The Asus Zenfone series has generally been superb but not very well marketed. The Asus ZenFone 6 launched too late in the year with almost no marketing behind it (that I was aware of), and I am not sure if ZenFone 7 saw an official UK launch.
This year, Asus has launched two variants, the standard Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip. The Flip follows the previous designs with a flip over rear camera, while the Zenfone 8 is a less exciting design with a dedicated front-facing selfie camera.
Sadly, there is no word on the Zenfone 8 Flip being launched in the UK, however, unless you are a massive selfie fan, it doesn’t offer that much more than the standard Zenfone. You get a larger screen, 8 MP telephoto lens and a bigger battery while costing 25% more.
The main selling point of the Asus Zenfone 8 is its size and attractive pricing.
Currently, the OnePlus 9 is the most affordable phone on the market, equipped with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. So how does the Asus Zenfone 8 compare?
Asus Zenfone 8 vs OnePlus 9 Price and Availability
OnePlus 9 5G (UK) SIM-Free Smartphone with Hasselblad Camera…
- 48MP Primary, 50MP Ultra-Wide and Monochrome…
- World of 8K Video – HyperLapse for Ultra-wide…
- 6.55″ Fluid 120Hz AMOLED Display – Delivering…
- A day’s power in 15 minutes – 4500 mAh Battery,…
The OnePlus 9 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage is available for £629.
The Asus Zenfone 8 with the same 8GB/128GB has an RRP of £599 but an early bird price of just £539, which is a very attractive price.
Asus Zenfone 8 vs OnePlus 9 Display & Dimensions
Along with the low price point, the other reason the Zenfone will win over buyers is its relatively small, by today’s standards, 5.9-inch 120Hz AMOLED display. This gives it dimensions of 148 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm with a total weight of 169g.
The OnePlus 9 is 6.55 inches, also with a 120Hz AMOLED display. Its dimensions are 160 x 74.2 x 8.7 mm and weighs 192 g.
I don’t know of any other Android phone that has launched under 6-inches recently. The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the closest competitor at 6.2 inches, making it 3mm taller and 3mm wider.
Asus Zenfone 8 vs OnePlus 9 Camera
The Asus Zenfone 8 uses all-Sony sensors and includes rear dual cameras with a 64 MP IMX686 wide-angle main camera and a 12 MP IMX363 ultrawide-angle secondary camera. The 12MP front punch-hole autofocus camera uses the latest IMX663 sensor, allowing users to take sharp and crisp selfies at any angles.
The OnePlus 8 offers a better camera specification with the Sony IMX689 48MP f/1.8 as the primary lens and the Sony IMX766 50MP f/2.2 for its ultrawide. Then the 16MP Sony IMX471 Fixed Focus (f/2.4) for the front.
Asus Zenfone 8 vs OnePlus 9 Battery and Charging
The Asus Zenfone 8 has a smaller battery at 4000mAh, but its smaller screen will require less power, so real-world performance should be similar, if not better, to the OP9 with a 4500mAh battery.
However, OnePlus has better charging with 65W wired and 15W wireless, while the Asus is just 30W wired.
Other Bits – Asus Zenfone 8 has 3.5mm, IP68 & Wi-Fi 6E
Asus has also included a few features that you may not find on a lot of other affordable or premium phones. The 3.5mm headphone jack is unusual nowadays and is a great feature to have allowing you to use cheaper wired earphones (or better quality wired connectivity).
It is also IP68 rated, which is something typically reserved for premium-priced phones.
They are also one of the few companies to explicitly state that the phone supports WiFi 6E. Others, including the OP9 series, make no mention of it.
Overall
Both phones are well specced for the price. I’d personally opt for the OnePlus because the camera is better specced for my needs and I like a larger screen.
However, the dimensions of the Asus Zenfone 8 are definitely going to win over some fans and I think the rest of the phone is very appealing for the price.
Posted by Mighty Gadget Blog: UK Technology News and Reviews
