Asus ROG Phone 9 vs. vivo iQOO 12 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers prioritizing sustained performance and a more compact form factor, the Asus ROG Phone 9 is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8 Elite and impressive 16:41 active use battery life provide a longer, smoother gaming experience. However, the iQOO 12 Pro’s 120W charging and newer chipset offer compelling advantages for general users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 9 | vivo iQOO 12 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 66, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (Up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, November 19 | 2023, November 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, November 20 | Available. Released 2023, November 14 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) | 164.6 x 75.4 x 8.6 mm or 8.8 mm |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 227 g (8.01 oz) | 205 g or 210 g (7.23 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~518 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~88.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 185Hz, HDR10, 1600 nits (HBM), 2500 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 830 | Adreno 750 |
| OS | Android 15, upgradable to Android 16, up to 2 major Android upgrades | Android 14, up to 2 major Android upgrades, Funtouch 14 (International), OriginOS 4 (China) |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) | 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, ulti-directional PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 15mm, 119˚ (ultrawide), AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR10+ | 8K@30fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 22mm (wide), 1/3.2", 0.7µm | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5), GLONASS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C (side), DisplayPort 1.4; USB Type-C (bottom), OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, PPS, QC5, 100% in 46 min 15W wireless (Qi) 10W reverse wired | 120W wired 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | 5800 mAh | 5100 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Storm White | Black, Red, White (BMW M branding) |
| Models | AI2501-12G256G-BK, AI2501-12G256G-WH, AI2501-16G512G-WH, AI2501-16G512G-BK | V2329A |
| Price | £ 799.99 / € 899.90 | About 650 EUR |
Asus ROG Phone 9
- Exceptional sustained gaming performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Long battery life (16:41h active use)
- More compact and manageable size for gaming
- Gaming-focused features and optimizations
- Older chipset generation (Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Gen 3)
- Slower charging speed compared to iQOO 12 Pro
vivo iQOO 12 Pro
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
- Blazing-fast 120W wired charging
- 50W wireless charging
- Potentially superior camera system
- May experience more thermal throttling under sustained load
- Potentially larger and less comfortable for extended gaming
Display Comparison
The Asus ROG Phone 9 boasts a bright display, reaching a measured 1958 nits peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the iQOO 12 Pro’s display specs aren’t provided, iQOO typically employs high-quality AMOLED panels. The ROG Phone 9’s focus on gaming likely includes a high touch sampling rate and low latency, crucial for competitive play. The absence of LTPO information for either device means we can’t definitively assess adaptive refresh rate efficiency, but the ROG Phone’s gaming optimizations likely prioritize consistent refresh rates over power savings.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera specifications for both devices are limited. However, given the market positioning, the iQOO 12 Pro likely prioritizes camera capabilities more heavily. iQOO phones often feature large sensors and advanced image processing. The ROG Phone 9, while capable, typically focuses less on camera prowess, prioritizing gaming features. Without specific sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive comparison, but the iQOO 12 Pro is likely to offer a more versatile and feature-rich camera system.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Asus ROG Phone 9 utilizes the Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm), featuring a unique octa-core configuration with Oryon V2 Phoenix cores clocked up to 4.32 GHz. This architecture is designed for sustained performance, crucial for long gaming sessions. The iQOO 12 Pro, conversely, employs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm). While the Gen 3 offers improvements in AI processing and overall efficiency, its clock speeds (3.3 GHz Cortex-X4) are lower than the ROG Phone 9’s Oryon cores. The 3nm process of the Snapdragon 8 Elite should translate to better thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling under heavy load. The iQOO 12 Pro benefits from the newer architecture, but the ROG Phone 9’s specialized chipset is geared towards maximizing gaming performance.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 9 delivers an impressive 16:41 hours of active use, showcasing excellent battery life despite its focus on power-intensive gaming. It supports 65W wired charging, reaching 100% in 46 minutes, alongside 15W wireless and 10W reverse wired charging. The iQOO 12 Pro significantly ups the ante with 120W wired charging, promising a much faster recharge time. It also offers 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless. While the ROG Phone 9’s battery life is commendable, the iQOO 12 Pro’s charging speed is a major advantage for users who need to quickly top up their device.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 9 if you need a phone specifically engineered for extended gaming sessions, value a more manageable size for one-handed use, and prioritize consistent frame rates over raw benchmark scores. Buy the vivo iQOO 12 Pro if you prefer the latest chipset generation, demand the fastest possible charging speeds (120W), and prioritize a more versatile smartphone experience beyond gaming.