The mini & the beast: Asus Zenfone 9 and ROG Phone 6 now available in US
Asus is finally launching the Zenfone 9 and ROG Phone 6 series in the US (and Canada). It took more than a month for Asus to bring its compact Android flagship on the stateside while almost two months for its sixth-gen gaming phone. Nevertheless, both are officially arriving soon as unlocked dual-SIM 5G models with pre-orders starting today.
TL;DR
- Pre-orders for Asus Zenfone 9 and ROG Phone 6 (Pro) begin in the US.
- The compact Asus Zenfone 9 flagship starts at $699.
- Asus' gaming-centric ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro retails starting at $999.
Since Apple killed the iPhone 13 mini's successor, alternatives for sub-6-inch phones have shrunk this year. Fortunately, the addition of Asus' Zenfone 9 with a 5.9-inch screen makes it easier for those looking for a compact phone albeit running on an Android operating system.
Despite its tiny size, the Zenfone 9 is still a potent flagship. The same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor that powers the ROG Phone 6 duo is found under the hood. Beyond the chipset choice are options of three memory configurations with the base at 8 GB/128 GB retailing for $699 and the maxed-out variant with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB storage at $799.
Rather than relying on an extra gimmicky depth or macro sensor, the Zenfone 9 utilizes a dual camera module with a 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide. The former is the same snapper found on the rear of the ROG Phone 6 (Pro) and shoots up to 8K video. Meanwhile, the 12MP selfie camera at the front is capable of recording videos at 4K resolution. At any rate, it could be handy if there was a telephoto sensor included.
ROG Phone 6
The ROG Phone 6 (Pro) we reviewed has already been released in other regions like Europe. Surprisingly, both versions of the gaming-centric device will be heading to North America but only the non-pro has been listed now. The basic model is almost identical to the Pro except on the secondary rear display. Asus' gaming duo gets RGB lighting, gaming triggers, 165Hz display, and 6000 mAh battery.
The regular ROG Phone 6 is already available for pre-order with the base model of 12 GB/256 GB sitting at $999 while the 16GB option with double the storage will cost $1,099. Both the Zenfone 9 and ROG Phone 6 are sold unlocked and expected to work in major 5G networks. Shipping will happen as early as October 15th.
