The second iteration of ASUS ROG’s gaming smartphone line, the ROG Phone II, was launched last July 2019 with two types of models — the Global and the Tencent Version. Many people would jump on which one is more affordable thinking that both of them have similar specs. However, it is important to know the importance of their specs, given that the latter is meant to be sold only in China.
Here are their main differences:
| Specs | ROG Phone II (Global) | ROG Phone II (Tencent) |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis | Glass back cover | Glass back cover + metal |
| 4G Network | -up to LTE Cat 18 (up to 211Mbps UL / DL up to 1.2Gbps) -4 x 4 MIMO | up to LTE Cat. 16UL (up to 150Mbps UL, 1.0Gbps DL) - no 4x4 MIMO support |
| RAM | 12GB | 8GB, 12GB |
| Storage | 512GB / 1TB | 128GB, 512GB |
| WIGIG mode (802.11ad) | Supported | Not Supported |
| AeroActive Cooler | Yes | No |
| Phone Case | Aero Case | Transparent Bumper Case |
| Power Adaptor | 30W | 18W |
| USB Cable | USB Type C-C | USB Type A-C |
| Package Box | Six Prism Box | Square Box |
The chassis of the Global version comes with a glass back while the Tencent one has a mixture of metal. For RAM and storage, the former sports 12GB and 512GB/1TB, respectively while the latter only has 8GB, 12GB, and 128GB, 512GB.
In terms of connectivity, the Global Version supports more Bands while the Tencent one is fewer. The former also has a WIGIG mode (802.11ad) support while the latter doesn’t have it.
| Band support | ROG Phone II (Global) | ROG Phone II (Tencent) |
|---|---|---|
| FDD-LTE | Band 1, 2 ,3 ,4 ,5 ,7, 8 , 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 32 ,66 | 1, 2, 3, 4 ,5 , 6, 7, 8 |
| TD-LTE | Band 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46 | Band 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| WCDMA | Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 19 | Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 |
| TD-SCDMA | Band 34, 39 | |
| CDMA | Band BC0 | Band BC0 |
| EDGE/ GPRS/GSM | 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz |
If you are seeking for the company’s innovative AeroActive Cooler, then you wouldn’t find it in the Tencent version.
The included power adaptor of the Global version is 30W which means it provides faster charging time as compared to the 18W of the Tencent one.
Finally, given that the ROG Phone II Tencent version is meant only for the Chinese market, you would find that there are no Google applications. Also, one disadvantage is that the non-global version will not have ASUS’s warranty since you can only get it in the Grey market.
While the ASUS ROG Phone II is yet to arrive in the Philippines, expect that the Global version will cost more than the Tencent version. Stay tuned for the official pricing. In the meantime, read our hands-on and first impression of the Global version here.
ASUS ROG Phone 2 (Global) specs:
- 6.59-inch FHD+ (2340 x 1080) 19.5:9 AMOLED display
- HDR support
- 120Hz refresh rate, 1 ms response time
- Corning Gorilla Glass 6
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ 2.96GHz octa-core
- Adreno 640 GPU
- 12GB RAM
- 512GB / 1TB storage
- 48MP F1.79 IMX586 + 13MP 125-degree ultra-wide dual rear camera
- 24MP front camera
- 4G LTE
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
- 3x USB Type-C ports (bottom, sides)
- AirTriggers 2.0
- Front-facing stereo speakers
- ARCore support
- 3.5mm audio port
- In-display fingerprint scanner
- Face Unlock
- ROG UI/ZENUI (Android 9 Pie)
- 6,000mAh battery w/ 30W ROG HyperCharge technology, Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0
What do you guys think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Misleading article. They should have done test first before doing a write up.
I went to China and bought the Tencent version already. Paid equalent to 25k pesos! Good value. Nobody NEEDS 12GB RAM.
Exactly and if you know what your doing on XDA, you can have the global ROM on the Tencent version and receive OTA global updates. This article is only tells half the story. The Tencent version is the best deal by far !
hi , are they going to sell tencent version here in the philippines ? because hundreds of us are waiting for tencent version ! :(
Can be support 5g?