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ASUS' Zenfone 8 series

A compact flagship and a flip camera

By Mahedi Hasan Published 3 years ago 4 min read
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Asus Zenfone 8 Series

Now that the ROG Phone 5 is out of the way, ASUS can finally concentrate on updating its main smartphone line for the masses — particularly those who adore the company's unique "flip camera." The good news is that ASUS' newly announced Zenfone 8 Flip retains this useful feature, but the simply-named Zenfone 8 does not. Even better, this is a small flagship, which is becoming increasingly uncommon in today's mobile industry.

Some may be surprised by ASUS's new direction in this region. Sony had long abandoned the compact flagship plan, and Apple's iPhone 12 mini, according to sources, hasn't fared much better. Nonetheless, the Taiwanese firm believes that there is a sizable consumer segment that desires such a bundle, which is why it is pursuing a dual-flagship strategy this year.

Starting with the Zenfone 8, we can expect a palm-friendly body with a matte aluminum mid-frame and curved frosted glass back, as well as a black or silver color option. It measures 148 x 68.5mm in size, with a width that falls somewhere between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 mini. The whole kit weighs 5.96 oz (169 g), and it's dust and water-resistant to IP65 and IP68 standards — a first for an ASUS smartphone.

This smaller form factor allows for a more comfortable grip and less pressure on my fingertips, which is a welcome change from my normal handling of bulkier smartphones like the ROG Phone 5 and, more recently, the LG Wing.

Thanks to a clever engineering trick involving a two-layered logic board connected to an interposer connector board, the Zenfone 8 packs a lot of punch for its size. A 5.9-inch 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and in-display fingerprint reader, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor, a 4,000mAh battery (with 30W charging) and triple mics, as well as some powerful stereo speakers and, even a 3.5mm headphone jack — all of which have been optimized by audio specialist Dirac — are all included.

There's also up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, as well as a 64MP main camera (Sony IMX686 sensor) with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide camera (IMX363), and a 12MP punch-hole selfie camera with auto-focus (using the new IMX663). The Zenfone 8 is, without a doubt, a true flagship handset, although one that is relatively thin.

The larger Zenfone 8 Flip is essentially a Zenfone 7 that has been slightly modified. I'm referring to the Zenfone 7, not the Zenfone 7 Pro, since the Zenfone 8 Flip has inherited the former's lack of optical image stabilization (OIS) on the main sensor. The hardware is virtually similar to its predecessor, with the exception of the new Snapdragon 888 processor, new 256GB storage option, and new in-display fingerprint reader (as opposed to the old capacitive reader on the power button), right down to the dimensions and the bulky weight of 8.11oz (230g). You can choose between black and silver here, just as you can with the smaller version.

The spec sheet is the same as before: a 6.67-inch 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, 5,000mAh battery (with 30W charging), 8GB of RAM, triple-camera flip module, stereo speakers, triple-card slot (microSD and two nano SIMs), and triple mics. For those who care, the ZenFone 8 has a 3.5mm headphone socket, which is a shame considering how much smaller it is.

The main and ultra-wide cameras on the Zenfone 8 Flip are identical to those on the Zenfone 8, but the former has an additional 8MP telephoto camera (OmniVision OV08A sensor) with 3x optical zoom. The lifetime of the flip module has been increased from 200,000 to 300,000 flips, according to ASUS, which corresponds to more than 5 years of use if you flip 150 times a day.

If you want even more security, a Rhino Shield Solid Suitcase with a slide cover for the flip camera is available. When you slide the cover down while the phone is on standby, the camera automatically turns on.

On the software side, ASUS' ZenUI 8 (based on Android 11) adds automatic bracketing (single-click 3 shots with EVs), document mode (auto-crop and PDF export option), customizable watermark (using text and emoji), and more. The Zenfone 8 Flip comes with a one-of-a-kind feature: self-explanatory object focus mode, which is ideal for show-and-tell vlogging.

The Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip, like their predecessors, will eventually make their way to the United States, although no details have been released as of yet. However, if you live in Europe, the Zenfone 8 is available right now for 599 euros ($725) with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, while the Zenfone 8 Flip will be available "a few days later" for 799 euros ($965) with the top-spec 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model. We'll keep you updated on availability in the United States.

Updated at 4:55 a.m. ET on May 13, 2018: The following is a complete list of Zenfone 8 prices in Europe: For 6/128, €669 for 8/128, €729 for 8/256, and €799 for 16/256, the price is €599 for 6/128, €669 for 8/128, €729 for 8/256, and €799 for 16/256.

The Zenfone 8 will be available in the UK shortly, with prices starting at £539 for 6/128, £599 for 8/128, and £699 for 16/256. The Zenfone 8 Flip, on the other hand, would cost £699 (8/256).

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About the Creator

Mahedi Hasan

A free spirit with a passion for content writing.

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