ASUS ROG Phone 9 vs. ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra: ASUS has made a mark in the market with its two powerful phone series—ROG Phone for gaming enthusiasts and Zenfone for those who want a premium, smart and all-rounder phone. Both have top class features, but their style, users and focus are quite different. In this article, we will compare Zenfone 12 Ultra and ROG Phone 9 to understand which phone will be right for you.

Design & Style

ASUS ROG Phone 9 comes with a pure gamer look — with RGB lights, AirTriggers and heavy cooling system. The design is a bit bold and heavy, but best for gaming. Zenfone 12 Ultra is a classy and sleek design phone, which gives a premium feel and is comfortable for everyday use. If you are a gamer then go for ROG, if you want a classy flagship then Zenfone is the best.

Display & Visuals

Both phones have a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 2500 nits brightness. The ROG Phone 9 has a refresh rate of 185Hz, which is perfect for gaming. Zenfone 12 Ultra supports 120Hz (144Hz in games), is more battery efficient. ROG for gaming, Zenfone is the best choice for daily use.

Performance & Processor

Both phones have Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which is the most powerful chipset of 2025. ROG Phone 9 is specially optimized for gaming – X Mode, better cooling and up to 24GB RAM. Zenfone 12 Ultra is also fast, but more balanced and gives a smooth experience for everyday use.

Camera Setup

This time ASUS did not compromise on the camera setup either. Both phones have a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700 sensor with a 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer. This stabilization is so smooth that even handheld videos or action shots become shake-free.

The ultrawide camera is 13MP in both, but the Zenfone 12 Ultra has a slightly advanced lens which reduces image distortion. The Zenfone also has a 32MP dedicated telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, which is a good option for photography lovers.

The base model of ROG Phone 9 only has a 5MP macro lens, while the Pro variant comes with a 32MP telephoto sensor. Zenfone has AI features like AI Portrait Video 2.0, AI Tracking, and Magic Fill, which give an extra edge in photography and videography.

Features & Tech

Talking about software, ROG Phone 9 comes with ROG UI, which is optimized for gaming. Tools like Game Genie, Armory Crate have been given to manage games and adjust performance. You can also customize RGB lighting and performance profiles.

Zenfone 12 Ultra runs on ZenUI which is very close to stock Android. It gives a clean and fast experience. The productivity tools in Zenfone are quite good such as AI Transcript, Document Summary, Call Translator, and Circle to Search. So if you use more work and smart features, then this phone is perfect for you.

Battery & Charging

ROG Phone 9 has a big battery of 5,800mAh, which is perfect for long gaming sessions. Both 65W wired charging and 15W wireless charging are supported. Zenfone 12 Ultra has a slightly smaller 5,500mAh battery, but due to battery optimization it easily lasts the whole day. Charging speed is the same.

So ROG will be better for gaming and heavy usage, but Zenfone also gives good battery backup for day-to-day usage.

Price & Variants 

The 12GB + 256GB variant of the ASUS ROG Phone 9 can be found between ₹84,432 – ₹89,999, and the 16GB + 512GB one can go up to ₹1,02,800 – ₹1,08,000. An FE version is also expected in the ₹60,000 – ₹77,543 range.

The 12GB + 256GB model of Zenfone 12 Ultra can be priced between ₹89,999 – ₹99,990, and the 16GB + 512GB variant is expected to be available between ₹98,000 – ₹1,05,000.

Final Verdict

If you are a serious mobile gamer who needs every feature required for gaming like AirTriggers, RGB lighting, highest refresh rate and big battery, then go for ROG Phone 9 without thinking. This phone is specially made for gamers.

But if you want a premium flagship phone which is balanced in every department, with good camera, AI features, clean design and strong battery backup, then Zenfone 12 Ultra is the perfect choice. This phone is for those people who do gaming sometimes but mostly buy phones for productivity and camera usage.