Critical Index Unboxes the ASUS ROG Phone
By Ren Sta. Ana
Critical Index previously got to try the ASUS ROG Phone at ESGS 2018. This time, we got to unbox the phone and test it out at the ASUS Philippines office.
In this article, we’ll go over what the phone’s package contains and how to set up your phone.
Unboxing the ASUS ROG Phone
The ASUS ROG Phone’s box is fairly larger than those of other models. Inside, you can find the phone, its external cooling fan, the USB-C charger, and extra covers for the port on its left side.
We liked the fact that the external fan was sold together with the phone. This means you can plug your apps in and start playing from the get go.
Under the box containing the USB-C charger, you’ll find an envelop-like package containing the phone’s manual, warranty and the push-down pin for opening its SIM card tray.
As with our previous review, you can see that the phone features its 6-in. screen and the dual speakers on the front.
Inserting the SIM Cards
The rear of the phone sports the same ROG logo you find on ASUS’ gaming laptops. Here, you can also find the thermal exhaust ports (the orange vents). Next to that is the fingerprint scanner and finally, the 12 and 8 megapixel cameras.
To open the SIM card tray, you need to use the push-down pin provided in the box. Simply push it down the hole on the phone’s top left side and slide the tray out.
Another thing we like about this phone is that it’s a Dual-SIM model. If you have separate SIM cards for work and your personal calls, this one can accommodate both.
The Cooling Fan
The cooling fan plugs to the left side of the ROG Phone. To attach it, simply remove the rubber cap on the side port, expand the fan’s slider and then insert its port into the side of the phone.
Once the fan’s port is attached, you can retract the slider and then clip it in place as shown in the picture below.
Under the fan, you can also see the an additional USB-C charging port and a headphone jack. It’s a nifty feature removes the problem of having the charging cable in the way of your hands when playing.
X-Mode
The final thing we want to show in this unboxing review is the Game Center of the ROG Phone. Here, you can monitor the app usage, memory allocation and the other stats of your device.
The one unique feature of this app is that it allows the phone to enter X-Mode when tapping the “X” icon or squeezing the sides of the phone.
This allocates all available memory to the current game app to ensure that the app runs smoother without any background apps eating that precious RAM or processing power.
All in all, we found the ASUS ROG Phone’s package to be quite suitable for those who want to take their mobile gaming seriously.
Watch out for Critical Index’s next review on the ASUS ROG Phone’s performance!
