ASUS Launches Compact Flagship Phone – Zenfone 10
ASUS has managed to stay in the niche market of compact smartphones, despite the limited options available. The newly unveiled Zenfone 10 appears to be identical to its predecessor, with even the 50-megapixel main camera remaining unchanged. However, the company asserts that it now features an upgraded 6-axis gimbal stabilization system, which combines hardware optical stabilization, an improved electronic stabilization algorithm, and fast auto-focus. This technology supposedly enables users to capture videos with smoother motion and take clearer photos while on the go.
As you’d expect, the Zenfone 10 features Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, now with up to 16GB of faster LPDDR5X ROM and a faster UFS 4.0 storage option of up to 512GB, doubling the previous generation. While the battery is still an impressive 4,300mAh, it is now supported by 15W wireless charging in addition to the original 30W wired charging. That means a gentle bump in thickness – from the old 9.1mm to 9.4mm, but the footprint is still 146.5 x 68.1mm. The AMOLED display is again 5.9 inches with a resolution of 2400 x 1080, although its peak refresh rate has been increased from 120 Hz to 144 Hz for smoother gaming.
The extra-wide camera has been replaced with a 13-megapixel sensor and the field of view bumps – 113 degrees to 120 degrees. The old 12MP front-facing camera now uses a 32MP RGBW sensor instead, and this apparently gives an 8MP output with vastly improved low-light selfies thanks to the sensor’s extra white sub-pixels.
As before, you still get stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as two microphones that support Nokia’s OZO Audio spatial capture and wind noise cancellation. Other familiar goodies include a customizable ZenTouch unlock button (i.e. for changing the camera or scrolling in the browser), NFC and IP68 resistance to prevent dust and liquids.
ASUS has extended its ‘Connex’ modular case system to the Zenfone 10, which allows you to snap either a stand or a silicone card holder into a mesh of holes on the back of the case. You can even set an app – YouTube by default – to launch automatically whenever the stand is flipped out. If you prefer thicker cases, ASUS has also partnered with Rhinoshield and DevilCase for some more durable options.
The Zenfone 10 will be available for pre-order in Europe starting June 29, starting at €799 (about $870), and will be available in “Aurora Green,” “Midnight Black,” “Comet White,” “Eclipse Red,” and “Starry Blue.” As before, US availability later, so stay tuned.
