ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The brand new Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra ditches the model’s small telephone identification in favor of show efficiency and energy.
- That places the $899 handset in a aggressive market dominated by the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google.
- Area of interest options like a 3.5mm headphone jack, 144Hz show, and extra make the Zenfone 11 Extremely price contemplating for some customers.
I take a look at dozens of smartphones yearly, however none scratches my reviewer’s itch greater than the Asus Zenfone. See, whereas Apple, Google, Samsung, and each different producer have been battling it out with larger-than-ever handsets, Asus has constructed a cult following over the previous two years with a Zenfone mannequin that is pocketable, simply usable with one hand, and is pretty priced — normally round $600-$700.
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Final 12 months’s Zenfone 10 stays my “Best small phone” decide on ZDNET’s annual tier checklist, and I do not see that altering anytime quickly. That is as a result of I’ve spent the week with the Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra which, by title, ought to be the successor to the Zenfone 10 however is not. The truth is, it is the exact opposite; as a substitute of a 5.9-inch show, it now flaunts a 6.7-inch panel that takes all the things you have ever cherished concerning the previous Zenfone and throws it out the window.
That is to not say that Zenfone 11 Extremely is a downgrade. A more recent processor, greater refresh price show, and bigger battery make it a sizeable enchancment by way of uncooked efficiency when in comparison with the Zenfone 10. And a number of the options that I cherished about its predecessor are, consider it or not, nonetheless current on this 2024 mannequin. Here is the breakdown.
So, what’s totally different this 12 months in addition to the dimensions? Instantly, the change in materials decisions can be noticeable and felt. In contrast to final 12 months’s textured again cowl that was remarkably grippy, the brand new Zenfone 11 Extremely has a frosted glass cowl that is extra mature and clean-looking. The trade-off, naturally, is the susceptibility of cracking, do you have to use the telephone with out a case and drop it.
My Misty Grey evaluate unit has shades of brown, gold, and silver.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
The appear and feel of the Zenfone 11 Extremely, at its new 6.7-inch dimension, is greatest described as generic, with slim, symmetrical bezels, rounded edges, and a digital camera bump that protrudes as a lot as every other 2024 flagship. However I am not complaining; the telephone feels nice within the hand, with simply sufficient heft to make it really feel premium with out burdening your wrists.
Some extra refined {hardware} designs price mentioning embody the repositioned USB-C cable that rests on the underside left of the telephone as a substitute of the center, the IP68 water and dirt resistance score, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. For audiophiles who favor lossless, wired listening, this needs to be music to your ears.
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Whereas the show of the Zenfone 11 Extremely solely goes as much as 1080p — it is no 2K, QHD panel like on the similarly-priced Galaxy S24 Plus — it does refresh at 144Hz, particularly for gaming. Pair the upper refresh price with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and also you’re in for a typically clean operation when switching between video streaming, scrolling via emails and social media, and enjoying video games on the Asus telephone.
The Zenfone 11 Extremely has a peak brightness of two,500 nits, which isn’t the best available on the market however adequate.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
The handset really shines in purposes that benefit from its haptic motors. Each click on and buzz feels tactile and exact, placing the Zenfone’s vibration sensor in keeping with the iPhone 15 Professional Max. I am a fan of the built-in audio system, too. I usually play music or cooking movies within the background every time I am within the kitchen, and it is turn out to be a great way for me to check precisely how tinny, bass-heavy, and pronounced vocals are at numerous quantity ranges. I might put the Zenfone 11 Extremely’s sound system up there for probably the greatest I’ve examined.
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The general software program expertise on the Zenfone 11 Extremely is sort of nice, particularly in the event you go for the inventory Android theming in the course of the preliminary setup display. Not one of the customization settings really feel compelled, and I am a fan of the extra refined AI options like Semantic Search, which pulls up related settings based mostly on key phrases you kind in. Whereas on the subject of software program, I am much less thrilled about Asus’ replace coverage for the Zenfone 11 Extremely, which comes with solely two years of working system updates. That is in comparison with the likes of Google and Samsung who’re dedicated to as much as seven years of software program help for his or her newest flagship telephones.
On the rear are three cameras: 50MP fundamental, 13MP ultrawide, and 32MP telephoto.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
For the cameras, it ought to come as no shock that the $899 Zenfone 11 Extremely takes some flattering pictures and movies. Content material captured by all three lenses is comparatively constant in shade copy and accuracy, although there’s a slight bias in direction of hotter tones. That is not a nasty factor per se; photos of individuals, pets, meals, and surroundings do usually seem extra vivid in hotter hues.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
All that dimension finally lends itself to a higher viewing expertise and distinctive battery life. These two facets alone make the Zenfone 11 Ultra a greater telephone than final 12 months’s Zenfone 10, as a lot as I hate to confess it. At $899, the Zenfone 11 Extremely is swimming in flagship territory, distancing itself from the likes of OnePlus and Motorola and inching nearer to Google, Samsung, and Apple, all of which provide higher model identification and after-sales help.
That is why the smaller wins, equivalent to the three.5mm headphone jack, Asus-optimized software program, and haptics/sound system matter that rather more for the Asus telephone. If these options resonate with you, the Zenfone 11 Extremely could be the solely high-end telephone that gives them in 2024.
And does this spell the tip of small telephones? Not precisely. I might wish to suppose that the “Extremely” branding of the Zenfone 11 implies that there can be non-Extremely mannequin later this 12 months that is extra in keeping with the older, smaller Zenfone many customers, together with myself, have turn out to be a fan of. We’ll simply have to attend and see.
