If there’s any other stronger contender to the iPhone 16e, that would be the ROG Phone 9 FE, which ASUS Malaysia has announced today for RM2999, but unlike other FE phones we have checked out, the ROG Phone 9 FE truly screams value for the price you are paying.

For starters, the ROG Phone 9 FE is powered by last year’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor paired to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, the phone has IP68 water and dust resistance, while it boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen that refreshes up to 185Hz, a triple camera system that consists of 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide and 5MP macro cameras, a 5500mAh battery with support for 65W wired HyperCharge and 15W Qi-wireless charging.

On top of that, you are still getting the hallmarks of a ROG gaming phone, including a secondary USB-C port on the side for charging convenience, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Air Triggers, the AniMe Vision Mini LED display, and features such as X Sense 3.0, X Capture 2.0 and AI Grabber 2.0, which overall feels like a rebadged ROG Phone 8 if you ask me.

What’s even better is that for a limited time, ASUS Malaysia is doing a ROG Phone 9 Epic Raya Special campaign where you can get a RM300 Touch ‘n Go eWallet credit when you purchase the ROG Phone 9 FE, which will ultimately make it just RM2699 and a deal that’s hard to resist.

Missed our ROG Phone 9 review? Watch it here.