Asus Zenfone 2 Laser 5.0 Ze500kl
Asus Zenfone 8
MSRP $650.00
"The Asus Zenfone 8 is a well-designed, carefully thought-out compact flagship telephone, only problems with screen responsiveness and battery life leave information technology struggling against the competition"
Pros
- Minor and lightweight
- Bully, only quite elementary, camera
Cons
- Poor battery life
- Screen responsiveness problems
- No wireless charging
toAsus isn't looking to take on the Galaxy S21 Ultra or any other massive smartphone with the new Zenfone 8. Instead, information technology'southward targeting phones like the iPhone 12, the Google Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5 by making a high-performance mobile telephone that fits neatly in your hand and pocket. The Zenfone 8 is a compact flagship phone, and a actually well-designed one, but the bigger question is, does anyone really desire such a thing anymore?
The Zenfone 8 has been my main phone for a while at present, and if I'm absolutely honest, despite its ability, I did miss a bigger phone. But if you lot're tired of pollex-stretching screen sizes, y'all will probably feel very differently. However, Asus hasn't got the fundamentals right with the Zenfone eight, and information technology's in danger of being lost in the crowd. Allow'southward go into more than detail.
Design
Asus set itself some tough targets with the Zenfone 8. Information technology wanted a phone that was less than 70mm wide and under 150mm tall, as this would make the phone suitable for comfortable one-handed use. It has succeeded, as the Zenfone viii measures 68mm wide and 148mm tall, and in my boilerplate-sized manus, I can reach nigh areas on the screen without stretching or juggling the phone.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is a trivial longer and wider, but the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 Pro are far closer in size to the Zenfone 8, and both equally manageable with ane mitt. The iPhone 12 Mini is considerably smaller than all of them. The Zenfone 8 may be compact, simply it's not actually filling a gap in the market place in the way Asus seems to think it will.
Asus has used Gorilla Drinking glass Victus over the screen, and 3D frosted glass on the back of the phone, giving it a sleek look. While sleek, the Zenfone eight is likewise glace, which makes one-handed use bad-mannered because it's constantly making a bid for freedom. The 3D bend downward the sides makes it pleasing to hold, but the smoothness ways you lot end upwards gripping it quite hard. A plastic example is included in the box, though, and it has a grippier texture that mitigates the trouble — provided you don't mind using it.
At that place's one other effect with the Zenfone 8. It's a bit tedious to look at. The back is manifestly, the camera module is modestly sized and very ordinary, and my review sample'southward blackness color doesn't add together much life to information technology either. The only flash of color comes from the electric blue power key, but it's non plenty to elevate the look of the phone beyond the mundane. The Google Pixel five is no longer the dullest-looking telephone on the table when the Zenfone 8 is around.
Screen
The compact size extends to the screen. The Zenfone viii has a 5.ix-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it smaller than the 6-inch Pixel five and six.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro. It looks excellent, with 1100 nits maximum brightness and all the lovely contrast, colors, and black levels nosotros expect from an AMOLED screen, only Asus however needs to refine it. My review phone is running the final version of the software ahead of release, and in that location may be other updates that come up soon after launch to fix the following issues.
The beginning issue is with touch sensitivity and border recognition. The Zenfone 8 may have little bezels and no dramatic curve, but information technology really suffers from phantom touches. I endlessly open apps by accident, swipe downwards the notification shade, or switch betwixt features without meaning to, and I notice myself treating the phone delicately trying to avoid those things. Very frustrating.
Despite it not being a big phone, Asus has added a one-handed way to the Zenfone 8, which minimizes the display to the lower function of the screen — the exact amount information technology covers tin can be adjusted in the settings — to make it easier to use with one mitt. It seems like overkill later making an bodily small phone in the first identify, but worse is how information technology'south activated. You need to swipe down on the screen in the lower office, and likely due to the screen'south hypersensitivity, it's a real pain to do so. It's usually the notification shade or app tray that appears, and when the 1-handed mode does appoint, the slightest breeze on the screen makes it disappear.
I'm not done yet either, because the in-display fingerprint sensor is slow and unreliable. Subsequently being bellyaching by the Galaxy S20'due south in-display fingerprint sensor, which was fixed on the S21 series, plus using the lightning quick fingerprint on the OnePlus 9 Pro, going dorsum to a sensor that doesn't work very well is an irritation that seems unnecessary these days. At that place's also a face unlock feature, merely this doesn't friction match the speed of other phones either. Security on the Zenfone 8 is a ponderous thing.
Photographic camera
For a flagship Android phone, information technology'south a surprise to see the Zenfone 8 isn't stuffed full of camera lenses. At that place are just ii on the back — a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 with optical image stabilization, plus a 12MP Sony IMX363 wide-angle photographic camera — and a unmarried 12MP selfie camera in a hole-dial in the screen. All three take autofocus, which makes for a squeamish change, but no optical zoom feature. It'south all shockingly restrained on Asus' part, when some others may have added a useless macro camera just to make for a "better" spec sheet.
The results are more often than not very good, although information technology'south articulate that even when it's set to Automobile, the HDR issue is strong. Personall,y I don't listen the look, merely others volition discover it's very heavy-handed and prefer to turn it off. The addition of "bracketing," where iii photos are taken with different exposure values, may also be responsible for this expect.
At that place's a tendency for the camera to sometimes underexpose in difficult lighting, and you will discover these photos volition need some editing to improve the look. The wide-angle camera is particularly sensitive to this, and in that location's not e'er much consistency beyond the cameras. Colors are stiff and vibrant in photos taken with the master camera, and scenes have enough of depth and emotion to them, encouraging some inventiveness.
Information technology's a shame in that location's no optical zoom, just Asus does add a "lossless" 2x crop on the primary camera. This feature is a little hidden abroad on the decorated viewfinder screen, as it's not alongside the principal/wide-angle toggle, merely controlled past a separate button in the corner. Otherwise, the app is very similar to other systems in terms of apply, simply is sometimes a little boring with the shutter release.
Instead of seeing what Samsung does with multiple lenses, Asus has looked to Google for inspiration and given the Zenfone viii a pair of capable cameras that accept good photos. However, avid photographers will miss the versatility of an optical zoom.
Performance and software
Asus has used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor for the Zenfone viii, which is most definitely a flagship processor, and it comes with upward to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space. I haven't noticed whatsoever difference in functioning compared to the Galaxy S21+, the OnePlus ix Pro, or the Xiaomi Mi 11, all of which are powered by the same scrap. Information technology's fast and powerful enough to play Genshin Impact smoothly, and perform all your everyday tasks without outcome.
The software is Android eleven with Asus' ZenUI, which looks and operates in a very similar manner to Android on the Google Pixel. Different Asus' glitzy, sci-fi-style, optional Android UI on the ROG Phone v, it's clean and uncluttered hither, yet still has plenty of features. Some of the more useful inones clude the same Game Genie style as the ROG Phone 5, which tweaks phone performance and operation when playing games, plus special modes to schedule bombardment charging.
Leaving aside the screen frustrations, the Zenfone 8 truly does offer a "flagship" phone experience in a meaty package when it comes to performance and software. The Snapdragon 888 has vast reserves of ability and will ensure the phone lasts for years, even if you play a lot of the latest games.
Battery and sound
A 4,000mAh battery and support for an included 30-watt Asus HyperCharge fast charger, plus Qualcomm Quick Charge iv.0, should put the Zenfone 8 well ahead of the competition when it comes to battery life — but it doesn't. In my employ, the Zenfone 8 has disappointed with a shorter than expected usage time, specially when used moderately difficult.
Although almost of my day is spent continued to Wi-Fi and using the phone for full general calls, email, social media, and some photos, it has commonly ended the mean solar day with around 40% remaining. Typically, with phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, this kind of use sees at least threescore% left. Things get much worse when you utilize the phone a little more.
A day with an hr of gaming, xxx minutes of video, several calls, and an hourlong WhatsApp video call saw the bombardment hit v% at 9 p.thou, which isn't good at all when phones like the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G get two days from a similarly sized battery. Head outside into the real earth, where the phone was forced to connect to a normal cellular network, and the bombardment loses charge quicker than expected fifty-fifty with minimal use.
The Zenfone viii is not a phone to work hard if yous want the battery to last. Once more, although I'one thousand using what Asus says is the final version of the software, updates may go far that change the battery's performance in the future. Recharging took 90 minutes using Quick Charge 4, and using the 30W HyperCharge cake will add together 60% in 25 minutes. There's no wireless charging, a technology Asus prefers not to use so information technology tin better manage cell longevity, but information technology'due south still something of a given on a flagship telephone today.
Similar with the ROG Phone v, Asus has worked with audio experts at Dirac on the Zenfone 8, and its dual stereo speakers — powered by a Cirrus Logic CS35L45 amp — sound excellent. In that location's also How-do-you-do Res support and Qualcomm'southward Aqstic codec. In that location's fifty-fifty a three.5mm headphone jack, a real rarity these days. It all adds upwards to make the Zenfone viii 1 of the all-time-sounding phones you tin can get.
Toll and availability
The Zenfone viii will launch in the U.Southward., but at the fourth dimension of writing, the verbal appointment and price have non been confirmed. In Europe, the Zenfone 8 starts at 539 euros/$650 for the 6GB/128GB model, then increases to 599 euros/$723 for the 8GB/128GB version, and to 699 euros/$843 for the top 16GB/128GB telephone. Exactly which region will get which model is also unknown, simply information technology'due south possible the 8GB/128GB Zenfone 8 may be the cheapest available where you live.
Our take
Are you going to regret getting a "pocket-size" phone today? It really depends on what yous want to do with information technology. The convenience of the Zenfone 8 disappearing in your pocket is great, and it genuinely is usable with one mitt provided information technology'south inside the case. However, I missed a bigger screen, fifty-fifty the iPhone 12 Pro'south barely larger half dozen.1-inch screen, when I wanted to watch video for whatever length of time.
Many have lamented the relative scarcity of compact, high-functioning phones for a while, but in that location's actually a salubrious range of them out in that location, and information technology's up for debate whether many people are really ownership them. If you're a staunch supporter of the compact phone, the Zenfone 8 should be right at the peak of your shopping list, as the shape and size of the phone accept been well-engineered. Plus it has the same power and ability as massive phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
However, the Zenfone 8 really struggles with battery life, the security options are ho-hum, and the camera won't entreatment to those who are seriously into mobile photography. I like the Zenfone viii and Asus' commitment to not following the crowd, but the Zenfone 8's downsides make it a hard sell over the competition.
Is in that location a better alternative?
The Zenfone 8 faces serious competition from Google and Samsung, and a claiming from Apple tree, as well, if you're willing to spend a little more. The Google Pixel 4a 5G is slightly larger than the Zenfone 8, but at $499 and with a strong photographic camera, it's a great buy. The Google Pixel 5 is merely as compact as the Zenfone, plus information technology still has that fantastic camera and guaranteed software updates, but it costs $699. The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G has far amend bombardment life, a great screen, and a decent photographic camera for $499.
The Apple tree iPhone 12 Mini is $699 and is a truthful compact phone, while the slightly larger iPhone 12 is $799. The iPhone 12 Pro is the model we really recommend, but at $999, information technology'south significantly more than expensive than the Zenfone 8.
How long will it concluding?
Asus will provide 2 major Android software updates for the Zenfone 8, but timing may not be as firsthand as on phones similar the Google Pixel. The body has both IP56 and IP68 water and dust resistance, and the Gorilla Drinking glass Victus should provide decent scratch and shatter protection for the screen, plus there'southward a basic case included in the box, so the Zenfone 8 should be quite durable. With 5G and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor inside, it volition hands concluding for two to three years before a replacement needs to be considered.
Should y'all purchase information technology?
No. Unless a software update improves the battery life, screen responsiveness, and fingerprint sensor performance, it tin can't quite lucifer the competition.
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Asus Zenfone 2 Laser 5.0 Ze500kl,
Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/cell-phone-reviews/asus-zenfone-8-review/
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