The ASUS ROG Phone 9 series has launched globally, with the Pro model aiming to dominate the gaming smartphone segment. Packed with cutting-edge hardware, an external cooler, and a 185Hz display, the ROG Phone 9 Pro is making waves. Let's dive into what early reviews are saying.
Design and Display
The ROG Phone 9 Pro retains a similar design to its predecessor, the ROG 8 Pro, with a matte glass back, aluminum frame, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, available in black or white. The Pro model features the AniMe Vision mini-display with 648 LEDs (compared to 85 on the standard model), allowing for customizable animations and even simple games. The phone weighs 227g, is 8.9mm thick, and boasts IP68 water and dust resistance.
The standout feature is the 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED (Samsung E6) display with a 185Hz refresh rate (achievable through the Game Genie utility) and FHD+ resolution. The display offers vibrant colors, high brightness (peaking at 2500 nits with HDR10+), and dynamic refresh rate adjustment up to 120Hz.
Performance and Software
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the ROG Phone 9 Pro comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Pro Edition bumps this up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Three performance modes (Dynamic, X Mode, and X Mode+ with the cooler attached) offer varying levels of performance.
Benchmark Scores (AnTuTu 10):
- Dynamic Mode: 2,037,708
- X Mode: 2,940,390
- X Mode+: 3,042,971
While X Mode+ delivers the highest benchmark scores with the cooler, the base Dynamic mode achieved the best results in 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, suggesting optimized GPU performance. The AeroActive Cooler X enhances stability, and passive cooling has also been improved.
The ROG Phone 9 Pro runs Android 15 with ROG UI, offering a gamer-centric interface with customization options and performance-enhancing features like Game Genie and Armoury Crate.
Camera and Battery
The triple camera system features a 50MP Sony LYT-700 main sensor, a 32MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom, and a 13MP ultrawide lens. Image quality is generally good, although some reviewers noted occasional overexposure. The 5800mAh battery delivers excellent battery life, lasting nearly 17 hours in GSMArena's tests, and supports 65W fast charging, reaching a full charge in 47 minutes.
Price
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro is priced at $1199.
