Every time a new ASUS ROG Phone is released, the narrative is more or less the same. The tech world revels at its unquestionable power, quirky design, and aggressive gamer-aesthetic, then JerryRigEverything comes in to rain on everyone’s parade. Due to this pattern, it became common knowledge that these devices were more fragile than their counterparts. But it looks like that story’s changing with the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate and its durability. This is the first phone that’s confidently survived the renowned torture test.

Just for a bit of context, the ROG Phones often fare decently on the scratch tests and all those. Where they often fail spectacularly is the bend test, folding into two like a biscuit. Some even joked that the device was engineered to be a foldable due to its lack of structural rigidity. Reminds us a bit of Apple’s BendGate back in the day.

The cause is often attributed to the minuscule gap between the device’s two batteries. Yes, having two power packs is a signature feature of the device that prolongs screen-on time and long-term battery health, at the cost of being the vital weak point for these torture tests.

This time around, we brace once again as the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate undergoes the bend portion of the durability test. It does stretch a bit more than your average smartphone, but it doesn’t break.

Sure, that little bend looks permanent, but nothing’s broken. No shattered glass, everything still works fine, and it’s not as if any sane person would bend their everyday smartphone to that extent. It’s just a breath of fresh air to know that the device will survive unlike its predecessors.

All things considered, the ASUS ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is an amazing smartphone that’s perfect for power users and those looking for an eye-catching aesthetic. Props to ASUS for finally resolving this smartphone line’s Achilles heel, and we hope for more improvements in the future. Perhaps next year, it shouldn’t bend at all? Who knows!