ASUS / Qualcomm Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders vs ROG Phone 5 Compared – Pay more to get less

Yesterday, ASUS threw a bit of a curveball phone release in collaboration with Qualcomm with the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders. That is its actual name.

A quick glance at the design and specs, and you would just assume this is a Qualcomm reference device not intended for end-users, but it seems that it will actually be sold to end-users. It also looks like Qualcomm is only loosely associated with the phone. Qualcomm states the phone is strictly designed and made by ASUS. So, it is just an ASUS phone with Qualcomm branding.

While the design of the phone looks like it could be a Qualcomm reference design, it is basically just the ROG Phone 5 chassis without all the gaming design features.

So, what are the other similarities with the ROG Phone 5? Quite a lot, it seems

Specification Comparison

What’s different?

The ASUS / Qualcomm Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders sheds a bit of weight, then swaps out the pointless 5MP macro lens in favour of a moderately useful 8MP 3x optical zoom lens.

However, it drops the battery size by 33%, down to 4000mAh, which is one of the smallest batteries on an SD888 chipset. Considering how poorly SD888 phones perform with the battery, this will likely be a twice a day charge.

It then also ditches the 3.5mm headphone jack and removes the under-display fingerprint scanner, shifting it to the rear like it is 2019.

Price and Availability

The above changes wouldn’t be too bad if the phone was attractively priced, however it is launching for $1499, $500 more than the Asus ROG Phone 5.

To sweeten the deal, the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders comes with a pair of Master & Dynamic Snapdragon branded earbuds. These use the new Qualcomm QCC5141, which is also featured on the Cleer Audio Ally Plus II. They should be excellent earphones but don’t really justify the $500 price difference.

The phone is then set to launch in August 2021.

Overall

It is a little hard to grasp what the point of this phone is. It is supposed to show off the best of Qualcomm technology, but it looks like Qualcomm had minimal input in the phone.

It is supposed to launch with stock Android, and I would hope the software experience is where this phone excels.

Even if the price were not insane, I am not sure I could live with an SD888 based phone that only has a 4000mAh battery.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.