If you think only the Black Shark 2 Pro is coming to the Philippines soon, think again. The local arm of ASUS has started teasing its prized gaming phone, which could mean that the launch is right around the corner.

(October 12: Here’s the latest update: 12GB/1TB ASUS ROG Phone 2 launched in PH, too.)

Making its debut in July, the ASUS ROG Phone 2 is the first device to be fitted with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus chip. Our guess is it will be announced in the Philippines in October, the same month last year that its predecessor was unveiled locally. Or it could be this month, who knows.

ASUS Philippines’ post on Facebook

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 has great things going for it, not least of which is the model dominating it in the latest global Antutu Benchmark charts. It outperformed all Android phones, including ASUS’ own ZenFone 6 2019; the OnePlus 7 Pro; the Xiaomi Mi 9; and the Redmi K20 Pro, also known as Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro internationally.

The gaming unit also boasts a 6,000mAh battery — one of the biggest we’ve seen in a handset so far — and a faster refresh rate of 120Hz compared with the original ROG Phone’s 90Hz. The screen is bigger at 6.59 inches and now has an embedded fingerprint sensor for quickly and easily activating the smartphone.

SEE ALSO: ASUS ROG Phone hands-on review: King of mobile gaming

The ROG Phone 2 has its own ecosystem of accessories, which includes a dual-screen dock and a gamepad attachment that looks a lot like what the Nintendo Switch uses and can be attached to the top and bottom of the device or slid into a grip.

In China, these are the prices of the ASUS gaming handset:

• ¥3,499 (around P25,701 or $494): 8GB/128GB, Tencent-subsidized model, add ¥200 (P1,469 or $28) for the Chinese market-exclusive variant
• ¥5,999 (P44,064 or $847): 12GB/512GB, Tencent-subsidized model, add 200 (P1,469 or $28) for the Chinese market-exclusive variant
• ¥5,999 (P44,064 or $847): 12GB/128GB, Vanilla version
• ¥7,999 (P58,755 or $1,130): Zhizun edition
• ¥12,999 (P95,481 or $1,836): Esports Armour unit

For reference, here are the prices of the ASUS ROG Phone 2’s predecessor at launch:

• P49,995 ($961): 8GB/128GB
• P61,995 ($1,192): 8GB/512GB

ASUS ROG Phone 2 specs

• 6.59-inch AMOLED display, 2,340 x 1,080 resolution (19:9), 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 6
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus processor
• 8GB/12GB RAM
• 128GB/512GB storage
• Dual 48MP, f/1.8 main, 13MP, f/2.4 ultra-wide rear cameras with LED flash
• 24MP, f/2.2 front camera
• Fingerprint sensor (under-display)
• 6,000mAh battery with 30-watt USB-C fast charging
• Android 9.0 Pie

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