Our Verdict
The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro isn't just a smartphone; it's a gaming beast masquerading as one. With top-notch performance, a stunning display, and thoughtful gamer-centric features, this device caters to hardcore gamers like no other. Just don't expect it to excel at anything outside the gaming realm.
- Best-in-class performance
- Stunning 185Hz AMOLED display
- Stellar cooling system
- Reliable battery and fast charging
- Gamer aesthetic not for everyone
- Cameras could be better
- Expensive
Remember when mobile gaming meant slinging angry birds or tapping on candy? The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro laughs in the face of those days. This device doesn’t just play games – it dominates them. With specs that could make your gaming PC blush and features so niche they border on indulgent, Asus’s latest entry in its gaming-focused Android lineup takes mobile gaming to an entirely new level.
But while the ROG Phone 9 Pro is undeniably a powerhouse, it’s not without its quirks. Is this a new contender for top dog on our list of the best gaming phones, or is it simply too much of a good thing? Let’s dig in.
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Price and availability
Pre-orders for the ROG Phone 9 series kick off on November 19th across the UK and EU, with the first wave of shipping expected to start mid-December, just in time for holiday gaming marathons. Early adopters can take advantage of a special pre-order offer: buy a ROG Phone 9 Pro (16GB/512GB) and receive a free AeroActive Cooler X, a must-have for keeping things chill during intense gaming sessions. This offer runs from November 19th to January 1st. You can grab your ROG Phone 9 series device from the Asus website, Amazon, Currys, and Scan.
Here’s the pricing lineup:
- ROG Phone 9 (12GB/256GB): $999.99 / £949.99
- ROG Phone 9 Pro (16GB/512GB): $1199.99 / £1,099.99
- ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition (24GB/1TB):
$1499.99 / £1,299.99
Accessories, including the AeroActive Cooler X ($99.99 / £71.99) and AeroActive Cooler X Pro ($119.99 / £89.99), will also be available to complete your gaming setup. For more information or to place your preorder, visit the Asus ROG Phone 9 website.
In the US, the ROG Phone 9 series will arrive a little later. Starting in late November, Asus will enable a “Notify Me” option on its online store, with an official launch scheduled for early January 2024 (specific date to be announced).
Specs
Asus has designed the ROG Phone 9 series with gamers in mind, offering options to cater to different performance and feature needs. The lineup includes three primary models: the standard ROG Phone 9, the ROG Phone 9 Pro, and the ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition. While they share the same core gaming DNA, each model brings unique specifications and benefits.
Here’s a breakdown of the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro specs, alongside the other devices from the series:
Features and Software
This phone is a love letter to mobile gamers. The AirTrigger system adds customizable shoulder buttons for a controller-like experience. AI tools like X Capture and X Sense ensure you never miss a critical moment. The Game Genie and Armoury Crate apps let you tweak performance settings mid-game, from refresh rates to cooling.
Asus gave the ROG Phone 8 and the previous generations two years’ worth of Android and four years of security updates. Starting with the ROG Phone 9, Asus seems to be feeling more generous, boosting the number by up to three years at the time of writing. With Android 15 rolling out as we speak, ROG Phone 9 will receive updates until Android 18, with security updates rolling well past that.
Want convenience? Features like Auto Pick Up for calls and Quick Escape for dodging in-game menus add a touch of finesse. Asus has thought of everything. The ROG Phone 9 Pro is still a flagship-worthy smartphone when you’re not gaming. AI-driven features like real-time call translation and semantic search are handy. At the same time, the customizable AI Wallpaper feature adds a personal touch. It runs Android 15 with Asus’s light skin, keeping things fast and clean.
That said, its unapologetic gaming design might raise eyebrows in professional settings. And remember that you’re paying a premium for features you might only use in gaming.
Design
The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro doesn’t shy away from its identity. From the moment you pick it up, the phone screams “gamer” with its angular aesthetic and the standout AniMe Vision mini-LED matrix on the back. This customizable display isn’t just for show; it lets you program animations, GIFs, and notifications, bringing fun to an otherwise functional feature.
Asus has also made the phone more durable than ROG Phone 8 thanks to its IP68 water and dust resistance, which is the first for the ROG series. Despite its gamer-centric looks, the design is thoughtfully engineered for comfort during long sessions. The weight distribution has a nice balance, and the curved edges make it less unwieldy than expected from such a hefty device. However, at 225g, it’s still on the heavier side.
Display
The ROG Phone 9 Pro’s 6.78-inch AMOLED display features refresh rates of up to 185Hz, delivering fast frames for games such as Call of Duty: Mobile. With support for HDR10+ and a peak brightness of 2,500 nits, the screen performs admirably in dimly lit gaming caves and sunny outdoor settings. Colors are rich, blacks are inky, and motion clarity is second to none, giving this display a thumbs up from us.
It’s not just the specs that impress; Asus has included thoughtful software features to enhance your experience. The Game Genie app lets you customize refresh rates for specific games. At the same time, touch response times are razor-sharp, ensuring your inputs feel instant. Streaming movies or diving into YouTube content is equally satisfying, with punchy colors and immersive clarity.
Camera
The ROG Phone 9 Pro’s camera system plays second fiddle to its gaming features, but that doesn’t mean it’s a slouch. The 50MP Sony Lytia 700 primary sensor is solid, delivering sharp, well-exposed shots in good lighting. The six-axis gimbal stabilizer ensures smooth video recording and crisp images, even during all-out action. This setup can produce social media-worthy results for gamers who occasionally dabble in photography.
The supporting cameras are competent but could be more exciting. The 32MP telephoto lens adds 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. However, the latter is more of a novelty than a practical feature. The 13MP ultrawide camera features a freeform lens to reduce distortion, making it a decent option for landscapes and group shots. However, low-light performance is just average, and while the front-facing 32MP camera is great for selfies, it doesn’t quite match the quality of dedicated camera phones.
Performance
The ROG Phone 9 Pro would take gold, silver, and bronze if performance were a competition. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite and up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM, this phone chews through benchmarks like a pro eater at a hotdog contest, and there are no performance issues in day-to-day tasks like social media browsing or recording video.
Titles like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile run at max settings without breaking a sweat. Thanks to Asus’s X Mode, you can push the CPU and GPU even further, ensuring smooth frame rates for marathon sessions.
Asus didn’t just slap on a fancy processor and call it a day. The ROG Phone 9 Pro’s GameCool 9 cooling system has a multi-layer thermal structure and upgraded graphite sheets to keep temperatures low. Add the AeroActive Cooler X Pro, and you’ll get active cooling with a built-in subwoofer. Long sessions? No problem. This phone runs cooler than your gamer cousin’s RGB-lit PC.
The ROG Phone 9 Pro doesn’t just beat its Android competition—it leaves them in the dust. With a single-core score of 2,775, it outperforms the Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra’s 2,138 by a chunky 29.9%, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 2,137 by 30%, and the Galaxy S24+’s 2,125 by 30.6%. That’s not just a win; it’s a mic drop.
Multi-core scores tell the same story. With a score of 9,649, the ROG Phone obliterates the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s 6777 by 42.4%, crushes the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 6,678 by 44.5%, and annihilates the Galaxy S24+’s 6573 by a jaw-dropping 46.8%.
This isn’t just power; it’s dominance. Whether you’re running demanding games, multitasking, or leveraging Asus’s AI gaming features like X Sense and X Capture, the ROG Phone 9 Pro doesn’t flinch. It’s a rocket where the competition is still pedaling bicycles. If you’ve been dreaming of a phone that makes even the most intense mobile games feel effortless, this is the one.
Battery
Gaming demands power, and the ROG Phone 9 Pro delivers with a beefy 5,800mAh battery. Even with heavy use, you’ll make it through a full day, and lighter users might squeeze out two. The 65W HyperCharge adapter tops it up in under an hour, and the 15W wireless charging is a nice bonus.
Asus also claims the battery retains 80% capacity after 1,000 cycles, giving you about three years of solid use. That’s reassuring for gamers who put their devices through the wringer.
Should you buy the Asus ROG 9 Pro?
The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro isn’t just a phone; it’s a statement. It’s for gamers who demand the best and are fearless in flaunting it. Its unmatched performance, stunning display, and gamer-focused features set a new standard for mobile gaming.
However, it’s a niche device. The aggressive design and premium price might be overkill if you’re not a gamer, and the camera isn’t as impressive as you might expect of a flagship Android. But if you live for high-framerate battles and marathon RPG sessions, this phone is your dream come true.
Alternatives
If our Asus ROG 9 Pro review hasn’t sold you on the Android gaming flagship, check out some suggestions for alternatives below.
iPhone 16 Pro
While the iPhone 16 Pro might not be quite as impressive as the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro when it comes to gaming, it still holds its own and can deal with demanding games like Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile. In terms of almost everything else, the iPhone 16 Pro is probably the superior option, with best-in-class cameras, useful Apple Intelligence AI tools, and the new Camera Control feature.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is another obvious alternative to the ROG Phone 9 Pro, offering a similarly incredible level of performance but with some top-tier camera hardware and software features to boot. The only problem with this option is that a new S25 is anticipated in January 2025, but even if you’re reading this after then, Samsung’s 2024 flagship is no slouch. For more details, check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.