7.0 Asus Zenfone 10 Like
Small, comfy measurement
Powerful processor efficiency
Has an precise 3.5mm headphone jack
Don’t like
Poor digital camera efficiency
Only two years of OS updates
The Asus Zenfone 10 is that rarest of beasts: a small cellphone that is truly highly effective. While most high-end telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max stretch your pockets out with shows approaching 7 inches in measurement, the Zenfone 10’s 5.9-inch show makes it far more comfy to make use of in a single hand.It would not skimp on the specs both, packing a potent Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, as much as 16GB of RAM, IP68 water resistance and even a 3.5mm headphone jack. Remember these? Asus clearly does. But after spending a couple of days testing the Asus Zenfone 10, I discovered that it isn’t all excellent news for small cellphone lovers. The rear twin cameras are poor, its 30-watt quick charging lags behind the 80 watts we have seen elsewhere, and Asus presents solely two years of Android OS updates and 4 years of safety updates. That replace timeline is brief in comparison with each Samsung and OnePlus, which supply 4 years of OS updates and a further fifth yr of safety updates.Still, it is a honest all-around cellphone for its £750 beginning value (£820 as reviewed), particularly when you’re determined for one thing extra compact. US costs are but to be formally confirmed, however we count on it to be across the identical value as final yr’s $699 Asus Zenfone 9. The Asus Zenfone 10 suits comfortably in a single hand. Andrew Lanxon/CNETComfortable, compact measurementThe smaller measurement actually is the primary cause to look in direction of the Zenfone 10. I’ve maintained a “Best small phones” information on CNET for some years, and it is more and more troublesome to search out choices lower than 6 inches to advocate. Even Google’s Pixel A collection (which was fairly small) are actually over 6 inches in measurement. It’s good to lastly have another choice to contemplate.It’s comfy to make use of in a single hand, slides neatly right into a denims pocket with out the chance of an embarrassing bulge, and the show is shiny and sharp sufficient to nonetheless do justice to any video games or movies you wish to take pleasure in. Do you continue to cling to your wired headphones prefer it’s 2014? Then you will love this 3.5mm headphone jack. Andrew Lanxon/CNETThe cellphone has a polycarbonate again comprised of bio-based supplies that feels good to carry. I like the colourful stand-out look of my Eclipse purple mannequin. It has an IP68 score for mud and water resistance that ought to hold it secure from spilled drinks. The Zenfone 10 additionally options a particularly uncommon 3.5mm headphone jack for these of you continue to refusing to improve to a pair of wi-fi headphones. There’s a fingerprint scanner on the facet which doubles up as a form of trackpad. Swiping your finger up and down, it may be used to navigate internet pages or pull down the notification tray, which is a enjoyable characteristic that is perhaps helpful — so long as you’ll be able to do not forget that it is there. The fingerprint scanner additionally helps with controlling the cellphone. Andrew Lanxon/CNETPotent energy, disappointing supportAt the core of the Zenfone 10 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, backed up by a hearty 16GB of RAM (on my evaluation mannequin, that’s). It put in some strong scores on our benchmark assessments and simply turned its hand to extra intense duties, too. Demanding 3D video games like Genshin Impact, Asphalt 9 Legends, Real Racing 3 and PUBG Mobile all performed extraordinarily easily, even at most settings. General navigation across the cellphone felt swift and responsive. Asus Zenfone 10 efficiency chart Asus Zenfone 10 1,833 5,512 3,693Google Pixel 7A 1,439 3,560 1,855Samsung Galaxy S23 1,904 4,922 3,838
Geekbench 6 (Single core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi core)
3D Mark Wild Life Extreme
Note: Longer bars equal higher efficiency
The cellphone has a 4,300-mAh battery that put up an honest — however not excellent — efficiency on our rundown assessments. With cheap use you should not wrestle to get by means of a day of blended use, however when you play video games often or stream a number of video, then you’ll be able to count on to provide it a lift in your night. Like nearly all telephones, you will wish to give it a full juice up in a single day. The battery has 30-watt quick charging, which is honest, however loads of different telephones supply even sooner charging, together with Asus’s personal ROG Phone 7, which greater than doubles that velocity. It runs Android 13, and barring a few tweaks right here and there as a part of Asus’s Zen UI, it appears to be like and acts largely like inventory Android. That’s nice, because it delivers an easy-to-use basis that is suited to each Android newcomers and smartphone veterans alike. I just like the software program total, nevertheless it’s a disgrace that Asus is not supporting it for longer. Andrew Lanxon/CNETWith solely two years of OS updates promised, Asus is not doing a lot to compete with Samsung or OnePlus right here, each of which supply 4 years of OS updates. Asus does supply safety updates for 4 years, protecting it safer to make use of for longer, though Samsung, OnePlus and Google nonetheless have it overwhelmed by including on a fifth yr of safety help. Having longer OS and safety help means you’ll be able to hold utilizing your cellphone safely for longer, and making the most of new software program options. As such, you are much less more likely to really feel the necessity to improve as quickly, protecting your previous cellphone going for longer and, crucially, protecting it out of landfill. All firms ought to be inspired to increase their help durations to a minimum of 5 years. The cameras on the Asus Zenfone 10. Andrew Lanxon/CNETProblematic camerasThe again of the cellphone is dwelling to 2 cameras; a 50-megapixel principal sensor with optical picture stabilization and a 13-megapixel sensor with an ultrawide lens. Shots from the primary digital camera are detailed sufficient, however the picture processing is extraordinarily heavy-handed, leading to over-saturated photographs and odd colours round clouds because the cellphone fights to maintain the publicity in line. This flower is mostly properly uncovered and vibrant. Andrew Lanxon/CNET The blue sky may be very oversaturated right here, and there’s a lot of bizarre picture noise within the high proper. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Cropping in to 100%, that picture noise is clearly seen. Andrew Lanxon/CNETI additionally noticed bizarre noise artifacts within the edges of some out of doors pictures, regardless of them being taken in glorious gentle. The sky is once more very oversaturated, with an disagreeable darker blue edging across the clouds the place the software program has tried to compensate for the scene. Andrew Lanxon/CNET The ultrawide lens truly appears to be like a bit higher than the primary digital camera right here, however the software program remains to be clearly very heavy-handed. Andrew Lanxon/CNETSwitching to the wide-angle lens, issues do not look fairly as overly-saturated, however the picture noise and odd blue fringing remains to be noticeable within the sky. The 32-megapixel entrance digital camera can take some first rate selfies, however even that is hit-and-miss, with brighter daylight generally inflicting lens flares or blown-out skies. I needed to attempt a number of makes an attempt to get a shot I used to be pleased with. And not simply due to my hair. Selfie try 1: Weird lens flare and muted colours. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Selfie try 2: Terrible dealing with of the publicity within the scene. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Selfie try 3: Third time’s a attraction. Andrew Lanxon/CNETI’m not impressed with the cameras right here and it is definitely not a cellphone you must contemplate if images is especially necessary to you. However, when you simply need some vibrant snaps of your children around the pool in your subsequent trip, then it’s going to seemingly swimsuit you completely properly. Should you purchase the Asus Zenfone 10?If you are searching for a smaller cellphone that is nonetheless highly effective sufficient for gaming on the go, your choices have turn out to be more and more restricted lately. It’s refreshing then to see an organization pack some high-end silicon into a tool that does not require you to have fingers the dimensions of continents to make use of. And whereas the cellphone does supply glorious processor efficiency and first rate battery life, it lets itself down in some key areas. The digital camera efficiency particularly was disappointing, and the brief help interval Asus presents falls down in opposition to its rivals, particularly given the comparatively excessive value of the cellphone. If your key concern is having a cellphone underneath 6 inches in measurement and you are not bothered about images prowess, then it is definitely price contemplating, however telephones just like the Pixel 7A supply a greater all-round expertise for much less cash and with solely a small improve in measurement. How we check phonesEvery cellphone examined by CNET’s evaluations staff was truly utilized in the actual world. We check a cellphone’s options, play video games and take photographs. We look at the show to see if it is shiny, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes utilizing each standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and taking part in graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.All the cameras are examined in quite a lot of circumstances from shiny daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like evening mode and portrait mode and evaluate our findings in opposition to equally priced competing telephones. We additionally try the battery life by utilizing it every day in addition to working a collection of battery drain assessments.We consider further options like help for 5G, satellite tv for pc connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus help, quick charging speeds and foldable shows amongst others that may be helpful. And we stability all of this in opposition to the value to provide the verdict on whether or not that cellphone, no matter its value is, truly represents good worth.