Asus’ ROG Cellphone 9 evaluate: the gaming powerhouse

One of many main boons within the smartphone area in recent times is gaming — and never the bloatware form. As a substitute, it is the gradual adoption of higher-performance video games and cloud gaming. I’ve wished to be an avid supporter of cell gaming for years at this level, however there was various hurdles in the best way. After I had the possibility to go hands-on with Asus‘ ROG Cellphone 9, I felt as if this could possibly be a brand new probability 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 set 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 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 concerning its digicam.

Your modifications have been saved

Really helpful

Asus ROG Cellphone 9

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

Professionals

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

Cons

• Gamer-first design and UI is ugly
• Digital camera 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 check our personal merchandise, and we solely publish purchaser’s guides with merchandise we have truly reviewed.

Worth, availability, and specs

The Asus ROG Cellphone 9 launches on Tuesday, November nineteenth. The bottom mannequin of the sequence is obtainable for $1,000. The machine comes with a stunningly crisp 6.78-inch AMOLED E6 show. This display screen options LTPO know-how, with a dynamic refresh price between 1 and 120Hz. Nonetheless, ROG Cellphone 9 does provide 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, 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 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 Cellphone 9’s physique includes a crystallized nano-texture. Lastly, the machine helps AirTrigger buttons on the appropriate aspect of the unit. These act as refined triggers that replicate using a controller.

Asus additionally affords a number of 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 are 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 would not assist Circle to Search at launch (although it’s being added throughout This fall 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 may 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 below the radar. Nonetheless, it matches 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 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.

After all, the cell sport on everybody’s thoughts proper now’s Pokémon TCG Pocket. It is a sport that I’ve famous a number of body price dips when taking part in on iPhone 15 Pro, particularly whereas scrolling the Marvel Picks display screen. Actually, Pokémon TCG Pocket is just not setting benchmarks for the ROG Cellphone 9. Nonetheless, it exhibits 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 acquired an opportunity to see the ROG Cellphone 9 shine below extra demanding circumstances. Primarily based 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 Cellular ran silky easy with no noticeable display screen tearing throughout on-line matches.

Associated

Google’s new Genie 2 AI model is here, and it wants to suck the soul out of game design

Google’s DeepMind workforce of scientists and engineers have simply introduced Genie 2, which may auto-generate complete 3D online game worlds on the fly.

Utilizing the AirTriggers on the aspect of the machine, I used to be capable of mimic using aiming down sight and taking pictures my weapon like I do when taking part in on Xbox or PlayStation. With Genshin Affect, Asus bakes in its X Sense AI options. Utilizing picture recognition know-how, objects have been mechanically picked up, and an auto-run potential was obtainable. I can not 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. Primarily based 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 be optimizing the thermal cooling of the machine. 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.

Associated

YouTube’s hidden gaming section is finally worth checking out

YouTube is beginning to add multiplayer performance to a number of the video games in its Playable video games library.

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 would not shrink back from this being a really ‘gamer’ smartphone for higher or worse. I am not an enormous 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 telephone. Nonetheless, the ROG Cellphone 9 feels just a little low cost in my hand.

Had I used this as my major machine over an prolonged interval, I might most likely spend money on a case to cowl it. The corporate set a precedent of the ROG Cellphone 9 being a gaming machine. That is very obvious within the inventory UI after organising the machine. The app icons for the Cellphone, Digital camera, 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’ sturdy swimsuit. 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 telephone, pictures look crisp and vivid. Nonetheless, as quickly as I pulled them onto my PC, they seemed way more lifeless and washed out. I needed to edit and bump the distinction in every of them for this evaluate simply to make them a bit extra interesting for me to take a look at.

Associated

6 camera apps that got me thinking creatively with my iPhone

All you need to do is level and shoot to take a superb picture on iPhone, however you will have extra enjoyable fussing with the settings in these apps.

Do you have to purchase the ROG Cellphone 9?

An ideal cell gaming rig for those who 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 telephone properties, Asus performs it fairly protected.

As a cell gaming smartphone, the ROG Cellphone 9 will serve you nicely. In the event you’re grinding via Genshin Affect or need to play some video games through the cloud, you will doubtless benefit from the person 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 completely, I might nearly be extra compelled to recommend an ROG Ally or a Steam Deck as a substitute.

Your modifications have been saved

Really helpful

Asus ROG Cellphone 9

Associated

Balatro just picked up its first major Game of the Year award

Balatro, the roguelike card sport that has endeared many, has gained Apple’s Arcade Recreation of the Yr.