ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro vs Nubia REDMAGIC 9 Pro
What's the story
ASUS has launched the ROG Phone 8 Pro, giving its flagship smartphone more practical features.
It packs top-tier hardware but design-wise, the handset doesn't stand out as a niche gaming device.
Rivaling ASUS's offering is Nubia's recently introduced REDMAGIC 9 Pro. It has a futuristic design and the hardware is second to none.
So, between the ROG Phone 8 Pro and REDMAGIC 9 Pro, which one should you get? Let's find out.
Details
The REDMAGIC 9 Pro looks more premium
The ROG Phone 8 Pro has a centered-aligned punch-hole and an under-display fingerprint scanner. It also enjoys IP68 water protection.
In comparison, the REDMAGIC 9 Pro looks more premium, with the front camera and fingerprint reader hidden underneath the screen.
Both are 8.9mm thick. At the back, the ROG phone has a camera bump and a mini-LED display, featuring preset or user-created animations.
The REDMAGIC 9 Pro's rear side shows a physical fan, customizable lightning, and flush-fitted cameras.
Display
Take a look at the display specifications
The ROG Phone 8 Pro flaunts a 6.78-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED screen with LTPO tech and up to 165Hz refresh rate. It is protected by Gorilla Glas Victus 2.
The REDMAGIC 9 Pro sports a 6.8-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED screen, with up to 120Hz refresh rate.
The ROG phone has higher peak brightness (2,500-nits v/s 1,600-nits) but a lower touch sampling rate (720Hz v/s 960Hz) than its REDMAGIC rival.
Cameras
ROG Phone 8 Pro has more useful cameras
The ROG Phone 8 Pro features a 50MP (Sony IMX890) main camera with 6-axis Gimbal stabilization, a 13MP ultra-wide snapper, and a 32MP (OIS, 3x) telephoto lens.
The REDMAGIC 9 Pro includes a 50MP (Samsung GN5) primary camera with OIS, a 50MP JN1 ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro camera.
Up front, they have 32MP and 16MP cameras, respectively.
Insights
Both phones boot the latest Android OS
The ROG Phone 8 Pro and REDMAGIC 9 Pro are powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, paired with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage.
Both phones boot Android 14, with their custom skins on top.
The ROG model has a smaller battery capacity (5,500mAh v/s 6,500mAh) and slower charging speed (65W v/s 80W) than Nubia's contender.
However, ASUS has added 15W Qi-wireless charging support to ROG Phone 8 Pro for convenient wireless top-ups.
Information
What about the pricing?
The ROG Phone 8 Pro costs $1,200 (nearly Rs. 99,700) for the 16GB/512GB and $1,500 (around Rs. 1,24,700) for the 24GB/1TB. The REDMAGIC 9 Pro starts at €649 (nearly Rs. 59,000) for 12GB/256GB (Sleet). The upper-end 16GB/512GB version costs €799 (around Rs. 72,700). They are yet to arrive in India.
Information
Which gaming phone is better?
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is better overall. It gets water and dust resistance, a better display, more practical cameras, and the convenience of wireless charging. However, if your budget is tight, the REDMAGIC 9 Pro is a solid pick.