ASUS quietly released the ROG Phone 9 FE — but you can’t buy one right now

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There's another Fan Edition Android in town

asus rog phone 9 fe phone renders
(Image credit: Asus)

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.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 - Cell 0 Asus ROG Phone 9 FEAsus ROG Phone 9Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro
Display6.78-inch FHD+ (2400x1080)6.78-inch FHD AMOLED (2400 x 1080)6.78-inch FHD AMOLED (2400 x 1080)
Refresh rate1 - 120Hz, 165Hz, 185Hz1 - 120Hz, 165Hz, 185Hz1 - 120Hz, 165Hz, 185Hz
Rear cameras50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP Macro50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP Macro50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP 3x telephoto
Front camera32MP32MP32MP
ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 3Snapdragon 8 EliteSnapdragon 8 Elite
RAM16GB12GB, 16GB16GB, 24GB
Storage256GB256GB, 512GB512GB, 1TB
OSAndroid 15Android 15Android 15
Battery5,500 mAh5,800 mAh5,800 mAh
Charging65W wired, 15W wireless65W wired, 15W wireless65W wired, 15W wireless
Dust/water resistanceIP68IP68IP68
Size6.45 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.

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.

asus rog phone 9 fe phone renders

(Image credit: Asus)

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Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

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.