technology news: Asus ROG Phone 2 price, release date for Europe, and Ultimate Edition announced

The Asus ROG Phone 2 was announced roughly a month ago, but fans in Europe have had to wait a while to hear about availability. Fortunately, the company has finally announced European release date details, pricing, and an Ultimate Edition of the gaming smartphone.

European users can grab the standard model via the Asus eShop from today (September 4), with orders shipping from the "end of September." The standard variant will set you back €899 (~$990), which is a little pricier than the original ROG Phone which retailed for around €799, but still less than you might expect for a phone that's this powerful.

As for the Asus ROG Phone 2 Ultimate Edition, this newly revealed model differs from the standard variant by offering 1TB of UFS 3.0 storage (double the usual allotment), and Category 20 download speeds of up to 2Gbps. You're also getting a Matte Black color scheme by opting for the Ultimate Edition.

Other than these changes, you're getting the same Asus ROG Phone 2 experience as the standard model. That means a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, up to 12GB of RAM, and a huge, 6,000mAh battery with 30W charging.

It wouldn't be a gaming phone without the relevant features, and the ROG Phone 2 retains the predecessor's Air Trigger ultrasonic shoulder triggers for use in games. The phone also packs a 6.59-inch notched OLED screen (FHD+) with a 120Hz refresh rate. In fact, Asus has also listed dozens of games that support 120Hz refresh rates, ranging from Alto's Odyssey and Dead Trigger 2, to Hitman Go and Minecraft.

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You can also expect a dual rear camera setup (48MP plus 13MP ultra-wide), a 32MP selfie snapper, an in-display fingerprint sensor, a 3.5mm port, and an extra USB-C port on the side for accessories.

Asus hasn't revealed launch details regarding the Ultimate Edition, save for saying it'll come out in Q4 2019. We'll update the article with Ultimate Edition availability details and hopefully details on a U.S. release as soon as we hear from the company.

Buy Asus ROG Phone 2