info, specs, pricing, release date and more

The Asus Zenfone 8 was a non-descript compact Android flagship device, a unique device because the rest of its competition was simply bigger. Many drew parallels stating that this was the iPhone mini for Android users. It featured a decent camera, a flagship processor, and a relatively clean Android experience with Zen UI.

With a device that did a lot of things right, it was clear that we would expect a successor, and today the Asus Zenfone 9 was made official. Most of the device’s features were leaked in a promotional video earlier in July, but with the finer details available now, let’s take a look at what’s on offer.

Design

Source: Asus

While its predecessor had a clear and simple look, the Zenfone 9 comes with a significant deviation; the square design and camera lenses stand out the most. Asus has even decided to ditch the glass sandwich design in favor of a polymer material for the back that comes in four different colors and helps reduce the weight of the phone. Asus states that the change will yield a reduction of 36%.

The Zenfone 9 weighs 169g and has a fairly large 5.9-inch AMOLED display, a significantly larger camera system with a gimbal system and a 4300mAh battery.

Unfortunately, along with the design change, Asus has decided to do away with the under-display fingerprint scanner on the Zenfone 9. The biometric component is embedded in the power button and provides gesture-based user interface controls.

But when we get to the list of features that have stuck with this year, the screen still has Gorilla Glass Victus protection, the IP68 rating is retained and along the top edge you’ll find the 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume buttons are located above the power button with the USB-C port on the bottom.

Overall, it seems like last year’s Zenfone 8, whose sole determinant was its compact size, has a new look that should make it stand out in the market.

Display

Source: Asus

Jumping into the weeds across the screen, like its predecessor, Zenfone 9 will feature a 5.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, and Samsung continues to make it. The panel was last described as lively and great to watch; it will stay that way this year.

The panel has a nominal maximum brightness of 1100 nits, with color accuracy calibrated at two different brightness levels. This type of calibration allows the display to have a low Delta-E value. The panel even supports Always-on technology and standards like HDR 10 and HDR10+. And as mentioned, the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.

Remark: A low Delta-E value means the screen has better color accuracy.

Performance

Source: Asus

As with the ROG Phone 6, Asus has chosen to ship the Zenfone 9 with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen. The use of this chipset means that the compact phone is one of the few powerful devices with excellent efficiency. Qualcomm said the new processor was 10% more powerful and 30% more efficient than its predecessor, which is sure to have a positive effect in 2022 for a phone with a smaller-than-average battery.

Zenfone 9 comes with at least 8 GB of RAM or jump straight to 16 GB. As for the internal storage, the base unit offers 128 GB with an option to upgrade to 256 GB – both UFS3.1.

Camera

Source: Asus

The camera hardware on the Zenfone 9 has some notable changes from its predecessor. Last year’s 64MP Sony IMX 686 is being replaced by the new popular kid on the block, the 50MP f/1.9 Sony IMX 766. The camera comes with OIS and a 6-axis gimbal stabilization system to further enhance the experience . The second camera is a 12MP Sony IMX 363 with an aperture of f/2.2 and a field of view of 113 degrees, while the front camera – housed in a hole punch – is a 12MP Sony IMX 663 with f/2.4 and a 76.5-degree field of view and autofocus.

The camera comes with other smart features, such as a Light Trail Capture feature (currently in beta) and a Pro mode that offers plenty of customizability to take great photos. To see how the camera fares, keep an eye out for future content around the Zenfone 9 on Pocketnow.

Battery

Asus Zenfone 9 comes with a charging adapter, USB-C cable and case.

Source: Asus

In addition to the other positive changes, Asus has also increased the battery capacity on the Zenfone 9. The shrouded cell ranges from 4000 mAh to 4300 mAh on the Zenfone 9. The OEM also continues to support 30W charging. And just like last year, the Zenfone 9 offers software-based features like a charge limiter, scheduled charging, and stable. charging, all of which will help maintain the health of the cell within.

Asus supplies a 30W adapter in the box with the Zenfone 9.

Prices and availability

Source: Original by Fenibook | Edited by Pocketnow

For pricing, the Asus Zenfone 8 started at $629 for its base 8GB+128GB variant in North America. With this year’s upgrades, the Zenfone 9 is slightly more expensive and will start at $699 in the United States. But for what it’s worth, the device is unique and guarantees a great experience.

Using the SKUs we mentioned earlier, you can buy variants with 8GB of RAM or 16GB of RAM, bundled with 128GB or 256GB of storage. The actual combinations sold will vary by region.

As for availability, the device is currently available for pre-order on some of Asus’ European websites, with deliveries in August. Other regions, including North America, are still missing official details.

Technical specifications