ROG Phone 5 now official in the Philippines

The wait is finally over. ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) Philippines tonight announced the official pricing for the ROG Phone 5 Classic, ROG Phone 5 Pro, and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. Starting April 10, the latest and most powerful incarnation of the world’s most advanced line of gaming smartphones will be up for grabs. Together with these renowned devices are the announcements of availability for the supporting ROG Phone accessories.

The ROG Phone 5 series is powered to win by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform featuring advanced 5G communications and premium Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming features. The upgraded GameCool 5 cooling system along with the all-new performance manager in Armoury Crate ensure maximum performance is available for any gaming scenario. 

The ROG Phone 5 series harnesses the massive power of the latest flagship Snapdragon 888, which packs industry-leading innovations in 5G, AI, gaming, and camera technologies. With up to a stunning 35% increase in GPU performance and 25% in CPU performance, even the most demanding 3D mobile games run smoothly with maxed-out settings. 

To enable maximum sustained performance, the GameCool 5 cooling system in the ROG Phone 5 series now has an optimum thermal structure featuring a centered CPU with the battery split into two parts, one located on each side of the CPU. This ensures that the heat generated by the CPU is transferred to all the edges and corners of the chassis simultaneously for higher thermal efficiency. The reshaped 3D vapor chamber and extensive graphite sheets also help to spread the heat evenly across the device to reduce heat build-up in the middle. 

The completely revamped AeroActive Cooler 5 now intakes and expels an incredible amount of air directly onto the center of the phone — right where the CPU is — to deliver an amazing 10°C drop in the CPU temperature. The all-new performance manager in Armoury Crate now includes X Mode, with multiple system profiles to give gamers even more performance settings and performance tuning tools, so they can instantly adapt the phone to the task at hand.

Additionally, ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is the world’s first smartphone to use 18 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, which dramatically increases the overall gaming performance and takes the user experience to the next level.

Long-lasting power

To extend both screen-on time and the lifespan of the monster 6000 mAh battery, ROG Phone 5 series is optimized using new software optimizations and power-saving mechanisms, including a charging upper limit, steady charging, and enhanced scheduled charging. There are also passive power-saving mechanisms to limit inactive apps and deliver up to 67% more power savings. The ROG Phone 5 series always optimizes itself for the best power efficiency, however it’s being used.

Rapid charging is assured by the bundled 65-watt HyperCharge adapter, which gets gamers up and running again in the fastest possible time.

Immersive mobile gaming experience

Total control is the name of the game for the ROG Phone 5 series, and the massively upgraded AirTrigger 5 control system now gives gamers up to four distinct ways to interact with their ROG Phone 5, delivering an unrivaled level of game control. The AeroActive Cooler 5 now also features two extra physical buttons to allow a genuine console-like gaming experience. 

The ROG Phone 5 series supports an unprecedented total of 10 different motion controls, so gamers can easily pick the moves to fit their game. In a racing game, for example, they can swivel the phone to steer or pull it towards them to brake. Game control has never been so easy.

The GameFX audio system in the ROG Phone 5 series now incorporates symmetrical seven-magnet dual speakers for truly balanced stereo sound effects. Optimized in collaboration with audio specialist Dirac, the projected sound quality will grab the user’s aural senses and take them to a different world. There’s also a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a hi-fi-grade ESS DAC for lossless audio processing worthy of audio enthusiasts.

For the ROG Phone 5 series, we’ve teamed up with some of the most popular game titles to give owners a series of different theme packs for customizing their device with their favorite characters and screens. Gamers can also share, discuss, and interact via ROG Connect, an online community that is built into the ROG Phone 5 series. 

ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate

The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate and ROG Phone 5 Pro let gamers make their presence known to the world with the exclusive ROG Vision, a pioneering rear matrix display that has never been seen on any phone until now. ROG Phone 5 Pro features a colored ROG Vision display, while ROG Phone 5 Ultimate has a monochrome version.

ROG Vision can display a variety of cool animations that show whether the phone is charging, if there’s an incoming call, whether X Mode is enabled, and more. Owners can even create custom animations to make their phone even more personal. 

ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate additionally features innovative hidden rear touch sensors on the back cover, which provide L2/R2 trigger functions just like a game console controller. 

Availability and pricing

The ROG Phone 5 Classic at 8GB/128GB will be available starting April 10, 2021 in Phantom Black at PhP 39,995. The Storm White version will follow within May 2021. The ROG Phone 5 Classic at 16GB/256GB will be available in the Philippines in Phantom Black starting April 10, 2021 at the price of PhP 49,995. First owners will also get a special set bundle, which includes the ROG Kunai Gamepad as well as the ROG Akira Oversized Tee. Its Storm White variant will be arriving within May 2021.

The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate in Storm White and ROG Phone 5 Pro in Phantom Black will arrive in May 2021. The ROG Phone 5 Ultimate edition at 18GB/512GB is priced at PhP 59,995 and will be complete with a Special Gift Box, while the ROG Phone 5 Pro edition at 16GB/512GB will hit the market at PhP 54,995. Both will feature the highly customizable ROG Vision and additional rear trigger buttons.

The ROG Kunai Gamepad will arrive in April 2021 at PhP 6,995 and the ROG Lighting Armor Case 5 in May 2021 at PhP 2,495. 

All ROG Phone 5 phones will be complete with the AeroActive Cooler 5 and will also sport 1-year Global Warranty. The warranty will be available for the ROG Phone accessories as well. Complete details can also be checked through this link.

Search

5 best affordable laptops for online classes and WFH (2021)

09/01/2021

With online classes and WFH setups becoming the new norm, it’s more important than ever to invest in a reliable laptop. Not all notebooks are equal, however. You need to pick one that suits your specific needs and fits the budget.

For this list, we prioritize three factors: brand, specifications, and price. We highly recommend purchasing from reputable brands and shops because they offer reasonable warranty for their laptops.

For specs, it’s important to aim for at least a Core i3 or Ryzen 3 CPU; anything lower than those could cause stutter during heavy usage. Lastly, we chose a price limit of PhP 30,000, which excludes certain models such as those from Microsoft and MSI.

While you could find laptops cheaper than the ones listed below, you run the risk of subpar performance or trade-offs such as cheap keyboards or low-resolution displays. When it comes to long-term gadgets, it’s best to invest in the best.

SEE ALSO: 5 best affordable tablets for online classes and WFH (2021)

Acer Aspire 5

 

Specifications and Price:

  • 14-inch 1080p display
  • Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor
  • 8GB RAM
  • Intel UHD graphics
  • 256GB SSD
  • PhP 27,999

Acer’s Aspire 5 does everything right: an 11th-generation Core i3 processor, the bare minimum 8GB of RAM, and a healthy 256GB SSD. On top of all that, it comes with a two-year warranty. It’s tough to beat its value, especially since it’s well below the PhP 30,000 mark.

Its design is unremarkable, but if you’re spending most of your time at home, no one’s going to notice.

ASUS ExpertBook P1

Specifications and Price:

  • 15.6-inch 1080p display
  • AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Processor
  • 4GB RAM
  • Radeon Vega 3 graphics
  • 128GB SSD
  • PhP 26,995

The ASUS ExpertBook P1 has a large 15.6-inch display and a number pad, both of which make this laptop great for heavy data crunching. In addition, the Ryzen 3 processor with its Vega 3 graphics make Chrome and Photoshop usage smooth.

On the other hand, the 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD definitely need to be upgraded down the line. Fortunately, at PhP 26,995, you’ll have extra cash to spend.

Dell Inspiron 3501

Specifications and Price:

  • 15.6-inch 1080p display
  • Intel Core i3-1125G4 processor
  • 4GB RAM
  • Intel UHD graphics
  • 256GB SSD
  • PhP 29,990

While this Dell Inspiron looks plain on the surface, its hardware has a nice mix of the aforementioned Acer and ASUS laptops. You get the larger 15.6-inch display, 11th-generation Core i3 processor, and generous 256GB SSD.

However, this is another model that requires a RAM upgrade for its measly 4GB. On the bright side, Dell’s home service applies to this laptop’s warranty.

CHECK OUT: Value for money gaming laptops starting at PhP30K

Huawei MateBook D 15

Specifications and Price:

  • 15.6-inch 1080p display
  • Intel Core i3-10110U processor
  • 8GB RAM
  • Intel UHD graphics
  • 256GB SSD
  • PhP 31,999

The MateBook D 15 goes above the P30,000 limit, but Huawei often includes freebies such as a backpack to the package. It’s certainly worth spending extra for this model: it comes with all the essential hardware, plus some nifty features, such as a fingerprint reader for logging in, USB-C charging, and Huawei Share for easier pairing with your smartphone.

The only downside is its recessed webcam above the keyboard; people on the other end of the video call would have a clear view of your nostrils.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i

Specifications and Price:

  • 14-inch 1080p display
  • Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor
  • 4GB RAM
  • Intel UHD graphics
  • 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD
  • PhP 29,995

If you’re after lots of storage, the IdeaPad 3i is your best bet. In addition to the 128GB SSD, it includes a 1TB HDD for all your locally saved files. It also comes with a physical shutter for its webcam, allowing you to cover it when not in use.

Other than those, this IdeaPad has run-of-the-mill specifications from its 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor to the 14-inch Full HD display.

Alternatives

Apple MacBook

It’s time to address the elephant in the room: you can’t score a brand-new MacBook at this price point. Alternatively, you could find secondhand or refurbished models on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.

A MacBook’s main advantage would be its macOS operating system. You’d have access to apps and software that you can’t use on Windows laptops. MacBooks also tend to last longer than their Windows counterparts thanks to sturdier build quality and service centers specifically catered to repair Apple products.

Chromebook

If you aren’t loyal to Windows or macOS and are on a tight budget, the next best thing is a Chromebook. They hover around the P10,000 to PhP 15,000 range from known brands including ASUS and Lenovo. The catch is that the build quality may not be as solid as the laptops above and your apps will be limited to what Google allows you to install.

Thankfully, Chromebooks have access to the Play Store, providing a similar experience to what you’d find on an Android smartphone except with a much larger screen.

Final thoughts

You can’t go wrong with any of the aforementioned Windows laptops. If we were forced to recommend only one, it would be the Acer Aspire 5. It has every specification covered, and it’s one of the cheapest Core i3 laptops you can find brand new.

Best of all, the two-year warranty is unmatched in providing peace of mind during your online classes or work from home. Our runner-up would be the Dell Inspiron 3501.

If you have an extra stick of RAM to insert, it’s easily the most complete 15-inch laptop you can find at this price point.

[wptb id=17751]

REVIEWS