With a few minor improvements (and a couple downgrades), the Asus Zenfone 10 is the epitome of an iterative upgrade. Nevertheless, Asus hasn’t addressed many of the problems and questionable decisions of the Zenfone 9—the price is excessively high for what you get, the chipset is overly powerful, and the cameras and charging speed are only “fine.” Consider getting a little mobile if you’re determined to do so, but if not, move on.
Asus Zenfone Review
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If the Asus Zenfone 10 is a strong contender for the title of “best small phone,” it’s only because it’s the only small phone this year that has been given that label.
With its Zenfone line of tiny Android phones, Asus appears to be running into the same issue: what do you do with a gadget that is characterized by its small size in a world where mobile phones are always getting bigger and bigger?
With a few adjusted specs and a higher price tag, the Asus Zenfone 10 is essentially a clone of the Zenfone 9 that we saw a year ago. Overall, it provides the same package: it’s good for those who like a one-handed phone, but because of its identification problems, it doesn’t make our list of the top Android phones.
With its Zenfone smartphones, Asus has a brilliant formula but hasn’t perfected it, much like a Michelin-starred cook utilizing inexpensive ingredients. There is undoubtedly a market for adorable one-handed phones, but the business is essentially creating a “jack of no trades” by fusing both high-end qualities (the chipset, the high-end price) and ones that leave you feeling cheated (the camera, the design, the delayed charging).
Specs
Although the Zenfone 10 may have more power than it could possibly use efficiently, it’s comforting to know that this tiny smartphone has extra space for anything you throw at it.
- Details about the Asus Zenfone 10 Header Cell: First Column
- Weight: 172g; Dimensions: 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4mm
- 5.9-inch 20:9 FHD+ (2400×1080) Samsung AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass Victus protection
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- 8GB or 16GB of RAM (LPDDR5X)
- 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage (UFS 4.0)
- OS: ZenUI-equipped Android 13
- 50MP, f/1.9 primary camera with six-axis “Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer” Ultra-wide camera: 2.0′, 13MP, 120º field of view
- 32MP front camera
- Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, dual speakers
- 4,300mAh battery
- 30W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Comet White, Eclipse Red, Aurora Green, Midnight Black,
Design
The only slight change between the Asus Zenfone 10 and the Zenfone 9 is the camera system’s design, which even I missed until I read the company’s comments pointing it out.
The phone’s size is one of its selling points. With dimensions of 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4 mm, it is among the smallest smartphones available today; the only one smaller is the iPhone SE. This is also evident in the phone’s weight, which is a pleasant 172g.
With all but the display’s extremities and the buttons on the right edge within easy reach, the phone’s size make it simple to use with one hand. The power button, which is integrated into a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and reliably detected my thumbprint during testing, and the volume rocker are those buttons.
The Zenfone’s size should theoretically make it quite easy to carry, but Asus counteracts this by adopting the flat-edge phone style that has gained popularity in recent years (against basic logic). As a result, when you hold the handset, the corners somewhat dig into your palm and fingers.
Along with the Sony Xperia 1 V, the Zenfone is quickly becoming one of the final strongholds for connected audio enthusiasts. It has a 3.5mm headphone socket and a USB-C port for charging your phone.
You’ll be happy here if you like a phone that is well-protected: the frame is constructed of plastic, which may not feel particularly high-end in the palm but is unquestionably more robust than glass, and it has an IP68 classification against water and dust.
As previously said, the Asus Zenfone 10 is a unique exception to the contemporary convention of dull phone hues because it comes in a wide variety of color combinations. Although we tested Aurora Green, red appears to be the true vivid standout based on Asus’ photos.
Display
A compact body translates into a small screen, and this one is among the smallest on a modern smartphone at 5.9 inches. With 1080 x 2400 Full HD+ returning, it does equal the resolution and dimensions of the most recent Zenfone models.
For better motion, the refresh rate has been improved to 144Hz, which means that the screen refreshes 144 times per second. Non-gamers won’t be able to take full advantage of this because it is only available in games and not for daily use.
However, since a 5.9-inch screen is simply too small to discern details, we’re not sure why gamers would choose it for gaming. You’ll be pleading for a larger display when your fingers are obstructing your eyesight and the screen is overflowing with icons.
Software
Like the majority of Android phone manufacturers, Asus enjoys overlaying its own user interface on top of pure Android; for example, Zen UI is adorned on Android 13 for the Zenfone 10.
Because Asus let you to choose between its own features and the Android alternatives, you could be forgiven for thinking the Zenfone 10 ran stock Android, in contrast to some Android forks.
Though many of the improvements are only cosmetic, Zen UI offers you a revamped and enhanced volume slider, a distinctive call display, rearranged fast settings panels, and more.
Although Smart Key is a significant upgrade, we found that it was less dependable than using the tried-and-true methods for things like checking notifications or skipping music. Smart Key allows you to engage numerous features by double tapping or pressing and holding the side power key.
Asus has announced that the Zenfone 10 will receive two years of operating system upgrades (up to Android 15) and two additional years of security patches if you’re the kind of person who cares about support duration.
Cameras
I’m hesitant to refer to the minor changes made to the Asus Zenfone 10 over its predecessor as “upgrades.” Side-grades?
The 50MP f/1.9 primary camera, which employs the enduringly popular Sony IMX766 sensor, is same to the one seen on the Zenfone 9. Numerous low-cost and mid-range mobile phones include this good mid-range sensor, which captures light well and produces vibrant images.
As you can see from the camera examples below, Asus appears to have enhanced their AI image processing from earlier mobile devices. The images were fairly rich, with respectable contrast and saturation.
A 13MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view joins that on the back. It is a little wider and higher resolution than the previous year’s option, but oddly, it does not have autofocus. Whoops? Although autofocus isn’t as crucial on this camera as it is on the primary one, some users may perceive its absence to be essential because so many people choose to capture macro photos with UW cameras.
I discovered a more startling problem with this camera: compared to the main camera, the images were notably more flat and desaturated. Color, good-bye.
There are only two back cameras on this device—Asus is obviously copying the iPhone. If you prefer a more flexible photography experience, you will be disappointed by the absence of a macro or telephoto lens.
The camera hardware on the front of the phone has changed more drastically, with a 32MP camera replacing the 12MP selfie snapper of previous models. This results in a noticeable improvement in the quality of selfies; not only are they higher resolution, allowing for greater editing and experimentation, but there are also several improvements in AI processing and Portrait mode. At least in this area, Asus has figured out how to improve its phones.
The maximum video recording speeds are 8K/24 or 4K/60 frames per second, or 4K/120, FHD/240, or HD/480 frames per second if you want slow motion. The Camera app’s other modes—time-lapse, portrait, light trails, Pro, and night mode—also check all the boxes.
Please take note that in order for the two selfie camera samples to upload properly, they have to be cropped to 1:1. The phone records in 4:3 by default.
Performance and Audio
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the most potent processor currently available for Android phones and present in many of the top models, is the chipset that powers the Asus Zenfone 10. The Zenfone 10 is another example of Asus’s propensity to use the best chips available.
Unfortunately, this level of processing power is completely superfluous; the Zenfone’s small screen makes it difficult to run power-hungry apps like games and photo editing. Remember that there is a 16GB RAM version of the phone available!
The Zenfone’s built-in speakers are excellent for audio, but you can also use your own headphones because it features a 3.5mm headphone socket and Bluetooth.
Battery Life
A 4,300mAh battery would raise suspicions on any other phone because a phone with a top-tier CPU, 5G connection, and a high-refresh-rate display wouldn’t typically run on this mid-sized battery for very long. Fortunately, the Zenfone avoids this problem thanks to its small screen, and its battery life is actually rather average.
As you might anticipate from a typical mobile phone, we were able to use the Zenfone 10 for a whole day throughout our testing without needing to charge it. Although it won’t last two days—really, no phone will—you won’t have to be concerned about it killing itself in that time.
During our testing, we were able to use the Asus Zenfone 10 for a whole day without needing to charge it, as you might expect from a normal mobile phone. It won’t last two days—no phone will, in fact—but you won’t have to worry about it dying itself during that time.