After weeks of leaks, Asus officially unveiled the ROG Phone 9 series on November 19, 2024. The new gaming smartphone series includes two models, the ROG Phone 9 and ROG Phone 9 Pro, featuring the new flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. A new report now suggests a budget-friendly variant could join the lineup while still offering flagship specs.

ASUS is now rumored to be working on a cheaper ROG Phone 9 variant that would give gamers the benefits of the newly announced model of the phone while paying a lower official price point. If you’re unfamiliar with the ROG Phone series,

With the power of the Snapdragon 8 Elite and the speed of a 185Hz display, these could be the best gaming phones of the year - or are they?

I booted up the game Mortal Kombat Mobile on the new Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, and the tutorial that led me into Scorpion pulling off a Fatality against Sub-Zero shows the fiery character slicing through his opponent's skull like butter.

Over the years, Asus has carved a niche catering to mobile gamers with its ROG smartphone line, focusing on things you won't find in phones from the big dogs. That includes a second USB-C charging port for landscape mode so the cable won't get in the way while gaming.

Rumors claim ASUS is developing an "ROG Phone 9 FE" with the potential for slight changes in specs to reduce its cost. The device was spotted grabbing Wi-Fi Alliance certification and it is supposedly being tested with Android 14.