Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional Overview: Snapdragon 8 Elite Cell Gaming Unleashed

	Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional – Out there for $1,199 (Professional) and $1,499.99 (Professional Version) The most recent Asus ROG Telephone provides critical gaming efficiency with the Snapdragon 8 Elite and even longer battery life.
	Wonderful OLED display Lengthy battery life and quick charging (with included plug) Shoulder buttons are helpful for gaming Large storage and RAM Improbable efficiency in X-mode Sharp, brilliant show with 120Hz refresh ×Quick 80W charging and included plug ×Wonderful efficiency with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ×Alert slider is again	Extraordinarily excessive value Digital camera cannot sustain with equally priced telephones Solely two OS updates

Most fashionable telephones can run hottest video games pretty effectively, however in case you’re choosy, flagship telephones can usually ship superior visible constancy. If, nonetheless, you demand the most effective cellular gaming expertise potential, you want one thing purpose-built for gaming on the go. The most recent Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional comes with the brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, extra RAM than a whole lot of computer systems, and configurable triggers buttons. There’s even an optionally available cooling fan.

The ROG Telephone 9 Professional is the quickest Android smartphone by any measure, however it additionally instructions a premium. The bottom mannequin ROG Telephone 9 begins at $1,000, and the Professional begins at $1,199.99. Probably the most succesful model is a staggering $1,500 (the Professional Version), however it comes with the cooling fan accent. Is blazing efficiency value such a considerable premium? Let’s discover out.

Asus ROG Telephone 9 and 9 Professional Options and Specs

Asus has been making Android telephones underneath its ROG model for years, however final 12 months marked a giant change for the product line. Asus left behind the aggressive gamer aesthetic for a barely extra refined design. There are nonetheless gaming options galore, however just like the ROG Telephone 8, the ROG Telephone 9 would not scream “gaming cellphone.”

The ROG Telephone 9 Professional cuts an imposing silhouette with its IP68 matte black physique. It is also fairly heavy at 227g, which is barely about 10g lighter than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 foldable cellphone. The ability and quantity buttons are straightforward to search out by really feel, they usually’re very clicky. Nevertheless, they’re additionally wobbly sufficient that you would be able to hear the aluminum rattle once you press them. This is not a dealbreaker, however a $1,500 cellphone shouldn’t have free buttons.

The ROG 9 Professional sports activities a giant 6.78-inch OLED display. It is solely 1080p, however the density nonetheless seems adequate at that measurement. The panel is totally flat, however the glass cowl curved only a bit on the edge to clean the transition to the aluminum body. Most telephones have a single port and a few buttons, however the ROG Telephone 9 Professional has much more happening.

There’s an optical fingerprint scanner underneath the show, and it would not appear to have modified from final 12 months. It really works effectively sufficient, although it is slower than the sensors on equally priced telephones. It unlocks the cellphone on the primary strive more often than not, however it’s noticeably slower than the ultrasonic sensors utilized in Samsung and Google telephones now.

On the underside edge, this cellphone has a USB-C port and a 3.5mm jack—a real rarity in 2024. That is additionally the place you may discover the SIM tray, and there is not any eSIM help on this cellphone stateside. On the correct edge, you’ve got acquired the facility and quantity buttons. That is additionally the place Asus has added the Air Triggers, that are each simply mappable to in-game controls. On the left aspect is a second USB-C port that may cost the cellphone whereas gaming and likewise hook up with the AeroActive Cooler X Professional, which is included with the Professional Version we have been testing.

The again of the cellphone is sort of equivalent to final 12 months’s system, a clean expanse of frivolously textured glass with a number of model marks and a racing stripe. The glass is not very grippy, however we do just like the fascinating texture. The cameras once more reside in a big squircle-shaped module. It stands out starkly from the again of the cellphone, making certain this system won’t ever lay flat on a desk.

The AniMe Imaginative and prescient LEDs are again, too. Final 12 months’s cellphone dropped the LCD of older ROG Telephones in favor of the illuminated dot matrix, and the ROG Telephone 9 improves on it. The ROG 9’s AniMe Imaginative and prescient has 648 LEDs underneath the again glass, twice as many as final 12 months’s cellphone. Most of them are white, however there is a financial institution of purple LEDs under that. Asus has included quite a few animations and standing shows that you would be able to toggle on and off within the settings, and you’ll add your individual photographs too. In order for you this a part of the cellphone flashing continuous, that is an choice. Alternatively, you possibly can solely use it for choose functions like previewing calls and checking charging standing.

The utility of AniMe Imaginative and prescient is questionable, however Asus is doing every part in its energy to make the characteristic enjoyable. It is type of working, too. The ROG Telephone 9 Professional features a suite of straightforward retro-inspired video games for AniMe Imaginative and prescient managed with the shoulder buttons. There’s an infinite runner, an Asteroids knock-off, a Breakout clone, and snake. The video games, which have on-line leaderboards, are surprisingly enjoyable and work effectively. We would wish to see extra video games added sooner or later, although.

One of many most important complaints with Asus’ 2023 ROG redesign was the lack of front-facing audio system. The ROG Telephone 9 would not change that—you continue to have one speaker within the earpiece and one bottom-firing—however the official circumstances now embody a “cone” that redirects sound towards you from the underside speaker. It is a considerate change, however we’re happier to see the underside speaker positioned in such a method that it is unlikely to be blocked by your hand in panorama orientation. The audio is usually effective for a cellphone however should not or not it’s greater than that for such a premium system?

Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional: Software program, AI Expertise And Replace Help

The ROG Telephone 9 Professional runs Android with  Asus optimized options and a ROG theme. The default ROG theme has a distinctively “gamer” aesthetic with angular app icons and fonts. The inventory Android theme is an choice although, in case you desire a extra typical look. We respect that Asus has separated its system optimizations from the theme, and you’ll toggle on particular person UX enhancements. For instance, you should utilize certainly one of Asus’ fast settings layouts, that are denser than inventory Android, or you possibly can revert to Google’s model. It is the identical for the facility menu, quantity panel, and so forth.

The ROG Telephone 9 Professional runs Android 15 out of the field, which is an effective factor as a result of having the most recent software program is preferable. It is good to see the most recent model of Android as a result of Asus solely guarantees two main OS updates for this cellphone. That is not perfect when a cellphone prices this a lot, however a minimum of you do not have to burn one of many scant updates simply getting up-to-date.

Naturally, AI is a significant focus of the ROG Telephone 9. Qualcomm says its newest cellular chip reaches new heights in NPU throughput, which can theoretically make AI options extra highly effective. The cellphone has numerous AI instruments we have seen on different gadgets, like cellphone name translation, and AI transcripts within the recorder app. You can too seek for photographs within the gallery app with key phrases.

Lots of Asus’ AI options are particular to gaming. For instance, X Sense integrates with choose video games like Genshin Influence to automate choosing up gadgets, working lengthy distances, and different tedious issues. You can too document gameplay with the ROG Telephone’s pop-up in-game menu, and AI will be employed to mechanically document and save necessary moments. Once more, this requires a supported sport. 

Briefly, this cellphone is overflowing with options—even Samsung cannot contact the sheer variety of toggles, buttons, and menus on the ROG Telephone 9 Professional. It may be slightly overwhelming, however this system is geared toward players. For those who’re deep right into a cellular sport to the purpose you’d take into account shopping for an ultra-premium gaming cellphone, you most likely need all these options so you possibly can tune the cellphone’s habits to your preferences. The ROG Telephone 9 undoubtedly delivers for choosy players.

Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional: Cameras, Pattern Photographs And Efficiency

The Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional has a triple digicam array similar to final 12 months’s cellphone. There is a 13MP ultrawide digicam, a 32MP 3x telephoto, and a 50MP major. Whereas the primary shooter’s decision stays at 50MP, the sensor has been upgraded to a Sony Lytia 700 from the IMX890 of final 12 months’s mannequin.

With the correct lighting, the ROG Telephone 9 Professional can take some good photographs. The colours are good, and publicity occasions are manageable even for motion photographs. Nevertheless, the colours aren’t constant throughout the three shooters. The primary and ultrawide cameras are roughly true-to-life, however the telephoto seems a bit muted. The ultrawide additionally retains edge distortion to a minimal.

When lighting is poor, publicity occasions enhance markedly in comparison with different telephones on this value vary. That makes it troublesome to reliably seize motion. Evening mode photographs will not assist with that, however you may get some good photographs with boosted element in case your topic is stationary. The cellphone additionally has pretty good stabilization—you possibly can shoot longer Evening Mode photographs with out worrying about minor jostling. Asus says it will probably eradicate 5 levels of motion compensation, 2 levels higher than final 12 months’s cellphone.

Low mild, no evening mode

There’s a normal softness to the ROG Telephone 9’s photographs that you do not see with Google or Samsung cameras. Nevertheless, we’re noticing some enhancements versus final 12 months’s ROG Telephone. The 9 Professional retains a bit extra element, and the low-light efficiency is okay as an alternative of poor. We would chalk that as much as the brand new Sony sensor, which guarantees improved photographs in darkish settings.

Evening Mode

The bottom mannequin ROG Telephone 9 drops the telephoto and has a macro shooter as an alternative. Some telephones use ultrawide sensors with autofocus to take macro photographs and not using a devoted lens, however the ROG Telephone 9 Professional would not try this, which looks as if a missed alternative contemplating the bottom mannequin has that performance.

Prime to backside: Ultrawide, Main, 3x Telephoto

To present you a way of how the completely different focal lengths of the three rear shooters have an effect on composition, we have offered the pattern photographs above. As you possibly can see, there is a stark distinction in attain from the ultrawide to the telephoto digicam.