Charging speed is not great. For the previous version of this phone, now available at a lower price, see the Asus Zenfone 8. Thank you for signing up to T3. Basil has been writing about tech for over12 years, with bylines in TechRadar, Metro, Wired, and Digital Camera World to name but a few titles. The results demonstrate just how smooth the Asus Zenfone 9 is when it comes to overall usage. The Asus Zenfone 9 does not have class-leading colour handling. That also means apps run like a dream, from simple ones like Instagram through to more demanding ones video editors and photo processing tools like Lightroom. Asus ROG Phone 6 review: flawless victory. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct. With a starting price of $699, the Zenfone 9 is a no-brainer recommendation for not just people looking for a small phone, but those looking for a great value flagship. The Asus Zenfone 9 features a 5.9-inch display small by modern standards but it comes up big on performance. Asus engineers said two things helped them keep the Zenfone 9 the same size as the 8 despite having larger components: switching to a polycarbonate (aka plastic) back plate that is lighter than the glass back used last year, and the Zenfone 9 uses a boxier form instead of the curved, tapered sides and corners of last year. I think Asuss has tuned the AI texture rendering too hard. The Asus Zenfone 9 Price in UK starts at 689 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. I will sacrifice a bit of hand comfort and pocket space for a more immersive screen that doesn't require me to squint. The Asus Zenfone 9 is a unique phone that stands out: it's small, has a gimbal camera, and is very reasonably priced. $650 at Asus. It's quite overwhelming the number of things you can do and customize here. Other phones that occupy this space include the slightly cheaper iPhone 13 mini and the slightly pricier Samsung Galaxy S22. Maybe XDA's resident display expert Dylan Raga may say otherwise, but I don't think most people can look at this panel and say "oh yeah this isn't as great as the Galaxy S22 Ultra panel." There's a one-hand mode (even though you will almost never need it with this phone), and there's the ability to make back swipe gestures less or more sensitive. The Zenfone 9 is Asus's third smartphone for 2022, arriving weeks after the ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro. The first great Zenfone 9 feature is how the unusually high-quality ultra-wide camera means theres no obvious quality compromise when you switch lenses, even when shooting in poorer light. Check Amazon Pros + Large, bold screen + Good. The Asus Zenfone 9 will go on sale in many parts of the world, including the US, Canada, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan soon. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Find out more about how we test. We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. And if I actually consider the Zenfone 9's significantly lower price tag, then the cameras are fine. The cable connecting the two had to be shorter and arranged in an S-shape rather than a folded configuration. This panel allows you to assign app launches or actions to a swipe. An Asus rep says the gimbal allows for an additional three-degree of movement in the the X- and Y-axis (the up and down movement), plus compensate for a bit of "yaw movement," which is when the phone is wobbling left to right while facing the same direction. While the 1/1.57-inch is not going to impress a spoiled reviewer like me (because I've been using 1-inch sensors lately), it's still a major size increase over last year's Zenfone 8 or the iPhone 13 Mini's image sensor. For starters, it has a headphone jack; a rarity these days. The hard plastic shell also covers up a few interesting design choices around the back of the phone. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. The all-new Zenfone 10 is almost here! While a lot of flagship phones are loaded with three or four cameras, the Zenfone 9 keeps it simple just like the Nothing Phone (1) with just two cameras. Anyone who doesn't need flagship power might want to consider the Google Pixel 6a. We increased the length of time to 30 minutes. A lot of the initial Asus visual flavour is really just down to the rather bold Zenfone 9 preinstalled animated wallpaper. 1 6GB Version . You want a camera that always performs well day or night. Kind of like optical image stabilisation on steroids, this system should, theoretically, help the Zenfone 9 get the very best from its 50MP, f/1.9 primary camera high hopes have been set. While upfront is a 12MP Sony IMX663 with dual PDAF. . You will receive a verification email shortly. In addition to his extensive journalism experience, Basil is also skilled in video production, content strategy, and vegan baking, and runs Tech[edit], a technology-focused YouTube channel. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. and independent advice on what to buy. It looks excellent, with 1100 nits maximum brightness . The words Asus Zenfone, the numbers 09, some arrows and camera specs are all printed onto the back panel and vying for your attention. Honor Magic 3 smartphones launch with Qualcomm chips and Google apps, Honor 50 boasts a 108MP rear camera, super-fast charging and v-logging features, Honor 20 Pro, Honor 20 and 20 Lite will get Android Q update, Discover the gadgets you never knew you needed, In-depth reviews and new tech explanations. The screen is sharp enough, the colors pop enough, and the only time I found the maximum brightness lacking is when I'm out under harsh open sunlight. You can also pick the phone up in four colours, Midnight Black, Moonlight White, Starry Blue, and Sunset Red. UK, or Europe, . Unlike most phones out now, it has autofocus, so your selfies can be up close or distanced, and you'll look sharp. That said, it's a level of complication you just wouldn't see from Apple. While the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model is priced slightly higher. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Asus Zenfone 9 is a smaller phone, so naturally doesnt have a giant screen. The charging time though in particular has been awful, as at times with the official charger supplied in the box it has taken well over an hour to charge, and more like an hour and a half. This section was written by my colleague and XDA Senior Technical Editor, Adam Conway. The Asus Zenfone 9 features a 5.92-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED touchscreen with 120Hz refresh rate support. See Also: Asus Rog Phone 6 Pro is now available for purchase for $1599See Also: Best Alternatives for Asus Rog Phone 6 Pro. While were not worried about the Zenphone 9s durability after all, it is IP68 dust- and water-resistant, so can handle a dunk up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes the novel back panel material is more prone to staining than glass or metal. OPPO also employed it in the top-tier Oppo Find X5 Pro. The gimbal let us keep the shutter open for longer so we could take bright handheld photos we'd struggle to capture on other phones. The Zenfone 9 is light and not a handful, but it is not quite sleek and slender like some of the other small phones you might look into. It has IP68 water resistance, about as close to waterproof as youll get in a mainstream phone. 7 | I . Asus was clearly going for it with the Zenfone 9 camera, using all-Sony sensors when cost-conscious models typically throw in some Omnvision or Samsung hardware, at the least. It ran on the same chip as every other Android flagship, had mediocre cameras, and perhaps most damningly, it had one of the plainest and most generic designs I've ever seen. If you don't know what a gimbal is, it's a system that you put cameras on to keep them steady. The base model includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and the phone is IP68 certified. This puts it on par with top-end iPhone handsets when it comes to clarity, and thanks to impressive viewing angles and responsiveness, its a general win on all fronts. This latest update has broken the WiFi on my ZenFone 9. Below that, theres a 12-megapixel ultrawide that does double duty as a macro camera, plus a 12-megapixel selfie camera around front. Unfortunately, my review unit is in perhaps the dullest color (black), but it's still a major aesthetic improvement over last year's bland, blah slab. for refund or exchange and must be initiated by contacting our returns department via email at cs@asusstore.co.uk. So can anyone help me out to find out whether it's available for offline sale in stores in UK, before the 3rd week of August? Please see screenshot for details. We currently havent received answers to the questions on this product, but will update this page the moment we do. CPU Throttling Test is a freely available app on the Google Play Store, and it repeats a simple multithreaded test in C for as short as 15 minutes. Its comfortable to hold, you can reach all four corners of the screen without too much of a stretch, and the flat sides make sure its easy to grip. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. The most expensive model has 16GB RAM + 256GB storage. You want a near-flagship phone without paying four-digit prices. The selfie camera also suffers from the slow shutter of the main camera -- if I shoot in low light conditions the subjects must stay still for well over a second and a half, or else someone's face will be blurry. You can put a mark in it with a relatively light graze of a fingernail. This goes back to Asus' identity as a PC and laptop maker. The Asus Zenfone 9's 5.9-inch screen is about as small as I'm willing to go. The Asus Zenfone 9 has one of the best phone processors in the world at the time of release. Your hands can easily reach the top of the phone without issues making the phone very suitable for one-hand operations. Thanks to a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, whether youre swiping through Instagram or T3.com (hi! I'll talk more about this later in the software section, but it's absolutely baffling to me how one-hand unfriendly some other phone UIs are. We've touched on the fact autofocus is great to have, but its snaps are also flattering. I'm usually not a fan of random text and markings on phones, but they're small enough here that I'm fine with it, and I like the strikingly large, symmetrical double camera rings. Photo taken on the primary, gimbal-stabilised camera, A 2x zoom photo also using the primary camera, An 8x zoom photo the maximum zoom on the Zenfone 9, also using the primary camera, Close-up photo taken on the ultra-wide camera, The same object captured on the main camerawhile the overall photo looks pleasing, the detail in the prior photo is superior, highlighting the fact the Zenfone 9's ultra-wide/macro camera combination is a great addition, photo taken on the Zenfone 9's main camera, photo taken on the Zenfone 9's selfie camera, The North Face launches new outdoor collection for casual explorers, This inflatable paddle board is down to its cheapest price, but it won't last for long, Forget the Google Pixel Fold, this folding phone suddenly looks more appealing, Sony Xperia 1 IV review: it's getting hot in here. A 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor with 6-axis gimbal stabilization, supported by a 12MP ultra-wide lens. Asus camera processing isnt as refined as the best. Asus makes laptops and gaming laptops, and the styling makes the Zenfone feel like a phone, but made by a laptop maker. To get a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, a gimbal camera system that really works, a vibrant display, in a well-designed package that's easy to hold, for just $699? The Asus Zenfone 9 will go on sale in many parts of the world, including the US, Canada, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan soon. We know this is down to processing because we got some excellent results taking Raw photos in Pro Mode. It has never been a household phone brand in the US, UK, or Europe, and its biggest successes have arguably been models such as the ROG Phone 6 Pro that would appeal to the nerdy crowd who might like its RoG gaming PCs. You can set up to four shortcuts to the key swipe up, swipe down, long press and double press each of which can open an app or shortcut. Look at images down to the pixel level and youll notice the Zenfone 9 has less natural-looking detail processing than an iPhone, Pixel or one of the very best Samsungs. How thoughtful. The ultra-wide camera uses the Sony IMX363, which was the brains of the main camera in the much-lauded Pixel 5. Theres a 4,300mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging and an adapter included in the box, but wireless charging is not supported. Otherwise, it'd be unrealistic to demand a larger image sensor or a real zoom lens. Could the seductively small Zenfone 9 be one of the best Android phones around? Its not brilliant, its not bad. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. I wasn't sold on the Zenfone 9 when I first saw it its styling is a bit, well, extra. The high brightness mode will engage automatically when you head outdoors on a bright day. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And it cant hurt than the selfie camera has relatively large 1.22 micron sensor pixels. If photo processing was better optimised, the Zenfone 9 could have been a five-star small-scale device; after all, the ultra-wide and selfie cameras are both decent performers. The best small-sized phone on the market, the Asus Zenfone 9 delivers excellent performance and highly capable camera hardware. Powering the phone is the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G chipset paired with 8/12/16 GB RAM and 128/256GB storage. Apple had to make the phone overly small just to compensate for the fact that iOS is not one-hand friendly. Read more in our, Camera image processing lags behind the best, Bold and bright OLED display with good outdoors visibility, Slightly confusing screen calibration options, Good general image quality including at night, Some of the finer points of image processing could be improved, Powerful processor with no greater throttling than larger models, Good for gaming, although a little small for the job. The phone lasts him a 12 to 13-hour work day, which is more than any other small phone could do in his experience. It will be available first in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and parts of Europe. Model Name: ZenFone 9. Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge. The main cameras 50-megapixel sensor and f/1.9 lens are the stars of the show with what Asus calls a 6-axis hybrid gimbal OIS/EIS stabilizer. Apps in a folder, for example, open in the bottom half of the screen so they can be easily reached by thumb. However, this fits with Asuss style. Not rooted. It causes a lot of device heat-up in every phone Ive used, resulting in thermal throttling that means you wont always get dramatically better real-world gaming results after a while than a mid-tier chipset like the Snapdragon 870 or MediaTek Dimensity 1300. As you need air to keep living, so I tech for a living. That can't be done on an iPhone, where apps must sit in top-down, left-to-right order. In addition to the Smart Key and shortcuts we've covered, the phone features a light version of the ROG Phone 6's Game Genie, an in-game menu to help you edge ahead with features like macro input recording, and you can limit background interruptions here too. See Also: Asus Zenfone 9 Price, specifications, and release dateSee Also: Best MacBook in 2022: Top 5 Apple Laptops to Buy. Sometimes you get a bassy speaker and a tinny one, but thats fortunately avoided in this case. Asus succeeded in that goal, and the Zenfone 8 was a very easy one-hand phone, and perhaps due to utter lack of competition, it was named the best small Android phone by just about every tech publication. But its shown up by the Sony Xperia 10 IV, which fits a 5000mAh battery into a narrower and thinner (if taller) shell. Starts at $499/499 (roughly AU$725) . Traditional OIS systems do not compensate for yaw movements. I'll let video samples do the talking, the below video clips show the Zenfone 9 stabilizing a yaw movement shake, followed by a bunch of handheld video samples shot in various lighting conditions, including on a rocky Hong Kong tram. You can see this when you shoot directly Into the sun. Zenfone 9 5.9-inches AMOLED display Overall, I am very happy with the video footage, and considering the phone is so small and lightweight, I think it will be one of my go-to travel cameras. Apple's iOS, for example, opens a folder smack dab in the middle of the screen, which is fine on the iPhone 13 Mini, but imagine this on an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year. My review unit is the highest 16GB version, and performance has been fast and smooth. . If you move the phone around, you can actually see the lens shift. The Zenfone 9 starts at /$699 with 128GB storage and 8GB RAM. Just a couple of years ago, the Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 7 Pro came with the usual 6.7-inch screen that were and still are a dime a dozen in the Android space. The Asus Zenfone 9 is probably the best small "pocket rocket" phone for demanding buyers. Ultimately, the Zenfone 9's camera system is solid in photography and very good at videography. The lack of an in-between 12GB option is a bit odd. At 9.1mm thick, its girthier than much larger phones like the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The main cameras stabilizer compensates for movement on the x- and y-axis (side to side and up and down) but also uses information from the gyro sensor to correct for sudden z-axis movements forward and backward. If you're happy with a good camera that isn't best-in-class, you'll probably love the Zenfone. Maximum volume is good, and theres a decent substance here. . But the shutter is a bit slow even during the day, and so at night when phones tend to dial down the shutter speed and resort to night mode, I have to keep perfectly still, or else shots will appear blurry. The ultra-compact, ultra-stylish, and ultra-speedy Zenfone 9 fits perfectly in your hand, yet it packs a big punch thanks to the premium Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform and long-lasting 4300 mAh battery. First up, it's powerful, packing the same internals as the excellent ROG Phone 6, which we think is the best gaming phone around. In a normally lit room the phone will head up to around 442 nits of brightness. The Zenfone 9 has a 5.9-inches AMOLED display with support for a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and the screen has a peak brightness of 1100 nits (under direct sunlight). The above photo was shot with 2x digital zoom. Asus' Zenfone series wasn't always small. On the back is a dual camera setup. Read our review! To quantify how well the Asus Zenfone 9 can maintain 120 FPS in real-world scenarios, we ran a modified version of Googles open-source JankBench benchmark. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Please refresh the page and try again. They dont take an arduous amount of time to capture either. The metal railings house several interesting parts. Subscribe in print, digital, or a great-value bundle. After all, a more natural, slightly flatter look to the Zenfone 9's pics would have helped it be a much better camera phone. This benchmark simulates a handful of common tasks youll see in everyday apps, including scrolling through a ListView with text, scrolling through a ListView with images, scrolling through a grid view with a shadow effect, scrolling through a low-hitrate text render view, scrolling through a high-hitrate text render view, inputting and editing text with the keyboard, repeating overdraws with cards, and uploading bitmaps. The GSMArena review does show that in the usual Dynamic mode, it doesn't score as much as the SD Gen 1 (non + variant) in benchmarks, while in High performance mode it really goes full blast and gets the claimed performance gains over the 8 Gen 1. Availability. The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 features an improved Qualcomm Kryo CPU, with a Cortex-X2 prime core clocked at 3.2Ghz, three Cortex A710 performance cores clocked at 2.8GHz, and four Cortex A510 efficiency cores clocked at 2.0GHz. There is a dual camera setup at the rear that is placed in two rings. Sometimes, when the lighting is right and my hand is still enough, photos from the main camera can look great, with vibrant colors, excellent sharpness, and a bit of real bokeh. While the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model is priced slightly higher. The only issue that I've faced with battery life and charging is an inconsistent charging time -- oh, and absent wireless charging. Clean, user . The Asus Zenfone 9 can handle pretty much any situation. You shoot a lot of vlogs and want better stabilization. The Zenfone 9 is a breath of fresh air. That suggests with careful use, you could probably eke two days out of it. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period. While the phone performs well in almost every area, a few finer points like camera processing, charging speed and its thickness are small disappointments. Published 10 June 23, Honors Magic V foldable is cheaper than the Pixel Fold and packs in some great features. At first glance I thought its app drawer looked a bit cramped, a little text-heavy; but this is really just a knock-on effect of the screen size. But even if the size thing doesn't matter, the Zenfone 9 is an absolutely great value, particularly in the North American space. Asus uses A-grade sensors, and while it doesnt quite have the software to avoid criticism entirely, the end result is still a super-capable and fun-to-use camera. . Asus' photo processing ramps up the contrast to create drama. Thats all tucked away inside the phone out of view, of course, but the results are visible on the surface: with the camera in video mode, you can actually see the entire camera package moving around under the fixed, large outer lens element. So what's so special about the Zenfone 9? At night the high-quality sensor and OIS pay off, netting you clean and clear images whether you use the dedicated night mode or not. Published 13 August 21, The launch of the Honor 50, 50 Pro and 50 SE revealed impressive specs and that we'll see at least one of them, Honor 20 series to be upgraded to Android Q, just like a number of flagship smartphones from parent company Huawei, T3 is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. There's no annoying "swipe from upper right corner" action that the iPhones make me do a dozen times a day. The primary camera has a 50MP IMX766 sensor, a large chip that Asus has used before in the Asus RoG Phone 6. While tones dont look comically oversaturated, the phone will at times clip colour channels when, for example, shooting a bright red flower. The second cool bit is the existence of a 3.5mm headphone jack. Pros. "The Asus Zenfone 9 is small enough to be used with one hand, but still has all the power of a massive flagship phone. All the best features, news, tips and great deals to help you live a better life through technology. In its current state, it's a bit of a blunt tool for photos, which is a shame given that its ultra-wide and selfie cameras outperform much of the competition, plus its video capture is excellent. While the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model is priced slightly higher. Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy. In turn, the Zenfone 9s screen isnt particularly easy to use in really sunny environments, slightly tarnishing an otherwise excellent screen experience. Asus Zenfone 9 Price in UK: The Asus Zenfone 9 Price in UK starts at 689 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. Geeks will love this I loved it and used the feature to full effect while reviewing the Zenfone 9. It's okay for iPhone fans the iPhone 13 mini enjoys near pro-grade performance, and even the standard iPhone 13 Pro isn't too big. The Asus Zenfone 9 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G chipset paired with 8/12/16 GB RAM and 128/256GB storage. Even the Zenfone 9's 12MP selfie camera impresses on paper. While upfront is a 12MP Sony IMX663 with dual PDAF. Just like Vivo's gimbal system, don't expect Asus' gimbal to perform miracles. Well always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product. The Asus Zenfone 9 is very close to being a world-class, compact flagship smartphone, but its camera falls short of excellence and it misses out on wireless charging. $599 at Amazon. One area the Zenfone 9 definitely doesn't drop the ball is in performance. I guess the aim is to give the Zenfone 9 a sort of furitistic industrial feel, something that isnt glass or aluminium but doesnt feel cheap. You can even double-tap the back of the phone as another smart input so you can access five of your most used apps or features without even touching the screen. The most expensive variant has 16GB RAM + 256GB storage. I didn't get the chance to try this case accessory, but I definitely plan on getting one to use for my personal travel vlogs. It's also another relatively compact, lightweight option too. iPhone fans think phone screens must drop to iPhone SE or iPhone Mini petite sizes to be easily used with one hand. Its the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, a follow-up to the non plus Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Android users, however, have to supersize just to get decent cameras and high-end power. Asus Zenfone 9. The Asus Zenfone 9 takes 84 minutes to reach 100% charge, and 33 minutes to hit 50%. Pocketable and powerful Android phones, however, are few and far between. Features 5.9 display, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, 4300 mAh battery, 256 GB storage, 16 GB RAM, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. While . My perfect phone upgrade! By Allison Johnson, a reviewer with 10 years of experience writing about consumer tech. Software-wise, It will run Android 12 out of the box with two years of major OS upgrades. Asus likely has some level of software optimization going on here that contributes to some of it, but it's clear as well that this chipset is just a lot more efficient than the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Asus Zenfone 9 review: Price and availability. But more interestingly, the main camera is supported by a miniature three-axis gimbal stabilization system that keeps the lens in a floating state. Look at the photo I snapped a year ago below, of an iPhone 12 Pro Max and an LG Wing -- which phone seems easier to use with one hand? Heres how it works. The Asus Zenfone 9 European Pricing starts at 800 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. But does it? Features Asus Zenfone 8 series buyer's guide: Everything you need to know Asus has two very different flagships on offer. My thumb can indeed reach the other side of the screen easily, though it still needs to stretch a bit to reach the top corners. Why you can trust T3 This technology is not new, Vivo has been using it in its flagship phone for years, but this is the first time North American consumers will have access to this technology. Twitter, Facebook, IG @maii_hd. About this review: Asus provided my colleague Adam Conway and I with a Zenfone 9 each for testing. I've already tested a couple of devices with this chip, and the main takeaway is that it has noticeably better energy efficiency. It will debut in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Europe initially, where the Zenfone 9 will cost 799 ($815). The ultra-wide and selfie cameras can be evaluated the same way -- it's absolutely fine in a vacuum, or in this price range, but naturally loses to more expensive flagship phones. TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 8, 2023 - ASUS today announced the upcoming virtual launch event for the highly anticipated Zenfone 10. Note that the middle SKU isn't available in the UK, where instead it goes straight to the top spec - making . - ASUS Zenfone 9 ShortCircuit 2.13M subscribers 738K views 6 months ago Thanks to MANSCAPED for sponsoring the video! The headline-grabber about the Zenfone 9's camera is its gimbal stabilisation. You won't find any complaints here, as it's a bright, crisp, colour . While the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model is priced slightly higher. The Asus Zenfone 9, at $699, sits in a sweet spot. June 29. Better compensation for shake means that the camera should be able to use slower shutter speeds and capture more light in low-light situations, resulting in better detail and colors. 16+256GB: $799/749/899. ASUS Zenfone 9 (16GB/256GB): $799 / 899. The Zenfone 9's 5.9-inch screen is easier to operate one-handed than even the Mini's 5.4-inch screen and makes the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 screen feel unwieldy. According to Asus, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip powering the Zenfone 9 is 10% larger in size than last year's Snapdragon 888; the Zenfone 9's improved camera system is 40% larger than the Zenfone 8's cameras; and the Zenfone 9's battery and thermal system are also much larger than last year. I tech till I sleep Wakes up and tech again And the circle repeats itself everyday.. Now you get Follow me on: Twitter, Facebook, IG @maii_hd I've been covering the mobile scene for eight years, during which I've done everything from attend Apple launch events in Cupertino, cover Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, to visiting smartphone manufacturing lines in Shenzhen and Seoul. My parents are currently in the UK visiting family there, and could buy it for me from there, but the UK online site shows it's available for pre order and deliveries will be done only by the end of August (They are there only till the end of 2nd week of August). Search for app bar, secondary search to google in ZenFone 9 04-18-2023; Feature Request: Bring "Backup Calling" to Zenfone 9 with dual sim!!! As it stands, unless an update refines the phone's processing, the Zenfone 9's main camera delivers good midrange performance, but can't stack up to the best cameraphone flagships. The screen is a 5.9-inch 1080p OLED with smooth 120Hz refresh rate, and the phone uses a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset Qualcomms very latest and greatest. The Zenfone 9 screen is not an LTPO panel, for example, so you must choose between 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz refresh rate (or let the phone switch for you automatically); the resolution of 1080 x 2400 packs fewer pixels than WQHD+ screens, and the maximum brightness of 800 nits doesn't get as bright as the Galaxy S22 Ultra or iPhone 13 Pro screen. The phone is a little more expensive than last year's Zenfone 8, now more firmly into flagship phone territory: 8+128GB: $699/699/799. It also has stereo speakers, ones with excellent performance for a smaller phone. You have entered an incorrect email address! a reviewer with 10 years of experience writing about consumer tech. The Asus Zenfone 9 throttles pretty heavily after a while, but that's because of how hot it gets. Score Details. The Zenfone 9 is small but mighty and continues the 8s tradition of including top-tier specs in a compact phone. Shop for Asus Zenfone 9 Mobile Phones. / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. In the real world, we could get through a day with around 30 per cent remaining unless we were really hammering 5G downloads or mobile gaming. Get Notified. The screenshot above is from a full day of usage of the phone, where I spent most of the day out and about. If I am connected to WiFi and then leave my house and go out of range of the WiFi (miles away), my ZenFone 9 still shows that I am connected to the WiFi (without any actual connection or internet). But is this a case of 'small phone, big hype', or does the Zenfone 9 actually do what it sets out to offer a compromise-free, top-tier Android smartphone in a mini package? Skinny jeans lovers, back pocket phone packers, small-handed gamers, and anyone starved of compact smartphone options this Asus Zenfone 9 review is for you if you're looking for one of the best small phones. Still, you should probably use it. The Asus Zenfone 9 stands out as one of the most compact and powerful phones available. The official sales of the smartphone commence after the launch on July 28th, 2022. And it will be available in Germany, France; Norway, and other neighboring states. TrustedReviews holds the fact that global warming is not a myth as a core value and will continuously endeavor to help protect our planet from harm in its business practices. The vapor chamber in Zenfone 9 is twice as large as that in Zenfone 8. In the above image, you can see the big blob sun effect caused by the Asuss take on HDR tuning. Theres a headphone jack at the top, which is novel in such a well-specced smartphone, and the phone packs stereo speakers too. While the specific launch date for India has not yet been . Its a more robust system than the usual OIS or even the sensor-based stabilization Apple uses on some of the iPhone 13s cameras. Follow me on: Pretty much all actions are capable of maintaining a consistent 120 FPS, which will be reflected in the overall usage of the phone. Like the main camera, though, it captures high-contrast photos with low shadow detail. Seriously, its wild. There are lot of great features to be found in this phones hardware. Messis move to MLS is a big deal for Apple, Reddit will exempt accessibility-focused apps from its unpopular API pricing changes, Here are the features Apple didnt announce in the WWDC keynote. If I compare the Asus Zenfone 9 camera against something like an iPhone 13 Mini, Asus' cameras absolutely hold up. This is most useful when shooting video, as stabilisation just isnt that necessary during the day, and at night software does a lot of the legwork. Previously, she worked at DPReview. Almost every third-party shortcut gesture I can think of, like double tap to lock screen, three-finger swipe down to grab a screenshot, or draw a shape on a sleeping screen to control music playback, are all here. I'm glad Asus had the foresight to pivot the Zenfone series to a smaller form factor to differentiate itself from the sea of smartphones because as much as I enjoy how every 2022 flagship is a good performer, I am starting to feel a bit of boredom as they all look and feel the same. And in its turbo-charged high brightness mode it can hit 805 nits. The screen borders are small, and the panel is flat. The massively upgraded dual-camera system now includes a 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabiliser for super-steady snaps and videos. The display glass is top-tier Gorilla Glass Victus, so its built to be resistant to scratches. Its smooth, sharp and clean. It maintains foreground clarity when shooting into the sun. UK. The Zenfone 9 includes top-tier specs in a compact phone, including a 5.9-inch 1080p OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, and a 50-megapixel main camera with . Follow me on: Asus Zenfone 9: Performance and battery life, Best Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro deals in 2023, Best deals for the Apple MacBook Air M2 in 2023, Microsoft's Surface Laptop 5 gets a steep discount knocking $350 off, The RTX 40 and RX 7000 series have established a new normal in gaming GPUs, Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cases: 12 picks that we would buy, Best screen protectors for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in 2023, Primary: 50MP Sony IMX766, f/1.9, supported by gimbal system, 5.9-inch screen makes for a very easy-to-use one-hand phone, yet it's not too small like an iPhone 13 Mini screen, A major aesthetic improvement over the Zenfone 8, Really, really good battery life for a small phone, 50MP main camera supported by a miniature gimbal system does indeed produce more stable videos, Has almost every shortcut gesture I can think of, UI design is very one-hand friendly -- even if the screen was bigger, Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is very battery efficient, One of the smoothest phones we've ever tested. From price and specs to availability and more, here's what you should. Nice job, Asus. See Also: Asus Zenfone 9 Price in Norway; Price starts at NOK 7,999 See Also: Asus Rog Phone 6 Pro vs Red Magic 7S Pro: which is a better gaming phone. Five columns of icons into a 5.9-inch screen is a higher density than your eyes may be accustomed to, and it can take a bit of getting used to. The Asus Zenfone 9 is a small phone that packs a powerful flagship chip and a gimbal camera system that works. And that doesnt appear to be the measurement of the most sticky-outy camera lens either, just the main body. She has a special interest in mobile photography and telecom. This puts it in the low-cost flagship/high-cost mid-ranger territory. Nevertheless, the Zenfones significantly smaller footprint places the phone firmly in the mini category. Is the Asus Zenfone 9, available in stores, in the UK, as of today - 8/03/22? There was a problem. Asus does bundle in a rear cover, but it is simple plastic and does not feel as good. The Zenfone 9 runs Android 12 with a custom interface on top. With audio tuned by Dirac, the Zenfone 9 sounds better than most other small phones, and there's a customisable EQ, too, so you can make your tunes sound the way you want them to. MKBHD Official Asus Zenfone 9 Review. If I pre order online, chances are high that, it won't get delivered before they leave UK. You should not buy the Asus Zenfone 9 if: The Asus Zenfone 9 is, simply put, the best small phone today. Im not persuaded the rear finish is going to age well. ASUS Zenfone 9, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Midnight Black, Moonlight White, Sunset Red, Starry Blue, 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB, 16GB/256GB, 120Hz HDR AMOLED screen, 4300mAh, ASUS ZenUI, IP68 water resistant, Sony 50MP . The power button too, can be assigned specific tasks when long pressed or double pressed. How much does the Asus Zenfone 9 cost? It's not . But that phone is 150 more than the original price of the Zenfone 9. Its design scratches an itch for anyone looking for a powerful small phone, while its screen and speakers are good, and we can even forgive its lack of wireless charging. Despite that, Asus still managed to keep the Zenfone 9's overall footprint roughly the same (and the weight exactly the same) as the Zenfone 8. Memory is non-expandable, but the upgrade to 256GB is relatively affordable. The Asus Zenfone 9 is a classic pocket powerhouse Android phone, combining a small frame with top-tier power, advanced camera tech and quality components throughout. Software-wise, It runs Android 12 out of the box with two years of major OS upgrades. There's no wireless charging here, and there's no fast 60/100/150W charging as found on other phones like the Realme GT Neo 3. It can compensate for up to three degrees of motion, and you can clearly see the lens moving when the camera app is open. I'd say my black model Zenfone 9 looks good, but the blue and red versions look great. The Asus Zenfone 9 is an unusual-looking phone. After being initially impressed by the original Snapdragon 8 Gen 1s benchmark results, I think it has proved to be a bit of a dud. Asus also does a decent job of making its take on Android 12 a happy marriage of stock and souped-up. The most frustrating thing about the Asus Zenfone 9 is how good it is and more to the point, how close it is to being a complete package. But I think the 8GB RAM model should perform just fine. When we're spending /$699 or more, though, we'd hope for a better primary camera than the gimbal-stabilised 50MP shooter. ASUS Zenfone 9 specs. For example, you can get comparable specs for far less money in mobiles like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro. Luckily, its maximalist styling grew on me, and its been such a treat using a small phone for a change. The rear primary camera can record video in 8K resolution. Twitter, Facebook, IG @maii_hd. Quirky for a few reasons, the Zenfone 9 introduces a new material around the back, which feels like a felt-style fabric, for a less stark in-hand feel when compared to traditional glass and metal. The device will have a 4,300mAh battery capacity with 30W fast charge support. Last updated 19 September 22, Fast-charging and a fantastic camera make the Magic 4 Pro a mighty fine flagship smartphone, By Basil Kronfli Sharp and smooth the Zenfone 9s display is unequivocally good. 4 min read Richard Lai/Engadget With the launch of its latest smartphone today, ASUS finally bids. Changing it to something static, less abrasive, takes the edge off and makes the Zenfone feel much closer to the experience of using a Pixel phone. There is only one model (lower spec) on the ASUS UK website, and it's out of stock. 10. This refers to super-charged optical image stabilisation, matched with software stabilisation. Asus doesn't stop at making the phone powerful. Android v13. Finally, the Oppo Find X5 is a solid option which is a bit bigger, but takes the same sensor in the Asus Zenfone 9's camera, and ekes better results from it. If you want more storage and grunt, then theres a 256GB option available with a massive 16GB RAM, and itll cost 749/$799. Also only black and white colours are available in the website and I was hoping to get a different color they announced. You can see a detailed breakdown of the questions we ask and why in oursustainability info page. 4K video at 60fps is my preferred mode. The idea is the Asus Zenfone 9 can be an action camera that adventurers can leave strapped to their chest at all times. 1080p footage does not look overly soft, as it often can do in phones. Asus Zenfone 9 European Pricing: The Asus Zenfone 9 European Pricing starts at 800 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. While I dont find the stabilisation miles better than that of some flagship phones, it is at that level. The Zenfone 9 is water resistant to IP68, the highest rating youll find in an normal phone, and theres a fast fingerprint on the side. Perhaps the only drawback of the Zenfone 9s screen is brightness, with its peak of 800 nits falling behind most flagships and even some mid-range phones. I've also used the 65W charger that came with the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro and I got the same results, so I'm unsure of what the cause is. Fitting one in a phone this small would be a challenge, and would no double increase costs dramatically, but its the one missing part of what is otherwise an impressive set of bits of hardware. Typically it's between six and seven hours, though. Sure, small phones are easier to hold and shove into pockets, but we live in an age when many (most?) While not as powerful as the Zenfone, the Find X5 is still a mighty, relatively compact smartphone. Does anyone know if the higher-spec models will be reaching the Where some phones will render the sun as a little dot, it becomes a bigger white splodge through the Zenfone 9. There's the ability to double tap on the back of the phone to trigger an action. The Asus Zenfone 9 European Pricing starts at 800 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. The most expensive variant has 16GB RAM + 256GB storage. It's unusual for me to focus on the video performance of a camera before still photos, but I did so here because the gimbal stabilization is unique, and the Zenfone 9's cameras can produce photos of inconsistent quality. And far away trees and leaves wont look as natural as they could do, close up. The rest of the scene will generally look great, with exemplary mid-tone clarity and pretty good handling of colour in these extreme conditions. We wish Asus did what Apple doesthough give users options to select their photo's looks when they first fire up the phone. Last updated 13 May 22, The new Honor Magic 3 phones embrace the companys new independent status and it has some serious camera arsenal, By Mat Gallagher The engineers and designers had hard numbers to aim for, in fact: the width of the device must be less than 70mm. However, this is not all that evident until you look close, so is only going to be a major issue when you start cropping into pics. Including this kind of stabilization required a re-thinking of how the camera unit connects to the processor. This, coupled with the relatively larger 4,300 mAh battery makes for surprisingly good battery life for a small phone. You have entered an incorrect email address! Now onto the fourth hide and protect those ginormous camera bumps. Reddit, Inc. 2023. As part of this mission, whenever we review a product we send the company a series of questions to help us gauge and make transparent the impact the device has on the environment. At the price you might hope to see glass, perhaps aluminium, but Asus used a polymer in the Zenfone 9. It also sports wireless charging and powers up a bit faster than Asus' Zenfone but it won't stay as cool when gaming. Asus Zenfone 9: Pricing and Availability . The rear finish is unusual here too. Asus says this makes the camera capable of compensating for three degrees of motion, compared to one degree in the Zenfone 8, which uses traditional OIS. We thought its small, 4,300mAh cell would throw up some issues, but no. Asus did not have any input in this review. However, there are a few minor gripes that let it down, including charging speed, image processing, and its thickness. All rights reserved. Lets head back to stills. ALL ON HAND Feature ALL ON HAND All Eyes On Zenfone 10! Attractively designed, there's no compromise on the hardware specs in this diminutive device, making. We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly. And that is worth celebrating in itself. This is the kind of processing style Samsung has largely weaned itself off over the years, and Asuss style still has some maturing to do. The Zenfone 9s screen is sharp, too, with a pixel density of 445 pixels per inch (445ppi). Andrew is a freelance journalist and has been writing and editing for some of the UK's top tech and lifestyle . See Also: Asus Zenfone 9 Price in Norway; Price starts at NOK 7,999See Also: Asus Rog Phone 6 Pro vs Red Magic 7S Pro: which is a better gaming phone. And whether it's reading a press release, watching a TikTok video, or even framing a photo, content looks way better on an iPhone 13 Pro Max than on an iPhone 13 Mini. Despite those drawbacks, its still an incredibly powerful, stable, compact Android phone with long-lasting battery life, a great screen and some charming smart features. Asus Zenfone 9 Android smartphone. The Zenfone 9 joins the Samsung Galaxy S22, Xiaomi 12 and Pixel 6a as the few compact Android smartphones available on the market. Can a cutting-edge camera and 4K screen help justify the Xperia 1 IV's iPhone-topping price? The highest model doubles the RAM too to 16GB. Usually means a device can withstand dust, dirt and sand and be submerged in 1.5m of water for 30m however this can sometimes vary. The interface is light enough to show off Android 12 changes like the colourful feature toggle blobs. Ultra-wides look great during the day, but in lower light scenes, the photos start showing a lot of noise and a significant drop in sharpness. Like the others, it has a flagship chipset and runs the latest version of Android available. Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. I am a fan of this polycarbonate back plate, which has a sandstone-like, grippy texture. It still cant match the iPhone 14s A16 Bionic, though. Predictable ports and button placement help the phone feel natural to use, with a USB-C port at the bottom and power and volume buttons on the right side. TechRadar Verdict The Asus Zenfone 5's great-sounding hardware doesn't seem fully exploited here, but you do get a lot of phone for your money. Firmware Version: WW_33.0804.2060.142. I tech till I sleep Wakes up and tech again And the circle repeats itself everyday.. Now you get Follow me on: Twitter, Facebook, IG @maii_hd Asus' color science is also overly contrasty, particularly the reds. But starting with last year's Zenfone 8, Asus pivoted direction with one mandate: the phone must be small. Is the Asus Zenfone 9, available in stores, in the UK, as of today - 8/03/22? The Zenfone 9's selfie camera is generally impressive. Its a good-looking, colour-rich and contrasty screen. This small phone is loaded up with massive amounts of power. There are also 8GB/256GB and 16GB/256GB variants, with the . The app charts the score over time so you can see when the phone starts throttling. Not supported everywhere yet and speeds vary wildly. Be still my heart! Readers like you help support XDA Developers. Night videos will also exhibit more micro-jitters than daytime footage. In the US, the . But this miniature gimbal does help stabilize more so than a typical OIS system. It is nowhere near as long-lasting as the Sony Xperia 10 IV, a phone I otherwise dont like nearly as much as the Zenfone 9, and is closer to the OnePlus Nord 2T in stamina terms. While the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model is priced slightly higher. But that's totally a non-issue, because Android's UI, plus Asus' software fine-tuning, means I never have to reach the very top of the screen to do anything. I'm actually from India looking to buy this newly launched phone but unfortunately there's no updates on when it'll be available in India (AAMOF The Zenfone 8 was launched here a year later after it's original launch in the rest of the world, so waiting for an India launch seems impractical). A high-quality ultra-wide with geometric distortion correction means its not always immediately obvious which camera any shot was taken with (and thats a good thing), as you can see from the pictures below: Gimbal stabilisation is Asuss second star feature. Considering the screen is just 5.9-inches, the Zenfone 9 is obviously an easy one-hand phone, but I think ZenUI is so well optimized to account for one-hand usage that even if the screen was something like 6.3-inches, it'd still be very easy to use one-handed. And some wont like that the Zenfone 9 is dramatically chunkier than, say, the iPhone SE. I have added full-resolution images in the Flickr album below for those who may want to pixel peep for themselves. Asus Zenfone 9 price and availability (Image credit: Future) The Asus Zenfone 9 costs $699 / 699 / AU$1,199 for the 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage model, and $799 / 749 (around AU$1,300) for . It also shoots 4K selfie videos too. I'll elaborate on battery life more in the performance section. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. 8+256GB: $749/849. We must also remember the Zenfone 9 costs 30-40% cheaper than all the other phones I just mentioned. Used as our main handset during test period, Camera tested in variety of situations with all modes, Tested with synthetic benchmarks and real world use. UK; Italia; Japn . The second is a 12MP ultra-wide camera which can also focus on close-up objects to take macro photos. Its a 5.9-inch OLED panel, a flat one with resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. Visit our corporate site. You have bad eyesight and often struggle with smaller text, and hence, could better use a bigger phone. It can deal with poor light and backlight scenes while retaining a lot of fine detail. Its softer than a regular plastic, but isnt rubberised. And while I dont think the 8K mode is worth using that often over 4K thanks to the reduced motion clarity, and increased image and colour noise, the stabilisation makes it more usable than plenty of 8K modes Ive used to date. Your favorite tech savvy person. While this is a "Plus" variant of the chipset, we've observed when testing the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro that this particular chipset represents more of a year-on-year improvement than just a mid-cycle refresh. It has a small footprint, but the camera lenses on the back are massive, like the eyes of one of those yellow Minions characters. I usually take this as a marketing spin on plastic but the Zenfone 9s rear does have an unusual feel to it. Where the Zenfone 9's camera edges ahead of most of the competition is 4K and 8K video recording. The official sales of the smartphone commence after the launch on July 28th, 2022. So far, we have three reasons to use the included case with the Zenfone 9: general protection; to stop the back panel getting scuffed and discoloured; and to cover up Asus random insignias. All that changes with the Zenfone 9: it's got a visually striking design that looks and feels great, an improved main camera supported by a miniature gimbal stabilization system, a brand new Snapdragon flagship chip that may be making its debut in North America, and yes, Asus still managed to keep the phone small. The Asus Zenfone 9 is one of the first smartphones to hit the shelves with Qualcomm's all-new Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, and it's likely going to be the first to reach the United States. Offering faster download and upload speeds when compared to 4G. Read more in our IP68 guide for more. Asus Zenfone 9 Price in UK and Availability. Nevertheless, with such great battery life you'll only really need to charge this device once a day anyway. The Zenfone 9s video is strong across the board. Andrew Williams is a technology writer, who has contributed to Stuff, WIRED, TechRadar, T3, Wareable and, of course,Trusted Reviews. Hello, I'm a senior editor at XDA, covering mostly mobile hardware.

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