The Asus ROG Phone 5s is an iteration of a fifth-generation gaming smartphone. Gamers aren’t exactly a niche audience, so it’s understandable why Asus continues to invest in this. But does that mean this model is worth your money? Read it in this Asus ROG Phone 5s review.
Asus ROG Phone 5s
Recommended retail price From € 999,-
Colors Black and white
OS Android 11 (ROG UI)
Screen 6.78-inch OLED (2,448 x 1,080, 144Hz)
Processor Snapdragon 888+
RAM 8GB to 18GB
Storage 128GB or 512GB
Battery Two times 3,000 mAh
Camera 64, 13 and 5 megapixels (rear), 24 megapixels (front)
Connectivity 5G, 4G (LTE), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6e, GPS, NFC
Format 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9mm
Weight 238 grams
Other Second USB-C port, dedicated jack, headphone jack
Website www.asus.com 8 Score 80 
- Pros
- 144 Hertz screen
- AirTriggers
- Performance and configurations
- audio
- Negatives
- Glass back
- Camera system
- Update Policy
The Asus ROG line is undoubtedly familiar to gamers. The abbreviation ROG stands for Republic of Gamers. That is a well-known gaming brand for peripherals, laptops and desktops. Asus, which is at the helm of the brand, has also been releasing gaming smartphones under this heading since October 2018. Those smartphones are often seen as the best of its kind.
For example, the Asus ROG Phone 5 is known as the best gaming smartphone of 2021. The fantastic AMOLED screen (with a refresh rate of 144 Hertz), the two batteries (of 3,000 mAh each), the top processor from Qualcomm (Snapdragon 888) and the amount of working memory (up to 16 GB) are important pillars for that experience.
Usually there is about a year between the releases of new ROG Phone models, but this time Asus takes a different approach and a slightly improved model appears a few months later. Does that benefit the experience? Or is there really no noticeable improvement in such a short period of time?
Asus ROG Phone 5s vs ROG Phone 5
If we compare both devices, we quickly come to the conclusion that the smartphones differ little and have many similarities. One of the differences is that the Asus ROG Phone 5s is four millimeters thinner. Of course that looks good on paper, but in practice you don’t notice it.
In addition, Asus opts for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ this time, instead of the 888. Although the performance can be called better – also on paper and in benchmark tests – you will not notice the difference here either. For example, the clock speed of the newer processor is only five percent higher and all differences in performance are negligible.
It’s a nice marketing story, of course. And it can be important for gamers or users in general to have access to high-end processors. Somehow it would be crazy if Asus chose to release this smartphone without that new processor, but at the same time it is not the reason to switch to this model if you have a ROG Phone 5.
In other respects, the devices are almost identical to each other. That shouldn’t be a problem – especially when you’re looking for a good smartphone for gaming. But if you have the previous model, we already have a conclusion for you: then you can skip this model.
And if you don’t have that model?
Fortunately, the Asus ROG Phone 5s has all the positive features of the previous model. Then think of that super smooth AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 144 Hertz and a maximum resolution of 1,080 by 2,448 pixels. Admittedly, it’s not a qhd resolution, but you don’t need that on such a small screen. This would also consume unnecessary energy.
You don’t have to worry about anything. The viewing angle is wide and the colors splash from the screen. In addition, animations and movements (of course within video games) look incredibly beautiful and natural. That is exactly what you can expect from such a smartphone.
The same goes for the audio, by the way. There are two speakers on board that are equipped with their own amplifiers. This results in a particularly detailed stereo reproduction. You hear different layers in music and sound effects are flying around your ears. It really is much better than an average smartphone offers.
Looking at the media performance, the conclusion is very quickly that the device is also perfect for people who like to watch series and movies on a smartphone. Although we also encounter such screen quality on other smartphones (although the refresh rate is slightly lower), it is above all the audio experience that is a decisive factor here.
Two USB-C ports
The Asus ROG Phone 5s offers two USB-c ports and a special connection. The second USB-c port is next to that special connection, to which you connect an external cooling element. We have not been able to test that element, but Asus says that you can get even more out of the device with it.
The second USB-C port can be found on the bottom next to the headphone jack. You are therefore not obliged to invest in a wireless headset. But if you do or have done so, it is good to know that the device offers support for aptX HD and aptX Adaptive. These codecs ensure that you can stream audio in high quality and without delay via Bluetooth.
AirTriggers for quick reflexes
Then we have the unique AirTriggers component. These are touch-sensitive environments on the side of the device, which you can easily reach when you hold it horizontally. You can program all kinds of touchscreen buttons on those triggers, so that you can perform certain actions faster or more comfortably.
For example, you can install the shoot button on one of those two triggers, making you a lot more agile in the match. You then only use your right thumb for the camera and do not have to remove it from the screen to fire a bullet – you can then perform that action with your index finger, for example.
Using free software on the Asus ROG Phone 5s, you can set how much pressure you should exert on those AirTriggers. If you notice that they react too quickly, you increase the pressure. Do you feel you have to press too hard? Then you relieve the pressure movement.
The phone comes with three apps that are aimed entirely at gamers. For example, you have Armory Crate, where you will find an overview of (your) games, Console, which gives you information about the performance of your smartphone and modes for power modes, and Game Genie, which is comparable to other game modes on a smartphone. For example, here you can set whether you want to receive notifications while gaming. Furthermore, there are not extremely many pre-installed apps.
Fat phone with disappointing cameras
Finally, we will discuss a few functions that have less to do with games. For example, the phone is quite large and heavy. But that doesn’t feel uncomfortable while gaming, thankfully. Unfortunately, the glass back does play tricks, as it easily slips out of your hands. Asus does supply a case, but that is not exactly the most beautiful case.
The two batteries of three thousand mAh each last a fairly long time. If you are gaming a lot, then it makes sense that you grab the charger a little faster. However, if you do that less often, you can easily complete two days. The Asus ROG Phone 5 supports fast charging at 65 watts, and it takes about an hour to fully charge. There is no wireless charging available.
Then we have the cameras. It is clear that Asus focused less on this. In general, the main camera, 64 megapixels, takes great shots, especially with sufficient light. But the other cameras (a wide-angle lens of thirteen and a macro camera of five megapixels) perform significantly less. Colors are somewhat faded, details disappear and letting the system focus on something is often problematic. For your socials, however, the results are not entirely disappointing.
Furthermore, the launcher has a very gaming-like design, with flashy backgrounds and cool shapes for buttons and icons. It should just be your thing of course; luckily you have the option to slightly scale back the design in all its toughness. Our loaner device still runs on Android 11, but Android 12 is on the way. After that, the device will receive one more Android upgrade and some security updates. That is very scanty, especially for such an expensive device.
Asus ROG Phone 5s – conclusion
As a gaming smartphone, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is very successful. The basis that the previous model laid down is almost completely copied, with some minor differences here and there. However, there are differences that you as the owner of the predecessor do not notice. But for those without that phone, there’s more than enough to love.
Think of the smooth and colorful screen, the audio performance, the performance in general and of course the AirTriggers. However, there are also things that I don’t like. Then we are talking about the mediocre cameras, the disappointing update policy and the glass back.
The Asus ROG Phone 5s is still a smartphone that is one of a kind. With the brand, the manufacturer is lonely at the top when it comes to gaming smartphones. Especially for smartphones that are officially available in the Netherlands.
There are of course models that also offer good specs and screens for gaming. Think of the iPhone 13 Pro Max or the Oppo Find X5 Pro, but they were not made with gamers in mind and therefore lack distinctive elements.
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