Latest news with #ROGPhone9Pro
Digital Trends
13-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Nothing and Kef are making premium audio products together
Technology brand Nothing has announced a partnership with audio experts Kef, and said it's already hard at work on co-developed products together. Nothing is best known for its smartphones these days, but its first ever product was the Nothing Ear 1 earbuds, and it has continued to build and diversify the line ever since. However, Nothing has greater ambitions in audio and it's with Kef it intends to make plans for an expansion into new audio categories a reality. Kef has been building audio products for more than 60 years. Andrew Freshwater, Nothing's head of smart products said: Recommended Videos 'By combining Kef's decades of expertise with our design-led approach to technology, we're laying the groundwork for a new standard in everyday listening. Our products launching later this year mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter of our collaboration and the future of Nothing Audio.' If that wasn't interesting enough, Kef's Grace Lo, head of global marketing, added: 'This partnership allows us to bring our acoustic heritage into a fresh context, working with a brand that shares our dedication to innovation, quality, and design. Together, we're setting out to redefine what premium audio can look and feel like for the next generation.' There's no hard information about the products Nothing and Kef are designing together, aside from the press release stating 'several acoustically co-developed products' are already in progress, with further details expected to be shared in the coming months. Nothing's last audio product releases were the Nothing Ear (a) in April 2024, along with a series of new earbuds in its CMF by Nothing range in April 2025. It's also reasonable to think Nothing and Kef may work together on future smartphone releases, tuning the speakers and the audio for higher quality sound. Asus and Dirac have proved great sound can come from a smartphone with the ROG Phone 9 Pro, but few others have exploited mobile audio in the same way, leaving an opportunity for Nothing and Kef beyond the new audio products it has planned.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Yahoo
There's another new Ultra phone coming, and we've tried it out
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra may be the Ultra phone everyone's talking about today, but there is another Ultra phone about to demand your attention. It's the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra, and I've had a close look to see if it's the Ultra that should get your money. Asus is best known in the mobile space for its ROG gaming smartphones, and while they aren't for everyone, they are clearly aimed at a specific type of person and are really good at what they do. The Zenfone series has lost its way since Asus decided to forget about making compact flagship phones, and go in completely the opposite direction. What's the latest version like? The Zenfone 12 Ultra is similarly sized to the ROG Phone 9 Pro and has a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a 1-120Hz refresh rate, which can also max out at 144Hz when playing certain games. It's colorful and the quad-curve design means it attractively and comfortably blends into the aluminum frame. The corners are neatly but not dramatically curved, and at 220 grams it's not obscenely heavy either. It's a very simple design though, particularly in the boring Ebony Black color I've been trying out. There is a much more attractive Sage Green model and a subtle Sakura White (which looks quite pink) to choose from, and if you prefer your phones with some flair, one of those will be the better choice. The camera module is a bit of an eyesore. It's not that it's ugly, and it's better looking than the Zenfone 11 Ultra, but it extends too far out from the back of the phone. If it was flush, or almost flush, it would be far less offensive. The Zenfone 12 Ultra is just about the same size and weight as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it's definitely more comfortable to hold, mostly because of the curved sides and it being slightly less wide. It's no less generally durable either, with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, plus Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 over the screen. No, it's not quite as good looking, but it's more incognito. You aren't losing much when it comes to power either. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and up to 16GB of RAM. Remember, the Galaxy S25 Ultra only manages 12GB of RAM. Asus does software well too, with a choice of its own custom interface or a stock Android look. It's the same deal as the ROG Phone 9 Pro, just without the extensive gaming features like its X Mode and Armory Crate. What about the cameras? The main is a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 with 2x lossless zoom and the company's six-axis gimbal, joined by a 32MP telephoto camera for 3x optical zoom shots, and a 13MP wide-angle camera. On the front is a 32MP RGBW selfie camera. This is the same as you get on the ROG Phone 9 Pro, where it had some problems. I've taken a selection of photos, and also compared it to the Galaxy S25 Ultra to see if it can hold its own, to understand if the Zenfone's software has fixed the ROG Phone 9 Pro's issues. The Zenfone 12 Ultra's camera has its own unique style. It's not awful, but it's certainly not a natural or realistic look. See the clouds in several of the wide-angle example photos for evidence, as they appear otherworldly, almost as if they've been added in after the photo was taken. There are times when the main camera takes photos with a lovely tone and balance, and other times where everything just looks off. The 3x zoom isn't bad, but it can introduce noise. Unfortunately, even after only a few photos it's clear Zenfone 12 Ultra's camera can't keep up with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera. What else is there? The Zenfone 12 Ultra has a 5,500mAh battery with wired and wireless charging, plus stereo speakers with plenty of codec support including AptX Adaptive. Like Samsung, Asus is talking up the Zenfone 12 Ultra's AI capabilities, which range from the usual translation and summary tools, to more interesting features like AI-powered subject tracking when shooting video. There's also Asus's take on Google's Magic Eraser called Magic Fill, and an audio eraser tool called AI Voice Clarity, which removes unwanted sound from the background of your videos. Although it does have a feature you can't find on the S25 Ultra, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and both share the Ultra name, it's probably unfair to compare the two. The Zenfone 12 Ultra will cost 1,099 euros, which is a little less than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus in the same currency, making it the true alternative. On the subject of price and availability, Asus will launch the Zenfone 12 Ultra in Europe, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with Japan following in a few months time. The company has not decided if it's going to launch the phone in the U.S. or the U.K. yet. The GalaxyS25 Ultra is an excellent phone, and although the Zenfone 12 Ultra is the more comfortable phone to hold for a long time, plus it has basically the same processor inside, it's not really capable (or arguably, even designed) to take it on. Even leaving the camera aside, the screen isn't as bright and easy to see outside, and lacks the fantastic anti-reflective coating too. Perhaps most egregious of all is it's lack of true identity, as unlike the ROG Phone series, nothing about it says Asus. It's a shame, as the hardware is solid and the software is great. Asus hasn't made final plans about a wider global release, but whatever happens, your current Samsung-based Ultra and Plus phone plans are probably safe.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Asus has released a phone with a Samsung name on it
Samsung, no, sorry, Asus has released the ROG Phone 9 FE. After the name was spotted over the past few weeks, the mysterious Asus phone with a name like a Samsung phone has arrived in Thailand. At the time of writing, the phone is available in Asus's online store in the country, but it does not appear in the U.S. or the U.K. stores. The addition of the FE name — which has been linked to Samsung since the Galaxy Note 7 — isn't the only odd nomenclature decision on Asus's part. It's called an ROG Phone 9, but the technical specification is closer to the ROG Phone 8 Pro than the brand's latest model. Lets take a closer look. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16GB of RAM provides the power, and not the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite found in the ROG Phone 9 Pro. Just like the ROG Phone 8 Pro it has a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen (ironically made by Samsung), a 5,500mAh battery with wired and wireless charging, stereo speakers, and the AniMe RGB display on the phone's rear panel. There are no changes to the camera either, with a 50-megapixel main, a 13MP wide-angle, a 5MP macro camera, and a 32MP selfie camera. Surprisingly, the ROG Phone 9 FE sits alongside the ROG Phone 8 Pro in Asus's Thailand store, but the old phone costs more to buy meaning few who compare the spec sheets will purchase the old model. Even the overall dimensions and weight are the same. The ROG Phone 9 FE is substantially cheaper than the latest ROG Phone 9 Pro and ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition models though, and once stock of the ROG Phone 8 Pro have gone, it'll fill a gap in Asus's product range. However, it's still an unusual decision to use the FE name when there are 24 other letters to choose from which aren't connected with another brand's devices. Whether the ROG Phone 9 FE will receive a wider launch remains to be seen.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Yahoo
Asus's next gaming phone has a very familiar look
Asus' ROG Phone 9 Pro is a powerful, sleek handset that's optimized for gaming, and now we've learned the company plans to release the ROG Phone 9 FE — not from an official source, but from a huge leak that revealed the specs and several images of what the new model will look like. Here's what we know so far. The ROG Phone 9 FE is expected to release before the end of 2025, although a more specific launch window isn't available. The phone is slated to arrive with a 6.78-inch FHD+ display and a maximum brightness of 2,500 nits. That's more than enough to browse the web or play your favorite mobile game in direct sunlight. The phone is also expected to sport a 165Hz refresh rate (up to 185Hz in Game Genie mode) and Gorilla Glass Victus 2; in other words, the same display as the ROG Phone 9 and 9 Pro. You should expect a slightly downgraded battery of 5,500mAh versus the 5,900mAh in the Phone 9 and 9 Pro, according to 91mobiles. The ROG Phone 9 FE isn't messing around in terms of specs, either. It will run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, boast 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It will also have a 50MP main camera, a 13MP ultrawide camera, and a 5MP macro camera. The front camera is a whopping 32MP for snagging the perfect selfie. The main spec downgrade is the lack of a telephoto camera lens on the FE. What kind of gaming phone would it be if it didn't come with a headphone port? The handset is equipped with a 3.5mm jack, dual-stereo speakers, and is compatible with Wi-Fi 7. You'll be able to game competitively with this phone with ease, especially if you pair it with a mobile controller. Even if you don't, its AirTrigger controls (programmable touchpads) make it easy to play with just your phone, no accessory required. The phone weighs in at 225g and is 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm, and we only know of the Phantom Black color so far. The design remains largely the same as previous iterations, with only a few subtle differences, such as the addition of an '09' script down the side. It appears a version of Asus's popular ROG Vision rear display will be part of the phone too. Gaming phones have grown in popularity over the last few years, and now you can find plenty of options so that you don't have to pause Stardew Valley before leaving the house — just take it with you.
