Asus ZenFone 8 – The best compact Android mobile Phone in the market

It’s been a trend for years that if you want a mobile phone with powerful hardware, you have to get used to the bigger displays. Though there are more compact phones on the market, these rarely have the best components. This goes against the newly announced Asus ZenFone 8, which offers a Snapdragon 888 processor, up to 16 GB of RAM, and a 120 Hz AMOLED display in addition to a screen smaller than six inches. And that’s not the only reason to fall in love.\Smartphones are getting smarter every year and also getting bigger at the very same time. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ has a 6.7-inch (161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm) display, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 has a 6.8-inch (164.3 x 74.6 x 8, 1 mm), and the OnePlus 9 is 6.5 inches (160 x 74.2 x 8.7 mm). And these are not even the largest devices, because the S21 Ultra and Mi 11 Ultra, for example, are thicker than the mentioned models. High-end mobile phones, which are huge, can barely fit in a pocket, and even drag them down, and although the large display is often a blessing, their use is sometimes inconvenient and many of us do not necessarily feel the need to have such a large phone. Even the smaller Chinese brands now prefer a large screen along with top-notch specs. One can easily get the point by checking out the latest Vivo mobile price list

Although there are also smaller models in the range of the mentioned manufacturers, it is typical that compromises have to be made in the case of more compact phones, and even though these are not small in terms of size, you can hardly find particularly powerful Android mobiles under six inches. Asus is changing this, as the newly announced ZenFone 8 approaches the dimensions of the much-envied iPhone 12, while under the hood, exceptionally powerful hardware tries to satisfy all our needs. Some things have to be given up here for the sake of a friendly size, but the Taiwanese manufacturer’s salvation is still one of the best Android phones we’ve gotten our hands on recently.

Asus ZenFone 8

What immediately struck everyone was how compact this mobile phone is. ZenFone 8 is only 148mm high, 68.5mm wide, and 8.9mm thick, so it’s a bit taller and thicker, but narrower than the aforementioned iPhone 12. It’s comfortable to hold and safe to use with one hand, the build quality is superb, and although the front bezels are larger than in the case of current high-end phones, the pleasantly cool glass back panel is not missing here either. I would exchange the latter for less fragile but high-quality plastic at any time without question. One can Arguably compare the handset with the Zero ultra in the Infinix mobile phone price catalog but the truth is that the Zenfone 8 proves itself not just on paper but by offering to-end benchmark results.

The display is 5.9 inches, capable of displaying 2400 x 1080 pixels, emitting 1100 nits, HDR10+ compatible, and with a 120 Hz AMOLED panel. The display of colors and contrast is excellent, the screen can be used happily even in strong sunlight, and thanks to the high image refresh rate, everything happens so smoothly that it is a pleasure to look at. The latter can of course be set to automatic when the software enters the current value according to the situation, but in addition to the constant 120 Hz, 90 and 60 Hz can also be selected in order to save energy.

The mobile phone has a 4,000 milliampere-hour battery, which in our case was able to withstand the creasing for two days, and it also has super software functions. In order to preserve the life of the battery, you can set the phone to charge slowly at night (because why rush the energy transfer while you sleep), and you can even set the process to stop at 80-90 percent. The maximum charging speed is 30 watts, with which the phone can be pumped from zero to 60 percent in half an hour, and a compatible charging head is also included in the box. However, there is no option for wireless charging: Asus’ philosophy is that instead of the necessary components, they put a larger battery in the phone, for better operating time.

As for the hardware, the manufacturer really didn’t skimp on anything. Under the hood is a high-end Snapdragon 888 processor, along with an Adreno 660 graphics chip, 256 GB of storage, and 16 GB of RAM. I feel the latter is an exaggeration, but the mobile is available with 6 and 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage. However, it is worth considering in advance that it is not possible to expand the storage space.

In terms of performance, ZenFone 8 competes with the current top mobiles:

with the Antutu benchmark program, we regularly received values ​​of 750,000 points, but there were also instances when the counter ran well over 800,000. The hardware performs everyday tasks without any problems, and serious mobile games do not cause it problems either. The device also supports 5G, Wi-Fi 6, a fingerprint reader built into the display, NFC, dual SIM, and Bluetooth 5.2. It also supports the LDAC codec, and thanks to the two speakers, the sound is something that any much more expensive device could envy. In addition, there is dust and water resistance according to the IP68 standard and the jack connector, the latter of which is located on the top of the phone. If you are looking for it, the LED notification is also missing, only this time the mobile phone is at the very end next to the USB-C connector.

Only two cameras…?

Today, top-of-the-line phones are trying to attract attention with ever-increasing camera islands and increasingly extreme functions (hello 120x digital zoom), and it has become a trend in the mid-range category to force a rather useless macro camera onto the back of the phone so that instead of two lenses, three can appear in the product photos. Asus didn’t get into this game, partly because there Today, top-of-the-line phones are trying to attract attention with ever-increasing camera islands and increasingly extreme functions (hello 120x digital zoom), and it has become a trend in the mid-range category to force a rather useless macro camera onto the back of the phone so that instead of two lenses, three can appear in the product photos. Asus didn’t get into this game, partly because there simply isn’t room for as many cameras in the housiToday, top-of-the-line phones are trying to attract attention with ever-increasing camera islands and increasingly extreme functions (hello 120x digital zoom), and it has become a trend in the mid-range category to force a rather useless macro camera onto the back of the phone so that instead of two lenses, three can appear in the product photos. Asus didn’t get into this game, partly because there ng as there are in larger models. Accordingly, we only get two units: a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor, and a 12-megapixel wide-angle module (Sony IMX363), which can also be used as a macro if someone needs it.

This may seem slim compared to current flagship phones, but the appearance is deceiving, as thanks to the quality sensors, both cameras stand their ground, you can take great photos with them, and the main unit is not ashamed even at night. In the video field, the 8K resolution is given, with a speed of 24 frames per second and electronic image stabilization, and 4K comes with 60 fps, and in 1080p, with the help of HyperSteady, you can shoot properly stabilized recordings at 30 or 60 fps.

In addition to all this, there is a very mature camera software, which not only offers a decent Pro mode but the interface can also be customized and has great functions, such as the water level, which always nicely shows how we hold the phone. It’s a small thing, we’ve seen it elsewhere, but it’s still a big help in making the right recordings.

Fills all the Gaps

Asus has been present in the mobile market for years, it has tried to stand out in the extremely strong field with special solutions before, but so far they have never come up with a model that fills the gap like the ZenFone 8. Finally, a phone that is not drab, easily fits in your pocket, can also be used comfortably by one hand, and at the same time does not lag behind its competitors in terms of design. I can’t even remember the last time I had an Android phone under 6 inches in my hands that had such a positive impact on me from the first moment whereas the Samsung 2022 Mobiles are not even close.

Asus ZenFone 8 Flip

Asus unveiled not only the ZenFone 8 on May 12 but also a device called the ZenFone 8 Flip, which is another flip-camera smartphone. This is no longer a compact phone, the AMOLED display is 6.67 inches, and the size is 165 x 77.28 x 9.6 mm, which is accompanied by a 5000 milliampere-hour battery. The rear-facing camera unit has three sensors: a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686, a 12-megapixel wide-angle unit (Sony IMX363), and an 8-megapixel OmniVision camera.

Of course, there are compromises: no storage expansion, no wireless charging, and for Rs. 161000 (USD. 716) it might be strange that you only get two cameras. However, considering the lack of a telephoto unit, everyone should put their hands on their hearts and honestly think about how many times have they actually needed to zoom in on their mobile camera. In my opinion, these shortcomings are absolutely tolerable in light of the beefy hardware, top-notch display, and excellent dimensions.

In addition, Asus solved all of this with completely fair pricing. Here, the price of the 8 GB / 128 GB version is Rs. 161000 (USD. 716), but the device can also be purchased here in the early bird sale for Rs. 137000 (USD. 610). The price of the 8 GB / 256 GB model is Rs. 166500 (USD. 741), while the brutal 16 GB / 256 GB version costs Rs. 183000 (USD. 814). This is not a small amount of money, but we must not forget that it is less than the starting price of the Samsung Galaxy S21 launched earlier this year, where we only got 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, and in the case of Asus, the amount requested for the mobile includes the corresponding powerful charging head, as well as a completely correct and tasteful case.

Asus ZenFone 8 specifications:

• Display: 5.9-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED, 20:9, 445 ppi, 120 Hz, Gorilla Glass Victus
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
• Memory: 6/8/16 GB
• Storage: 128 GB / 256 GB
• Rear cameras: 64 MP Sony IMX686, OIS, 1/1.7″ sensor, f/1.8, 78.3° FOV; 12 MP Sony IMX363, 1/2.55″ sensor, 113˚ FOV, f/2.2
• Front camera: 12MP Sony IMX663, 1/2.93″ sensor, 76.5˚ FOV, f/2.45
• Battery: 4000 mAh
• Size: 148 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm
• Weight: 169 grams
• Other: 30W fast charging, IP68 protection, dual SIM, fingerprint reader built into the screen, 5G, Wifi 6, NFC, jack plug
• Operating system: Android 11 + ZenUI 8