The Asus Zenfone 10, the latest compact flagship from Asus, aims to build upon the success of its predecessor, the Zenfone 9. In this Asus Zenfone 10 review, we will explore the design, display, performance, camera capabilities, and overall value of this device to determine if it is worth upgrading to from the previous model.
Design and Build:
Asus has opted for a familiar design language with the Zenfone 10. In fact, the similarities between the Zenfone 9 and Zenfone 10 are so striking that it’s challenging to tell them apart. Both devices share the same size, shape, grippy polycarbonate backing, and metal frame.
The Zenfone 10 continues to offer a range of color options to suit individual preferences. It also boasts IP68 protection against water and dust, which is expected from a flagship device.
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Screen Specs and Features:
The display on the Zenfone 10 is similar to its predecessor. It features a 5.9-inch OLED screen with a 1080p resolution and Victus protection. However, the Zenfone 10 stands out with its improved 144Hz refresh rate compared to the 120Hz of the previous model. It’s important to note that the higher refresh rate is primarily intended for gaming, as regular usage is still limited to 120Hz.
The display itself offers excellent contrast and HDR10+ support, with color accuracy varying depending on user settings. In terms of brightness, there isn’t a significant difference from last year, reaching around 440 nits with manual settings and boosting up to 800 nits in auto mode under bright sunlight.
Stereo Speakers and Headphone Jack:
Asus has addressed user feedback by bringing back the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack in the Zenfone 10, along with stereo speakers tuned by the renowned audio company, Harman Kardon. While the speakers offer good loudness, some users may find that the bass was slightly better on the previous model. It is recommended to check out audio samples to compare and judge for yourself.
Software and UI:
The Zenfone 10 runs Asus’s Zen UI on top of Android 13. It introduces several custom features, including shortcuts accessible through an edge panel and the ability to map functions or apps to the fingerprint reader power button.
The fingerprint reader itself is fast and reliable, as expected. Asus promises software support for two years of OS updates and four years of security patches. The device also offers a range of gaming-related options accessible through an in-game overlay, akin to dedicated gaming phones.
Performance and Storage:
Thanks to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the Zenfone 10 boasts improved gaming performance compared to its predecessor. It also supports new memory technologies, such as UFS 4.0 and LPDDR5X RAM. Benchmarks demonstrate that the Zenfone 10 performs on par with other flagship Android phones released this year.
The day-to-day performance is smooth, and gaming and multitasking are effortless. However, in terms of thermal management, the Zenfone 10 performs similarly to the previous model.
In the default Dynamic performance mode, heavy throttling occurs quickly, whereas the high-performance mode offers sustained performance but with occasional stutters. The Zenfone 10 is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options, which unfortunately cannot be expanded via microSD.
Battery Endurance and Charging:
The Zenfone 10 retains its predecessor’s 4,300mAh battery, offering similar endurance. The screen-on results were better, but standby times were slightly worse, resulting in an overall endurance rating of 109 hours. The charging speed remains consistent, with the 30W wired charger replenishing the device up to 60% in just half an hour. Notably, the Zenfone 10 now supports wireless charging, a feature missing from the previous model.
Asus Zenfone 10 Camera Capabilities Review:
The Zenfone 10 features a dual-camera setup consisting of a gimbal-stabilized 50-megapixel main camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera. In daylight conditions, photos from the main camera are solid, offering ample detail and a natural-looking rendition.
The dynamic range is impressive, providing well-exposed shots with well-developed shadows and highlights. The Zenfone 10 differentiates itself from its predecessor with its color rendition, delivering more vibrant and saturated colors, especially in greenery and skies. Portrait mode shots are well-executed, effectively separating the subject from the background, even in complex scenes.
The device offers a 2x digital zoom option, resulting in usable images with a slight over-processing of details. In low-light scenarios, the Zenfone 10 automatically applies night mode processing, resulting in good image quality with ample detail, well-developed shadows and highlights, low noise, and saturated colors. Comparatively, the Zenfone 10 performs slightly better than its predecessor in very dark scenes.
When it comes to video capture, the Zenfone 10 can shoot up to 8K at 24fps with the main camera, though 4K quality is the focus here. Videos recorded with the main camera exhibit a high level of detail, excellent contrast, wide dynamic range, and pleasant color rendition.
The gimbal stabilization on the Zenfone 10 is commendable, effectively reducing shakes and delivering smooth footage, even during movement. However, it’s worth noting that the stabilization is not flawless. In low-light conditions, 4K video quality is slightly noisy but still sharp and detailed, with well-developed shadows and decently contained highlights.
The ultra-wide camera on the Zenfone 10 captures good sharpness, wide dynamic range, and vibrant colors in daylight scenarios. However, unlike its predecessor, it lacks autofocus, limiting its capabilities for close-up shots.
In low-light conditions, the ultra-wide camera benefits from automatic night mode processing, resulting in bright exposures, wide dynamic range, and good color saturation, albeit with a slight orange color cast in some scenes. The 4K video quality from the ultra-wide camera is satisfactory, offering ample detail, good contrast, wide dynamic range, and vibrant colors.
Selfies taken with the Zenfone 10’s new 32-megapixel front-facing camera are detailed and exhibit wide dynamic range. Colors in outdoor scenes are pleasant, although the white balance in indoor scenes tends to be slightly colder than desired. The absence of autofocus, as compared to the Zenfone 9, is notable due to pixel binning, resulting in 8-megapixel selfies.
Conclusion:
The Asus Zenfone 10 closely follows the footsteps of its predecessor, offering incremental upgrades in certain areas. The major improvements include the new chipset and the addition of wireless charging. However, other aspects, such as the higher refresh rate and camera features, may not justify an upgrade for those already using the Zenfone 9.
That being said, the Zenfone 10 remains a great phone, especially for users seeking a compact flagship experience. It boasts impressive performance, a vibrant display, reliable battery life, and a capable camera system. If you are considering alternatives, the Zenfone 9 or Samsung’s Galaxy S23 are worth exploring. Ultimately, the decision to upgrade depends on individual needs and preferences.