Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) vs ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro
Between the iPhone SE (3rd gen) and ROG Phone 9 Pro, the iPhone SE (3rd gen) comes out ahead in weight and promised os updates, while the ROG Phone 9 Pro wins on ram and front camera. Overall, the iPhone SE (3rd gen) scores 40.7 and the ROG Phone 9 Pro scores 77.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The ROG Phone 9 Pro is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 37.0 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone SE (3rd gen) if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, promised os updates.
Pick the ROG Phone 9 Pro if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are ram, front camera, main camera, among others.
Both ship with comparable 5g support, optical image stabilization, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the ROG Phone 9 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) wins
- ▲Weight — 83.00 g less. 144 vs 227.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 5 (vs 3).
Why ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro wins
- ▲RAM — 500.00% more. 24 GB vs 4 GB.
- ▲Front camera — 357.14% more. 32 MP vs 7 MP.
- ▲Main camera — 316.67% more. 50 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 243.59% more. 2680000 vs 780000.
- ▲Wired charging — 225.00% more. 65 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Refresh rate — 208.33% more. 185 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Battery capacity — 187.41% more. 5800 mAh vs 2018 mAh.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 15 W vs 7.5 W.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 144 glead | 227 g |
| Thickness | 7.3 mmlead | 8.9 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP67 | IP68lead |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 4.7 " | 6.78 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 326 ppi | 388 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 185 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 625 nits | 2500 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 12 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 2018 mAh | 5800 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 65 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 7.5 W | 15 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | truelead |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) | ASUS - ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or ROG Phone 9 Pro?+
ROG Phone 9 Pro has 187.4% more battery — 2018 mAh vs 5800 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or ROG Phone 9 Pro?+
iPhone SE (3rd gen) is 83g lighter — 144g vs 227g.
Is iPhone SE (3rd gen) waterproof?+
iPhone SE (3rd gen) has an IP67 rating.
Does ROG Phone 9 Pro support 5G?+
Yes, ROG Phone 9 Pro supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or ROG Phone 9 Pro?+
ROG Phone 9 Pro offers 24GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone SE (3rd gen) or ROG Phone 9 Pro?+
ROG Phone 9 Pro has a 50 MP main camera vs 12 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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