Apple iPhone X vs ASUS ROG Phone 9
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone X defined premium smartphones in 2017 with its revolutionary notch design and Super Retina OLED display, but the ASUS ROG Phone 9 is objectively superior across nearly every technical dimension. The ROG Phone 9's 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED screen at 185Hz refresh rate with 2500 nits peak brightness dwarfs the iPhone X's 5.8-inch 60Hz panel. The performance gap is substantial: Snapdragon 8 Elite with 16GB RAM easily outpaces the aging A11 Bionic and 3GB RAM. Camera capabilities heavily favor ASUS with its 50MP main sensor, 8K video recording, and 32MP front camera versus iPhone X's 12MP setup. Battery capacity nearly doubles at 5800mAh with 65W fast charging, addressing the iPhone X's notorious 2716mAh weakness. ASUS also includes 5G, USB-C 3.2, and Wi-Fi 7 while iPhone X lacks 5G and uses Lightning connectors. Weight and thickness favor Apple slightly at 174g and 7.7mm, though both phones are premium devices with IP67/IP68 ratings. The iPhone X remains iconic for its design and iOS ecosystem, but the ROG Phone 9 offers dramatically more power, larger display, superior specs, and faster charging at the same $999 price point, making it the clear choice for performance-focused users.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone X if…
- →Revolutionary edge-to-edge OLED display design
- →Face ID introduced biometric innovation
- →Wireless charging support
Buy the ASUS ROG Phone 9 if…
- →185Hz display refresh rate is the highest on any smartphone
- →Snapdragon 8 Elite with advanced cooling sustains peak gaming performance
- →5800 mAh battery handles extended gaming sessions
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone X
Pros
- Revolutionary edge-to-edge OLED display design
- Face ID introduced biometric innovation
- Wireless charging support
- Premium stainless steel and glass build
- Animoji with TrueDepth camera
Cons
- First-gen Face ID was slower than Touch ID
- Notch design was polarizing
- $999 starting price was unprecedented
- No headphone jack or adapter in box
- Fragile all-glass construction
ASUS ROG Phone 9
Pros
- 185Hz display refresh rate is the highest on any smartphone
- Snapdragon 8 Elite with advanced cooling sustains peak gaming performance
- 5800 mAh battery handles extended gaming sessions
- AniMe Vision LED dot-matrix display on the back for notifications
- AirTrigger ultrasonic shoulder buttons enhance mobile gaming controls
Cons
- Heavy at 227 g — feels chunky as a daily driver
- 65W charging is slow compared to Chinese gaming phone rivals
- Camera is competent but not flagship-level for the price
- Gaming-focused design is too aggressive for many users
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone X | ASUS ROG Phone 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 11 | Android 15 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 174 g | 227 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm | 163.8 x 77.0 x 8.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.9, OIS (Sony IMX906) |
| Front camera | 7 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 32 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.4, 2x optical zoom | — |
| Ultrawide | — | 13 MP, f/2.2, 120-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 3 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2716 mAh | 5800 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 65W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | — |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.8 inches | 6.78 inches |
| Type | Super Retina OLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2436 x 1125 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 185Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 625 | 2500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.39 GHz + 4x1.7 GHz) | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (3-core) | Adreno 830 |
| Chipset | Apple A11 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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