5 causes I really like the ROG Cellphone 9

The Asus ROG Phone 9 is not like any smartphone I’ve used earlier than. It is constructed from the bottom up with one aim: to be the very best gaming experience on a smartphone but. In that facet alone, it actually exceeds. With its crystallized nano-texture design, angular digicam cutout, and AniMe imaginative and prescient again show, the ROG Cellphone 9 positive is aware of how you can stand out in a crowd.

From the second I turned on the cellphone for the primary time, its stunning AMOLED show entranced me. After setting it up, I used to be greeted by an intro cinematic introducing me to the cellphone’s gaming options in an interactive on-rail shooter in a spaceship. I used to be mind-blown.

It felt like I used to be utilizing a gaming handheld just like the Steam Deck, not a smartphone. Nevertheless, regardless of its gaming focus, the ROG Cellphone 9 continues to be a terrific cellphone, due to Android 15 and its highly effective {hardware}. Listed here are 5 causes I really like the ROG Phone 9.

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5 A surprising excessive refresh price show

This cellphone has a better refresh price than my gaming monitor

The ROG Cellphone 9’s 6.78-inch AMOLED show is breathtaking, and it has the best refresh price I’ve ever used on a cellphone, 165Hz. In some supported video games, the refresh price can get as excessive as 185Hz when utilizing Asus’ Sport Genie function. It’s loopy that the cellphone in my pocket has a better refresh price than the 144Hz monitor I exploit with my gaming PC.

It was exhausting to take my eyes away from the display more often than not, even for non-gaming-related duties, like sending a textual content message, replying to an electronic mail, or watching a YouTube video. The display has a peak brightness of two,500 nits, and the colours and distinction remained vivid even once I was outdoor with it.

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4 The design rocks

The ROG Cellphone 9 is like no different smartphone

Simply on seems alone, the ROG Cellphone 9 stands out in comparison with every other smartphone available on the market. Subsequent to my Pixel 8a and iPhone 14 Pro, it pops due to its AniME Imaginative and prescient mini-LED show on the again of the cellphone and its crystalized nano-texture glass again cowl. Although, I’ll admit this cellphone is an acquired style, and when you aren’t into Asus’ ROG design philosophy, you will have a tough time liking its look.

The AniMe Imaginative and prescient show on the again of the cellphone steals the present for me. The cellphone has 85 LEDS on the again, and the Asus Armoury Crate app enables you to customise the way it seems. You may have it show the time, your battery life, and even have it react to particular actions in your cellphone like taking an image. This function is only a gimmick, however so far as cellphone gimmicks go, this one has acquired me offered.

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3 Asus’ Sport Genie is a sport changer

Fast entry to all of the options you want to improve your gaming expertise

Because the ROG Cellphone 9 is a gaming cellphone, it has some nifty options that make gaming far more gratifying than it could be on an everyday smartphone — particularly, the AirTrigger system on the facet of the cellphone. The AirTriggers primarily act as L and R buttons that you’d use on an Xbox or PlayStation controller. Utilizing Sport Genie, you’ll be able to map the AirTriggers to particular areas of the display so it nearly touches the designated space for you if you press the AirTrigger. I examined it on Name of Obligation: Cellular, and it was the very best expertise I’ve ever had enjoying an FPS sport on a cellphone. The AirTriggers took seconds to arrange and responded immediately when pressed.

One other cool function is the AI Grabber. This AI software is supported in all video games on the ROG Cellphone 9 and allows you to spotlight textual content in video games and seek for it on Google with out leaving the app utilizing Sport Genie. It’s like Google’s Circle to Search, however in-game. I examined this in Star Wars: Knights of the Previous Republic, the traditional Bioware RPG from 2003, and I might choose my quest journal and seek for it on Google to search out out what to do subsequent.

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2 Out-of-this world efficiency

The Snapdragon 8 Elite course of means enterprise

The ROG Cellphone 9 has a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and may be configured with as much as 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which is the model I had the chance to check. Let me let you know firsthand that this cellphone runs exceptionally effectively. Whether or not leaping between apps, enjoying video games, or shopping the net, the cellphone all the time felt responsive and by no means missed a beat. The display animations are fluid, and utilizing the cellphone for non-gaming functions was nonetheless a pleasure.

Gaming-wise, its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor dominates. I examined Name of Obligation: Cellular and Star Wars: Hunters. Each ran nice with no body price hiccups in any way. The cellphone additionally has a decent 5,800mAh battery, bigger than the 5,500mAh battery within the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional, supplying you with plenty of juice to sport for hours with out plugging it in. Steve Vegvari’s Pocket-lint review discovered the cellphone lasted 21 hours with intermittent each day use.

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1 It has a headphone jack

Asus hasn’t forgotten concerning the 3.5mm port

Lastly, the very last thing I really like concerning the ROG Cellphone 9 is that it encompasses a headphone jack, which has been extinct for a few years on flagship telephones by different corporations like Apple and Google. At first, I believed: what use is that this to me? I solely actually have wi-fi earbuds for my cellphone now. Then I noticed one thing: my SteelSeries gaming headset got here with a 3.5mm audio jack cable, which means I might plug it into the cellphone for higher gaming audio.

I perceive why headphone jacks have gone extinct on smartphones, however having one on a cellphone explicitly tailor-made for gaming simply is sensible. It permits customers with console or PC gaming headsets to make use of them on the ROG Cellphone. It is a win-win.

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