Hardcore mobile gamers will likely continue to regard this as a compromised layout, however.
you might even play a series of simplistic games on it, using the returning mappable Air Trigger controls.
Talking of which, Asus has stuck with broadly the same 6.78-inch AMOLED panel as before.
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However, it’s quite clearly the best option if gaming is merely the first among many interests.
This top-tier model costs $1,499.99 / 1,299.99 / AU$2,499.
All of this pricing is consistent with last year’s models.
Unsurprisingly, it has stuck to its design guns with the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro.
That’s big by normal standards, but not especially so for a gaming phone.
It’s totally non-reflective, however, and also mercifully resistant to fingerprints.
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I particularly liked the little countdown timer and smiley face that appears when you take timed photo.
Asus added IP68 certification with the ROG Phone 8 Pro, and it makes a return here.
For gamers, this more accessible design is something of a mixed bag.
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You also get a 3.5mm headphone jack for latency-free audio.
The earpiece fires frontwards, but the other speaker is on the bottom edge of the phone.
This will never match true front-firing speakers for stereo clarity, and Asus knows it.
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Again, it all comes down to your priorities.
I’ve already drawn a contrast with the way Asus handles cooling compared to Nubia.
Color output is certainly on the punchy side, even in the supposedly Natural display setting.
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It’s also a simple fact that vanishingly few games will actually take advantage of such a refresh rate.
Indeed, most won’t even hit 120Hz.
Even the super-fluidDead Cellstopped out at 167fps for me.
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In terms of display technology, it’s mission accomplished.
The six-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 4.0 can manage five degrees of motion compensation rather than the previous three.
I didn’t spot too much of that artificial brightening effect that often blights less-than-top camera systems either.
The 32MP selfie camera makes a return, and it continues to go about its business adequately.
That above-and-beyond gimbal further earns its place when capturing video at up to4K/60fps or8K/30fps.
Auto HDR can also be applied to videos, but only up to 1080p/30fps.
Rich & Warm cranks up the contrast and drops the temperature.
It’s turned off by default, but when activated it gives you something of a point-and-shoot camera feel.
The ROG Phone 9 Pro nudges things forward.
Suffice it to say, the ROG Phone 9 Pro is very much a winner in the performance department.
In the CPU-focused Geekbench 6, the ROG Phone 9 Pro scored an average of 10,106.
It’ll still warm up after a prolonged gaming session, but not uncomfortably so.
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But tinkerers, power users, and those coming from non-Google-branded phones may appreciate Asus' alternative.
The choice is most welcome, and I wish more manufacturers would offer it.
There’s nothing too egregious here, though that depends on your opinion of Facebook.
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Armoury Crate is the company’s custom game interface, granting access to different power modes and display configurations.
For popular games likeGenshin Impact, you’ll find downloadable Air Trigger button mappings.
Google’s Circle to Search tool is also here.
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Asus has also applied some AI smarts to its gaming UI with X Sense.
It’ll also offer you the option to auto-run, and can speed up conversations in lengthy cut scenes.
X Sense can even automatically hammer the escape button when it detects that your avatar is frozen or trapped.
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Asus hasn’t changed its charging provision, and it arguably didn’t need to.
One thing that stands out from other gaming phones is the provision of 15W wireless charging.
It’s another small quality-of-life improvement that makes the phone a little nicer to use day to day.
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Should you buy the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro?
These phones will play games brilliantly without embarrassing you, but also have their own unique advantages.
For around a week of that time, the 9 Pro was my everyday phone.
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I’m a freelance journalist who got his start writing about mobile games in the pre-smartphone era.
I now write about consumer tech, games, and culture for a number of top websites.
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