5 causes I really like the ROG Cellphone 9

The Asus ROG Phone 9 is in contrast to any smartphone I’ve used earlier than. It is constructed from the bottom up with one aim: to be one of the 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 certain is aware of the best way to stand out in a crowd.

From the second I turned on the telephone 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 telephone’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 an awesome telephone, 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 shocking excessive refresh charge show

This telephone has a better refresh charge than my gaming monitor

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

It was onerous 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 e 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 outside 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 another smartphone in the marketplace. 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 telephone and its crystalized nano-texture glass again cowl. Although, I’ll admit this telephone is an acquired style, and if you happen to aren’t into Asus’ ROG design philosophy, you’ll have a tough time liking its look.

The AniMe Imaginative and prescient show on the again of the telephone steals the present for me. The telephone has 85 LEDS on the again, and the Asus Armoury Crate app permits you to customise the way it seems. You’ll be able to have it show the time, your battery life, and even have it react to particular actions in your telephone like taking an image. This characteristic is solely a gimmick, however so far as telephone 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 it is advisable to improve your gaming expertise

For the reason that ROG Cellphone 9 is a gaming telephone, it has some nifty options that make gaming far more satisfying than it might be on a daily smartphone — particularly, the AirTrigger system on the aspect of the telephone. 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 while you press the AirTrigger. I examined it on Name of Responsibility: Cellular, and it was one of the best expertise I’ve ever had enjoying an FPS sport on a telephone. The AirTriggers took seconds to arrange and responded immediately when pressed.

One other cool characteristic 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 seek 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 could 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 telephone runs exceptionally properly. Whether or not leaping between apps, enjoying video games, or searching the net, the telephone at all times felt responsive and by no means missed a beat. The display animations are fluid, and utilizing the telephone for non-gaming functions was nonetheless a pleasure.

Gaming-wise, its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor dominates. I examined Name of Responsibility: Cellular and Star Wars: Hunters. Each ran nice with no body charge hiccups in any way. The telephone additionally has a good 5,800mAh battery, bigger than the 5,500mAh battery within the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional, supplying you with numerous juice to sport for hours with out plugging it in. Steve Vegvari’s Pocket-lint review discovered the telephone 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 includes a headphone jack, which has been extinct for a few years on flagship telephones by different firms like Apple and Google. At first, I believed: what use is that this to me? I solely actually have wi-fi earbuds for my telephone now. Then I noticed one thing: my SteelSeries gaming headset got here with a 3.5mm audio jack cable, that means I might plug it into the telephone for higher gaming audio.

I perceive why headphone jacks have gone extinct on smartphones, however having one on a telephone explicitly tailor-made for gaming simply is smart. 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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