[SECTION]INTRODUCTION[/SECTION]

 

 

The ASUS Zenfone 10 updates the Zenfone 9 but keeps the compact shape that makes it stand out in a time when most smartphone manufacturers are opting for ‘bigger is better’ but are there enough improved features on offer to make the ASUS Zenfone 10 a standout contender in the competitive smartphone market?

 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Features

The ASUS Zenfone 10 is the latest flagship to arrive from ASUS, updating the Zenfone 9 and bringing another compact smartphone choice to a market full of rather large handsets. 

It’s very similar to the Zenfone 9 sporting a dual-material design, the same dimensions and the same main camera sensor. 

The main camera is a 50MP f/1.9 24mm wide shooter with PDAF and gimbal IS and it’s supported by a 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens. A 32MP f/2.5 camera on the front captures 1080p video at 30fps while the main rear camera can capture video in 8K, 4K and Full HD supported by gyro-EIS at various frame rates. 

Other features include a 5.92-inch display, up to 512GB of memory, a headphone jack and a 4300mAh battery. 

The ASUS Zenfone 10 is available in blue, black, green, red and white and is currently priced at £799. 

 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Specs:

• Rear Camera: 50MP f/1.9 24mm wide with PDAF and gimbal IS, 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide
• Front Camera: 32MP f/2.5 
• Video: Up to 8K at 24fps
• Display: 5.92 inches (1080×2400)
• Dimensions: 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4mm
• Weight: 172g
• Storage and Memory: 512GB and 16GB RAM
• Battery: 4300mAh

 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Handling

 

The ASUS Zenfone 10 is a compact smartphone which might sound like a rare thing nowadays but there are actually more out there than you might first think. It shares the same dimensions as the ASUS Zenfone 9 and will suit those who don’t want a large smartphone but in comparison, it’s not that much smaller than the iPhone 14 so isn’t a unique selling point. Still, it’s a lot smaller than most phones on sale and will easily fit in a pocket.

The thin-ish width does mean you get a slightly small 5.92-inch display, though, which does feel quite a bit smaller than 6-inch displays but its bright and colours are accurate. There’s a noticeable bezel running around the edge of the screen but it’s not distracting by any means and only a small front camera cut-out interrupts the seamless display. 

The aluminium frame is home to a power button, volume rocker, USB-C port, speaker, SIM tray and headphone jack. Buttons fall nicely under fingers/thumb and thanks to the phone’s small size, it’s really easy to navigate one-handed. 

 

 

Turn the phone over and you’ll either love the finish that almost feels like card/thick paper or you’ll immediately think it’s not for you. It’s certainly different but we think it makes the phone feel cheap (sorry ASUS). The big circular rear camera cutouts that aren’t in a joint housing are cool though and you do get to choose from various colour options. One thing we do like about this Marmite-esk smartphone, though, is it comes with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating which you don’t always see on less expensive handsets.

There’s no zoom lens on the ASUS Zenfone 10 as it keeps the same camera set-up as the Zenfone 10 with a main wide shooter and an ultrawide lens. It uses the same sensor as the Zenfone 9 but you now get six-axis gimbal image stabilisation. As there’s no telephoto lens, you’ll have to zoom with your feet as digital zoom tends to be poor but you do have a decent 32MP selfie camera if you’re a fan of self-portraits. 

The camera app is self-explanatory with everything where you expect it to be but the zoom is set up a bit differently with the 2x option to one side. To access up to 8x zoom, you have to pinch-zoom the screen. There aren’t any digital filters built into the app but you do have some interesting light trail options on the list. Pro modes are available as well as a night mode. 

Camera Specs:

• Rear Camera: 50MP f/1.9 24mm wide with PDAF and gimbal IS, 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide
• Front Camera: 32MP f/2.5 
• Video: Up to 8K at 24fps
• Various camera modes including light trails
• Pro image and video modes
• Up to 8x digital zoom

 

Battery life –  The battery is rated at 4300mAh and it easily lasts all day. When you do need to charge it, it’s not the quickest offering 30W charging. 

 

[SECTION]PERFORMANCE[/SECTION]

ASUS Zenfone 10 Performance

 

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Sample Photos

 

Sample Photos – Photos captured on the ASUS Zenfone 10 are a real mixed bag with some cracking results and then some which aren’t so as impressive. Some look very processed and almost over HDR’d then you get some shots that look great with accurate colour reproduction. Sharpness levels are great, though, and that’s down to the new gimbal IS helping to keep shots steady. Bokeh is lovely, too. 

 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Lens test images

 

Lens Performance – The main wide shooter produces the best results but the ultrawide is pretty decent too with good colour reproduction and dynamic range handled well. 2X zoom produces surprisingly good results as well but we’d not recommend going beyond this as quality does drop off fast. 

 

 

 

Panoramas – Panoramas are easy to capture and stitch well but the colour balance is off and there’s purple fringing. 

 

 

Video – You can capture up to 8K video but not many people can still view this to its full potential. 4K and Full HD options are available, too, at various frame rates. Stabilisation is available which helps keep footage steady and there’s a Pro Video mode if you want more control. 

 

[SECTION]VERDICT[/SECTION]

 

Value For Money

The [AMUK]ASUS Zenfone 10|ASUS+Zenfone+10[/AMUK] is priced at £799 on Amazon UK which doesn’t make it expensive but it’s not a bargain either.  In comparison, you can pick up the OnePlus 11 5G for the same price point and the Google Pixel 7 Pro isn’t that much more expensive either. The Samsung Galaxy S22 range is also a bit less expensive than it was when first released last year. 

For more options, have a look at our ‘Best Budget Camera Phones For Photography‘ list or if you want to spend more money, we have our  ‘Best Smartphones For Photography‘ top list. 

 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Verdict

The ASUS Zenfone 10 is a compact smartphone that easily fits in a pocket but the display feels a bit too small when in use. You only have 2 cameras on the rear and it’s a shame there’s no telephoto lens built-in as this would have really added to the types of photos you can capture with the Zenfone 10. Photo quality is generally good but some results are overcooked which not everyone will like. The ultrawide lens does perform well, though, as does 2x zoom and the bokeh is lovely, too. The inclusion of gimbal IS is great, helping keep shots steady and the lag we found on the Zenfon 9 seems to have been fixed on the Zenfone 10. Another plus is the headphone jack and waterproof rating. 

Price is another slight hurdle as while it’s not too expensive, it’s not reasonable enough (yet) to make it a smartphone you’d not question buying. Give it some time for the price to come down and this compact smartphone could be one you take a look at. 

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=3.5|R_handling=4|R_performance=3.5|R_value=3.5|R_overall=3.5|A_level=3.5|E_id=8005[/REVIEW_FOOTER] 

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