Qualcomm's $1,500 smartphone is aimed at its most ardent supporters who have more money than reason.

 The Snapdragon Insider smartphone from Asus is already out of date.

Qualcomm, the firm behind the Snapdragon processors and modems that power nearly every major Android smartphone, is developing its own handset. Or, more precisely, the firm is collaborating with Asus on a bespoke device officially dubbed the “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders,” a $1,500 phone meant to demonstrate the chip manufacturer's capabilities. Furthermore, as the name implies, Qualcomm will sell the phone directly to members of its Snapdragon Insider fan group, which Qualcomm started earlier this year.

It's an intriguing concept, but the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders doesn't appear to do anything different from any other Android flagship when it comes to really utilize Qualcomm's technology - which is especially disappointing given the $1,500 price tag.

The following spec list is what you'd expect from a flagship Android phone in 2021: The Snapdragon Insiders Smartphone runs Android 11, has 512GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, a 6.78-inch, 144Hz Samsung OLED display with Gorilla Glass Victus, and a fingerprint reader on the back. (Of course, Qualcomm's 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 technology is used.) If any of that sounds familiar, it's because the new Qualcomm-branded gadget appears to be quite similar to Asus' ROG Phone 5 Ultimate from earlier this year.

The processor is, of course, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888, which seems strange given that the company has already unveiled a more powerful 888 Plus model. The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders is an unexpected failure, given the expensive price tag and the promise of being the best Qualcomm phone.

The battery has 4,000 mAh of capacity and isn't the largest we've seen in a smartphone, but it does support Qualcomm's Quick Charge 5 standard, albeit not fully, maxing out at 65W for charging rather than the 100W-plus rates the spec is theoretically capable of.

The rear of the phone has a triple camera system, which is similar to that of previous Asus phones. The main camera is a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 image sensor, which was previously used in the Zenfone 7 Pro last year, while the ultrawide sensor has an older 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 sensor (also used in previous Asus phones, as well as multiple Google Pixel phones.)To complete out the camera system, there's an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and a 24-megapixel front-facing camera.

Qualcomm promises that the triple camera array will provide a “professional-quality camera” experience, but it will not tax the Spectra 580's triple ISP. While the phone can shoot 8K at 30 frames per second and 4K at 30 or 60 frames per second, it cannot shoot three simultaneous 4K HDR video streams or three 28-megapixel pictures at the same time. These were two of Qualcomm's main boasts when it unveiled the Snapdragon 888 in December.

The Snapdragon Insiders Smartphone will be one of the first phones to use Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Sound classification, which offers hi-fi audio playing at up to 24-bit 96kHz. To assist take advantage of this, Qualcomm is providing some Master & Dynamic earphones in the package, which look to be a set of MW08 earbuds with a Snapdragon logo on them. (Normally, those headphones sell for $299, This may help to mitigate the $1,499 price tag.)

Another feature that may set the Snapdragon-branded phone apart is the 5G capability. According to Qualcomm, the phone would provide "the most comprehensive support for all important 5G sub-6 and mmWavebands and combinations in a single device." Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, as well as Bluetooth 5.2, are also supported.

Qualcomm is also included a 65W Quick Charge 5.0 charge, USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables, and a rubber bumper for the phone in addition to the phone and headphones. Despite this, the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders appears to be a difficult sell – there are plenty of other top-tier Android phones that provide the same (or better) specifications for considerably less money, like the OnePlus 9 Pro or Galaxy S21ultra.