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Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro vs. RedMagic 10 Pro - which is better for gaming?

The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro and the RedMagic 10 Pro are a pair of elite gaming phones, and we tested them against each other to find a winner.

Custom image for "Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro vs RedMagic 10 Pro: which is better for gaming?" guide showing both phones on a dark red background

Our Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro vs. RedMagic 10 Pro guide will be able to help you decide which one suits you best when playing all of your favorite games on Android. Although they both feature Snapdragon's Elite chipset, there are plenty of differences that could potentially sway you to pick one phone over the other. With this in mind, we've broken down what they offer and how they fare when it comes to gaming on the go.

If you need more help deciding on your next tech purchase, make sure to take a look at our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets. Or, if you'd rather pick up something completely different to quench that gaming thirst, check out our list of the best handheld consoles you can buy right now.

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At Pocket Tactics, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

Price and availability

Think of these phones as the equivalent of a PS5 Pro and an Xbox Series S console. The PS5 Pro equivalent, the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro, is available for £1,099.99/$1,199.99. If you're on a budget, however, you can buy the RedMagic 10 Pro for £579/$649.

Both phones are available now via outlets such as Amazon, each brand's official stores, and more. If you're purely looking at the price, the RedMagic 10 Pro will be the best buy for you, but you'll lose out on features that the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro offers, such as a better 185 Hz display, a 32 MP front camera compared to the RedMagic's 16 MP, and more.

Specs

Specs Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro RedMagic 10 Pro
Display 6.78-inch 185Hz LTPO AMOLED (2448 x 1080 pixels) 6.85-inch 144Hz AMOLED (2400 x 1080 pixels)
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
RAM 16GB / 24GB 12GB / 16GB / 24GB
Storage 512GB / 1TB 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Battery 5,800 mAh, 65W wired charging, 15W wireless charging 7,050 mAh, 100W wired charging
Back cameras 50 MP main, 32 MP telephoto, 13 MP ultrawide 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 2MP macro
Front camera 32 MP 16 MP
Cooling system Advanced vapor chamber cooling with optional external AeroActive Cooler Built-in turbofan with liquid cooling
Operating system Android 15 Android 15

Performance and gaming

Considering that these are gaming phones, it's no surprise that both the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro and RedMagic 10 Pro are powered by Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, meaning that running games at a high frame rate, as well as any multitasking, is no problem for both phones. The RedMagic 10 Pro has 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of storage, while the ROG Phone 9 Pro comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of storage. Ultimately, playing games such as Genshin Impact and Alien Isolation will be no problem for either phone.

Custom image for "Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro vs RedMagic 10 Pro: which is better for gaming?" guide showing the RedMagic 10 Pro running Honkai Star Rail

However, the ROG 9 Pro offers an added benefit when playing games. The AirTriggers 9 are shoulder buttons on the side of the device that simulate triggers on an Xbox controller. These can be great when playing games like Fortnite, switching between weapons in an instant.

Although the RedMagic 10 Pro doesn't have triggers, it does feature an ICE-X liquid cooling system. If you're planning on playing a bunch of games more than you spend on apps like WhatsApp and Instagram, this innovative system keeps the 10 Pro cool thanks to a fan that can turn at 23,000 RPM as well as having sheets of copper foil and liquid metal within the device, ensuring that everything stays as cool as possible when under some extreme gaming.

Ultimately, both phones offer fantastic features that can run the best Android games at a consistently high frame rate. It just depends on how much you like the other features that both the ROG 9 Pro and the RedMagic 10 Pro offer.

Design and display

Both the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro and the RedMagic 10 Pro are designed with gamers at the forefront, featuring high refresh rates of 185 Hz for the ROG Phone 9 Pro and 144 Hz for the RedMagic 10 Pro. Each of them has an industrial design that looks more akin to a high-end gaming controller, with a black matte color scheme and a three-camera array on the back.

Custom image for "Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro vs RedMagic 10 Pro: which is better for gaming?" guide showing the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro running Among Us

However, each phone has some unique elements that set them apart. For example, the ROG Phone 9 Pro has the AniMe Play on its back, using the 648 mini LEDs to display useful information such as battery life and time, and it even enables owners to play a variety of games on the back of the device. It's a random feature, but it looks striking to anyone, making you wonder why other phones haven't done something similar. When it comes to the RedMagic 10 Pro, it emphasizes a near bezel-less 6.85-inch display with ultra-thin borders and a front camera that's underneath, ensuring that nothing gets in the way of the display.

Cameras

Although both Asus and RedMagic have designed their phones for gaming, they do offer decent camera quality. Just don't expect the kind of results that an iPhone 16 Pro Max offers.

Cameras Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro RedMagic 10 Pro
Main 50 MP (Sony LYTIA 700, f/1.9) 50 MP (OIS)
Telephoto 32 MP (3x optical zoom) N/A
Ultrawide 13 MP (120° FoV) 50 MP
Macro N/A 2 MP
Front-facing 32 MP 16 MP

As the table shows, the ROG Phone 9 Pro has a 50 MP main camera sensor with an option to switch to the telephoto or ultra-wide lens. All three deliver decent detail and colors when taking photos and recording video, especially when used in daylight, but don't expect fantastically sharp quality when using the 13 MP ultra-wide lens. The front camera is at an impressive 32 MP and can capture natural colors, but it can struggle with shadows at times.

On the other hand, the RedMagic 10 Pro features a 50 MP ultra-wide lens and a 2 MP macro camera lens, leapfrogging the ROG Phone 9 Pro instantly when it comes to taking zoomed-in shots of subjects. However, the 10 Pro lacks a telephoto lens, so any shots are digitally cropped, which may result in diminished image quality. The front-facing camera is at a low 16 MP, which makes sense as it sits under the display, so it offers softer details and weaker photo quality when used in low light. When it comes down to it, the cameras on both devices will be more than passable, but as these are gaming phones first and foremost, don't expect images and videos that will blow you away.

Battery

When it comes to battery life, the RedMagic 10 Pro has a huge 7,050 mAh battery with up to 135W fast charging, meaning you can juice the device back up to full in under an hour. The ROG Phone 9 Pro comes with a bigger 5,800 mAh battery, offering 65W fast charging, but also the ability to offer 15W wireless charging. Both phones offer some mighty power, both in battery and performance, but if you want a phone that can charge up more quickly, the RedMagic 10 Pro could be the way to go.

Services

One of the best things about Android, unlike Apple's iOS software, is the ability for manufacturers to make the operating system their own. This is true for both phones here, with the ROG Phone 9 Pro able to provide certain features within its ROG UI, such as its AI Grabber, which can help players finish a certain level thanks to the tips the feature can provide.

There's also the Armory Crate, an all-in-one hub that lets users monitor the phone's stats, adjust fan speeds, offer performance profiles, and much more. There's also the peace of mind of two years of Android OS updates, making sure that the ROG Phone 9 Pro can take advantage of future performance advantages.

Custom image for "Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro vs RedMagic 10 Pro: which is better for gaming?" showing the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro's Game Genie

When it comes to the RedMagic 10 Pro, RedMagic OS is its custom Android wrapper that sits on top of Android 15. Its interface offers features such as the Gaming Lobby, which offers quick access to any games installed on the device, as well as GameSpace, an overlay that can give players a quick view of the CPU and GPU performance of the 10 Pro at any time.

Like the ROG Phone 9 Pro, users are also guaranteed two years' worth of Android OS updates as well, ensuring that any new features or optimizations are carried over to the 10 Pro. Overall, both phones offer some impressive features for gamers; it just depends on which one suits you best.

Verdict

It's worth noting that, in 2025, no smartphone is inherently 'bad' or the lesser option. It's now down to which one fits your needs. If you're looking for a device that strictly needs to fit your gaming fix, then the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro is the way to go, handling all the best mobile games with ease.

Featuring a higher refresh rate than the RedMagic 10 Pro at 144Hz, playing Fortnite on its 6.85-inch display is the best option. There's also better 65W wireless charging, so if you need to juice it up for another gaming session quickly, it's ready. Still, if you need a little more time to decide, be sure to check out our RedMagic 10 Pro review and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro review for the detailed lowdowns

For even more tech advice, be sure to check out our picks for the best Android phones and the best Steam Deck alternatives while you're here. Or, if you're a big fan of retro games, see our picks for the best retro handhelds you can buy today.