ASUS ROG Phone 9 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Verdict
Both flagship phones represent different philosophies in premium mobile design. ASUS ROG Phone 9 delivers superior raw performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite, a stunning 185Hz LTPO AMOLED display at 2500 nits, and robust 5800mAh battery with 65W charging. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 innovates with dual foldable displays (7.6-inch inner, 6.2-inch cover), telephoto lens, and wireless charging, though it runs older Android 12L with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and smaller 4400mAh battery. Camera specs favor ASUS slightly with brighter f/1.9 main sensor versus Samsung's f/1.8. However, Z Fold 4's versatile form factor and $800 price premium suggest different use cases. For gaming performance, display refresh excellence, and battery longevity, ASUS ROG Phone 9 is the clear winner at $999. Choose Z Fold 4 only if foldable innovation and telephoto zoom justify the cost.
Who Should Buy
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
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 if…
- →Refined hinge is slimmer and lighter than Fold 3
- →Taskbar for PC-like multitasking
- →Improved cameras over Fold 3
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
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
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Pros
- Refined hinge is slimmer and lighter than Fold 3
- Taskbar for PC-like multitasking
- Improved cameras over Fold 3
- IPX8 water resistance
- Flex mode for hands-free use
Cons
- Still very expensive at $1799
- Heavy at 263 g
- Visible crease on inner display
- Under-display camera quality is poor
- Slow 25W charging
Full Specifications
| Spec | ASUS ROG Phone 9 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 15 | Android 12L, One UI 4.1.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 263 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| IP rating | IP68 | IPX8 |
| Dimensions | 163.8 x 77.0 x 8.9 mm | 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mm (unfolded) |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.9, OIS (Sony IMX906) | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 32 MP, f/2.4 | 10 MP (cover), 4 MP under-display (inner) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 13 MP, f/2.2, 120-degree | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 16 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5800 mAh | 4400 mAh |
| Charging | 65W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | — | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.78 inches | 7.6 inches (inner), 6.2 inches (cover) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, foldable |
| Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2176 x 1812 (inner), 2316 x 904 (cover) |
| Refresh rate | 185Hz | 120Hz (both) |
| Brightness (nits) | 2500 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz + 3x2.75 GHz + 4x2.0 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 830 | Adreno 730 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.2 |
Related Comparisons
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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