Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders Review: Qualcomm & ASUS Set The Bar

The Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders by ASUS is an interesting device that clearly targets a certain type of mobile enthusiast. In terms of its CPU and AI performance, it is one of the fastest Android devices available among the current crop of flagships. The Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders achieves its top performance through a combination of high-end hardware and optimized software and drivers. This is most evident in AITuTu where the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders obliterates every other device, even those built around the same platform, but it did lead in a number of other tests as well. Graphics and GPU performance are also highly competitive with some of the top Android devices, though not quite on the same level in some tests as the fastest gaming phones, which typically eschew some power optimizations while in game mode to offer the highest frame rates possible.

The Smartphone For Snapdragon insiders also offers a copious 16GB of RAM and spacious 512GB of fast UFS 3.1 internal storage. Wireless 5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity is top-notch, battery life is competitive, the cameras (once updated) will be among the best available in any smartphone according to DxO, and the gorgeous 6.78" 144 Hz Samsung AMOLED is sublime. The audio output from the phone is also better than most other mobile devices. All of that combined will likely make the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders attractive to a large portion of the audience ASUS and Qualcomm are targeting.

At $1499 though, the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders has some stiff competition, some of which cost much less and offer highly sought after features not available here, like wireless charging, dust / water resistance, and perhaps expandable storage. For some users, the lack of one (or all) of those features will be a deal breaker. That $1499 price also clearly propels the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders into premium pricing territory, which will put it out of reach for many customers. We must reiterate that the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders comes bundled with a 65W fast charger, cables, a case, and a $300 set of high-quality ANC, true-wireless earbuds. The device also has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which is somewhat of a rarity in the current market. So, while $1499 isn’t cheap, the value adds included with the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders do help to justify the price premium somewhat.

We also like the clean installation of Android 11, though we haven’t been able to get confirmation on what the update schedule and support timeline will be. We suspect Android 12 and future security updates for a couple of years are a given, but unfortunately, we can’t say for certain just yet.

Ultimately, if the few missing features on the Smartphone For Snapdragon Insiders aren’t deal breakers for you, and the prospect of a high-performance device that exploits all of the features of its leading-edge platform are appealing to you, this is one heck of a nice smartphone. It has an attractive design in our opinion, with a big, beautiful display, quality cameras, an extensive accessory bundle, and the overall user experience is great.