After launching on the global market, the ASUS ROG Phone 3 is now official in the Philippines following a local virtual event.

(Update, October 8: Our review of the gaming phone is finally up!)

(Update, August 30: Our gaming test is up! Check out Watch: We play 16 games on the ASUS ROG Phone 3 gaming phone.)

The international version of the gaming phone will be available in three variants, with the cheapest model being the ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition, which comes with a regular, non-plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. The domestic prices are as follows:

• ASUS ROG Phone 3 16GB/512GB (Classic Edition): P54,995 (around $1,129 converted)
• ASUS ROG Phone 3 12GB/512GB (Classic Edition): P49,995 ($1,026)
• ASUS ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition 8GB/256GB: P39,995 ($821)

All variants will ship with an Aero Case, an AeroActive Cooler 3, and a Type-C-to-3.5mm dongle inside the box.

The Taiwanese company’s ROG Phone 3 will be available from August 22. While supplies last, early adopters will be eligible for an exclusive bundle, which includes an ROG Special Hoodie as well as an ROG Phone bag provided they buy the device from a participating retailer.

The vanilla ROG Phone 3 is powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 865 Plus chip, unlike the Strix Edition. Other than that, the hardware is mostly identical. Both the ROG Phone 3 and ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition sport a 144Hz OLED screen; AirTrigger 3 shoulder buttons; stereo speakers; a triple-lens camera system with a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor; and a 6,000mAh battery that supports 30-watt fast charging.

Is the ASUS ROG Phone 3 compatible with 5G networks in the Philippines?

ASUS says yes, it should be able to connect to Globe Telecom and Smart Communications’ 5G networks, but it remains to be seen whether local telcos will bundle the device with their data plans.

SEE ALSO: Testing Globe’s 5G network on the Huawei P40 series and Tested: Smart 5G network on PH’s most affordable 5G phone

ASUS wasn’t able to secure an operator partnership for the ROG Phone 2, but then again, given both carriers’ push for 5G devices, they might consider the allure of a top-specced gaming phone that can deliver fiber-like speeds over their next-gen networks.

ASUS ROG Phone 3 accessories

According to ASUS Philippines, the general availability of the ROG Phone 3 accessories is penciled in for the third quarter of 2020, although nothing is set in stone as of yet. Thankfully, all ROG Phone 2 accessories with the exception of the AeroActive Cooler 2 are compatible with the latest gaming phone.

Even better, ASUS is offering the ROG Phone 2 Champion’s Super Pack, which includes the full set of accessories for the unit, at a steep discount of about 50% off from its original suggested retail price of P59,965 ($1,231). The Champion’s Super Pack is now down to P29,995 ($616) at ROG Concept Stores in Gilmore, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Cebu, and the ROG Official Shopee Store. It includes the following items:

• Lightning Armor Case
• ROG Kunai Gamepad
• Twinview Dock 2
• Mobile Desktop Dock Revised
• ASUS WiGig Display Dock
• ROG Phone Bag
• ROG Suitcase

ASUS ROG Phone 3 specs

• 6.59-inch AMOLED display, 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms, 650 nits brightness, HDR10+ and DCI-P3 support
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus processor (up to 3.1GHz)
• 5G connectivity
• Up to 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
• Up to 512GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Triple 64MP main (Sony IMX686), 13MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro rear cameras
• 24MP front camera
• Fingerprint sensor (under display)
• 6,000mAh battery with 30-watt USB-C fast charging
• Android 10 with ROG UI (upgradeable to Android 11)

ASUS ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition specs

• 6.59-inch AMOLED display, 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms, 650 nits brightness, HDR10+ and DCI-P3 support
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor (up to 2.84GHz)
• 5G connectivity
• Up to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
• Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Triple 64MP main (Sony IMX686), 13MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro rear cameras
• 24MP front camera
• Fingerprint sensor (under display)
• 6,000mAh battery with 30-watt USB-C fast charging
• Android 10 with ROG UI (upgradeable to Android 11)

ASUS ROG Phone 3 press release

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