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Samsung Galaxy S II (U.S. Cellular) review: Samsung Galaxy S II (U.S. Cellular)
Samsung Galaxy S II (U.S. Cellular) review: Samsung Galaxy S II (U.S. Cellular)
With the rapid-fire release of one smartphone after another, it's easy for once-great phones to quickly become obsolete. Luckily, the Samsung Galaxy S II is one device with staying power, and its appearance on U.S. Cellular's network is a slam dunk.
There are two things to be aware of: this is a 3G phone on U.S. Cellular, and the cost is a little steeper than on other carriers: $229.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and with a new two-year activation. It's also costlier than other U.S. Cellular phones at the time of the review.
Editors' note: This review focuses on the differences between the Samsung Galaxy S II on U.S. Cellular and the Samsung Galaxy S II on other networks. You can read up on the full feature set here.
Design and features The Samsung Galaxy S II maintains the same design as the T-Mobile and Sprint versions of the phone. It starts with a trim, rounded rectangle candy bar design, and has a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED screen that's just beautiful, rich, clear, and vivid. (AT&T's model has a 4.3-inch screen. Its Galaxy S II Skyrocket variation has the larger display.)
There's a nice, strong 2-megapixel camera on the front that's great for video chats, but the best lens yet is the 8-megapixel one on the back, which continues to take excellent shots on every Galaxy S II variation we've seen. Auto-focus and an LED flash help out.
The processor is of the Sprint variety: a 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor, versus T-Mobile's 1.5GHz dual-core ticker. It nevertheless creates a speedy environment for internal processing. If the 16GB of internal storage isn't enough for you, a microSD card slot behind the back cover can accommodate up to 32GB more.
Samsung and U.S. Cellular added a slew of apps to the phone, which is fine if you enjoy having presets when you unbox a new device. AllShare is Samsung's DLNA app for sharing media to compatible devices. There's also Amazon.com, Amazon MP3 store and app store, and the Kindle shortcut. Audible, an audiobook store, is also present. So are CityID, Daily Perks, IMBD, and a couple of HD game shortcuts. You'll find Samsung's media hub and social hub; U.S. Cellular-branded mobile TV and ringtone store; plus a memo pad and a photo editor. Polaris Office will help you get things done, and a Zappos shortcut will enable your next mobile shoe purchase.
Performance I tested the Samsung Galaxy S II in San Francisco using U.S. Cellular's roaming network. Call quality was pretty good overall. Volume sounded fine to my ears, though voices were slightly robotic around the edges, and I did hear a few blips. There wasn't any additional background noise, though, and distortion remained mild. On their end, callers said I sounded a little hollow, but generally good, and with strong volume. At higher volumes, my voice reportedly sounded a bit distorted.
Samsung Galaxy S II (U.S. Cellular) call quality sampleListen now:
I tested speakerphone by holding the GSII at waist level. As soon as my caller started talking, I had to crank up the volume to hear. Even though voices were louder, they also sounded more echoey, hollow, and buzzy. For their part, callers were pleased with the speakerphone quality. They noted that they could still hear echo, but not at volumes that surpassed the normal amount that reverberates around the room. They pronounced my voice clarity "clear" and "pretty good."
To test out U.S. Cellular's 3G network speeds for the handset, I downloaded the diagnostic app Speedtest.net. Data speeds hovered in the 0.23Mbps and 0.37Mbps range, not very impressive. In real life, page load time was acceptable for 3G--roughly 15 seconds for a mobile-optimized page and 30-60 seconds for a much more graphically rich site.
Conclusion At $130, the Samsung Galaxy S II is officially U.S. Cellular's priciest phone. It's also its best, and its flagship, and the one I'd recommend in a heartbeat for customers of the nation's sixth largest carrier. Even as the next wave of superphones begins to flood the market, the Galaxy S II is a handset that can go the distance. The only caveat is that U.S. Cellular is planning to build out a 4G network, and when it does, the GSII won't be able to access those faster speeds. If you're a current customer with a good chunk of time left on the contract, it could behoove you to wait for LTE.
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Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T) review: Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T)
Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T) review: Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T)
Editors' note: Portions of this review were taken from our evaluation of the unlocked Samsung Galaxy S II and the Samsung Epic 4G Touch, since the devices share a number of similarities.
The Samsung Galaxy S II is making the carrier rounds, and its next stop is AT&T. Available on October 2 for $199.99 with a two-year contract, the Samsung Captivate successor boasts a faster dual-core processor, sharper display, and better cameras. It more closely resembles the unlocked Galaxy S II than the T-Mobile and Sprint versions, since it features a smaller 4.3-inch touch screen (versus 4.5 inches), but we actually think that's a good thing since it offers a more appealing design. More importantly, the Android Gingerbread device delivers great performance in almost all aspects and earns itself our Editors' Choice Award. If you're an AT&T customer looking for an Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S II would certainly be our top choice.
Design The Samsung Galaxy S II joins AT&T's lineup as the carrier's thinnest (oh, if only we got a dollar for every time we heard that superlative) 4G smartphone. The handset measures 4.96 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.35 inch thick--a whole 0.1mm thinner than the Infuse 4G, if you're counting. The difference in thickness is negligible, but still, the Galaxy S II is much easier to hold and pocket since it's not as wide or as tall as the Infuse or the Sprint and T-Mobile versions of the phone.
This is because the AT&T Galaxy S II has a smaller 4.3-inch (versus 4.5 inches) touch screen. Screen size is certainly a personal thing, but we found 4.3 inches to be enough to comfortably view Web pages, video, and messages. Plus, the AMOLED Plus, 800x480-pixel display shows off deep colors and sharp images and text.
The touch screen is responsive. The smartphone offers several virtual keyboards, including Android, Samsung, and Swype. It registered all our taps, and we were able to easily navigate through the menus. In addition to using the standard touch interface, you can also use motion gestures. With the settings turned on, you can flip the phone to mute it. With two fingers on the screen, you can tilt to zoom in and out in the photo gallery and browser. Flicking your wrist left or right (panning) can move a home screen icon when you're holding it. However, panning and zooming weren't as responsive as we'd like. While most of the motion controls may not figure into your daily use, this type of gesture functionality adds welcome options in general. You can also perform certain tasks, such as composing and sending a message, calling a contact, and launching the music player, using voice commands with the Vlingo-powered Voice Talk app.
Below the screen, you'll find the menu, home, back, and search buttons. On the left side, there's a volume rocker and a power/lock button on the right. The top of the device houses a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the bottom features a Micro-USB port.
Just above the screen in the left-hand corner is a 2-megapixel camera for video calls; the main 8-megapixel camera and flash sit on back. The microSD expansion slot is located behind the very flimsy plastic battery door. The latter aside, the Galaxy S II feels nice in the hand, and because of its more manageable size, we think it will be an attractive option for a wider audience than the Infuse 4G or other Galaxy S II models.
AT&T packages the Samsung Galaxy S II with just the basics: an AC adapter, a USB cable, and reference material.
User interface The Samsung Galaxy S II runs Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread along with Samsung's latest TouchWiz 4.0 user interface. We're often less enthusiastic about custom interfaces; they sometimes add unwanted complexity and unremovable apps, and are usually slower to update to new OS versions. However, TouchWiz 4.0 has a few things going for it: some carryovers from previous versions of TouchWiz. There are seven home screens, for example, and the notification pull-down menu has icons for easily turning on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, flight mode, and screen rotation.
Customizing the home screens is made easier with a carousel-like setup that lets you move through the various panels to add and remove shortcuts and widgets at the same time. Previously, you had to do a long-press on one screen to change it and then repeat the process if you wanted to change another page. You can also now resize Samsung Live Panel widgets, and there's a more fluid motion when scrolling through widget lists and home pages.
Some of the changes are purely cosmetic, but they certainly add some polish to the UI. There are also some useful additions as well, such as an integrated task manager that displays all your active applications, downloaded apps with the option to uninstall, RAM status, and system storage. Also great: the ability to now capture screenshots by simply pressing the power button and home key simultaneously.
Features The quad-band Samsung Galaxy S II offers a speakerphone, conference calling, voice dialing, video calling, and text and multimedia messaging. The smartphone is compatible with AT&T's HSPA+ network and can be used as a mobile hot spot for up to five devices. Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), and GPS are also onboard.
As we noted earlier, it is running Gingerbread and all of Google's services are accounted for: e-mail, maps, voice navigation, search, chat, Places, Latitude, and YouTube, plus basic tools like a calendar, a calculator, an alarm clock, a world clock, a stopwatch, and a timer. In addition, Samsung and AT&T have preloaded the phone with a number of extras, including the Quickoffice suite, Kies Air (a Wi-Fi-based PC-to-phone sync manager), AT&T Navigator, AT&T Code Scanner, and Yellow Pages Mobile. We're not a fan of having so much bloatware on the phone, but thankfully, AT&T now gives you the option to uninstall some of its apps, such as AT&T FamilyMap and Live TV.
There is no shortage of entertainment options on the Galaxy S II. In addition to the built-in music and video player, the smartphone offers Samsung's Media Hub where you can download movies and TV shows to rent or own. You can also shoot your owns videos and photos with the handset's 8-megapixel camera, which is capable of 1080p HD video capture. The camera app has plenty of tools, such as effects, white-balance controls, ISO settings, and more. Samsung also throws in a photo and video editor, which we appreciate. The video editor is particularly great, since it makes it easy to piece together clips with different effects and music, all from right on your phone.
Picture quality was impressive. Even under less-than-ideal lighting conditions, the camera produced bright, detailed, and clear images, and camera performance was fast. Video quality was also very good. Again, colors looked vibrant and there was very little blurring and pixelation, even during action sequences. Once you're done capturing media, you can store files to the Galaxy S II's 16GB of internal memory or to an SD card (expansion slot accepts up to 32GB). You can also share via the usual social network channels or to your HDTV using DLNA or with an HDMI adapter.
Performance We tested the quad-band Samsung Galaxy S II in New York using AT&T service and call quality was excellent. We enjoyed clear audio with very little to no background noise. Occasionally, callers sounded a bit muffled, but overall, the voices sounded true to life without any kind of distortion. Friends were also impressed with the sound quality and didn't have any major complaints.
Samsung Galaxy S II call quality sampleListen now:
Speakerphone quality wasn't quite as good. Callers said they could hear a bit of an echo, and on our end, they sounded far away and there was barely enough volume to hear them in noisier environments. We were able to pair the smartphone with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset and Mobile S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones and make calls and listen to music without any problems.
We didn't experience any dropped calls during our review period. Data speeds on AT&T's HSPA+ network, which the carrier calls 4G, were OK, but not a standout compared with competing carriers' 4G networks. Using Ookla's Speedtest.net app, we averaged download speeds of 2.36Mbps and 1.12Mbps up. With such speeds, CNET's full site loaded in 20 seconds, and the mobile sites for CNN and ESPN came up in 5 seconds and 7 seconds, respectively. The phone was able to load and play high-quality YouTube videos in a couple of seconds, and playback was smooth and continuous.
Equipped with Samsung's 1.2GHz dual-core Exnyos processor, general performance on the Galaxy S II was fast and powerful. Navigating the phone was zippy, and we were able to launch apps and switch between tasks with ease. Whether it was playing games or viewing Flash content, the smartphone was up to the challenge.
The Samsung Galaxy S II ships with a 1,650mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 8 hours and up to 16 days of standby time. The Galaxy S II provided an impressive 10 hours of continuous talk time in ourbattery drain tests. According to FCC radiation tests, the Galaxy S II has a digital SAR rating of 0.36W/kg and a Hearing Aid Compatibility rating of M3.
Conclusion As we've already seen from the other series models, the Samsung Galaxy S II is an excellent Android smartphone, and it makes for a great addition to AT&T's lineup. The carrier already has a number of other great Android devices, such as the Samsung Infuse 4G, Motorola Atrix 4G, and HTC Inspire 4G, but the Galaxy S II brings the total package of an attractive design, great set of features, and solid performance to make it the top pick and Editors' Choice winner.
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This $300 Minimalist Phone Finally Allows Me to Live in the Moment
This $300 Minimalist Phone Finally Allows Me to Live in the Moment
The Light Phone 2 doesn't tout high-end specs like Apple's iPhone 13 or Samsung's Galaxy S22. Instead, its most striking feature is what it lacks. It doesn't have many common phone tools like a camera and internet browser because it's made to be used as sparingly as possible. As a smartphone-fatigued gal who is chronically online, I was instantly fascinated by the minimalist phone and needed to try it. So, I ditched my iPhone 11 for a week and used the $299 Light Phone 2 instead. I wanted to see if it could become my new everyday phone, and it almost could.
There is no email, web browser, news or camera and no social media apps like Instagram or TikTok. The only feature I initially missed was social media, but that was quickly replaced by getting more comfortable with using my phone less, which is the whole point of this phone. I loved how much more present I was with my friends, family and surroundings as a result. What this phone doesn't have ended up being my favorite part about using it.
The Light Phone 2 has an E Ink display.
Jessica Fierro/CNET
What's inside the Light Phone 2?
The phone comes in two utilitarian colors: light gray and black. It can call, text, be used as a hotspot and alarm. Tools for music, podcasts, navigation and calculator can be added. Additional features, like a voice memo tool, are anticipated for the near future. Unlike most modern phones, it does have a headphone jack. There's also Bluetooth support for connecting wireless headphones and an electronic paper or E Ink display similar to what you would find on e-readers.
The Light Phone 2 works with select US carriers or its own service plan.
Jessica Fierro/CNET
Depending on your location, you can choose between a US or international version of the phone. It comes unlocked with 4G LTE connectivity, and while it's compatible with select carriers, Light also has its own service plans for US users. Since this phone isn't compatible with my current smartphone carrier, Xfinity Mobile, I opted for the $70 per month Light service plan with unlimited calls, text messages and data. There's also a $30 per month plan with unlimited calls and text messages and 1GB of data.
Unlike using an iPhone or Android, you oversee your Light service plan, add phone tools, contacts and up to 1GB of audio files onto the phone from a website called the Dashboard. Once files are uploaded through this interface, they appear on the Light Phone in minutes as long as you're connected to Wi-Fi or LTE.
It doesn't have a camera on the back, which forced me to use my actual camera to take photos instead.
Jessica Fierro/CNET
What can the Light Phone 2 do?
While this depends on location, in my experience, LTE and hotspot tethering work seamlessly. When I connect my laptop to my personal Light hotspot network, I'm able to stream videos just as easily as when I'm connected to Wi-Fi. The phone's 4G LTE works well for quickly applying updates, importing Dashboard files onto the device, and accessing directions.
I also enjoyed the music experience on this phone. One GB of audio is enough to store music for a week, and I really liked the focused listening that came with not having a seemingly endless library at my fingertips. It made me more intentional when selecting music for download and more present when listening to the songs. Since I knew they were all I had, I listened more closely and, as a result, enjoyed the music more. The songs appear in one playlist, but the search bar makes it easy to find specific artists and songs. New podcast episodes automatically import once a series is selected from the Dashboard if the device is connected to Wi-Fi or LTE.
As for battery life, with regular usage, I went one to two days before I had to charge. However, if I did something more data-intensive, like importing files from the Dashboard on LTE, I'd have to plug in twice a day. When it comes to directions, Bluetooth, the alarm and calculator, these tools work well and exactly as you'd expect.
The only feature I never quite adjusted to was texting because of the phone's E Ink display. On one hand, this screen doesn't radiate blue light and can be read outside because it doesn't create a glare, which I love. After all, looking at blue light can cause stress on the eyes and can have an adverse effect on your sleep.
Typing on the Light Phone 2 is slow.
Jessica Fierro/CNET
But the E Ink screen is also less responsive than a typical phone's, and I couldn't get used to its slower typing pace. Sending a simple text became pretty time consuming as I waited for each letter to input. However, since I last tested the phone, autocorrect, copy-paste and auto-period features have been added, so that could help compose messages more quickly. Additionally, the phone's voice-to-text option is very accurate, which can also help speed up texting if you'd rather speak than type.
The Light Phone 2 currently sells for $299, which is a lot less expensive than my iPhone but more expensive than many budget phone models. Unless you're truly seeking out a simpler type of phone, Samsung's Galaxy A series offers several options well under $300 -- like the $250 Galaxy A13, which includes 5G support. And if you're not ready to give up your smartphone but want to use it less, maybe consider turning on screen time controls.
The Light Phone 2 and the iPhone 11.
Jessica Fierro/CNET
I loved using the Light Phone 2 because its features are generally strong and what it doesn't have allowed me to live in the moment in a way I'm not used to while using my iPhone. That being said, it doesn't really make sense for me to make the switch permanently because I work in social media and need some form of mobile access to apps like Instagram and TikTok to stay up on trends.
While it isn't feasible for me to exclusively use the Light Phone 2 at this point, this challenge did inspire me to think about using the Light Phone 2 as my primary phone and my iPhone as a secondary phone. At the very least, it's helped me be more intentional with how I interact with my smartphone. Less time spent scrolling aimlessly on TikTok, and more face-to-face time with family, friends and the world around me.
For more about my time with the Light Phone 2, check out my video trying out the phone in my daily life.
Asus ROG Phone review: The best way to play games on Android
Asus ROG Phone review: The best way to play games on Android
If you can't tell from the angular lines, exposed copper heat sinks and pulsating light-up logo, the Asus ROG Phone is designed for gaming. While I can't say the looks are my cup of tea, there will be plenty of people who think this styling looks badass. And it's nice to see a phone maker go for something different.
But what exactly makes this a gaming phone? Well let's start with the AMOLED display that can refresh 90 times a second -- a first for any OLED phone. The higher refresh rate means less motion blur and faster response times. It's not as high as the Razer Phone 2's 120Hz LCD screen, but the fast refresh times are a noticeable improvement over other phones when playing certain games. And even though the ROG's screen looks nice, sometimes it was too dim even at its brightest setting.
Pressure sensitive buttons called AirTriggers
Perhaps one of the coolest and most innovative features on the ROG Phone is AirTriggers. These are pressure sensitive corners that double as bumper buttons for games. I've used phones with pressure sensitive features before like the Pixel 3 where you can squeeze the sides to open Google Assistant. But Asus' approach here is by far my favorite implementation of the technology on phones.
In landscape gameplay, the top right and left corners of the phone have pressure sensitive sensors that can be used as bumper buttons.
Aloysius Low/CNET
AirTriggers can be programmed for specific functions. For example in PUBG, I assigned one to fire a weapon and another to crouch. It's a curious solution to the lack of physical controls on phones and yet it's so well-implemented and feels so intuitive that I became much more immersed in the games I played.
The curved bezels and sides make the phone incredibly comfortable to hold especially in landscape. The speakers, dotted with copper colored grills, are wonderfully loud and sound fantastic. They're right up there with the amazing speakers on the Razer Phone 2 in terms of being able to produce bombastic high-quality sound.
(Top photo) With AirTriggers activated, a blue circle "L1" and red circle "R1" appear onscreen. (Bottom photo) I dragged the circles on top of controls for firing a weapon and crouching. Now when I tap the top right corner of the phone it throws a punch or fires a weapon.
PUBG
ROG X mode and AeroActive cooler
The ROG has two USB-C ports, one on the bottom and one on the side so when you're playing games in landscape mode the power cord doesn't get in the way of your hands. The side port also supports accessories like a detachable fan called the AeroActive cooler which comes with the phone.
Now, it might seem silly to attach a fan to the back of your phone, but it makes a big difference in terms of performance, especially if you're going to be playing a game for 20 to 30 minutes without a break. The fan keeps the phone from getting too hot to hold and along with a software setting called "X mode" lets the processor run at its highest speed for longer during gameplay.
The detachable AeroActive cooler keeps the phone cool during gameplay and along with Asus' X mode improves processor performance.
Josh Miller/CNET
Quick break for a Patrick thought: I'm neutral on the detachable fan. I have a strong fear I'd lose it, but the gain in performance is beyond impressive especially when I played a game for a long amount of time. But then, I am attaching a fan to my phone which seems like a clunky solution.
But don't get me wrong, you don't need the fan and X mode to use this phone in everyday tasks. The phone opens apps lighting fast, even big ones like the camera. Android animations are peppy and appear smooth. There's no lag when processing and saving photos.
I ran GeekBench 4 when I first got the ROG without the fan and X mode enabled and got a single-core score of 1,413 and a multi-core score of 5,592. Then I ran it again with the fan attached and X mode turned on and got 2,556 for single-core and 8,445 for multi-core. That ranks it up there with the Razer Phone 2, Galaxy Note 9 and OnePlus 6 as one of the fastest current Android phones.
However, Apple'siPhone XS is in another league in terms of raw processing power and performance -- and it doesn't require a detachable fan. Check out the results of our performance tests below.
3DMark Slingshot Unlimited
Asus ROG Phone6,438Razer Phone 26,526Galaxy Note 96,344OnePlus 66,275iPhone XS8,309
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
Asus ROG Phone62,751Razer Phone 263,253Galaxy Note 958,832OnePlus 662,952iPhone XS76,823
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench v.4.0 single-core
Asus ROG Phone2,556Razer Phone 22,417Galaxy Note 92,406OnePlus 62,454iPhone XS4,816
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench v.4.0 multicore
Asus ROG Phone8,445Razer Phone 28,905Galaxy Note 98,827OnePlus 69,068iPhone XS11,585
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Camera and battery life
Then there's all the regular phone stuff. It has a 4,000-mAh battery that lasted an incredible 15 hours and 5 minutes battery life in CNET's battery lab test for continuous video playback on airplane mode.
Image quality from the dual rear cameras is good. They capture a nice amount of detail. HDR mode adds a bit more dynamic range without going over the top with highlights and shadows. Take a look at the photos below I took inside a cafe: one with HDR enabled and the other with it off. Notice how the HDR captures the details outside the door and windows whereas the non-HDR photo just shows a white blob of clipped highlights.
The second rear camera gives you a wider field of view so you can pack more into your frame. And it is really wide. I found it great for moments I wanted to take a panorama but didn't want to go through that capture process. I also liked putting the camera on the wide-angle setting and placing the phone super close to an object in the foreground to create a perspective effect.
This was taken with the ROG's main 12-megapixel camera rear camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
This was taken with the second rear camera that is wide-angle. I was standing in the same place when I took this photo and the one above.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Video looks decent but definitely suffers in low-light situations. The ROG has slow motion in 1080p resolution at 240 frames per second. It's not as impressive as the iPhone XS, but it is definitely worth trying.
Below are some more photos I took with the Asus ROG Phone.
Here's a photo of Stella the cat. Notice the detail in her fur.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Even with HDR, the ROG doesn't have the dynamic range abilities of the Pixel 3 or iPhone XS. But it still does a decent job with this sunset over Twin Peaks.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The ROG handles this indoor shot of a Four Barrel cappuccino pretty well. I noticed the phone tends to protect highlights -- look at that foam.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The ROG has a tendency to underexpose images like this one of the California Street cable car.
Patrick Holland/CNET
This photo was taken at sunrise. Low-light shots aren't this phone's strength. Notice the noise in the building on the right.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Asus ZenMotion and (sigh) ZenMoji
There's also a cool feature called ZenMotion. When the screen is asleep you can draw a letter on it to launch an app. Draw a "W" to unlock the phone and open the weather app or a "C" to open the camera. Besides showing this feature off to my friends, I didn't find myself using it but once or twice.
For those of you inclined, there is an app called ZenMoji that maps an AR cartoon avatar of an animal like a horse, cat or bear over your face. The characters are pretty adorable and yet another entry in the animated emoji wars: Apple has Memoji, Samsung has AR Emoji, LG has animated emoji and Huawei has 3D Live Emoji. You'll never be at a loss of ways to express yourself.
The ZenMoji rabbit winking.
Asus
Asus designed a lot of gaming accessories for the ROG that really take it beyond just playing games on a mobile phone. Accessories include:
In the TwinView dock, the phone sits on top, while it runs the game on another display below.
Aloysius Low/CNET
TwinView Dock: It transforms the phone into a Nintendo DS-like dual screen device and adds two physical shoulder buttons, a 6,000mAh battery and a selfie camera to stream and record yourself as you play.
The Gamevice controller for the ROG Phone.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Gamevice controller: The ROG fits in the middle of the vice like device which has dual joysticks, fire triggers, bumpers, a D-pad and all the buttons you'd expect.
WiGig Display Dock: Stream content wirelessly from your ROG Phone to a TV with minimal latency.
Here's how the ROG Phone sits in the Mobile Desktop Dock.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Mobile Desktop Dock: Turn the ROG into a mini gaming rig complete with nearly every port you can imagine: HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, USB-3.1, micro-USB, Ethernet, headphone jack and an SD card reader.
Professional Dock - It has less ports than the Mobile Desktop Dock but has HDMI for a monitor and two USB ports for a keyboard and mouse.
All of these are sold separately and there's currently no word on pricing or availability.
Asus ROG Phone is definitely for gamers
The Asus ROG Phone is designed inside and out for gamers. The 128GB model costs $899 which converts to £690 and AU$1,265 while the 512GB model is $1,099 converts to £840 and AU$1,545. The Razer Phone 2 costs $100 less, but you get less battery life.
I didn't expect to like the ROG as much as I did. The extras really do make a difference in how this thing performs: the AirTriggers, X mode and the fan actually work to enhance the gaming experience. But the ROG also has a solid camera and a great battery life.
While I wouldn't recommend this to nongamers (the Pixel 3, OnePlus 6 and Galaxy Note 9 are better all-around choices), if you're a gamer trying to decide between this and the Razer Phone 2, Asus has the edge when it comes to controls and optional accessories. Of course that edge comes at a higher price.
Personally I find the design of the Razer Phone 2 much more appealing as a phone and high-end mobile gaming device. And even without a fan, it beat the ROG in nearly every performance test I ran.
Yet as I write this, Apple is preparing to ship the iPhone XR which costs less than either the Razer or the ROG, has bonkers processing power -- although we've yet to test it -- and access to a larger library of games on iOS. It doesn't have a high-refresh rate display or pressure sensitive buttons, but it's definitely a worthy consideration for a gaming phone.
Gaming phones like the Nubia RedMagic 7 aren't trying to compete with Samsung Galaxy devices or Google Pixel phones. They instead crank up the Android gaming experience with specs that sound like they belong in a PC. The RedMagic 7 allows you to max out games for excellent responsiveness and performance.
Features like the 6.8-inch 165Hz refresh rate AMOLED screen, 12GB of RAM and 65-watt charging speeds also have a benefit beyond just being big numbers. They give us a glimpse at features that will likely make their way over to more mainstream phones in coming years.
For the price -- $629 (£529, which is roughly AU$940) -- all of these features might sound like a steal, but there are plenty of reasons why this phone isn't for most people, stemming primarily from tweaks to Android 12 that prioritize gaming performance over user experience. The RedMagic also has a shorter software update cycle than other phones at this price. And while a cooling fan is a common feature on many gaming phones, the RedMagic 7 includes an internal one, which is vital to keep the phone from overheating during intensive gameplay.
The RedMagic 7's $629 starting price includes 128GB of storage and 12GB of memory -- the latter already being a ridiculous amount for a phone. The review unit I tested is $799 and has 256GB of storage and an absurd 18GB of RAM. For perspective, the $800 Galaxy S22 has 8GB of RAM.
The RedMagic 7 comes with a 65-watt GaN charger.
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A little bit Android, a little bit Switch
At first glance, the RedMagic 7 seems like any other Android 12 phone. You unlock it with an in-screen fingerprint sensor and are greeted with a skinned version of Android 12 that includes themed widgets like a switch for the internal cooling fan and a toggle for quickly cranking the display's refresh rate from 60Hz up to 165Hz.
However, this RedMagic OS customization makes a number of annoying default choices that aren't great for casual users. Luckily, they can be switched off pretty easily. Apps are organized into multiple home screens like on iOS. To find the app drawer, you have to turn it on in settings. Once you set it up, you can keep most apps there and organize the ones you want onto the home screens.
The default internet browser is NextWord, which is easy to switch to Chrome or Firefox. And I hope you figure this out faster than I did, but the phone puts a RedMagic watermark on all your photos. After another frustrating trip to Settings I was able to turn that off as well.
You may find yourself visiting the Settings menu a lot to change some of the defaults in the RedMagic 7.
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OS annoyances aside, this phone is clearly aimed at gamers. A red physical switch on the top-left of the phone's transparent body boots it into a game launcher. The aptly named Game Space looks more like the menus you find on the Nintendo Switch and automatically adds games from your app library.
Gaming mode makes several tweaks to the phone's settings: It disables notifications, turns on the fan and adds menus for quick access to display refresh rates and processor performance. I set it up to show the frames per second as I played which helped determine which games supported higher refresh rates.
On the right side of the phone there's a fan exhaust and touch-sensitive areas that emulate shoulder buttons on a game controller. You can set up the "buttons" to tap specific areas of the screen during gameplay -- for instance I coupled them to the shoot button in Apex Legends Mobile and on the Use and Report buttons in Among Us.
Mortal Kombat Mobile supports the 165Hz refresh rate allowed by the RedMagic 7's screen.
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Gaming runs fast and sometimes hot
Along with the 165Hz display refresh rate, the RedMagic 7 touts a "720Hz Multi-Finger Touch Sampling Rate" -- their words. This refers to how responsive screen taps are while playing games. In lieu of having physical buttons, having a cranked-up touch rate for the screen makes a lot of sense. I found it particularly helpful for games streamed from the Google Stadia cloud service.
Cloud gaming in general is notorious for lag under even the fastest of internet connections, but with the RedMagic's 720Hz touch rate screen I was almost able to create combos in Mortal Kombat 11. It also made it possible to play Marvel's Avengers using the touchscreen over the Stadia cloud. These games are made for a physical controller, so while it's not an ideal or competitive way to play, it works fine for a quick game over good Wi-Fi.
The Game Space launcher on the RedMagic 7, which puts Android games into a more console-like menu.
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What was more interesting were the handful of games that supported the 165Hz screen refresh rate. Mortal Kombat Mobile (separate from Mortal Kombat 11) cranks all the way up to 165Hz, making all the punches and battles look super smooth. On the other hand, Rayman Adventures, which supports 165Hz, runs at double or triple speed. I had to turn the screen refresh rate down to 60Hz to run at a normal speed.
Most games however ran at 60 frames per second regardless of what I set. While Apex Legends Mobile appeared to top out at 60fps, the game did let me max all of its settings out. Performance remained super smooth throughout a 20-minute match, but I definitely noticed the phone was physically hot to touch. The RedMagic comes with a case that makes the heat from gaming substantially more tolerable.
The RedMagic 7 can charge from 0% to 100% in roughly 30 minutes.
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Fast charging that I want to see in more phones
The 65-watt GaN charger that's included with the phone is a serious perk. The dual 4,500-mAh double-cell battery can recharge from 0% to 98% in just over 30 minutes. This is a phone you definitely won't need to charge overnight. Interestingly enough when charging, an onscreen graphic shows the percentage, and the cooling fan turns on to dissipate any heat.
Battery life was great: I consistently got through an entire day, even when I kept the screen at 165Hz. Even on days where I played games for an hour or so, I had 20% to 30% left by the evening.
Another neat trick is you can power the phone straight from the power adapter, skipping the battery. This should help the battery ultimately last longer, since when available the phone won't need to draw power directly from it at all times. And during gaming, this will reduce the amount of heat the phone gives off.
I hope other phones adopt these power-charging features. A 30-minute charging time means the phone can fully charge up while you shower and get dressed in the morning.
Citi Field in New York. The RedMagic 7 applies a watermark by default that can be turned off in the settings menu.
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Photography and software support take a back seat
The phone has a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and 2-megapixel depth sensor. The RedMagic can handle most daytime photography situations, but it isn't going to win any awards for its photos.
Crowds inside of Citi Field, taken on the RedMagic 7.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
In terms of image quality, photos I took at a New York Mets game were on par with lower priced phones like the Moto G Stylus 5G. Photos taken outdoors in sunlight generally looked good, while lower light situations were more difficult.
RedMagic 7's Night mode photo at New York's Citi Field.
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The phone's Night mode helps bring out a few more additional details, focusing on subjects like the signs at the Mets' stadium, but it's not quite as detailed as other phones in this price range. If you want a phone that takes great photos, I recommend looking at the $599 Pixel 6 or the $700 Galaxy S21 FE.
The RedMagic 7 has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
Mike Sorrentino/CNET
The 8-megapixel front-facing camera is disappointing, even for livestreaming. Selfie photos are just OK. The front-facing camera isn't something I'd use to broadcast on Twitch. With gaming and livestreaming so interconnected, it'd be nice if the RedMagic 7 could function as a starter device towards that.
Software support on the RedMagic 7 isn't great. RedMagic says that its products tend to get one major update with a "maintenance period" that lasts between one and a half to two years.
Geekbench v.5.0 single-core
Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench v.5.0 multicore
Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Serious Android gamers only
The RedMagic 7 isn't for most people, nor is it intended to be. If you are a competitive gamer who really wants an absolutely screaming refresh rate, and doesn't mind a built-in cooling fan, then this phone is certainly an option for you. Just understand the software update tradeoffs and all the defaults you'll probably want to change out of the box.
But most other people should look elsewhere for a daily driver phone. Families considering the RedMagic as an alternative to a Switch would be better off buying a Nintendo Switch and a cheaper phone.
Nubia RedMagic 7 vs. Nubia RedMagic 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. Google Pixel 6
5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave) support, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W fast charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS and security updates, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back)
