RedMagic 11 Pro vs Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro: Which is best?

Price and Availability

At the time of writing, the Redmagic 11 Pro is not currently available to order yet as it will officially release on November 13. Once it does launch, the phone will have a starting RRP of £629/$749, which means it’s in the running to earn a place in our best mid-range phones guide.

In comparison, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition will set you back from £1299.99/$1499. Having said that, as it’s an older handset, you are more likely to find a deal or nab a refurbished model for slightly less.

Design

• The Redmagic 11 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro have similar dimensions 
• Redmagic 11 Pro features the AquaCore Cooling System
• Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro has a two-tone LED matrix at its rear

While the Redmagic 11 Pro measures in at 163.8 x 76.5 x 8.9 mm and 230g, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro is 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm and 227g. As you can see, the difference between the two is negligible. 

However, flip the phones over and you’ll notice a clear design difference. The 11 Pro is fitted with Redmagic’s AquaCore Cooling System which pumps a blue, liquid coolant around the phone, and is visible through a clear circular window. In addition, the 11 Pro is equipped with customisable backlighting elements, a physical slider button to open Game Space and capacitive touch shoulder buttons for FPS titles too. 

While the ROG Phone 9 Pro may not sport the novel liquid coolant, it is fitted with a concealed, two-tone LED matrix. Made up of 648 dots, by default the matrix cycles through the time, battery percentage and ROG logo, although that’s not all it can do.

Not only can you use the matrix as a countdown timer for taking photos or as a notification alert, but you can even play a handful of games on the rear panel too by using the two Air Triggers on the side of the phone. Sure, they’re pretty simplistic games, but it’s certainly a fun addition.

Otherwise, the ROG Phone 9 Pro sports a dual USB setup, a feature that’s unfortunately missing from the Redmagic 11 Pro, and comes in two varieties: ROG Phone 9 Pro or ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition. The difference is that the latter comes fitted with more RAM and storage and is equipped with the £90 AeroActive Cooler X Pro accessory. 

Winner: Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

Screen

• Redmagic 11 Pro has a larger OLED display at 6.85-inches
• Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro supports up to 185Hz refresh rate, while the Redmagic 11 Pro reaches a maximum 144Hz
• ROG Phone 9 Pro has a higher peak brightness

There are many differences that separate the Redmagic 11 Pro from the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro. Firstly, the Redmagic 11 Pro is larger, at 6.85-inches compared to 6.78-inches. Generally we say that whether you prefer a larger screen depends on your personal preference, however when it comes to a gaming phone then it’s fair to want a bit more screen real estate to play with. 

The Redmagic 11 Pro also sports an under-display selfie camera, which means the screen feels more immersive and uninterrupted than otherwise. It’s a lovely touch, although it does come at the expense of the camera’s quality, but we’ll get to that later. 

Where the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro promises to excel is with its refresh rate and peak brightness. While the 11 Pro offers up to 144Hz and a peak brightness of 1800 nits, the ROG Phone 9 Pro boasts an 185Hz refresh rate and 2000 nits peak brightness. As most games don’t even take advantage of 120Hz, the need for 144 or 185Hz support is definitely debatable, but it’s certainly not a bad feature to sport.

Winner: Redmagic 11 Pro

Camera

• The Redmagic 11 Pro’s under-display selfie lens captures low-resolution images
• Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro has a trio of rear lenses while the Redmagic 11 Pro has two
• Overall, we were more impressed with the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s photography than the Redmagic 11 Pro

We always disclaim that when it comes to gaming phones, you really shouldn’t expect particularly impressive photography. With this in mind, if photography is your main priority when it comes to a smartphone then you should opt for one of the best camera phones instead. 

Although earlier we praised the Redmagic 11 Pro’s under-display selfie lens as it helps create a more immersive and uninterrupted screen, this comes at the expense of its image quality. In fact, we concluded that “if you like taking selfies, avoid this phone” as Redmagic’s processing turns you into an almost AI-enhanced character, rather than providing a lifelike image. 

Otherwise, we did find the Redmagic 11 Pro’s 50MP main camera to be impressive, as its large sensor is able to capture decent results in most lighting conditions. While the 50MP ultrawide is solid too, we would avoid using it at night. 

In comparison, we hailed the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro as having “easily one of the best cameras on a gaming phone” as its 50MP main lens delivers sharp photos in all lighting conditions. This is thanks to its Sony Lytia 700 sensor which should have better light-gathering abilities to its predecessor. 

On the other hand, we concluded that the ultrawide lens is the “least impressive” of the lot, as it lacks detail, while the 3x telephoto delivers impressive shots in the daylight, but does struggle at night.

Winner: Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

Performance

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite
• Redmagic 11 Pro’s AquaCore Cooling System keeps things from overheating
• Dual stereo speakers on both

The Redmagic 11 Pro is one of the first we’ve tested that runs on Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and, unsurprisingly, we were blown away. In fact, we’ve hailed the handset as being “the fastest phone [we’ve] used to date”. 

Not only did the Redmagic 11 Pro breeze through our 3D Wildlife Extreme test and saw an astounding score of 8113, but it also stayed cool during use too. Whether that’s the AquaCore Cooling System or just Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 at play is yet to be seen, but either way it’s impressive.

Otherwise, the Redmagic 11 Pro is equipped with gaming enhancements including touch triggers which offer an advantage in competitive titles, visual aids and crosshair replacements and more. 

Unsurprising as Snapdragon 8 Elite was running the show, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro was also blisteringly fast and performed excellently during our tests. Although Asus has undoubtedly put in a lot of work into the cooling system, we would still recommend nabbing the AeroActive cooler as it helps keep things running smoothly. 

In fact, we did note that the phone did have a tendency to get pretty hot when playing demanding titles, albeit not to a concerning level. 

Finally, both handsets are equipped with dual stereo speakers that offer a wide soundstage. In fact, we hailed the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro as having the most impressive speakers we’ve heard from a smartphone, gaming or not. 

Winner: Redmagic 11 Pro

Software

• Redmagic 11 Pro includes Google tools such as Gemini and Circle to Search
• Both have unique gaming tools, from Redmagic’s Game Space to Asus’ Game Genie and AI-powered features
• Redmagic 11 Pro has an anime digital assistant 

We’ll start by stating that both the Redmagic 11 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro are Android smartphones, with intuitive skins that run smoothly for everyday tasks. 

Included with the Redmagic 11 Pro are a few Google tools, including Gemini, Circle to Search and even the Google Discover feed, with the latter usually missing from Androids. The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, unfortunately isn’t equipped with such tools.

Instead, what sets the ROG Phone 9 Pro apart is its comprehensive suite of AI-powered features that are designed to assist you when gaming. For Genshin Impact, there’s the X Sense Auto Pick Up tool which detects and automatically picks up available items, plus Auto Run and Speed Up Conversation too.

Such tools are accessible by swiping from the corner of the display while gaming to bring up Asus’ Game Genie Overlay.

Otherwise, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro is unmistakably a gaming phone, and even greets you during set up with an introductory game that introduces you to the various gaming features. 

One of the key features for the Redmagic 11 Pro, on the other hand, is Game Space which works as a shortcut to your games library. There’s also the inclusion of Mora, an anime digital assistant that you can chat to.

Winner: Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

Battery

• Redmagic 11 Pro has a larger 7500mAh battery
• Although both support wireless charging, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro maxes out at just 15W while the Redmagic 11 Pro supports up to 80W
• Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro has two USB-C charging ports

With a massive 7500mAh battery, the Redmagic 11 Pro can easily last two days on a single charge without difficulty. In comparison, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro’s battery is slightly smaller at 5800mAh, and is firmly a one-day device.

While both handsets do support wireless charging, which is a huge bonus for gaming phones, their respective speeds differ wildly. The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro supports speeds of 15W using the Qi 1.3 standard, whereas the Redmagic 11 Pro offers speeds of a massive 80W. Of course, you’ll need a compatible charger to make use of those speeds, but it’s definitely not something to be sniffed at. 

One area which helps the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro stand out is its additional USB port, which is something we wish more phones would adopt. Essentially, the extra port means you can comfortably play games in landscape mode while charging the battery up.

Winner: Redmagic 11 Pro

Verdict

As you can see from this guide, both the Redmagic 11 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro have plenty of strengths, so deciding between them can feel incredibly difficult. Essentially, if you’re looking for an affordable gaming smartphone, with a powerful and newer processor, a mighty two-day battery life and an immersive display, then the Redmagic 11 Pro is a brilliant choice.

On the other hand, if you want clever gaming assist features, a better camera and a useful dual charging port, then the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro remains an excellent phone. Sure, it may come with a higher price tag, but it’s undoubtedly a well-equipped gaming handset.