There was a time when cell phones seemingly only ever got smaller, and likewise, some of us look fondly on those days when phones easily fit in our pockets and purses. Nowadays, we are mostly stuck with glass front and backed behemoths if we are seeking out a flagship, where devices like Asus’s ROG Phone 7 surely aren’t shy about their size and weight.



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Thankfully, Asus is also delivering the Zenfone 10, complete with a compact body and a 5.9-inch screen that keeps things small without sacrificing performance. From its processor to its cameras — not to mention a wide range of color options — the phone is a pleasure to both use and hold. And while some compromises have to be made to keep things small and pocketable, at the end of the day, if you’re the sort of person who appreciates small form factors, I can confirm the Zenfone 10 hits this mark in stride. In fact, it’s one of my favorite Android phones of the year.

Asus Zenfone 10 rear against white background

Source: Asus

Asus Zenfone 10

The Asus Zenfone 10 is a compact device, and even though you get a screen that’s almost six inches, compared to modern behemoths, it’s tiny in comparison. Thankfully, this is also a full-featured smartphone, offering flagship specs like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 16 GB of RAM in a compact footprint, all paired with a price that’s more than fair for what you get.

SoC
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Display
5.92” AMOLED, 144Hz

RAM
8GB, 16GB

Storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Battery
4300mAh

Ports
USB-C, headphone jack, sim slot

Operating System
Android 13

Front camera
32MP RGBW(Actual output: 8MP)

Rear cameras
Main:50MP 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 2.0, 1/1.56”, f/1.9 Wide:13MP, f/2.2, FOV 120°

Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7 ready, Bluetooth 5.3

Dimensions
68.1 x 146.5 x 9.4 mm

Colors
Midnight Black, Starry Blue, Aurora Green, Commet White, Eclipse Red

Weight
172g

Charging
Wired 30W HyperCharge、Wireless 15W Qi cert

Pros

  • Great performance in a small formfactor
  • High refresh rate screen perfect for gaming and apps
  • Freedom to customize close to stock
  • Headphone jack
Cons

  • Pinhole camera in screen
  • Lopsided bezels with aggressively rounded corners
  • Staggered launch with no US release date
  • No carrier support


Availability and network

Asus Zenfone 10 resting screen down on top of Bully keyboard

Much like the Asus ROG 7, availability for the Zenfone 10 will follow after today’s launch. There’s no specific date on offer just yet, but it should land sometime in Q3 in the US. While it would be nice to see Asus offer timely global launches, the company is ultimately a small player in the smartphone market, which also explains why you won’t be able to buy a Zenfone from a carrier.

As for network coverage, I’ve been using the Zenfone on T-Mobile without issue for the last two weeks. Calls are clear, 5G data is fast, and even Wi-Fi calling works without a hitch. I’ve had zero issues with carrier compatibility, though your mileage may vary depending on your network and location.

Display and design

Asus Zenfone 10 perched on fence post with screen facing camera

I’d say the star of the show is the 5.92-inch 1080p OLED high refresh rate display. It’s a 144hz screen, but Asus has capped the maximum for regular use to 120 FPS. You can still boost up to 144Hz in supported games, but that’s the only place you’ll see the refresh rate hit these highs. Still, I’m not too bothered by being capped to 120Hz for daily use. As intended, it conserves a little battery compared to using it at peak at all times, and it’s not like most people will see the difference anyway. My only complaint about the screen is the cutout for the camera and the rounded corners. Rounded corners may look cute, but I’d prefer to see the entire screen, which is why I also dislike camera punchouts.

And it’s not like the bezels are tiny on the Zenfone 10, with a chin larger than the forehead. In my opinion, Asus could expand the forehead to properly match the bottom bezel, and it might just find enough room for the selfie cam above the screen, just like on the ROG Phone, which looks clean with its even bezels.

But even though I don’t personally agree with the rounded corners, they do match the round edges of the phone nicely, ultimately looking something like an iPhone from the front, as a fullscreen device surrounded by a metal frame. But once you flip the phone over is where you’ll immediately see a difference.