Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate

Overview

While it offers some upgrades over the base model, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate still has the same shortcomings with camera performance. But it’s the most powerful gaming phone we’ve tested yet.

-- As reviewed by Tom's Guide

There is a new version available:

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

Check out the reviews, price history, pros/cons and more.

See it on Amazon: $859

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 4 expert reviews

Excellent:

1
Good:

1
Average:

2
Bad:

0

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Last revision on May 12, 2023

Reviewers Liked

Superb performance
Beautiful AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate
Excellent battery life
The 3.5mm audio port is back
New fan attachment has back paddle buttons and a kickstand
The most elegant gaming phone yet
Excellent front-facing speakers

Reviewers Didn't Like

Disappointing night mode
Bulky and heavy
No wireless charging
18GB of RAM isn't necessary for today's apps and games
The value is tough as ever to justify
It's total overkill for cloud game streaming
The charging port is once again off-center

Competitors and Related Products

Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.

Expert reviews and ratings

The Asus ROG Phone 5 Edition is one of the best-equipped gaming phones you can buy. It offers a faster screen, added physical and virtual controls, and enough gaming-focused features to make it stand out from high-end Android phones. However, it feels a little less special with its more subdued style and loss of accessories.

By IGN on March 24, 2021

While it offers some upgrades over the base model, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate still has the same shortcomings with camera performance. But it’s the most powerful gaming phone we’ve tested yet.

By Tom's Guide on March 10, 2021

Like every gaming phone I’ve checked out yet, the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is stuck in this weird place of being a very capable device that somehow delivers on its many promises, yet it still doesn’t feel worth the money. For average people who play the occasional game, either directly from their phones or through game streaming services, buying a cheap clip to fasten a controller to your phone will probably be a good enough solution.

By The Verge on March 10, 2021

100

The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is the ultimate mobile gaming machine. And it'll probably stay that way until ASUS replaces it with the next version.

By AndroidHeadlines on March 10, 2021

Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate

Overview

Pros & Cons

Reviews

Similar To

Price: $1,499

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

TechSpot Metascore

Reviewers Liked

Reviewers Didn't Like

Competitors and Related Products

Asus ROG Phone 5

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OnePlus 9 Pro

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Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Google Pixel 5

Expert reviews and ratings