3 Best (and cheaper) alternatives to the ROG Phone 8 Pro
The mobile gaming scene is well and truly alive, and it’s no wonder you’ve landed right here on this article. If you’re like us, you would’ve been hugely impressed with the latest ASUS ROG Phone 8 Series release.
The ROG Phone Series has come a long way since it debuted in 2018. Now after many years of full-on consistency and playing its cards right, the ROG Phones have their place rooted at top spot as the best gaming phone you can find. It is also very, very expensive.
Luckily, the burgeoning of mobile gaming means more brands are willing to venture into this corner of the niche market, and as such, more choices of gaming phones to ponder.
So, before you empty your wallets for the ROG Phone 8 Pro, consider these 3 alternatives for your next gaming phone instead.
iQOO 12
iQOO 12 vs ROG Phone 8 Pro: Quick specs comparison
| iQOO 12 | ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro | |
| Price | RM3,399 – 16GB+512GB | RM4,799 – ROG Phone 8 Pro (16GB+512GB) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Supercomputing Chip Q1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Display | 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED, 2800×1260, 144Hz refresh rate, 3,000nits | 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED, FHD+ (2400×1080), 165Hz refresh rate, 720Hz touch sampling rate, 2,500nits, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Battery & Charging | 5,000mAh; 120W wired | 5,500mAh; 65W wired, 15W wireless |
| Wi-Fi & Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| 3.5mm Jack | No | Yes |
| Rear Camera | 50MP 1/1.3″ w/ OIS 64MP periscope telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom and OIS 50MP ultrawide | 50MP IMX890 main w/ Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 32MP telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom and OIS 13MP ultrawide |
A relatively new kid on the block, iQOO came to fruition in 2019 as a subsidiary of the vivo brand. Although still largely under the shadow, iQOO has produced some really good mid-rangers of late including the Z7 5G, which we had the chance to review. However, the brand’s portfolio doesn’t just consist of mid-tier devices.
The flagship iQOO 12 launched in December 2023 was the first phone to debut the now rampant Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in Malaysia. Although it may not look like your typical gaming phone from the outset – it’s missing those flashy RGB lights and stylistic patterns – it’s unequivocally a phone that largely caters to the gaming community.
Alongside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, iQOO has included its own secondary chipset: the Supercomputing Chip Q1. This works in tandem with the main Snapdragon chip, and is responsible for delivering frame rates reaching up to 144fps, as well as optimizing visual performance.
In theme with a gamer’s phone, the iQOO 12 fits a 6K vapour chamber with four cooling zones, two of which are located at the bottom half of the screen (in landscape mode) where thumb game controls typically are. This is helped further by what iQOO calls Thermal Identification 3.0 which helps control thermal levels with the use of an AI Cooling Engine.
For displays, the iQOO 12 fits a 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED panel offering 144Hz refresh rates and a 2800×1260 resolution which, if you’ve noticed, is higher than the FHD+ resolution on the ROG Phone 8 Pro. It is also the brighter phone with 3,000nits peak brightness.
When comparing batteries, the ROG offering does boast the larger 5,500mAh battery, even coming with wireless charging capabilities. However, the iQOO 12 does make up for it with an extremely quick 120W wired fast charging that’s almost twice quicker than the 65W on the ROG.
Gaming phones aren’t really well known for their cameras, but with this year’s iteration of the ROG Phones, ASUS has finally given its cameras some much needed upgrades. This involves fitting in a Sony IMX890 sensor in its main camera, as well as a 32MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom; a vast upgrade from the 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, and 5MP macro on last year’s ROG Phone 7 Series.
Nevertheless, it seems the iQOO 12 rises to meet even that, with a 50MP 1/1.3″ main camera, a 64MP periscope telescope lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide.
Given its significantly cheaper price tag, there’s no reason at all to not consider the iQOO 12 over the ROG Phone 8 Pro. It steps up to the plate in many aspects relating to gaming, including the use of two top-end processors, immersive displays, extremely quick charging, and an expansive vapour chamber for cooling. Additionally, it comes with the exact same 16GB+512GB memory-storage configuration.
Some areas you may need to make do with are the lack of shoulder triggers for key mapping and the absence of an audio jack. It may or may not matter to you that the rear cameras do not have a Sony sensor.
But given its price range, these are trade-offs one can certainly cope with, especially if there’s a RM1,400 difference between them.
REDMAGIC 9 Pro
REDMAGIC 9 Pro vs ROG Phone 8 Pro: Quick specs comparison
| REDMAGIC 9 Pro | ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro | |
| Price | RM3,699 – 12GB+256GB RM4,499 – 16GB+512GB | RM4,799 – ROG Phone 8 Pro (16GB+512GB) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Display | 6.8″ AMOLED, FHD+ (2480×1116), 120Hz refresh rate, 960Hz touch sampling rate, 1,600nits, Gorilla Glass 5 | 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED, FHD+ (2400×1080), 165Hz refresh rate, 720Hz touch sampling rate, 2,500nits, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Battery & Charging | 6,500mAh; 80W wired | 5,500mAh; 65W wired, 15W wireless |
| Wi-Fi & Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| 3.5mm Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Camera | 50MP wide w/ OIS 50MP ultrawide 2MP macro | 50MP IMX890 main w/ Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 32MP telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom and OIS 13MP ultrawide |
If you’ve done due research, you’ll probably find that the REDMAGIC 9 Pro isn’t too far down the charts when compared to the ROG Phone 8 Pro. The REDMAGIC’s 16GB+512GB variant is slightly cheaper than the ROG, but you’re still going to have to fork out RM4,000+. Either that, or opt for the 12GB+256GB variant for only RM3,699.
It’s worth noting that the non-pro ASUS ROG Phone 8 is also 12GB+256GB and retails at RM3,999.
When it comes to performance, there isn’t too much that sets them apart. They are both powerful devices thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and you can expect to cut through graphically demanding games like a hot knife through butter. You’ll also have shoulder triggers on both devices.
Nevertheless, there are still areas of difference which you need to consider, one of which being displays. The important question to ask being: would you prefer the fully-flat display and slab-like form factor of the REDMAGIC 9 Pro, or the curvy displays and rounded edges of the ROG Phone 8 Pro? There are reasons to love both, but it’s a question only you can answer.
Shape preference aside, the REDMAGIC and ROG phones both have AMOLED panels with Full HD+ displays. The REDMAGIC may not have the higher refresh rate (maxing out at only 120Hz vs. the 165Hz on the ROG), but it does have a more responsive 960Hz touch sampling rate.
There’s also a vast difference in cooling mechanisms to consider. One of the unique features on the REDMAGIC 9 Pro is its ICE 13.0 Cooling System which, apart from the vapour chambers, includes a high-speed built-in fan that can reach 22,000rpm. On the other hand, the ROG Phone 8 Pro also has its own cooling system, but makes do without a built-in fan. Instead, you can opt to purchase the external fan – the AeroActive Cooler X – which can be clipped on to the back of the ROG for more efficient cooling. This however, does not come in the box and will cost you RM349.
Elsewhere, the REDMAGIC 9 Pro has the larger 6,500mAh battery, a fairly larger capacity compared to the 5,500mAh on the ROG. The REDMAGIC also has faster 80W wired charging, but misses out on wireless charging capabilities offered on the ROG.
For its rear cameras, the REDMAGIC does lack versatility, relying only on a 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro. It lacks the telephoto lens found on the ROG, and does not have a reputable Sony sensor to back up the main.
nubia Z60 Ultra
nubia Z60 Ultra vs ROG Phone 8 Pro: Quick specs comparison
| nubia Z60 Ultra | ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro | |
| Price | RM3,499 – 12GB+256GB RM4,299 – 16GB+512GB | RM4,799 – ROG Phone 8 Pro (16GB+512GB) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Display | 6.8″ AMOLED, FHD+ (2480×1116), 120Hz refresh rate, 1,500nits | 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED, FHD+ (2400×1080), 165Hz refresh rate, 720Hz touch sampling rate, 2,500nits, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Battery & Charging | 6,000mAh, 80W wired charging | 5,500mAh; 65W wired, 15W wireless |
| Wi-Fi & Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| 3.5mm Jack | No | Yes |
| Rear Camera | 50MP (35mm) IMX800 main w/ OIS 50MP (18mm) ultrawide w/ OIS 64MP (85mm) portrait prime w/ OIS | 50MP IMX890 main w/ Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 32MP telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom and OIS 13MP ultrawide |
The nubia Z60 Ultra is an eye-catching phone for sure, mainly because of its unique camera line-up on the rear panels. While most phones tend to keep their camera arrangements uniform and minimalistic, the nubia Z60 Ultra has three large camera bumps arranged in a very unorthodox way.
Of the three alternatives, the Z60 Ultra is probably the most hybrid choice with elements of both a gaming phone and a camera phone. Its cameras are pretty much on the same plane as the ROG, going toe-to-toe on several aspects including a Sony IMX800 sensor behind the 50MP main camera. Its ultra-wide is just as good, if not better with 50MP, and although it lacks a telephoto lens, in its place is a 64MP portrait prime lens. The best part – all cameras are supported with OIS for stable photo-taking.
On the performance side of things, this is another device that’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so you can expect smooth and snappy performance when gaming.
Form factor-wise, the Z60 Ultra is very much like the REDMAGIC 9 Pro. Displays are flat, and it has a similar rectangular slab design with hardly any curvature. You’ll be contented with a 6.8″ AMOLED with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz maximum refresh rates.
The Z60 Ultra doesn’t give off any indication that it is a gaming phone. Like the iQOO 12, it does not have any RGB lighting or any gaming-themed aesthetics. However, it does have a large 6,000mah battery for all-day gaming and 80W wired charging similar to the REDMAGIC 9 Pro.
A little drawback is that it has no shoulder triggers, nor are the displays very bright with only 1,500nits peak brightness. Despite that, the nubia Z60 Ultra is an excellent choice for those seeking to dip their toes in the world of gaming phones all while having a reliable all-rounder device that excels in photo-taking.
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