ASUS ROG launched their latest line of gaming smartphones last month in the form of the ROG Phone 9 Series. Interestingly, there’s no standard ROG Phone 9 in the lineup. Instead, you get the ROG Phone 9 FE, the ROG Phone 9 Pro, and the top-tier ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition. What we have on hand is the latter—an all-out flagship that seems determined to push the boundaries of what a gaming smartphone can offer.

Design-wise, the ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition doesn’t stray too far from its predecessor, the ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition—and that’s not a bad thing. The sleek and futuristic aesthetic returns, now with a few minor tweaks. Most notable is the increase in red accents, especially on the AniMe Vision screen at the back, which gives the phone a more aggressive, gamer-centric look.

No RGB lighting here, which might be a letdown for some, but ASUS makes up for it with a clever upgrade. The AniMe Vision display can now be used to play classic pixel games—dubbed AniMe Play. These mini-games are controlled via the ROG AirTrigger system, adding a bit of fun and nostalgia to the phone’s rear panel.

The back also retains its matte finish with a crystallized nano-texture. It feels premium in hand, does a solid job of repelling fingerprints, and catches the light in a glitter-like fashion, reminiscent of finely crushed glass. And it’s not just for show—the device is now IP68-rated for dust and water resistance, offering peace of mind during daily use.

Flip the phone over and you’ll find the protruding camera module, which houses a 50MP main sensor, 32MP telephoto, and 13MP ultrawide. ASUS also packed in a 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 4.0 to ensure steady video capture and blur-free photos, even in low light. On the software side, AI enhancements help with night photography, depth-of-field simulation, and smart image tuning—resulting in vibrant but natural-looking shots.

As for I/O, ASUS keeps things gamer-friendly. You get two USB-C ports—one at the bottom and one at the side—perfect for charging while playing in landscape mode. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack, a welcome feature for wired audio purists. If you’re going wireless, the dual front-facing stereo speakers deliver loud and crisp audio.

Front and center is a gorgeous 6.78-inch FHD+ E6 AMOLED display. It offers up to a 185Hz refresh rate, peak brightness of 2500 nits, and a 720Hz touch sampling rate. The screen is vivid, snappy, and bright enough to stay visible under direct sunlight—a must for outdoor use or gaming marathons on the go.

Under the hood, it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite SoC, featuring a 4.3GHz octa-core CPU and Adreno 830 GPU. This variant boasts 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage—double that of the ROG Phone 9 Pro. The result is blazing-fast performance across the board, especially when using the X Mode+ for gaming.

But what really sets the ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition apart are its intelligent gaming tools. X Sense 3.0 identifies key in-game events and can automate tasks like item collection or skill upgrades. X Capture 2.0 records clutch moments automatically. AI Grabber 2.0 helps recognize and translate in-game text, while AI Noise Cancellation ensures clear comms when playing online.

Thermal management remains solid. ASUS kept the same cooling system from the previous model, including a large graphite sheet that spreads heat more evenly. Yes, the phone still gets warm under heavy loads—especially in hotter climates—but it stays well within comfortable levels.

If you want to take thermals a step further, the AeroActive Cooler X Pro is the perfect partner. It now sports a bigger fan blade, more thermal material, and of course, some RGB lighting. It doesn’t just cool the back—it blows air outward, which helps keep your fingers from overheating, too.

Battery life is decent at 5,800mAh. You’ll get about four hours of intense gaming per charge. It supports 65W Hypercharge, which takes it from zero to full in just 46 minutes. There’s also 15W wireless charging for added convenience.

There are lots of smartphones out there that can game, but not all of them can game like the ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition. Packing a phone with high-end specs is one thing, but putting those specs to work with intelligent software enhancements and an effective cooling system is what truly elevates the experience. It’s not just about raw gaming power—it’s about delivering a smooth, optimized, and immersive experience, and that’s something ROG continues to nail with every iteration.

That said, all this comes at a hefty price of PHP 76,995. But for mobile gamers who are serious about getting serious gaming hardware, it’s a price worth paying.