ROG Phone 9 Pro Review – Gaming Excellence Evolved

When it comes to gaming smartphones, ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) has consistently pushed the boundaries of mobile gaming performance. Their latest flagship, the ROG Phone 9 Pro, emerges as a testament to their commitment to mobile gaming excellence. Building upon the success of its predecessor, this iteration brings refined features and innovative additions that promise to elevate the mobile gaming experience. In this comprehensive review of the ROG Phone 9 Pro, we’ll examine every aspect that makes this gaming powerhouse stand out in the increasingly competitive gaming smartphone market.

Design

ASUS has masterfully evolved the gaming aesthetic with the ROG Phone 9 Pro, introducing a sophisticated yet distinctly gamer-centric design. The phone’s back panel showcases a premium matte finish with a crystalized nano-texture that not only provides a satisfying tactile experience but also effectively resists fingerprints. ROG’s iconic Fearless Eye and signature slash patterns are thoughtfully integrated into the design, maintaining the brand’s gaming heritage while presenting a more refined appearance.

The AniMe Vision display makes a triumphant return with significant enhancements. Now featuring 648 mini-LEDs, this customizable back panel display offers unprecedented flexibility in personalization. Users can now display complex text, including Chinese and Japanese characters, and even showcase custom GIF animations, adding a new dimension of personalization. Exclusive to the Pro model, the AniMe Play feature transforms this display into an interactive surface, allowing users to enjoy retro mini-games using the phone’s AirTrigger buttons, creating a unique blend of nostalgia and modern technology.

Display

The visual experience on the ROG Phone 9 Pro centers around its impressive 6.78″ AMOLED Samsung E6 display with LTPO technology. While maintaining the same panel as its predecessor, ASUS has pushed the boundaries by increasing the refresh rate to 185Hz in supported games, up from the previous 165Hz. This upgrade, while subtle, demonstrates ROG’s commitment to delivering the smoothest possible gaming experience.

The display maintains its sharp 2400×1080 resolution and impressive brightness capabilities, offering peak brightness of up to 2500 nits and 1600 nits in HBM mode. Protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the screen ensures durability without compromising on visual quality. The LTPO technology enables dynamic refresh rate adjustments, ensuring efficient power usage while maintaining smooth visuals across different applications and games.

Performance

Under the hood, the ROG Phone 9 Pro showcases impressive technological advancement with its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. The new Qualcomm Oryon CPU architecture employs a sophisticated 2+6 configuration, featuring two high-performance cores running at 4.3GHz alongside six efficiency cores at 2.8GHz. This arrangement is complemented by the latest Adreno 830 GPU, creating a powerful combination that pushes the boundaries of mobile gaming performance.

The phone’s capabilities are clearly demonstrated in benchmark results, achieving an impressive AnTuTu score of 2,970,227 (v10). Geekbench 6 testing reveals equally compelling results, with scores of 2,941 in single-core and 9,392 in multi-core performance. GPU performance shows remarkable strength with OpenCL and Vulkan scores of 19,408 and 25,696 respectively.

Real-world gaming performance proves even more impressive. Genshin Impact runs flawlessly at 60 FPS with maximum settings, suggesting potential for higher framerates if the game supported them. Honkai Star Rail maintains strong performance between 47-60 FPS at highest settings, with occasional dips only during the most visually intensive moments. Wuthering Waves, despite its reputation for poor optimization, maintains a steady 60 FPS in most scenarios, with minor drops limited to specific character animations. Zenless Zone Zero shows some variability in performance, ranging from 37-60 FPS, particularly during texture loading and intensive combat sequences.

Cooling and Battery

The ROG Phone 9 Pro introduces significant improvements in thermal management with its GameCool 9 Cooling System. Building upon the successful foundation of its predecessor, this iteration incorporates an enlarged graphite sheet that achieves notably better heat dissipation, resulting in temperatures up to 4.5°C cooler than previous models. This cooling system maintains the proven 5-section structure with a centered-SoC design and 360° SoC Cooling System Gen 4 with Rapid-cooling Conductor, but the enhanced thermal management particularly shines during demanding gaming sessions in titles like Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero.

On the power front, ASUS has managed to increase the battery capacity to 5800mAh, up from the previous 5500mAh, without adding bulk to the device. This 300mAh increase comes with improved battery density, showing a 3.5% enhancement in overall efficiency. Perhaps more impressively, the battery’s longevity has been enhanced to maintain 80% capacity even after 1,000 charging cycles, addressing long-term durability concerns. The charging capabilities remain robust with 65W fast charging through the ROG HyperCharge adapter, requiring 46 minutes for a full charge from empty. For those preferring wireless charging, the phone supports the Qi 1.3 standard with speeds up to 15W, offering convenient charging flexibility.

Camera Capabilities

While gaming remains the primary focus, the ROG Phone 9 Pro makes meaningful strides in photography with its upgraded camera system. The triple-camera setup has been refined with the introduction of a 50MP Sony Lytia 700 main sensor, replacing the IMX890 found in the previous model. This main sensor is complemented by the retained 32MP 3x telephoto camera and the versatile 13MP ultra-wide lens. A significant upgrade comes in the form of the new 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 4.0, which offers ±5° vibration compensation, marking a 66% improvement in stabilization performance.

The camera system’s capabilities extend beyond hardware improvements, incorporating AI-powered enhancements that elevate the photography experience. These include advanced features like AI Panning, AI Object Sense, and AI Portrait Video, demonstrating ROG’s commitment to providing a well-rounded flagship experience that doesn’t compromise on camera functionality despite its gaming-first approach.

Gaming Accessories

The ROG Phone 9 Pro’s gaming capabilities are further enhanced by its comprehensive accessory ecosystem. The standout addition is the AeroActive Cooler X Pro, which represents a significant advancement over its predecessor. With 12.5% larger fan blades and improved airflow design, it achieves a 29% improvement in cooling efficiency. This accessory not only aids in thermal management but also adds physical controls that complement the phone’s AirTrigger system, enhancing the gaming experience.

The innovative ROG Chill Case offers a clever solution to heat management while providing protection. Its integrated composite vapor chamber technology efficiently distributes heat across the device, achieving up to a 17% reduction in back cover temperature. This makes it an invaluable accessory for extended gaming sessions where heat management is crucial.

The ROG Tessen controller, while not exclusive to the Phone 9 series, deserves mention for its thoughtful design. Its foldable hinge mechanism allows for compact storage while protecting the Type-C port, and its case-friendly design accommodates phones with cases ranging from 7mm to 14.5mm in thickness. The controller features programmable buttons, including the ROG Button for quick actions and rear paddles for complex commands. However, users with larger hands might find the grip less comfortable, potentially necessitating a claw grip style for optimal control.

Specs

Conclusion

The ROG Phone 9 Pro represents a significant step forward in mobile gaming technology, successfully building upon its predecessor’s foundation while introducing meaningful improvements across the board. While current ROG Phone 8 Pro users might not find enough compelling reasons for an immediate upgrade, the ROG Phone 9 Pro sets a new benchmark for gaming smartphones in 2024. Its comprehensive feature set, superior performance, and thoughtful accessories make it an attractive option for those seeking the ultimate mobile gaming experience.

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