Asus ROG Phone 9 hands-on: the first gaming phone with Snapdragon Elite 8 – The Shortcut
The Asus ROG Phone 9 is here, and it’s packed with features that gamers will love. The ROG Phone 9 boasts a ton of new technology under the hood and is being called the world’s first phone with Snapdragon Elite Gaming 8 – the successor to Snapdragon Elite Gaming.
But that’s not all. Asus has also upped the ante with a brighter, faster AMOLED display and packed the ROG Phone 9 with a new generation of the AirTrigger ultrasonic shoulder buttons.
We spent some time with the new ROG Phone 9. We found this is the first time Asus is bringing truly remarkable features that have a genuine impact on the gaming experience, and you’ll definitely feel it from the first tap of the AirTriggers to the impressive HDR visuals, smooth performance, and audio. Here’s what we thought of the ROG Phone 9.
Asus ROG Phone 9: First impressions
The Asus ROG Phone 9 feels every bit the flagship, starting with the new, redesigned “Cyborg” design. The ROG Phone 9 comes in a “Black Phantom” model with the usual Cyberpunk vibe Asus has perfected over the past several ROG phone iterations.
Holding the ROG Phone 9 in hand, you can feel it’s crafted for grip and feel as Asus claims that “the ergonomics are improved, with a smoother texture.” This does seem true, however, we believe that the 2023 model of ROG Phone still doesn’t come close to the level of grip comfort seen on other leading brands like, for example, Xiaomi, which recently introduced the highly coveted Red Magic 9.
We saw the display being shown off with the new ROG Vision back panel that displays visuals like game scores, game load screen progress, and the “ROG” branding. It also comes equipped with the new customizable AR ROG Logo which allows you to pick what you want to display along the back. You can even select custom RGB animations with effects such as a heartbeat effect to make the back of your ROG Phone even more striking. We didn’t play around with that as we found the front-facing screen a lot more exciting.
On the right-hand side of the device, you have the signature physical AirTrigger buttons, which have always been one of our favorite aspects of the ROG Phone lineup and why we feel ROG continues to innovate and outperform competition on game controls. Now with this model you are given an advanced next generation experience with the AirTrigger 9 buttons.
What is so special about the AirTriggers, especially the 9th generation, you might be asking? It all boils down to precision controls for the gamer who wants a little extra speed. The new design with the upgraded ultrasonic buttons offers better control compared to what was found on previous models. They can now be pressed in even further before triggering, and they come with extra features that include double press options, customized press durations, and even the ability to detect how hard you are pressing the button, letting you customize your favorite games.
That’s one of the reasons we give ROG high marks for pushing beyond the typical mobile gaming device and into an advanced, even slightly “geeky” design with its intricate user experience. This has been Asus’s strategy all along, but the addition of these controls gives ROG the ability to give a level of precision never seen on another gaming phone, rivaling gaming controllers. That’s why you’ll be hearing more about AirTriggers on the ROG Phone 9 than just about anything else on the device.
What to know about the ROG Phone 9
Let’s face it. Any phone can now deliver fast performance. In fact, we could argue the latest budget phones in the midrange and even sub $200 models are a lot better than gaming phones of just a couple of years ago. What Asus does with its new flagship ROG is give you the hardware to take mobile gaming into another league.
Snapdragon Elite Gaming 8: The first phone with a truly customized processor
It all starts with a powerful CPU inside that allows users to achieve “ultra” fast response speeds and frames-per-second numbers. The Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite 8 platform inside ROG is being referred to as the future of “immersive mobile gaming,” since it’s based on the same cutting-edge silicon as the high-powered “4 nm” CPU found in its gaming consoles.
ROG Phone 9’s specs will stun even diehard gaming fans
Here’s what makes the new Asus ROG Phone 9 the ultimate mobile gaming experience and sets the stage for the next evolution of mobile gaming for any high-end player:
* 6.78-inch, FHD+ Samsung AMOLED (with up to a 165Hz refresh rate)
* Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (first phone ever to have the Snapdragon Elite Gaming 8 )
* 36GB LPDDR5X RAM
* Up to 1 TB of UFS 4.0 storage (it’s available in two tiers; a 512 GB storage or 1 TB storage)
* 5000 mAh Battery with a 65-watt charging system (also has a 30 watt wireless fast charger)
* New custom chip and GPU
* ROG AeroActive Portal and ROG AeroActive Cooler 9
* AirTrigger 9 Ultrasonic shoulder buttons
* 20 MP (front camera)
* 50 MP, 13 MP, and 8 MP rear camera
Will the Asus ROG Phone 9 give its rivals a run for their money?
We will need to get our hands on a review unit to really dig into that question and figure out what the “true” benefits are of having an even faster, more refined chip under the hood than ever before in the ROG Phone series, along with an incredibly immersive gaming experience and better graphics that only come from Snapdragon Elite 8.
If we can provide more insight, this could possibly turn into the top of the line mobile gaming phone for 2024 and challenge the current industry leader Xiaomi’s Red Magic series, which will also be pushing new bounds with the upcoming Red Magic 9 Pro. We will definitely be putting those two through the wringer as soon as possible!
So, is the ROG Phone 9 the perfect gaming phone?
Ultimately, this depends on your perspective as a gamer. The ROG Phone 9 is clearly built for serious mobile gamers and it gives us an edge over the competition when it comes to the ROG Vision display and its new level of mobile gaming controls. But other phones offer higher refresh rate and faster CPU power than other competing phone brands. While ROG certainly holds its ground in a crowded mobile gaming marketplace, the choice for consumers depends on their unique mobile gaming needs. This new ROG phone certainly fits the bill, and that might be enough for some consumers and not others.
However, if you can afford a cutting edge flagship smartphone, the ROG Phone 9 delivers top notch mobile gaming in an exceptional design with exceptional mobile gaming capabilities.
