewhat smoother 165Hz display. The discrepancies are discovered during gaming. While both phones are powerful, the ROG stays cooler for longer, even without the cooling device, resulting in more constant frame rates that may be increased even further with the fan.
The ROG Phone 8 Pro comes with Android 14 and Asus’ Zen UI overlaid on top. It’s a lightweight skin that largely consists of Asus apps and gaming features. One of our favorite features is the ability to change the core Android experience. Like Samsung and other OEMs, Asus has created its versions of the notification shade, call UI, volume slider, power menu, and quick settings. Unlike Samsung, Asus supplies stock Android versions as well. You can select an all-Asus or all-Google layout, or mix and combine them as you see fit.
One item that is missing is software support. The ROG Phone 8 Pro will receive only two years of Android upgrades and four years of security fixes, thus Android 16 will be the final version it receives.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 ULTRA FOR:
- The S24 Ultra is an easy phone to recommend to most people. It’s a reliable workhorse that excels in every statistic, making it one of the most well-rounded phones available. While it lacks some of the ROG Phone Pro’s gaming features, it is more than capable of running most games at full speed.
ASUS ROG PHONE 8 PRO FOR:
- The ROG Phone 8 Pro is the antithesis of the S24 Ultra, seeking to excel in one area beyond all others. That is not to say it is bad at anything other than gaming, but its cameras fall short of those on the S24. However, if you’re a die-hard mobile gamer looking for as many frames per second as possible, the ROG Phone 8 Pro will not disappoint.
