Critical Index Unboxes the Asus ROG Phone 3
Awhile back, we announced the launch date of the new Asus ROG Phone 3. Now, Critical Index is proud to present the unboxing of this new gaming phone from Asus!
Back in 2018, we also checked out the very first Asus ROG Phone. Now, let’s see how things have changed with this new model.
Unboxing the Asus ROG Phone 3
The familiar trapezoid-like box is bigger than its 2018 counterpart, but with a big difference: it slides out this time instead of unfolding.
From there, you’ll find the new Asus ROG Phone 3, and its AeroActive Cooler fan attachment. They’re wrapped in a protective waxpaper-like coating this time, which is a nice touch since it keeps the dust out.
The other part of the box has a flap that opens up another compartment. Here, you can find the following:
- ROG Phone 3 case
- Charger and USB-C wire
- Extra side port covers
- Manual and documentation envelope
- ROG SIM tray eject pin
- USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter
The overall feel of the packaging feels like a huge leap compared to the 2018 model ROG Phone that we reviewed before. Some of the new items include the black plastic phone guard and the new ROG-style SIM tray eject pin, which add a nice sense of style to the whole thing.
One good thing about this phone is that the screen size is a whopping 6.59 inches but without the annoying cutout camera design. This gives it an advantage in terms of screen real estate over the likes of the Samsung S20, which only clocks in at 6.2 inches.
The heat exhaust port at the phone’s rear is still there, though arguably smaller and sleeker in look this time.
Another familiar feature is the side-port on the phone’s left side, which allows you to plug in the cooling fan attachment when playing games.
As before, this cooling attachment retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-C port, so you can charge your phone and plug in your headset while playing, all without them getting in the way of your hands.
One huge bummer is that the phone doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack anymore, though at least the package comes with an adapter too.
Much like before, the ROG Phone 3 sports a dual SIM tray, though it still doesn’t have a hybrid SD Card/SIM configuration.
The ROG Phone 3’s charger is a fast-charging 30W model. When charging from zero to 100%, we clocked the charging time at a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Setting Up
True to the Asus ROG brand, this phone also has its own Armory Crate. It also retains the X-Mode, which allows the phone to dedicate its processing power to the active game.
It’ll be nice to see its Snapdragon 865+ processor and Adreno 650 GPU in action.
One new feature we noticed here is the ability to set your navigation keys. That way, users of phones like Samsung ones won’t have to adapt to the usual “back button on the left side” layout.
The Air Triggers make a return in the ROG Phone 3. These handy L and R shoulder “buttons” are perfect for mapping controls like “aiming” and “firing” on shooter games like Call of Duty Mobile.
The Game Genie makes a return as well. This updated system now lets you lock your screen refresh rate to a specific setting, though with the phone’s 144hz screen, it would be better to keep it at the maximum setting to enjoy the best gaming experience.
First Impressions
The Good:
- Design is sleeker and the signature ROG features (like the cooling fan’s ports) are still there.
- Being able to change the navigation buttons’ position is a nice touch.
- Gaming capabilities are as smooth as ever.
- Generous screen real estate at 6.59 inches.
The Catch:
- No more 3.5mm jack on the phone itself, though thankfully it has adapters.
- Charging cable is USB-C to USB-C, so an adapter is needed when connecting to a PC.
Overall, the Asus ROG Phone 3 has really impressive first impressions. Despite the fact that the headphone jack is omitted this time, the rest of its specs look really promising.
Stay tuned for our upcoming performance review of the Asus ROG Phone 3!
