ASUS Zenfone 10 Phone Review

[SECTION]INTRODUCTION[/SECTION]

The ASUS Zenfone 10 updates the Zenfone 9 but keeps the compact shape that makes it stand out in a time when most smartphone manufacturers are opting for ‘bigger is better’ but are there enough improved features on offer to make the ASUS Zenfone 10 a standout contender in the competitive smartphone market?

ASUS Zenfone 10 Features

ASUS Zenfone 10 Handling

The ASUS Zenfone 10 is a compact smartphone which might sound like a rare thing nowadays but there are actually more out there than you might first think. It shares the same dimensions as the ASUS Zenfone 9 and will suit those who don’t want a large smartphone but in comparison, it’s not that much smaller than the iPhone 14 so isn’t a unique selling point. Still, it’s a lot smaller than most phones on sale and will easily fit in a pocket.

The thin-ish width does mean you get a slightly small 5.92-inch display, though, which does feel quite a bit smaller than 6-inch displays but its bright and colours are accurate. There’s a noticeable bezel running around the edge of the screen but it’s not distracting by any means and only a small front camera cut-out interrupts the seamless display. 

The aluminium frame is home to a power button, volume rocker, USB-C port, speaker, SIM tray and headphone jack. Buttons fall nicely under fingers/thumb and thanks to the phone’s small size, it’s really easy to navigate one-handed. 

Turn the phone over and you’ll either love the finish that almost feels like card/thick paper or you’ll immediately think it’s not for you. It’s certainly different but we think it makes the phone feel cheap (sorry ASUS). The big circular rear camera cutouts that aren’t in a joint housing are cool though and you do get to choose from various colour options. One thing we do like about this Marmite-esk smartphone, though, is it comes with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating which you don’t always see on less expensive handsets.

There’s no zoom lens on the ASUS Zenfone 10 as it keeps the same camera set-up as the Zenfone 10 with a main wide shooter and an ultrawide lens. It uses the same sensor as the Zenfone 9 but you now get six-axis gimbal image stabilisation. As there’s no telephoto lens, you’ll have to zoom with your feet as digital zoom tends to be poor but you do have a decent 32MP selfie camera if you’re a fan of self-portraits. 

The camera app is self-explanatory with everything where you expect it to be but the zoom is set up a bit differently with the 2x option to one side. To access up to 8x zoom, you have to pinch-zoom the screen. There aren’t any digital filters built into the app but you do have some interesting light trail options on the list. Pro modes are available as well as a night mode. 

Camera Specs:

• Rear Camera: 50MP f/1.9 24mm wide with PDAF and gimbal IS, 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide
• Front Camera: 32MP f/2.5 
• Video: Up to 8K at 24fps
• Various camera modes including light trails
• Pro image and video modes
• Up to 8x digital zoom

Battery life –  The battery is rated at 4300mAh and it easily lasts all day. When you do need to charge it, it’s not the quickest offering 30W charging. 

[SECTION]PERFORMANCE[/SECTION]

ASUS Zenfone 10 Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

ASUS Zenfone 10 Sample Photos

Sample Photos – Photos captured on the ASUS Zenfone 10 are a real mixed bag with some cracking results and then some which aren’t so as impressive. Some look very processed and almost over HDR’d then you get some shots that look great with accurate colour reproduction. Sharpness levels are great, though, and that’s down to the new gimbal IS helping to keep shots steady. Bokeh is lovely, too. 

ASUS Zenfone 10 Lens test images

Lens Performance – The main wide shooter produces the best results but the ultrawide is pretty decent too with good colour reproduction and dynamic range handled well. 2X zoom produces surprisingly good results as well but we’d not recommend going beyond this as quality does drop off fast. 

Panoramas – Panoramas are easy to capture and stitch well but the colour balance is off and there’s purple fringing. 

Source: Photography News
ASUS Zenfone 10 Phone Review
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