Asus’ ROG Cellphone 9 overview: the gaming powerhouse

One of many main boons within the smartphone area in recent times is gaming — and never the bloatware sort. As a substitute, it is the gradual adoption of higher-performance video games and cloud gaming. I’ve needed to be an avid supporter of cell gaming for years at this level, however there was quite a lot of hurdles in the best way. Once I had the prospect to go hands-on with Asus‘ ROG Cellphone 9, I felt as if this could possibly be a brand new likelihood to get in on cell gaming.

Asus’ ROG Phone 9 is developed to be a cutting-edge gaming-first smartphone. With all the trimmings of the ROG design philosophy, Asus packs in a collection of nice options to complement and energy the gaming experience. The ROG Cellphone 9 sequence is complemented with a Professional lineup. Nonetheless, even the bottom mannequin has a noticeably stable battery and a show that begs for video games to be performed on it. Sadly, the ROG Cellphone 9 underwhelms relating to day-to-day use, particularly concerning its digicam.

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Asus ROG Cellphone 9

Asus’ ROG Cellphone 9 is a sturdy gaming-first smartphone with innovating {hardware} and software program perks made to play cell video games, together with AirTriggers and AI-driven options.

Execs

• Beautiful AMOLED Show
• AirTriggers are a modern addition
• As much as 21 hours of battery

Cons

• Gamer-first design and UI is ugly
• Digicam high quality is subpar

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Value, availability, and specs

The Asus ROG Cellphone 9 launches on Tuesday, November nineteenth. The bottom mannequin of the sequence is out there for $1,000. The gadget comes with a stunningly crisp 6.78-inch AMOLED E6 show. This display options LTPO expertise, with a dynamic refresh charge between 1 and 120Hz. Nonetheless, ROG Cellphone 9 does supply as much as 185Hz when utilizing its Sport Genie for a fair smoother gameplay expertise. The show additionally helps a peak brightness of two,500 nits, serving to colours and distinction keep vivid even when outside within the daytime.

Wanting on the inside specs, the bottom ROG Cellphone 9 helps as much as 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The digicam array helps a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia f/1.9 important lens, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide Free-form lens, and a 5-megapixel macro shooter. The front-facing digicam is a 32-megapixel ultra-wide lens. Powering the cellphone is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which leverages a 5,800mAh battery.

All of that is wrapped in a 6.4 x 3 x 0.35-inches (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm) type issue. Out there in storm white and phantom black, the ROG Cellphone 9’s physique contains a crystallized nano-texture. Lastly, the gadget helps AirTrigger buttons on the appropriate facet of the unit. These act as delicate triggers that replicate the usage of a controller.

Asus additionally provides just a few AI-powered options throughout the ROG Cellphone 9 sequence. Many of those, unsurprisingly, are designed for use whereas taking part in video games. These which can be out there for traditional day-to-day use aren’t all that distinctive or thrilling. It is also odd that after spending the yr testing numerous Android telephones, the ROG Cellphone 9 would not help Circle to Search at launch (although it’s being added throughout This fall 2024).

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What I like in regards to the ROG Cellphone 9

Asus’ ROG Cellphone 9 bridges the hole between smartphones and the Steam Deck

Asus’ ROG suite is fairly well-known. The ROG Cellphone, nevertheless, flies somewhat beneath the radar. Nonetheless, it suits inside the Republic of Gamer household properly. A lot of the corporate’s experience in gaming {hardware} comes over into the cell market. Whether or not or not the design philosophy is your fashion, the ROG Cellphone 9 was made to play video games on. The very first thing I did when testing the ROG Cellphone 9 was set up a small assortment of titles.

In fact, the cell sport on everybody’s thoughts proper now’s Pokémon TCG Pocket. It is a sport that I’ve famous just a few body charge dips when taking part in on iPhone 15 Pro, particularly whereas scrolling the Marvel Picks display. Actually, Pokémon TCG Pocket isn’t setting benchmarks for the ROG Cellphone 9. Nonetheless, it exhibits that the dynamic refresh charge on the AMOLED show does wonders, even for extra passive video games and in-app experiences.

The place the ROG Cellphone 9’s gaming capabilities start to shine is when approaching extra performance-intensive video games. Putting in titles like Name of Obligation: Warzone Cell and Genshin Impression, I obtained an opportunity to see the ROG Cellphone 9 shine beneath extra demanding circumstances. Based mostly on Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the ROG Cellphone 9 garnered a 3,207 CPU ranking with a ten,186 GPU ranking. Because of the Snapdragon 8 Elite‘s efficiency, Name of Obligation: Warzone Cell ran silky easy with no noticeable display tearing throughout on-line matches.

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Utilizing the AirTriggers on the facet of the gadget, I used to be capable of mimic the usage of aiming down sight and taking pictures my weapon like I do when taking part in on Xbox or PlayStation. With Genshin Impression, Asus bakes in its X Sense AI options. Utilizing picture recognition expertise, objects have been robotically picked up, and an auto-run capability was out there. I can not assist however attest that this use of AI is extremely progressive for the ROG Cellphone 9. Sadly, the out there titles that use X Sense are few and much between.

Fortunately, given it invested a lot into its gaming suite, Asus additionally included a really respectable battery this yr. Based mostly on common use with intermittent video streaming and gaming, I squeezed round 21 hours of battery life out of the ROG Cellphone 9. To no shock, the longevity of the battery life dwindles exceptionally whereas gaming. Even when I used to be utilizing Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream some video games whereas watching TV, I might sometimes run the battery dry for round 5 hours. Asus can also be optimizing the thermal cooling of the gadget. There’s the cumbersome ROG AeroActive Cooler offered individually to extend the cooling based mostly on the CPU temperature. Nonetheless, I can not think about utilizing this whereas on the go.

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What I do not like in regards to the ROG Cellphone 9

The ROG Cellphone 9 is a beast for gaming however performs it secure elsewhere

Asus would not draw back from this being a really ‘gamer’ smartphone for higher or worse. I am not a giant fan of how the ROG design philosophy interprets as a smartphone. The rugged angular edges of the digicam bump look gaudy to me. I perceive the attraction of getting a textured rear for a gaming cellphone. Nonetheless, the ROG Cellphone 9 feels somewhat low cost in my hand.

Had I used this as my main gadget over an prolonged interval, I might in all probability put money into a case to cowl it. The corporate set a precedent of the ROG Cellphone 9 being a gaming gadget. That is very obvious within the inventory UI after establishing the gadget. The app icons for the Cellphone, Digicam, and Gallery apps are removed from modern in comparison with different Android units.

I am additionally frankly underwhelmed by the digicam array of the ROG Cellphone 9. It is undoubtedly not Asus’ robust go well with. I am removed from a shutterbug however I may instantly see the disparity in pictures taken from my iPhone 15 Professional and the ROG Cellphone 9. On the Asus-made cellphone, pictures look crisp and vivid. Nonetheless, as quickly as I pulled them onto my PC, they appeared way more lifeless and washed out. I needed to edit and bump the distinction in every of them for this overview simply to make them a bit extra interesting for me to take a look at.

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Must you purchase the ROG Cellphone 9?

An amazing cell gaming rig if you happen to ignore gaming handhelds

It is simple that Asus packed in spectacular {hardware} to assist refine the ROG Cellphone 9. The smartphone options ample processing energy and a stellar battery to service on-the-go gaming. Sadly, I believe in doing so, the ROG Cellphone 9 would not do a lot to face out as a smartphone. Throughout all of its cellphone properties, Asus performs it fairly secure.

As a cell gaming smartphone, the ROG Cellphone 9 will serve you nicely. In the event you’re grinding by Genshin Impression or need to play some video games through the cloud, you will doubtless benefit from the consumer expertise. My solely want is that the standard of its gaming efficiency was maintained throughout the board. In the event you’re within the ROG Cellphone 9 for its gaming capabilities solely, I might virtually be extra compelled to recommend an ROG Ally or a Steam Deck as an alternative.

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Asus ROG Cellphone 9

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