This is a review of the ROG Phone 9 Pro, the latest gaming smartphone from ASUS' Republic of Gamers (ROG) gaming brand, focusing on the exterior. As usual, the phone will be released in Japan a little later than the global version, but no announcement has been made at the time of writing.
ROG Phone 9 Pro Quick Review
Announced in November 2024 at the same time as the ROG Phone 9, this model uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. The display refresh rate is the first smartphone to support a refresh rate of 185 Hz, and the model was created to make mobile gaming more comfortable.
The back is matte and appears to be sandblasted, but the surface is smooth. The diagonal line in the center is conspicuous, but there is actually a built-in LED on its left side (the bottom side when held vertically), which can be used as a simple display. (See later in the article.)
The camera has three cameras: a 50-megapixel wide-angle, a 32-megapixel 3x telephoto, and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle. The wide-angle camera has a built-in gimbal that physically reduces camera shake when shooting video. The camera performance is comparable to that of the ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra smartphone.
Other major specifications include a 5,800mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging. It can be fully charged from zero in 46 minutes.
The main unit measures 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm and weighs 227 g. The AirTrigger, which serves as the control button when the main unit is turned sideways, is located on the right side for small touch operation. There is also a microphone hole on the side to pick up audio more clearly for distribution while playing games.
On the left side, there is a USB Type-C port. This is also designed to allow power supply when the unit is held horizontally during gameplay and the charging cable is out of the way from the right side, or when playing with a gamepad attached, which will be discussed later.
Bypass charging is also possible in the settings, allowing you to use the device with the USB cable connected to feed power to the main unit while not charging the battery. This prevents the battery from deteriorating.
On the bottom is a headphone jack, which is unusual for a high-end model. This is because Bluetooth headphones have a sound delay, and also to allow the use of the many headphones available on the market without modification. In addition, the USB Type-C port has been shifted so that when the device is held horizontally, the cable can be plugged in here without interfering with game play. Since USB cable charging is essential for long hours of mobile game play, the cable is not in the way.
The display is 6.78". It has a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 pixels and a brightness of up to 2,500 nits. The maximum refresh rate is 185 Hz, but this is only available for supported games, and 165 Hz is the maximum setting on the system.
Armoury Crate" makes the ROG Phone 9 Pro a powerful gaming machine. You can also turn off notifications, speed up performance, etc. It is also possible to turn off notifications, force performance speedups, and other usage that may put a heavy load on the smartphone.
Games can be downloaded directly from the game library. Games are categorized by maximum screen refresh rate, so you can download games that support 185Hz for the best gaming experience. Many games that support 185Hz have already been released.
The "AniMe Vision" LED light on the back has more dots than the previous model, with 19 vertical and 27 horizontal LEDs, for a total of 648 LEDs embedded. Icons and text can be displayed on these LEDs, which are now higher resolution and can even display Chinese characters. Animations are also easier to see, such as the camera and video icons when the camera is in use and the battery icon when charging.
The lower-end ROG Phone 9 model has the same basic smartphone performance, but has 85 fewer LEDs for "AniMe Vision" and only supports a simple display with one line.
As a fun feature, "AniMe Vision" can also play games. The picture here shows a block breaker that breaks down the ROG logo. Touch the AirTrigger to move the cursor left and right to clear the screen, and even though it is a simple game, I found myself surprisingly absorbed in it. After a tiring day of high-end games with a 185 Hz display, playing a simple retro-style game for a break can be a refreshing change of pace.
Multiple types of cases are also available. One with a large opening can protect the device with an external cooler, the AeroActive Cooler X Pro, while the other can be used with the AeroActive Cooler X Pro, an external cooler.
The AeroActive Cooler X Pro is a cooling unit with a large fan inside. It connects to the USB Type-C port on the side of the ROG Phone 9 Pro, so there is no need for extra cables. The left and right trigger buttons can be used for game play. The buttons can be configured in detail in the "Armoury Crate".
The "AeroActive Cooler X Pro" is not only for cooling purposes, but also has a built-in subwoofer speaker. This allows for more powerful game sound play.
The headphone jack on the bottom makes it easy to listen while gaming. In addition, the built-in stand allows the unit to stand up, making it convenient for watching videos.
The ROG Tessen Mobile Controller can be attached to bring the feel of operation closer to that of a game machine. The reason why there are so many accessories that can be combined in this way is because ASUS is also involved in the production of gaming PCs. The " ROG Phone 9 Pro " provides the ultimate mobile gaming experience with its body and accessories.
Photo & Written by Yasuhiro Yamane Blog: http://www.hkyamane.com/ X: https://x.com/hkyamane/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ hkyamane_mobile/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/yamaneyasuhiro/ Note: https://note.com/hkyamane/
Sorry, this article is only available in Japanese and 繁體中文. at the moment.
