The 5G Asus ROG Phone 3 will be launched soon, at least in China
Asus ROG Phone 2
What we obviously didn't know after simply reporting on those two leaks was exactly how soon to expect the 5G-enabled 6.6-inch handset with an overclocked Snapdragon 865 processor under its hood to see daylight. The answer, as it turns out, is pretty soon, although we still technically don't have a firm announcement or release date to offer those eager to get their hands on possibly the world's fastest Android smartphone of 2020.
What we do have is a Weibo teaser confirming the extended collaboration between Asus and Tencent, which will apparently materialize at some point next month. Otherwise put, the special ROG Phone 3 Tencent Edition for China that we actually saw manhandled on video last week is now officially slated for a somewhat vague July launch.
If that name doesn't ring any bells, you should know Tencent is the world's largest video game company (yes, really), partly owning such incredibly popular titles as Fortnite and PUBG. The Chinese entertainment giant will not just slap its logo on the back of the domestic ROG Phone 3 variant, mind you, promising "in-depth customization" and optimization of the gaming performance to create an "experience closer to the player."
If history is any indication, by far the greatest thing about the Asus ROG Phone 3 Tencent Edition will be its relative affordability compared to a global model expected to cost no less than $1,000 with 5G support in tow, as well as the beastly aforementioned SoC, a whopping 16 gigs of RAM, at least 128 gigs of internal storage space, a hefty 6,000mAh or so battery, a trio of rear-facing cameras including a 64MP primary shooter, and of course, front-firing stereo speakers.
There's also a very good chance the "regular" ROG Phone 3 will reach markets like the US several months after making a domestic debut, although we should probably at least wait for the July launch before jumping to conclusions. Who knows, maybe Asus learned a thing or two from its past mistakes.
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