Asus’ latest gaming smartphone, the Asus ROG Phone II, finally got a release date for the Malaysian market. Set to be introduced on our shores on 16 October, the ROG Phone II is arguably the most exciting gaming smartphone yet; it’s a very complete gaming machine.

The launch date of the ROG Phone II for our market was revealed by Asus Malaysia itself on its Republic of Gamers Facebook page, so it doesn’t get more official than that. If you’re curious, even its predecessor were introduced here in the same month.

Given its status as a gaming smartphone, the ROG Phone II naturally has high-end hardware. This include Qualcomm’s best chipset yet, the Snapdragon 855+. Compared to the regular Snapdragon 855, the 855+ promises up to 15% increase in gaming performance, thanks to the overclocked CPU and GPU.

Another hardware that’s equally important for a gaming smartphone is the display, and the ROG Phone II has a fast panel. Unlike the first ROG Phone’s 90Hz display, the new gaming machine now comes with a faster 120Hz 6.59-inch 2340 x 1080 AMOLED HDR display. The touch sampling rate has been increased according too: it is now set at 240Hz, which lowers the touch latency down to only 49ms.

Input delay isn’t discussed much outside of gaming smartphones, but for competitive mobile gamers, the 49ms response rate is vital to perform at their very best.

One of the most impressive features of the original ROG Phone are the AirTriggers, which are ultrasonic buttons placed on the right side of the phone to act as shoulder buttons. If you’re into shooters like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite, the AirTriggers will definitely benefit you.

For example, you can set the left trigger to use your scope, and the right button to shoot. Not only would this feel more natural, it would be as if you’re playing the game with a dedicated controller too.

Other specifications of the ROG Phone II for the Malaysian market include 12GB of RAM, 512GB or 1TB of non-expandable storage, an extremely generous 6,000mAh battery, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a dual camera system (48MP primary + 13MP wide angle), as well as a 24MP front-facing shooter. If you’re wondering, yes, this phone still has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Asus ROG Phone II will be launched in Malaysia on 16 October next month. There’s no word yet on the local pricing of the phone, but expect it to be priced in the same price range as its predecessor. For context, the first ROG Phone retailed at RM3,499 and RM3,999 for the 128GB and 512GB models respectively.