ASUS ROG 9 Gaming Phone Leak: Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 And An Upgraded Display

We have some new info on the next ASUS ROG Phone 9 gaming handset; in an initial leak, it's expected that there will be Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, a 24GB/1TB option, plus a new display panel. Other than that, the leak suggests that not much will change over the already fantastic ROG Phone 8. The new device is expected to drop at the end of the year. Of course, disclaimer note: this is merely the first leak, so things can—and probably will—change. 

That said, reliable tech leaker Smart Pikachu has shared on a post on Weibo some presumably legit specifications of the ASUS ROG Phone 9. The post states that the upcoming gaming phone will rock a Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (overclocked, perhaps?), 65W charging, an upgraded screen, and up to 24GB RAM/1TB ROM. The tipster also attached a screengrab of the device's certification entry in the China Quality Certification Center website. 

So far there are no renders or photos of the ROG Phone 9, but again, we could be seeing roughly the same sophisticated design of its predecessor. The ROG Phone 8 was distinctive in that it eschewed the flashy gamer looks of earlier iterations for a more mature design, while offering hardware and UI that was part flagship phone, part portable gaming rig.

Besides the obvious move to the latest silicon from Qualcomm, it seems like we'll be getting an upgraded display. What that means exactly is anyone's guess, because the Phone 8's panel is quite decked out as it is—which is a 6.8-inch FHD+ 165Hz AMOLED LTPO unit—so could ASUS go full tilt boogie with an OP display or something more evolutionary like more nits or higher refresh rate? We'll have to wait and see.

Speaking of evolutionary, the newer phone's 65W charging speed and maximum memory/storage configuration are the same as the Phone 8 as well. Again, take this early information for what it's worth.

In terms of availability, the ASUS ROG Phone 9 could launch as early as later this year in China, with a global release sometime in early 2025. The previous phone started at $1,100 for the regular version, all the way up to $1,500 for the Pro Edition.