ASUS quietly released the ROG Phone 9 FE — but you can’t buy one right now
There's another Fan Edition Android in town
It looks like Samsung isn’t the only phone company to offer an “FE” branded phone anymore, with Asus quietly releasing the Asus ROG Phone 9 FE. While only available in Thailand at the time of writing, this phone looks to be ideal for anyone who wants an Asus gaming phone without necessarily having to pay up for the ROG Phone 9 or ROG Phone 9 Pro.
Fan Edition phones are typically lesser versions of a flagship model, making hardware sacrifices in exchange for a smaller price tag. The ROG Phone 9 FE is listed at 29,990 baht, which converts to around $893.
Which is a modest price cut considering the ROG Phone 9 and 9 Pro start at $999 and $1,199, respectively. But that’s a notable discount, nonetheless.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | Asus ROG Phone 9 FE | Asus ROG Phone 9 | Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro |
Display | 6.78-inch FHD+ (2400x1080) | 6.78-inch FHD AMOLED (2400 x 1080) | 6.78-inch FHD AMOLED (2400 x 1080) |
Refresh rate | 1 - 120Hz, 165Hz, 185Hz | 1 - 120Hz, 165Hz, 185Hz | 1 - 120Hz, 165Hz, 185Hz |
Rear cameras | 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP Macro | 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP Macro | 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP 3x telephoto |
Front camera | 32MP | 32MP | 32MP |
Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
RAM | 16GB | 12GB, 16GB | 16GB, 24GB |
Storage | 256GB | 256GB, 512GB | 512GB, 1TB |
OS | Android 15 | Android 15 | Android 15 |
Battery | 5,500 mAh | 5,800 mAh | 5,800 mAh |
Charging | 65W wired, 15W wireless | 65W wired, 15W wireless | 65W wired, 15W wireless |
Dust/water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
Size | 6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm ) | 6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm ) | 6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 inches (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm) |
Weight | (225g) | 8.01 oz (227g) | 8.0 ounces (227g) |
So what do you get for that money? The design is reminiscent of most recent ROG phones, complete with the 341-LED Anime Vision lighting on the back, AirTrigger gaming keys and an IP68 water/dust resistance rating. That’s combined with a 6.78-inch OLED screen, capable of FHD+ resolution, a 185Hz refresh rate, 2,500 nits of peak brightness and the protection afforded by Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Inside we have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset which, while over a year old now, is still plenty powerful and bundles in some serious power efficiency. Also powering the phone is 16GB of RAM, a 5,500 mAh battery, 256GB of storage, Wi-Fi 7, 65W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. Asus has also included a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you’re not forced to use wireless headphones.
Camera-wise you’ve got a 50MP main camera, 13MP ultrawide and a 5MP macro sensor — plus a 32MP selfie camera on the front. Which is all the same as the standard ROG Phone 9 has to offer.
It’s all a pretty impressive array of specs, with the only real downgrade coming thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset — and that’s certainly no slouch.
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So, the only real question is whether the ROG Phone 9 FE will go on sale in other regions — particularly the U.S. So we’ll just have to wait and see what happens there.
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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.