Reports of ROG Phone’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Asus just announced a new generation of its gaming smartphone. The ROG Phone 9 is coming for yet another round packing the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and its official launch is only a couple of weeks away.
ROG Phone 9: Powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite
With the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor unleashed, the race is on for the release of flagship phones. And while Xiaomi will be first out of the gates in China with the new Xiaomi 15 family, Asus has a good shot at being the first 8 Elite launch outside the Great Walls of China.
At the Snapdragon Summit stage, Sascha Krohn, Asus’ Director of Technical Marketing, dodged a few technical difficulties in good spirits to tease the ROG Phone 9.
Performance Boost: 30% More Efficient for Longer Gaming
Boasting the “biggest leap in performance” ever for the gaming phone series, Krohn highlighted that the ROG Phone 9 offers 30% better power efficiency compared to the previous generation, promising longer gaming sessions with only the battery.
Dual USB-C Ports for Seamless Gameplay
The ROG Phone 9 keeps the second USB-C port to allow for charging while gaming in the landscape orientation. The “landscape port” is actually the main one, carrying also display output, while the traditional bottom port can only do charging and data transfer.
Familiar Look: ROG Phone 9’s Form Factor and Features
The ROG Phone 9 has a similar form factor to the previous generation, which was admittedly very similar to the Zenfone 11 Ultra. The AirTriggers are back, and so is the AeroActive cooler accessory.
The frosted glass back has a small dot matrix display, similar to the one on the Zephyrus G14 laptop, capable of displaying simple messages.
Asus also teased a couple of AI-powered software features that may or may not be considered software cheating: The first is a harmless fast-forward option to speed up through cut scenes—a popular feature in some game remakes and emulation.
The second is a bit worrisome, and it adds an auto-pick up features for in-game items. If well implemented, it promises to cut the hassle of looting items in action and shooters. It remains to be seen if the feature will be considered cheating, especially in competitive games, evoking memories of auto-aim and transparent wall drivers that sparked controversy in the PC space decades ago.
November 2024 Launch
Asus didn’t disclose pricing but confirmed that the ROG Phone 9 will be launching in November 2024, and we should expect more details and specifications then.