ASUS takes an unexpected step with the ROG Phone 9 FE, a streamlined version of the ROG Phone 9 Pro that retains core gaming features at a lower price. Unlike previous iterations, where ASUS focused solely on fully specced-out gaming phones, this Fan Edition offers a more accessible option without sacrificing performance.
It packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, a 165Hz AMOLED display, and robust cooling which is pegged to deliver a top-tier gaming experience. With this move, ASUS broadens its reach, making high-performance mobile gaming more affordable. This review gives a closer look at what the ROG Phone 9 FE brings to the table.
Review Summary:
Pros
- Top-tier performance
- Iconic Design with mini LED lights
- Massive battery
Cons
- On the bulky/heavy side
- Camera not flagship level
Design
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 FE is designed with gamers in mind, staying true to the signature ROG gaming aesthetics. Our review unit comes in Phantom Black colorway; it boasts a sleek and flashy candybar body with a chunky camera module. The back panel is complemented by the metal frame which also comes with similar matte texture.
It is slightly on the "big" side weighing in at 225g. While the weight might be a tad heavy for some, I think it is typical of gaming smartphones with powerful internals. The dimensions of 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm make it a manageable size; again, it may feel bulky if you prefer smaller phones. The device also comes with an IP68 rating which ensures dust and water resistance.
The matte black finish is very appealing to me, and its design is both subtle and sophisticated. There's also a generous placements of ports and buttons. The right side houses the power button and the volume rocker. The bottom is busy with the 3.5-mm audio jack, speaker grille, the SIM tray, microphone, and the USB-C port which is flushed on the left side. Staying true to the ROG fashion, there's an additional USB-C port on the left side of the phone.
Aside from gaming-centric accents on back panel, the ROG Phone 9 FE incorporates AniMe Vision for a more defined gaming style. This feature has 341 programmable mini-LEDs that react to your interactions. This customization option was originally exclusive to Pro models, and it's a great thing to have it in this model. This enhances the gaming aesthetic, making the device stand out.
Display
One of the standout features of the ROG Phone 9 FE is its 6.78-inch HDR10+ AMOLED display. While we only have FHD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels), the panel still provides sharp and vibrant visuals for gaming and multimedia consumption. For one, it has a 185Hz variable refresh rate.
While the system settings allow for a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, the Game Genie feature pushes it even further to 185Hz. The panel also comes with a 720Hz touch sampling rate and an ultra-low 23ms touch latency. This is one of the fastest and most responsive gaming phone displays available. However, the phone still exhibits variable refresh rate to help optimize battery life when high refresh rates aren't needed.
With a peak brightness of 2,500 nits, visibility is never an issue. Even when I'm using it under harsh sunlight. The display supports Amazon HDR and YouTube HDR which is very ideal for binge-watching content in these streaming apps.
In my streaming experience, the panel provides rich and accurate color reproduction. The panel also has a wide color gamut covering 107.37% of DCI-P3 and 145.65% of sRGB. This results to stunning and precise visuals. Of course, the Eye Protection Mode is always a welcome feature; it minimizes strain on my eyes during extended use.
The ROG Phone 9 FE's display offers an exceptional experience, with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection adding an extra layer of durability.
Hardware + Benchmarks
Under the hood, the ROG Phone 9 FE is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, clocked at an impressive 3.3GHz. It is paired with the Adreno 750 GPU which is quite common for flagship gaming phones nowadays. This powerful combination allows me to breeze through the most demanding games and multitask with ease.
There's also a beefy 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a generous 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. I find 256GB to be quite spacious, but I wish there was a 512GB option for those who need a lot of media space like me. For those seeking unmatched performance, the ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition takes things even further with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile chipset, up to 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.
In our Antutu Benchmark, the ROG Phone 9 FE scored a whopping 2,042,868 score. The phone also tallied an impressive score in our Geekbench 6 Benchmarks. It scored 2095 SC and 6468 MC CPU benchmarks; while it garnered a score of 15142 in OpenCL and 16763 in Vulkan GPU tests.
Gaming, Next Gen AI
In terms of gaming, the ROG Phone 9 FE can handle most of the games thrown at it with ease, including some graphic-demanding ones. Actually, I think most of the flagship Android phones can handle almost all these mobile-based gaming titles.
But what sets the ROG Phone 9 FE apart is its gaming software. Most of these enhancements are housed in the Game Genie interface.
ASUS highlights these gems as "Next Gen AI Gaming" capabilities which takes gameplay to another level. In some of my sessions, I experienced firsthand how X-Sense 3.0 detects crucial in-game moments, helping me react faster in intense battles. The X-Capture 2.0 is also a useful feature which automatically records highlight-worthy plays, so I no longer have to worry about manually hitting record mid-game. Meanwhile, AI Grabber 2.0 makes extracting on-screen text easier. This is useful for strategy-heavy games where every bit of information matters.
Thermal management is another major win. I’ve pushed the ROG Phone 9 FE to its limits with hours of gaming, and thanks to the GameCool 360° SoC Cooling System Gen, it stayed impressively cool without sacrificing performance. There's also an option of adding the AeroActive Cooler X Pro to keep things even more stable. I have not used this accessory, but I think it could help in ensuring that users won't experience any unexpected thermal throttling.
Accessories, Multimedia, Software
The ROG Tessen mobile controller is also useful if you're being serious in your gameplay. This foldable Android-compatible controller adds extra flair and grip in your gaming sessions. Snapping it on instantly transforms the phone into a full-fledged gaming console; I love how it looks but unfortunately, it only supports limited titles.
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| ROG Tessen Gaming Controller |
For audio, the dual stereo speakers deliver powerful, well-balanced sound. Whether I’m listening to in-game effects, music, or dialogue, the clarity is noticeable. With Hi-Res Audio support of up to 384 kHz and Dirac Virtuo’s spatial sound, I feel more immersed in every game and movie. I like the fact that the ROG Phone 9 FE is not just a gaming beast, but an all-around entertainment powerhouse.
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 FE runs on Android 15 and comes with ROG-themed interface. You can take advantage of Google's ecosystem, including Circle to Search. It is activated when you press and hold the home bar at the bottom of the screen.
The Armoury Crate app on the ROG Phone 9 FE remains a key strength of ASUS' gaming ecosystem. It gives users full control over performance settings, cooling, refresh rates, and RGB customization - all in one place. One of its most useful features is the ability to create per-game profiles, allowing the phone to automatically optimize itself depending on the title you're playing. It's a well-integrated tool that enhances gameplay without the need for constant manual tweaks.
The device also features AI tools, such as AI Call Translator and AI Transcript, which simplify tasks by translating conversations and converting meeting recordings into text summaries. The AI Wallpaper feature customizes your device’s background, giving it a personalized touch that reflects your style and gaming spirit.
Camera
The ROG Phone 9 FE also excels in the camera department. The main camera is equipped with a 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor. This is paired with a 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 for superior stability, even when capturing fast-moving subjects. I find the gimbal OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and AI enhancements quite useful. They ensure sharp and shake-free photos and video clips. Both day and night shots are quite good with lots of contrasts, color accuracy, and white balance.
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| Sample Photo: 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
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| Sample Photo (Low-light): 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
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| Sample Photo: 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
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| Sample Photo: 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
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| Sample Photo: 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
The camera app also includes a 2x magnification which is a digital cropper of the primary sensor. Photos on this mode also exhibits good quality, details, and color reproduction, as seen in the comparison sample shots above. The phone also includes a 13MP ultrawide camera with a free-form lens that minimizes distortion and a 5MP macro camera for detailed close-up shots. Ultrawide shots are quite good, even in low-light. It retains more details from the 1x shots.
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| Sample Photo: 0.7x Zoom (Ultrawide) vs 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
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| Sample Photo Low-light: 0.7x Zoom (Ultrawide) vs 1x Zoom vs 2x Zoom |
For selfies, the front camera offers a 32MP sensor. This selfie camera produces clear and vibrant images, even in low-light conditions. The portrait mode in the front camera is also doing great even at night with good color saturation and capable subject-background separation.
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| Sample Selfie |
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| Sample Portrait Selfie |
Additionally, video recording capabilities extend to 8K at 24fps for the rear camera and 1080p at 30fps for the front camera. The overall camera performance of the ROG Phone 9 FE is quite good, but I wouldn’t consider it flagship-level just yet. ASUS has made noticeable improvements, but it’s still more of a gaming phone than a camera-focused device, for now.
Battery
The ROG Phone 9 FE is equipped with a large 5500mAh battery, ensuring you can keep gaming, streaming, or browsing for hours on end. The 65W HyperCharge technology can charge the phone from 0 to 100% in just 39 minutes, which is incredibly fast for a device with such a large battery. The phone also supports 15W wireless charging, offering added convenience for on-the-go users.
Battery life is impressive as well. Expect at least 3.4 hours of heavy gaming, 23 hours of video streaming, or 17 hours of social media use. Whether you’re gaming intensely or just using the phone for daily tasks, the ROG Phone 9 FE won’t leave you hanging.
Conclusion
After spending time with the ROG Phone 9 FE, I can confidently say ASUS made a smart move by offering a more streamlined yet powerful gaming phone at a lower price. It keeps the essentials—top-tier performance, a stunning display, and advanced cooling—while making high-performance gaming more accessible.
It’s great to finally have a more affordable option under the ROG lineup, and I think this is the model most users will go for. The balance of performance, features, and price makes it a solid value-for-money choice. Plus, it’s not just a gaming powerhouse—it works well as a daily driver, handling everyday tasks with ease while still delivering a top-tier gaming experience.
At an SRP of Php 44,995, the ROG Phone 9 FE already offers solid value, but you can get it for an early bird price of Php 39,995, making it an even better deal. If you’re looking for a gaming phone that delivers flagship-level performance without the premium price tag, this one is definitely worth considering.
ASUS ROG Phone 9 FE Specs
- 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED (2400 × 1080)
- 165Hz refresh rate (boosts up to 185Hz in Game Genie), 720Hz touch sampling rate
- HDR10+ support, 2500 nits peak brightness
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Adreno 750 GPU
- 16GB LPDDR5X RAM
- 256GB UFS 4.0 Storage (non-expandable)
- Rear Cameras:
- 50MP Sony IMX890 (f/1.9, Gimbal OIS, PDAF)
- 32MP Telephoto (f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS, PDAF)
- 13MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 120° FOV)
- Front Camera: 32MP (f/2.5)
- Gaming & Features:
- X-Sense 3.0 (real-time event detection)
- X-Capture 2.0 (automatic gameplay recording)
- AI Grabber 2.0 (on-screen text extraction)
- Cooling: GameCool 360° SoC Cooling System Gen
- AniMe Vision with 341 programmable mini-LEDs
- Dual stereo speakers, Dirac Virtuo, Hi-Res Audio (384 kHz)
- 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
- Dual USB-C ports
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- ROG UI, based on Android 15
- 5500mAh dual-cell battery
- 65W HyperCharge (0 to 100% in 39 minutes)
- 15W wireless charging
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- SRP: Php 44,995
- Early Bird Price: Php 39,995
