Asus Zenfone 8

Asus Zenfone 8 Review

Design

The Asus Zenfone 8, released in 2021, presents a compact form factor with dimensions of 148mm in height, 68.5mm in width, and 8.9mm in depth. Its weight is a modest 169 grams. The phone is available in Obsidian Black and Horizon Silver color options. The device features a standard, non-foldable design.

Display

The device boasts a 5.9-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 446 ppi. The screen supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and can reach a peak brightness of 1100 nits (700 nits HBM). The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. It offers a 20:9 aspect ratio, DCI-P3 and full sRGB color standards, 105% NTSC, scratch resistance, and includes a hole-punch notch for the front camera.

Performance

The Zenfone 8 is powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, built on a 5nm process. The CPU is an octa-core configuration with a 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 setup. Graphics are handled by the Adreno 660 GPU. The phone is available in various RAM and storage configurations, including 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB, and 12GB/256GB options. LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage are used. The device achieved an Antutu score of 891,700 (v10).

Camera

The rear camera system includes a 64MP primary camera using a Sony IMX686 Exmor RS sensor (1/1.7" size, 0.8µm pixels, f/1.8 aperture), and a 12MP ultrawide/macro camera with a Sony IMX363 Exmor RS sensor (1/2.55" size, 1.4µm pixels, f/2.2 aperture). The front-facing camera is a 12MP shooter employing a Sony IMX663 sensor (1/2.93" size, 1.22µm pixels, f/2.45 aperture). Video recording capabilities include up to 8K at 24fps with HDR and EIS, 4K up to 120 fps with HDR and EIS, and 1080p up to 240fps with HDR and EIS, and 720p at 480fps with HDR and EIS. The camera system features OIS, PDAF, slow-motion video, panorama, HDR and RAW capture. DxOMark gave the phone a main score of 116, with photo and video scores of 120 and 118, respectively.

Battery Life

The Zenfone 8 is equipped with a 4000mAh Li-Polymer battery that supports 30W fast charging. The battery is non-removable. Wireless charging is not supported.

Software

The Zenfone 8 launched with Android 11, with official updates up to Android 13.

Pricing

The Zenfone 8's pricing varies by configuration. 8GB/128GB models can be found between approximately $500 and $720. The 8GB/256GB version is around $406, while the 12GB/256GB model is around $446.

Overall Verdict

The Asus Zenfone 8 is a compact yet powerful flagship phone released in 2021. It offers a high refresh rate display, a capable Snapdragon 888 processor, and a versatile camera system. While lacking wireless charging, it features fast charging and a solid build quality, making it a strong contender in the high-price segment for users seeking a more compact Android option. Its dual SIM capability, expansive connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, further enhance its usability. The device includes essential sensors such as fingerprint (under display), proximity, and gyroscope.