Asus’ ROG Phone 9 review: a gaming powerhouse stands tall.

Key Takeaways

• The Asus ROG Phone 9 offers innovative gaming features such as AirTriggers, alongside an impressive AMOLED display.
• While battery life spans a reasonable 21 hours, daily usage, especially when utilizing the camera feature, falls short of expectations.
• While the ROG Telephone 9 impresses with its gaming prowess, its distinctive design may not captivate users who don’t prioritize gaming capabilities.

The significant advantage in the smartphone sphere recently has been gaming – a far cry from bloated experiences. As a substitute, it is the slow adoption of high-performance video games and. For several years now, I’ve been a passionate advocate for mobile gaming; yet, obstacles have consistently thwarted its evolution as my go-to platform. During my hands-on experience with the ‘ROG Telephone 9, I sensed a fresh start as a mobile gamer.

The Asus ROG Phone is designed to be a pioneering gaming-centric smartphone. With the ROG design philosophy at its core, Asus thoughtfully incorporates a range of features that amplify and harmonize with its overall aesthetic. The ROG Phone 9 series is augmented by a Professional lineup. Despite being a lower-tier option, this mannequin still boasts an impressive battery life and a display that seems designed specifically for gaming experiences. The ROG Phone 9 disappoints in daily usage, with its camera being a notable letdown.

Value, availability, and specs

The Asus ROG Phone 9 is set to launch on Tuesday, November 19th. The most affordable mannequin in the collection is available for a price tag of $1,000. The device features a vibrant and razor-sharp 6.78-inch AMOLED E6 display. The display features Low-Temperature Polymer (LTPO) technology, offering a dynamic refresh rate that adjusts between 1Hz and 120Hz. Notwithstanding the limitations, the ROG Telephone 9 still offers an impressive 185Hz display resolution when using its Sport Genie feature to deliver a noticeably smoother gaming experience. The display boasts an impressive peak brightness of 2,500 nits, ensuring that colors and details remain crisp and vibrant even in direct sunlight during the day.

Equipped with up to 16GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of internal storage, the ROG Phone 9’s internal specifications are designed for uncompromising performance. The Digicam array supports a 50-megapixel Sony IMX576 sensor, paired with a high-quality f/1.9 primary lens and a 32-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto lens, as well as a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle Freeform lens that provides unparalleled visual fidelity. The front-facing camera features a 32-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the device runs on a substantial 5,800mAh battery.

Wrapped within a compact 6.4 x 3 x 0.35-inch frame (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm in dimension). Wrapped in a striking storm-white and phantom-black scheme, the ROG Telephone 9’s sleek design features a unique crystallized nano-texture finish. Ultimately, the gadget assists in situating AirTrigger buttons on the correct side of the device. These devices serve as precise emulators of a game controller’s functionality.

Asus also offers a limited selection of AI-powered features across the ROG Phone 9 series. Numerous peripherals among these are specifically engineered for seamless integration during immersive gaming experiences. While these options may suffice for ordinary daily applications, they lack a certain panache or excitement. After spending 12 months testing various Android phones, it’s peculiar that the ROG Phone 9 didn’t support wireless charging at launch – albeit it will be enabled by the end of This fall 2024.

The ROG Telephone 9 – a powerhouse of a device that has garnered significant attention in the tech world. For me, what stands out is its sheer processing might, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor at its core, ensuring seamless performance and rapid app launch times. The device also boasts an impressive 6.55-inch AMOLED display, offering vibrant colours and a crisp visual experience. What I find particularly intriguing is the unique design that sets it apart from other smartphones – the sleek, angular build exudes a sense of ruggedness, while the subtle curves provide a comfortable grip.

Asus’ ROG Phone 9 seamlessly blurs the lines between mobile gaming on smartphones and the Steam Deck experience.

The Asus ROG (Republic of Gamers) suite enjoys widespread recognition for its robust features and user-friendly interface. While the ROG Telephone may not garner as much attention as some other gaming phones on the market, it still manages to impress with its unique design and impressive specifications. Despite this, it seamlessly integrates within the Republic of Gamers’ home atmosphere. The corporation leverages its extensive expertise in gaming hardware to inform and enhance its cellular offerings. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of its design philosophy, the ROG Phone 9 was specifically designed for playing video games. Upon unboxing the ROG Phone 9, I quickly curated a diverse selection of games to test its capabilities.

As the global phenomenon of cell sports dominates everyone’s thoughts right now. It’s a sport that has gained fame for just a few intense body checks when participating on ice, most notably while browsing the Surprise Picks display. The Pokémon Trading Card Game will not set new standards with the ROG Phone 9. Notwithstanding this, it becomes apparent that the dynamic refresh rate feature on the AMOLED display achieves remarkable results, even in instances of more passive gaming and in-app interactions.

The Call of Duty: Warzone game mode ran smoothly and seamlessly during online multiplayer sessions, exhibiting no visible screen tearing issues. With the intuitive AirTriggers situated on the device’s edge, I effortlessly replicated the actions of aiming down sights and firing my weapon, just as I would during gameplay on Xbox or PlayStation.

When it comes to processing demanding video games, the ROG Telephone 9 truly demonstrates its gaming prowess. As a gaming enthusiast, I got to put the ROG Phone 9 through its paces under more demanding conditions with titles like Name of Responsibility: Warzone Mobile and Genshin Impact. According to benchmark results, the ROG Phone 9 achieved a notable 3,207 CPU score and an impressive 10,186 GPU score. The ‘s exceptional performance enabled Name of Duty: Warzone Mobile to run smoothly and seamlessly, with no detectable display tearing, even in online multiplayer matches.

By leveraging the AirTriggers on the device’s facet, I was able to replicate the experience of aiming down sight and firing my weapon, just as I would during gameplay on console or PC. With Genshin Influence, Asus has baked in its X-Sense AI options. With the application of picture recognition expertise, routine object detection has been successfully implemented, accompanied by the addition of an autonomous running feature. While the ROG Telephone 9’s innovative features are certainly a step forward in mobile technology, I must admit that your statement could be rephrased for greater clarity: The ROG Telephone 9’s pioneering utilization of AI showcases its commitment to embracing cutting-edge innovations. Regrettably, titles employing X Sense are scarce and far between.

Fortunately, Asus has reaped the rewards of investing heavily in its gaming capabilities by also delivering a commendably decent battery life this year. I effortlessly eeked out around 21 hours of battery endurance from my ROG Phone 9 when engaging in frequent video streaming and gaming sessions. Not surprisingly, the battery life’s durability significantly declines when used for gaming. While streaming video games and watching TV, my tablet’s battery life surprisingly lasted around five hours even when it was fully drained. Asus can further optimize the thermal cooling of their gadgets. The ROG AeroActive Cooler is available as an individual component to dynamically adjust cooling performance according to CPU temperature. Despite these limitations, I struggle to envision using this on-the-go.

Limited battery life? The ROG Phone’s massive 6000mAh cell seems impressive on paper, but real-world use reveals a different story – it drains quickly under intense gaming and video playback.

The ROG Phone 9 is a behemoth for gaming, but how does it perform elsewhere?

Asus wouldn’t shy away from creating a genuinely ‘gaming-centric’ smartphone, even at the cost of compromise elsewhere. While I’m not entirely enamored with ROG’s approach to mobile devices. The rough, angular edges of the camera’s bulk give off a clumsy appearance. Why consider upgrading to a gaming smartphone with a unique textured rear design? Despite its premium features, the ROG Phone 9 still has a distinctly budget-friendly feel when held in the palm of your hand.

If I had used this device as my primary tool for an extended period, I would probably invest in a protective case to cover it. The ASUS ROG Phone 9 established itself as a benchmark for gaming smartphones in the industry. The new organization of gadgets within the inventory UI is readily apparent upon inspection. The icons for the Telephone, Digicam, and Gallery apps appear pixelated and lacking in refinement compared to other Android devices.

I’m disappointingly uninspired by the camera setup on the ROG Phone 9. The design may not be a perfect match for Asus’ usual robust aesthetic. As a shutterbug, I’m immediately struck by the stark contrast between photos captured on my iPhone 15 Professional and those taken with the ROG Phone 9. The images displayed on the Asus-designed phone are remarkably sharp and lifelike. Despite my haste in transferring them to my computer, the images looked surprisingly dull and drained of vitality. To elevate the distinctiveness in each one for this overview, I simply wanted to make them slightly more intriguing to examine.

Are you considering investing in the ROG Phone 9 without knowing the necessary details?

A top-tier mobile gaming setup perfect for gamers who overlook dedicated gaming consoles.

It’s simple for Asus to pack impressive hardware into the ROG Phone 9. The smartphone offers ample processing power and a stellar battery life, making it an ideal choice for on-the-go gaming. Unfortunately, the ROG Telephone 9’s features wouldn’t be enough to distinguish it from other smartphones? Across its entire range of phone products, Asus consistently demonstrates robust security measures.

As a cutting-edge cell gaming smartphone, the ROG Phone 9 is designed to deliver exceptional performance and gaming capabilities. If you’re playing Genshin Impact or accessing video games via cloud streaming, consider leveraging personalized support. Their primary objective was to ensure consistency in gaming performance across the entire platform. If you’re looking at the ROG Phone 9 purely for its gaming capabilities, I’d almost recommend opting for a dedicated gaming handheld like an Razer Phone or a GPD Win Max instead?