In a latest ballot, the Asus ROG Cellphone 8/8 Professional proved to be a probably very talked-about mannequin if it may clear one hurdle – the $1,100/€1,100 worth was too excessive (it was even worse for the Professional, $1,200/€1,200/₹95,000).
What if the ROG Cellphone 8 was cheaper? Want granted – simply not the way in which you will have thought. This week the corporate unveiled the Zenfone 11 Extremely, its first massive Zenfone since 2021’s Zenfone 8 Flip. This implies a bigger show, bigger battery and (by the way) a further digital camera (the primary tele module for the reason that Flip).
The identical 12/256GB configuration that prices €1,100 on a ROG telephone is offered for €1,000/£870 on the Zenfone. And Asus has a €100 low cost for early birds, which you’ll be able to nonetheless get because the telephone goes on sale in mid-April. There’s a 16/512GB model too with a €1,000/£950 base worth.
The Asus Zenfone 11 Extremely is actually an ROG Cellphone 8 with muted branding – extra muted we should always say, as Asus was already dialing again the “gaming telephone” aesthetic with the 8-series and making it one thing that can have mass attraction.
Asus Zenfone 11 Extremely: 6.78” 1-144Hz LTPO AMOLED show with FHD+ decision
Evaluating the 2 fashions reveals solely minor variations – the 6.78” LTPO AMOLED show runs at 144Hz as a substitute of 165Hz and lacks 10-bit colours. Additionally, the trademark second USB port that the ROG mannequin has is dropped to avoid wasting on value. The RGB-illuminated ROG emblem on the again and the strain delicate triggers on the facet are gone too – this isn’t a gaming telephone, you recognize.
And that’s it – you continue to get a big, quick show, the highly effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, a big 5,5000mAh battery with 65W wired and 15W wi-fi charging, together with goodies like stereo audio system and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In comparison with the earlier Zenfone 10, this one additionally has a 32MP tele digital camera with a 65mm lens (3x), however Asus didn’t see match to additionally equip a microSD slot. Not less than it left the IP68 mud and water resistance intact.
Asus Zenfone 11 Extremely: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 • 50+32+13MP digital camera
For extra particulars on the Asus Zenfone 11 Extremely, take a look at our detailed evaluation. You may also watch our video evaluation under:
Let’s have a short have a look at the competitors. In Europe, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ comes with Exynos 2400 as a substitute of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but it surely has a 12/256GB configuration for a similar worth. The 6.7” LTPO show trades a number of hertz (it runs at as much as 120Hz) for a better decision of QHD+ (vs. FHD+ on the Zenfone). The battery is smaller, leading to a decrease lively use rating (12:30h vs. 14:43h) and wired charging is slower (45W, 58 minutes to full).
Nonetheless, the S24+ will obtain 7 years of help – longer than mainly any Android that isn’t a Pixel and far, for much longer than the Zenfone. Asus remains to be solely promising 2 OS updates and 4 years of safety patches. Is that ok for a €1,000 machine?
The OnePlus 12 is across the identical worth for a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12/256GB reminiscence. It has a 6.82” LTPO show (additionally a QHD+ 120Hz panel), a better decision 48MP extremely broad digital camera (to go along with the 50MP foremost and 64MP 70mm periscope), plus a 5,400mAh battery. The lively use rating is a bit decrease (14:11h), however charging is quicker (24 minutes to full vs. 41 minutes for the Asus). The OnePlus will obtain 4 OS updates and 5 years of safety patches.
Samsung Galaxy S24+ • OnePlus 12 • Google Pixel 8 Professional • Apple iPhone 15 Plus
The Google Pixel 8 Professional is half a yr outdated, so the true different would be the upcoming 9 Professional (however that’s nonetheless months away). This telephone makes use of the Tensor G3, which is best than its predecessors and that’s the place the compliments cease. The 6.7” 120Hz LTPO show has barely lower than QHD+ decision and the 5,050mAh battery inside is gradual to cost each wired and wirelessly (30W and 23W, respectively). Battery life is even worse than the S24+ at 11:14h (that Tensor has its flaws). On the plus facet, Google will help this telephone for 7 years.
The Apple iPhone 15 Plus can also be a competitor, even when its spec sheet doesn’t seem like it. You get a 6.7” OLED show with not fairly QHD+ decision, a robust chipset, lengthy software program help, stellar battery life (16:33h lively use rating!), although charging may be very gradual (1:34h to full). There’s no tele digital camera, however no less than this technology has a 48MP foremost.
Will you pre-order the Asus Zenfone 11 Extremely or will you look forward to the small mannequin – which Asus by no means formally confirmed to exist? Would you fairly have the ROG telephone or not one of the above?
