The Asus ROG series has set a standard for what thebest gaming phonesshould look and feel like. The latest installment of the popular lineup — the ROG Phone 7 andthe ROG Phone 7 Ultimate— also show similar promise as their predecessors. But how does the ROG Phone 7 face up in what is probably the best-known durability test? Popular YouTuber JerryRigEverything decided to take the phone for a spin while pointing out that history is not on the side of Asus' gaming lineup, as 2021’sROG Phone 5and last year’s ROG Phone 6 succumbed to the pressure of a bend test almost instantaneously. Thankfully, it seems like Asus has spent enough time toughening up the exterior of the ROG Phone 7 to make it more robust.
The video starts off with a closer look at the motorized air vent located on the rear panel of the ROG Phone 7. This vent can normally only open when the company’s proprietary cooling accessory, the AeroActive Cooler 7, is attached. However, JRE managed to lift the air vent flap by breaking open the plastic panel on the cooling accessory. In addition to helping cool the ROG Phone 7 with its copper fins (pictured below), the AeroActive Cooler 7 also has four buttons for gameplay, a subwoofer, a 3.5mm headphone jack, plus a USB-C port for charging the phone while it’s attached.
This is followed up by the signature display scratch test, where the ROG Phone 7 performs decently well with its Corning Gorilla Glass Victus overlay. But no display is perfect and one can see visible scratches starting at level 6 and intensifying at level 7 on the Mohs scale. Another interesting revelation from this video is that the in-display fingerprint sensor continues to work just fine even when the region is heavily scratched up. This is certainly a win for Asus, especially compared to other flagships that may not hold up well.
Lastly, JerryRigEverything puts the phone through theiconic bend testthat usually kills phones almost immediately. However, the strong metal frame holding the ROG Phone 7 together ensures it’s not so easy to bend. Although the phone is bent out of shape permanently, it continues to function just fine.
Overall, the tests reveal that the ROG Phone 7 is made to last, and you’d have to exert a lot of pressure to bend it. While it’s somewhat painful to see a brand-new device being put through the paces, these videos are designed to enlighten buyers about their durability and performance under stressful conditions. And let’s not forget that it can be quite cathartic to watch a shiny new phone unboxed and taken through its paces, especially when it doesn’t belong to you.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate easily holds to its namesake, offering one of the best gaming phones Android has ever seen. Not only do you get top-of-the-line specs with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB storage, but you also get competent software to play and record games with, not to mention haptic shoulder buttons for the times you’re away from your controller. So if Android gaming is your passion, Asus has launched a stunner with the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate.
