ROG Phone 5 specs leak — here's what to expect from Asus' next gaming phone

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An early review of the ROG Phone 5 shows off its design, processor and audio features

ROG Phone 5
(Image credit: DxOMark)

Asus hasn't even officially announced its next gaming phone — that won't happen until next month — but we're already getting some concrete details about what to expect from the ROG Phone 5, including its design and mobile processor.

That latest ROG Phone 5 info comes courtesy of DxOMark, which evaluates the camera and audio performance of mobile devices. In this instance, DxOMark has tested the audio capabilities of the upcoming phone, and its early ROG Phone 5 review gives us some key details about what Asus has included with the device.

For instance, the ROG Phone 5 will feature the Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip, according to DxOMark's review. That's not exactly shocking news — the Snapdragon 888 is Qualcomm's top-of-the-line processor, and you'd figure that it would be featured in a high-performance gaming phone like the ROG Phone 5. Still, apart from ROG Phone 5 benchmark leaks, we've had no official word on what chipset Asus was planning to use, so the DxOMark review serves as a confirmation for our expectations.

The Snapdragon 888 powers phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21, which debuted last month. Gaming features are a central part of Qualcomm's latest system-on-chip, with the Snapdragon 888 capable of boosting gameplay performance by 30% over last year's chipset.

You can also expect to find a 3.5mm headphone jack on the ROG Phone 5. A few years back, that detail might not merit any special attention, but we live in an era when phone makers are increasingly dropping audio ports from their devices in a move to save space (and also goose sales for wireless headphones). The ROG Phone 5 is a departure from that trend.

DxOMark's report on the ROG Phone 5's audio performance also gives us a good look at the phone's design. In addition to that front display — we're expecting a 6.6-inch panel — the ROG Phone 5 includes a secondary screen on its back, confirming earlier leaks about the device. It's hard to tell from the image DxOMark included, but the bezels on the ROG Phone 5 look very thin, except for a noticeable bezel at the top of the device, apparently housing the front camera. (The back of the phone features a triple camera array.)

As for the phone's audio, DxOMark's report says the ROG Phone 5 features dual front-facing speakers centered on the top and bottom of the handset. Additional audio features include dirac tuning technology with frequency response correction, and virtual bass technology.

Those capabilities should create a sweet-sounding phone. DxOMark gave the ROG Phone 5 its highest score yet for audio, topping the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, which used to top the list for best audio.

Asus plans to unveil the ROG Phone 5 on March 10 in an online event at 6 a.m. EST. Though this is the fourth version of its gaming phone, Asus confirmed that it's jumping from the ROG Phone 3 to the ROG Phone 5.

Philip Michaels
Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.