Asus’ ROG Cellphone 9 evaluation: a gaming standout

One of many main boons within the smartphone house in recent times is gaming — and never the bloatware variety. 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 have been hurdles stopping this from turning into a platform I exploit extra usually. After I had the possibility to go hands-on with Asus‘ ROG Cellphone 9, I felt as if this might be a brand new lease on life as a cell gaming participant.

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 set of nice options to complement and energy the gaming experience. The ROG Cellphone 9 collection is complemented with a Professional lineup. Nevertheless, even the bottom mannequin has a noticeably strong battery and a show that begs for video games to be performed on it. Sadly, the ROG Cellphone 9 underwhelms in relation to day-to-day use, particularly relating to its digicam.

Beneficial

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.

Professionals

• Gorgeous 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

See our course of

How we test and review products at Pocket-lint

We do not do arm-chair analysis. We purchase and take a look at our personal merchandise, and we solely publish purchaser’s guides with merchandise we have really reviewed.

Value, availability, and specs

The Asus ROG Cellphone 9 launches on Tuesday, November nineteenth. The bottom mannequin of the collection is obtainable for $1,000. The gadget comes with a stunningly crisp 6.78-inch AMOLED E6 show. This display options LTPO know-how, with a dynamic refresh price between 1 and 120Hz. Nevertheless, ROG Cellphone 9 does supply as much as 185Hz when utilizing its Recreation Genie for an excellent smoother gameplay expertise. The show additionally helps a peak brightness of two,500 nits, serving to colours and distinction keep vivid even when open air 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 fundamental lens and a 32MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with a 13-megapixel ultra-wide Free-form lens. The front-facing digicam is a 32-megapixel ultra-wide lens. Powering the cellphone is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, leveraging 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. Obtainable in storm white and phantom black, the ROG Cellphone 9’s physique includes a crystallized nano-texture. Lastly, the gadget helps AirTrigger buttons on the suitable facet of the unit. These act as refined triggers that replicate using a controller.

Asus additionally presents a number of AI-powered options throughout the ROG Cellphone 9 collection. Many of those, unsurprisingly, are designed for use whereas enjoying video games. These which can be obtainable for traditional day-to-day use aren’t all that distinctive or thrilling. It is also odd that after spending the yr testing varied Android telephones, the ROG Cellphone 9 does not help Circle to Search at launch (although it’s being added throughout This autumn 2024).

Associated

9 Asus ROG Ally tips and tricks: Level-up your handheld console

The Asus ROG Ally is a robust handheld PC, and with the following tips and tips, you will get much more out of your gaming expertise with it.

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, nonetheless, flies just a little beneath the radar. Nevertheless, it suits throughout 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 model, 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 could be Pokémon TCG Pocket. It is a sport that I’ve famous a number of body price dips when enjoying on iPhone 15 Pro, particularly whereas scrolling the Marvel Picks display. Actually, Pokémon TCG Pocket isn’t setting benchmarks for the ROG Cellphone 9. Nevertheless, it reveals that the dynamic refresh price 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 Cellular and Genshin Affect, I bought 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. Due to the Snapdragon 8 Elite‘s efficiency, Name of Obligation: Warzone Cellular ran silky clean with no noticeable display tearing throughout on-line matches.

Utilizing the AirTriggers on the facet of the gadget, I used to be capable of mimic using aiming down sight and taking pictures my weapon like I do when enjoying on Xbox or PlayStation. With Genshin Affect, Asus bakes in its X Sense AI options. Utilizing picture recognition know-how, gadgets had been routinely picked up, and an auto-run capacity was obtainable. I am unable to assist however attest that this use of AI is extremely progressive for the ROG Cellphone 9. Sadly, the obtainable 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 would 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 primarily based on the CPU temperature. Nevertheless, I am unable to think about utilizing this whereas on the go.

Associated

Players already sinking millions into new Pokémon mobile game

Pokémon TCG Pocket solely launched final week, however the sport is already making tens of millions of {dollars} and has reached over 10 million downloads.

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

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

Asus does 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. Nevertheless, the ROG Cellphone 9 feels just a little low cost in my hand.

Had I used this as my main gadget over an prolonged interval, I would most likely spend money on 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 organising the gadget. The app icons for the Cellphone, Digicam, and Gallery apps are removed from modern in comparison with different Android gadgets.

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 photographs taken from my iPhone 15 Professional and the ROG Cellphone 9. On the Asus-made cellphone, photographs look crisp and vivid. Nevertheless, as quickly as I pulled them onto my PC, they regarded much more lifeless and washed out. I needed to edit and bump the distinction in every of them for this evaluation simply to make them a bit extra interesting for me to have a look at.

Associated

6 camera apps that got me thinking creatively with my iPhone

All it’s important to do is level and shoot to take picture on iPhone, however you may have extra enjoyable fussing with the settings in these apps.

Must you purchase the ROG Cellphone 9?

A terrific cell gaming rig should you ignore gaming handhelds

It is plain 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 does not do a lot to face out as a smartphone. Throughout all of its cellphone properties, Asus performs it fairly protected.

As a cell gaming smartphone, the ROG Cellphone 9 will serve you effectively. In case you’re grinding by means of Genshin Affect or wish to play some video games through the cloud, you may seemingly benefit from the consumer expertise. My solely want is that the standard of its gaming efficiency was maintained throughout the board. In case you’re within the ROG Cellphone 9 for its gaming capabilities completely, I would nearly be extra compelled to recommend an ROG Ally or a Steam Deck as an alternative.

Beneficial

Asus ROG Cellphone 9

Associated

Google could be adding yet another AI feature to search

Outcomes are up to date in real-time, providing quicker and extra conversational outcomes whereas looking out.