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A brief (and depressing) history of gaming phones
ASUS' surprisingly ambitious ROG Phone is a clear sign the company has confidence in the gaming smartphone category. And it wasn't that long ago that the likes of Razer, Xiaomi and Nubia thought they saw an opportunity for a cash grab here. But as history has shown, gaming hardware is risky business, especially a segment this niche. Remember, not even Nokia at the height of its powers could crack the gaming phone equation with its legendary infamous N-Gage. While we wait for the ROG Phone to arrive later this year, let's take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some of its precursors.
ASUS ROG's ridiculously high-spec gaming phone was made for 'PUBG'
Thanks to the likes of Free Fire, PUBG and Fortnite arriving on mobile, gaming smartphones seem like a no-brainer for brands that want to break into the crowded smartphone world, with the Razer Phone setting the bar for others to follow. ASUS thinks it can do better. Here at Computex, the company surprised many by unveiling the ROG Phone, its first-ever handset made specifically with gaming in mind. Needless to say, this aggressive-looking device is specced out as a powerhouse, but it's also packed with many unique and thoughtful features that aim to deliver a better gaming experience. There are also a handful of dedicated accessories -- including an external cooling fan that clips onto the back, plus an optional handheld dock that adds a second screen to the ROG Phone.
Gaming smartphones are still a thing in China
If you've been searching for a crossover between a smartphone and a PS Vita, look no further. In China, a company by the name of iReadyGo had been making Android-powered gaming handhelds for years -- you may recall its shameless PS Vita ripoff back in 2011. The manufacturer then went on to release several dedicated gaming smartphones and was eventually acquired by Snail Mobile, a local gaming-centric mobile virtual network operator, in mid-2014. Following the W3D from 2015, the company plans to release a new Android smartphone at the ChinaJoy expo later this month, but I managed to spot one lurking around at MWC Shanghai. This upcoming Snail Mobile i7 is a surprisingly well-specced gaming phone for its 1,899 yuan (about $280) price point, especially with its 6-inch 1080p touchscreen, 6GB RAM, 64GB storage, stereo speakers, dual SIM slots and removable 6,000 mAh battery.
