Asus unveiled its 2021 flagship this week with the Zenfone 8, an Android cellphone that takes a distinctly completely different path to lots of the different greatest telephones I’ve used this 12 months.
I’ve to be sincere and say I wasn’t particularly excited in regards to the arrival of Asus’ newest spherical of telephones. The earlier Zenfone’s have been wonderful, however I wasn’t an enormous fan of the flippy digicam module that stood because the earlier technology’s spotlight characteristic.
After spending every week with the Zenfone 8 I’ve been gained over by its charms. Whereas I haven’t fairly completed the total evaluate, I can already say this is likely one of the greatest Android telephones of the 12 months,
It doesn’t get this accolade by copying the OnePlus 9 or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus. As a substitute it gives one thing not often seen within the Android house – a small gadget that doesn’t sacrifice specs.
The 5.9-inch is smaller than simply about all of the competitors. It’s smaller than the iPhone 12 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 and barely narrower than the Pixel 5. This makes it ridiculously simple to carry and even simpler to slip right into a smaller pocket or purse. I take advantage of a number of bigger telephones and switching to one thing this dimension is refreshing.
Now, this isn’t as small because the iPhone 12 Mini. I felt that cellphone was a little bit too small for the mass market, however the Zenfone 8 feels excellent – large enough to take pleasure in bouts of Name of Responsibility Cell and YouTube movies however sufficiently small to make use of with one hand.
The Zenfone 8 additionally stands other than the Pixel 5 (one of many solely different mainstream small Android telephones) by not coming with modest specs. Usually, smaller telephones are hamstrung by mid-range chipsets and marketed as ‘Lite’ or ‘Mini’ choices.
That’s not the case right here. The Zenfone 8 is the flagship Zenfone for 2021 and the bigger Zenfone 8 Flip is the extra modest possibility. You’ve bought the identical Snapdragon 888 chipset because the high-end Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely, as much as 16GB RAM and a 120Hz Samsung OLED show that’s very correct and brilliant.
This cellphone is simply as succesful as any of the opposite big-hitter Android telephones, one thing that may’t be mentioned in regards to the Pixel 5.
This can be a flagship cellphone with the worth of the very best mid-range cellphone
Max Parker, Deputy and cell editor
However actually what attracts me in the direction of the Zenfone 8 probably the most is the worth. This can be a flagship cellphone with the worth that’s extra in step with the very best mid-range telephones I’ve examined not too long ago. Should you order one now it’ll value you £539 (or €599/¢599) and that worth goes up on the finish of Could to £599. You can too pay an additional 100 for 16GB of RAM and 256GB storage. That makes it cheaper than the Pixel 5 for lots extra cellphone and cheaper than the iPhone 12 Mini. This cellphone is a superb deal.
Whether or not the Zenfone 8 is successful stays to be seen. If Asus can get plenty of models out, make it simple to purchase and promote it properly there’s each likelihood this may very well be an actual success.
If the Zenfone 8 is successful, then I might like to see this blueprint utilized by different Android cellphone makers to provide us smaller Android telephones that really feel like true flagships.
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