Asus ZenFone 8: Compact Flagship Smartphone

Asus ZenFone 8 Rear

Today we are talking about ASUS Zenfone 8 – a compact flagship with a diagonal of only 5.9 “. The new version of Zenfone is strikingly different from previous models. Still, the point is this: a separate Zenfone 8 Flip ( video review ) and decided to continue the mainline in a compact format. Judging by the characteristics, the filling is inferior, and in some places, even surpasses much larger models. Did the company’s specialists make friends with the flagship power and small size?

Key Specification

Asus ZenFone 8
Released2021, May 12
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
Display5.9 inches
Camera64 MP + 12 MP
Fingerprint Sensor Under display, optical

The smartphone comes with a plastic case, 30W power adapter, USB-C to USB-C cable, SIM eject pin, and documentation. By today’s standards, the set is more than complete! The plastic case does not inflate the dimensions and is equipped with protective sides.

The first thing to know about the Zenfone 8 is that we have a full-fledged flagship in a compact form factor. You look at the specs, at the smartphone, then again at the specs: yes, Snapdragon 888 and 16 GB of RAM are crammed into it! We will find out how good works in the corresponding section, but for now, just look at today’s hero compared to the closest analogs.

The body consists of a protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front side, Gorilla Glass 3 on the lid, and an aluminum frame. The device is perfectly assembled and lies pleasantly in hand, including due to the immodest thickness of 8.9 mm. It is certified IP65 / IP68, including water jets and immersion to a depth of more than 1 meter for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Design

Dimensions148 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm
Weight169 g
Display TypeSuper AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 700 nits (HBM), 1100 nits (peak)
Screen Size5.9 inches
Pixel Density446 PPI
Screen Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio
ColorsObsidian Black, Horizon Silver

Asus ZenFone 8 Display

As a display, a 5.9 “AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2400 by 1080 pixels, a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and support for HDR and AoD is installed. The screen is vigorous, but the system offers relatively few color settings and AoD options. Screen flicker reduction technology works only at 60 Hz, but why should you eat cabbage using 60 Hz.

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Asus ZenFone 8 IP68

The Zenfone 8 does not seem particularly light in everyday use: it feels rather like a dense and compact expensive device. The diagonal dimensions and aspect ratio of 20: 9 allow you to use it with confidence with one hand, but not too much for content consumption.

Asus ZenFone 8 Specs

Performance

ProcessorOcta-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680)
GPUAdreno 660
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM
Storage expansionNo
OSAndroid 11, ZenUI 8

The top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset is responsible for the performance of the Zenfone 8. In our case, it is echoed by 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 permanent memory. Considering the device’s size, we are concerned about the question, “how much does it throttle?” Let me remind you that Snapdragon 888, housed in a much more spacious case of the Mi 11 Ultra ( review, video review ), overheated in graphics tests, dropped the brightness, and was generally bewildered by its behavior.

Asus ZenFone 8 Performance

The smartphone offers performance presets, but we, of course, choose “High Performance.” For enthusiasts, the “Advanced mode” is provided, in which fine-tuning of the thermal limit, performance, and other things are available.

The behavior of the device is also affected by the Game Genie game launcher mentioned above. Below are graphs of throttling in the productive mode without and with the launcher, and as a bonus, we measured in the “extended” mode with the restrictions raised to the ceiling, in it the drawing is similar to what we see in the “productive” mode, but the points are much higher.

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Software

ZenUI 8’s software shell is very close to stock Android 11, which has both pros and cons. The first ones include the system’s cleanliness (there are no advertisements, no folders with “recommendations,” no garbage applications here) and the desperate smoothness of the interface at 120 Hz. True, this is noticeable only if you set the mode to constant 120 Hz since in the automatic mode, most of the time, the interface works at 90 Hz, and in some places (say, when searching by settings) and applications, it switches to 60 Hz. Due to such switchings, a persistent feeling of lags is created.

The essence of the smart key boils down to choosing an action to double-press the power button, and the launcher gives you access to the “enhanced” performance and refreshes the touch layer of 240 Hz. In addition, the OS will delight enthusiasts with access to fine-tuning performance profiles and unusual technologies like SRAM and OptiFlex.

Camera

Rear64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm
Front12 MP, f/2.5, 28mm
Video recording1080p@30/60fps

The main sensor is a Sony IMX686 sensor with a resolution of 64 megapixels, f / 1.8 aperture size, 1 / 1.7 “matrix size, and optical stabilization. In standard photography mode, pixel binning technology is used, and the settings can reach the maximum resolution.

Asus ZenFone 8 Camera Rear

The main camera is a 12MP Sony IMX363 sensor with, f / 2.2 aperture size, a 1 / 2.55 “matrix size, a 113 ° capture angle, and autofocus. Compared to the main camera, there is noticeably less detail and a little more noise.

Asus ZenFone 8 Camera Front

Video shooting is possible in the following formats: 8K @ 24fps and 4K @ 60fps on the main camera, 4K @ 60fps on the wide-angle, 1080p @ 60fps on the front. You can switch between cameras while shooting, but only in 1080p @ 60fps mode. In my opinion, it shoots with dignity: the stabilization works well on the street (in the room, the light sources double), and, in general, the picture does not frustrate with frank flaws.

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Asus ZenFone 8 Wide Photo

Multimedia

Headphone jack 3.5 mmYes
LoudspeakerYes, with stereo speakers

The available interfaces look like a mockery of the current trends in smartphone construction. Just think, in the compact body, there was a place for one and a half stereo (the smartphone sounds great) and for a 3.5 mm audio input (Hi-Res Audio support is declared). 

Battery Life

Capacity4000 mAh
TypeLi-Po
User-ReplaceableNo
ChargingFast charging 30W
Wireless Charging Yes

The battery has a capacity of 4000 mAh, which is not so small. The smartphone has the high-performance presets of energy consumption described above and is focused on economic consumption. As a result, the situation is expected: if you use the filling to the maximum, you should expect about three hours of work, but if you use your smartphone for an ordinary digital routine (calls, Internet surfing, social networks, YouTube), full the charge is enough for a day.

Asus ZenFone 8 Battery test

It is proposed to charge the smartphone using the included 30 W adapter with QC 4.0 and PD 3.0 fast-charging technologies. The timings are as follows: 20 minutes – 44%, 30 – 63%, 45 – 87%, 60 – 96%. Reverse cable charging is supported, so Zenfone 8 can function as an external battery if needed.

Connectivity

SIMDual SIM
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
WifiWi-Fi 802.11
NFCYes
USBUSB Power Delivery 3.0
SensorsAccelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Asus ZenFone 8 USB

In addition to the impressive basic characteristics, Zenfone 8 has incorporated several telecommunications. The Wi-Fi module is compatible with the modern (6) standard, Wi-Fi 6E technology, and 2.4 / 5/6 GHz frequencies. Bluetooth version 5.2 supports almost all audio codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, and assorted Qualcomm aptX variations.

Conclusion

ASUS decided not to push shoulders with competitors in the market of generally accepted flagships but to enter a not very popular niche with a powerful device. Where not the user is bombarded with options, but the user himself is looking for good offers. And I must say the Zenfone 8 is definitely a good deal.

In a fairly compact body, the manufacturer managed to fit a commendably implemented, uncompromisingly top-end hardware, a good display with 120 Hz support, a solid main camera, sensible stereo sound, and even (hold me seven!) 3.5 mm audio input. And this is all even though the case itself pleases with excellent materials and dust and moisture protection certification. The only objectively weak point is the battery, but ZenUI’s subtle performance tweaks smooth it out pretty well.

The main characteristic of Zenfone 8 is its compactness. The diagonal is still enough for everyday content consumption. Still, the ergonomics are much better than that of large counterparts (and if we compare specifically with the Mi 11 Ultra, the devices are completely divided by the abyss).