Asus’ ROG Telephone 9 evaluation: a gaming standout

One of many main boons within the smartphone house in recent times is gaming — and never the bloatware sort. As a substitute, it is the sluggish adoption of higher-performance video games and cloud gaming. I’ve needed to be an avid supporter of cellular gaming for years at this level, however there have been hurdles stopping this from changing into a platform I exploit extra typically. After I had the possibility to go hands-on with Asus‘ ROG Telephone 9, I felt as if this might be a brand new lease on life as a cellular 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 collection of nice options to complement and energy the gaming experience. The ROG Telephone 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 Telephone 9 underwhelms in relation to day-to-day use, particularly relating to its digital camera.

Beneficial

Asus ROG Telephone 9

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

Professionals

• Gorgeous AMOLED Show
• AirTriggers are a smooth 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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Worth, availability, and specs

The Asus ROG Telephone 9 launches on Tuesday, November nineteenth. The bottom mannequin of the sequence is out there for $1,000. The system comes with a stunningly crisp 6.78-inch AMOLED E6 show. This display options LTPO know-how, with a dynamic refresh fee between 1 and 120Hz. Nonetheless, ROG Telephone 9 does provide as much as 185Hz when utilizing its Sport Genie for a good 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 Telephone 9 helps as much as 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The digital camera array helps a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia f/1.9 essential lens, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide Free-form lens, and a 5-megapixel macro shooter. The front-facing digital camera is a 32-megapixel ultra-wide lens. Powering the telephone 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. Accessible in storm white and phantom black, the ROG Telephone 9’s physique encompasses a crystallized nano-texture. Lastly, the system helps AirTrigger buttons on the fitting aspect of the unit. These act as refined triggers that replicate the usage of a controller.

Beneficial

Asus ROG Telephone 9

Model

Asus

Show

6.78-inch AMOLED

RAM

As much as 16GB LPDDR 5

Storage

512GB

Battery

5800mAh

Ports

USB-C

Working System

Android

Entrance digital camera

32-megapixel f/2.5 (ultrawide)

Rear digital camera

50-megapixel f/1.9, 1/1.56”(essential), 32MP f/2.4 (telephoto) , 13-megapixel f/2.2 (ultrawide)

Dimensions

6.4 x 3 x .35-inches (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm)

Colours

Storm White and Phantom Black

Launch

November 19

Broaden

Asus additionally affords a number of AI-powered options throughout the ROG Telephone 9 sequence. Many of those, unsurprisingly, are designed for use whereas enjoying video games. These which might be accessible 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 Telephone 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 Telephone 9

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

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

After all, the cellular recreation on everybody’s thoughts proper now’s Pokémon TCG Pocket. It is a recreation that I’ve famous a number of body fee dips when enjoying on iPhone 15 Pro, particularly whereas scrolling the Surprise Picks display. Actually, Pokémon TCG Pocket shouldn’t be setting benchmarks for the ROG Telephone 9. Nonetheless, it reveals that the dynamic refresh fee on the AMOLED show does wonders, even for extra passive video games and in-app experiences.

The place the ROG Telephone 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 Influence, I acquired an opportunity to see the ROG Telephone 9 shine below extra demanding circumstances. Primarily based on Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the ROG Telephone 9 garnered a 3,207 CPU score with a ten,186 GPU score. Due to the Snapdragon 8 Elite‘s efficiency, Name of Obligation: Warzone Cell ran silky clean with no noticeable display tearing throughout on-line matches.

Utilizing the AirTriggers on the aspect of the system, I used to be capable of mimic the usage of aiming down sight and capturing my weapon like I do when enjoying on Xbox or PlayStation. With Genshin Influence, Asus bakes in its X Sense AI options. Utilizing picture recognition know-how, gadgets have been routinely picked up, and an auto-run means was accessible. I am unable to assist however attest that this use of AI is extremely revolutionary for the ROG Telephone 9. Sadly, the accessible 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. Primarily based on common use with intermittent video streaming and gaming, I squeezed round 21 hours of battery life out of the ROG Telephone 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 system. There’s the cumbersome ROG AeroActive Cooler offered individually to extend the cooling primarily based on the CPU temperature. Nonetheless, I am unable to think about utilizing this whereas on the go.

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

The ROG Telephone 9 is a beast for gaming however performs it protected 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 digital camera bump look gaudy to me. I perceive the enchantment of getting a textured rear for a gaming telephone. Nonetheless, the ROG Telephone 9 feels a little bit low-cost in my hand.

Had I used this as my major system over an prolonged interval, I would most likely spend money on a case to cowl it. The corporate set a precedent of the ROG Telephone 9 being a gaming system. That is very obvious within the inventory UI after establishing the system. The app icons for the Telephone, Digicam, and Gallery apps are removed from smooth in comparison with different Android units.

I am additionally frankly underwhelmed by the digital camera array of the ROG Telephone 9. It is undoubtedly not Asus’ sturdy swimsuit. I am removed from a shutterbug however I might instantly see the disparity in photographs taken from my iPhone 15 Professional and the ROG Telephone 9. On the Asus-made telephone, photographs look crisp and vivid. Nonetheless, as quickly as I pulled them onto my PC, they seemed 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.

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Do you have to purchase the ROG Telephone 9?

A fantastic cellular gaming rig in case you ignore gaming handhelds

It is simple that Asus packed in spectacular {hardware} to assist refine the ROG Telephone 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 Telephone 9 would not do a lot to face out as a smartphone. Throughout all of its telephone properties, Asus performs it fairly protected.

As a cellular gaming smartphone, the ROG Telephone 9 will serve you nicely. In case you’re grinding by way of Genshin Influence or wish to play some video games by way of the cloud, you may probably 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 Telephone 9 for its gaming capabilities solely, I would nearly be extra compelled to counsel an ROG Ally or a Steam Deck as an alternative.

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