What you need to know
- Another discovery involves the rumored ASUS ROG Phone 9 "FE" in a pair of certification listings overseas.
- The device has apparently surfaced in Malaysia and Thailand, with rumors pointing — once again — to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 decision.
- The "FE" phone reportedly grabbed Wi-Fi Alliance certification in November as it was tested with Android 14.
A recent discovery might tell us a little more about the upcoming, Samsung-like "fan edition" phone from ASUS.
The latest ROG Phone 9 "FE" discovery surfaces courtesy of 91Mobiles from the SIRIM certification database (via GSMArena). More exciting specifications like its features, display, and cameras are reportedly still unknown. However, the publication claims the device could feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.
This chip theory allegedly stems from the model number in the Phone 9 FE's files. According to data from a Malaysian and Thailand listing, the device is codenamed "ASUS_AI2401_N." The publication then ties this number to the one used for the Phone 8 series: "AI2501C." The series dropped at the beginning of January 2024 with the SD 8 Gen 3, which leads to the recent assumptions that the company's Phone 9 FE could contain the same.
The chip did wonders to help phones in 2024 with on-device AI capabilities, a push ASUS made with its Phone 8 and Phone 9 series.
Additionally, there's some speculation that the device could see a launch in the southeast Asia region "soon."
Rumors of an ASUS ROG Phone 9 FE cropped up last November when the device allegedly showed up in a Wi-Fi Alliance listing. The certification database stated the phone was being tested with Android 14; however, others theorize it could see Android 15 by the time it's in our hands. Wi-Fi 6 connectivity is expected. Moreover, that listing is what originally put the idea of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 swap in our minds — and the latest rumors double down on it.
For context, the flagship Phone 9 and Phone 9 Pro debuted in November 2024 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. That chip drastically improved the power and efficiency of the company's chips with the new Oryon CPU cores. More importantly, the chip has consistently been reported to be more costly due to its vast improvements.
If ASUS is interested in going down a similar "fan edition" or FE route as Samsung, then dropping its chip to one from a generation prior could help. An FE tag screams affordability, but a change in the chipset won't get this done alone. The main flagship duo offers a 6.7-inch display and a triple camera array; however, the base Phone 9 starts at $999. It also features a 50MP primary lens, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro camera instead of a telephoto.
So, perhaps ASUS will look at toning down its on-device AI gaming features or its cooling capabilities (but hopefully not). A launch date hasn't been narrowed down yet, so we'll just have to keep waiting.
