I don't consider myself a mobile gamer. Playing games on a glass slab has never been all that comfortable for long stretches. It was an activity for subway commutes in the Before Times, but I mostly spend my free time playing games on my PC and Nintendo Switch at home. Many mobile games are … bad. There are worthwhile titles, but they aren't easily discoverable, and if I do stumble across ’em, I still don’t love playing games on my phone for all that long.
Asus' new smartphone, the ROG Phone 5, makes mobile gaming more tactile and fun. Two built-in touch-sensitive buttons on the side of the phone improve the experience, as does helpful software that makes physical controllers compatible with any game—and custom accessories, like a clip-on fan to keep things cool.
To be clear, you don't need a “gaming” phone to play mobile games. Most run just fine on cheap or expensive phones. But the ROG's raw power and helpful add-ons go a long way, like a secondary charging port to prevent an awkward cable from interrupting your grip, or a headphone jack. I can spend hours playing on this phone, and that's a first.
God-Tier Control
Photograph: AsusMany mobile games don't support a controller, including popular titles like Genshin Impact, The Elder Scrolls: Blades, and PUBG Mobile. There are wonky methods you can try to make it work, but this is what makes the ROG Phone 5 stand out. Asus' Game Genie software makes mapping a game's touchscreen controls to a controller incredibly easy.
