Key Takeaways
- ROG Phone 9 & 9 Pro specs were leaked ahead of the November 19 launch.
- Upgrades include increased base model storage, Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and little else of note.
- Previous leaked renders indicate the ROG 9 series will retain a similarly understated design to the ROG 8 family.
Popular Asus sub-brand ROG’s latest gaming phone is right around the corner, set for a November 19 launch. While we already knew about the upcoming ROG Phone 9 and 9 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-a-chip, a recent spec leak has filled in some of the gaps for a more complete performance picture (YTechB via AndroidHeadlines).
Uncompromising gaming performance
You down with ROG? Yeah, you know we (are)
We’ve already seen video of ROG Phone 9 engineering samples, so we know it retains the ROG Phone 8’s relatively pedestrian design (compared to its predecessors), with the addition of a bit of texture on the back. The leak gives us an additional snapshot of what’s under the hood, as well as the size and colors.
The latest ROG phones are the same size as last year’s, and Phantom Black remains, while Rebel Grey cedes to the return of the ROG Phone 7’s stunning Storm White colorway. We also learned that at least one variant of the Pro will ship with the AeroActive Cooler X Pro, a combination fan-and-shoulder button accessory, plus a 65W charger and Aero Case. The base model Pro doesn’t include those accessories, and both come with a SIM card tool and dual-ended USB-C cable.
But the hardware’s the juicy part here. The two ROG 9s use apparently identical, 1080 × 2448 PMOLED displays refreshing at 1 to 120Hz, with a special Game Genie mode allowing up to 185Hz in supported software. The base model starts at 12GB of RAM, and the Pro at 16GB, with a baseline of 512GB of storage for both. Previously, a GeekBench listing also indicated an ROG 9 Pro with 24GB of RAM (MySmartPrice via GSMArena). There may be additional memory and storage variants on top of these leaked configurations.
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The news also confirms the ROG 9 series will ship with Android 15, and offer NFC, Wi-Fi 7, and 3.5mm headphone jack connectivity. Camera specs haven’t been solidified yet, although expectations are set at a 50MP primary lens, 32MP selfie camera, and, supposedly, a 13MP ultrawide and 5MP depth sensor.
ASUS ROG Phone 9 series
Check out the approaching launch event to get all the official ROG Phone 9 and 9 Pro details as they’re announced.
Other than an increase in base model storage and new CPU, these specs aren’t exactly upgraded from last year. We didn’t expect a reinvention, but then, we didn’t expect the ROG 8 to abandon its edgy gamer design in favor of a much more subdued slab. Nonetheless, the ROG Phone 9 Pro will undoubtedly compete for the title of Most Powerful Gaming Phone, as the top-level model boasts 8GB more RAM than the impressive Realme GT7 Pro.
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High-powered gaming handsets have periodically seemed to fall by the wayside, with dedicated gaming handhelds getting more popular, but some interesting emulation news hints at the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s latent ability to run AAA PC games right on your phone (at good frame rates, too). For the good of the hardcore gaming segment, we can only hope for the best from the new ROG Phones.
