When talking about gaming smartphones without considering the budget, most people will mention the ROG Phone, as it has solidified its reputation in the mobile gaming community. However, its price is steep for most, as it costs over Php 50K.
But is it now a great gaming phone for more people? ROG has announced its latest budget-conscious smartphone, the ROG Phone 9 FE, which is priced at Php 39,995 for those purchasing it from today until March 27—a Php 5K discount from its original SRP of Php 44,995.
In this article, we will dive into the gaming aspects of the ROG Phone 9 FE. A full review will follow soon, so after reading this, be sure to follow us on Facebook to stay updated on our latest posts.
Table of Contents
Talking about the specifications first
The ROG Phone 9 FE still uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which was previously seen in the ROG Phone 8. However, the non FE variant, the ROG Phone 9 Pro, which is available exclusively in the Philippines, features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite.
For RAM and storage, the ROG Phone 9 FE comes with a 12GB and 256GB configuration. One major improvement is the display, which is a 6.78 inch AMOLED LTPO screen with a 185Hz refresh rate. This is an upgrade from the 165Hz refresh rate on the ROG Phone 8.
The battery remains the same as in the ROG Phone 8, featuring a 5500mAh capacity with 65W wired fast charging and 15W Qi wireless charging. In terms of cameras, it retains the ROG Phone 8 setup for the SEA region. It consists of a 50 megapixel main camera, a 13 megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 5 megapixel macro camera. On the front, it has a 32 megapixel selfie camera.
As for additional features, the ROG Phone 9 FE still includes the AirTrigger system for an enhanced gaming control experience. Instead of an Aura RGB logo on the back panel, ASUS has opted for AniMe Vision, a feature previously seen on their gaming laptops. AniMe Vision is an auxiliary display with 85 programmable mini LEDs that showcase exclusive animations reacting to various interactions such as music playback, incoming calls, notifications, charging, taking photos, and gaming. When turned off, AniMe Vision becomes completely invisible, giving the smartphone a sleek and minimalist design.
Gaming with the ROG Phone 9 FE
When playing games with the ROG Phone 9 FE, you have the option to optimize the smartphone’s performance and gaming experience, thanks to its Armoury Crate app, which comes pre-installed on the device once you set it up.
The Armoury Crate app offers a wide range of features that allow you to tweak individual game settings, including performance levels. You can choose to maximize performance for the best possible gaming experience or underclock the CPU to extend battery life for longer gaming sessions. The app also lets you customize the AirTriggers for each game, set key mapping and macros, and adjust the game display settings. If you want to avoid the punch-hole camera, you can shift, center, or fill the game display accordingly.
You can also enable and customize the AniMe Vision feature within the app. If you have the AeroActive Cooler X Pro, you gain access to cooling performance adjustments and lighting controls for a more immersive experience.
Within the Armoury Crate app, there is also a “Featured” tab that recommends games optimized for the best experience with the ROG Tessen Mobile Controller, which you can purchase separately, or for AirTriggers. This helps you quickly find compatible games without having to search manually, allowing you to jump straight into gaming and fully enjoy your ROG Phone 9 FE.
While gaming, you also have access to the Game Genie, which allows you to tweak phone settings without leaving your game. You can adjust the display’s refresh rate, enable real-time performance info, switch networks instantly, block navigation, alerts, or calls, lock screen brightness, keep the game running in the background while browsing the internet or social media, and even fine-tune performance to either maximize power or conserve battery. Game Genie enhances your gaming experience, offering a personalized setup that keeps you fully immersed and at your best while playing.
In terms of performance, the ROG Phone 9 FE handles any game effortlessly. Whether it’s esports titles like Honor of Kings and Call of Duty Mobile or graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero, this smartphone runs them smoothly at high graphics settings.
One potential drawback is that many games currently support only up to a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning you won’t always take full advantage of the phone’s 185 Hz display. Right now, the 185 Hz refresh rate is best experienced when browsing the internet or scrolling through social media.
Thermal performance on the ROG Phone 9 FE is excellent, maintaining stable FPS even during extended gaming sessions. We conducted a CPU Throttling Test, and the device only throttled to 84 percent of its maximum performance. This makes it outperform most smartphones equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
ROG Phone 9 FE Availability
The ROG Phone 9 FE is priced at Php 44,995, but you can take advantage of the early bird offer and get it for only Php 39,995 until March 27, 2025. Additionally, the early bird bundle includes an ROG Chill Case and an ROG Antibacterial Glass Screen Protector, valued at Php 3,990.
For more details about this promotion, click here to learn more.
