Zenfone 9 review. Top performance that fits in one hand, supreme narrow high-end that you can't help buying
Finally, the ideal narrow high-end! !
A maverick among smartphones, which continues to grow in size, has evolved further. I borrowed Zenfone 9 from ASUS for a certain period of time, so I will review it.
It has a luxury cosmetic case. Trendy eco-friendly, printed with soy-based inks grown in a mineral-free environment, 100% recyclable. A 30W quick charger is also included. It can be highly evaluated in the midst of an increase in stingy and useless products that use poor environment as an excuse and lack the user's perspective. I didn't like the design of ZenFone because it was unfashionable, but I fell in love with Zenfone 9 at first sight. Such a cool smartphone is hard to come by
Equipped with Snapdragon 8+ Gen1, it boasts overwhelming performance with a benchmark score that does not suit the small housing. Cooling efficiency is excellent with vapor chamber and graphite sheet.
- AnTuTu v9.4.4: 1071663
- Geekbench 5.4.4 Single-Core: 1295
- Geekbench 5.4.4 Multi-Core: 4175
- Wild Life Extreme Unlimited: 2792, 16.7fps
- Sling Shot Extreme OpenGL ES 3.1: Maxed Out!
- Sling Shot Extreme Vulkan: Maxed Out!
- Sling Shot Extreme Unlimited OpenGL ES 3.1: 12913
The feeling I had is also very good. The matte texture of the back material is also good, but unlike the common frosted glass texture, it does not slip. Compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the size is obvious. It is narrower than the iPhone 14 Pro, and the Zenfone 9 is overwhelmingly easier to hold and hold. The iPhone 14 Pro has a frosted glass, slippery back, and weighs 206g. Zenfone 9 is lighter by about 36g. Recently, Xperia and Xiaomi 12S are also narrow, but they are long in the vertical direction. Zenfone 9 is not too expensive salt plum. You don't have to worry about sticking out of your pocket or hurting your back when you sit down on a smartphone that is too long.
As expected, it is not as small as iPhone mini or Xperia Compact. It has a certain amount of screen size and information display amount, which is significant because it is equipped with the latest top-end high-end SoC.
The fingerprint authentication "ZenTouch" that doubles as the power button can be assigned to double-tap and long-press as well as unlocking. Furthermore, by swiping, it is possible to move the media file back and forth and pull down the notification bar.
You can check notifications without having to stretch your fingers to the top, so you can greatly reduce the chances of using both hands. The default setting does not unlock the fingerprint authentication just by touching it, which is very difficult to use, but don't worry, you can change the setting.. Although ZenUI looks similar to AOSP, it is also interesting to see various useful functions and unusual settings. You can easily access the animation speed by default without unlocking the developer mode, which cannot be changed in the original Android OS without unlocking the developer mode.
It is very comfortable with 120Hz drive, but with the default settings, Twitter scrolling feels uncomfortable. If you change the system mode to high performance, even the heavy Twitter genuine client TL will be crispy.
You can also take screenshots by double tapping on the back. You can also hold down the volume keys and power button, but it's smarter and hands-free. You can also assign it to a sound recorder, call a flashlight, etc. It's a casual part, but the sound is also nice. Whether it's the pleasant "click" sound when unlocking the lock screen or the "click" sound when locking, it's wonderful.
Fast charging is 30W, compatible charger included. The battery capacity is 4300mAh. I remember that Zenfone 8 had a lot of heat and battery consumption, but Zenfone 9 doesn't have such a problem and I'm not dissatisfied with the battery life. Rather good.
Supports battery care functions such as low-speed charging and reserved charging, which were also found in ROGPhone, to prevent battery deterioration. There is also a charge limit function that stops charging at a maximum of 80% or 90% like a notebook PC and does not deteriorate the battery.
The screen is a 5.9-inch FHD+ 120Hz driven OLED with a peak brightness of 1100nit. Compatible with Widevine L1, there is no problem watching videos. Stereo speakers are mounted on the top and bottom of the main unit.
The higher the quality, the more essential it is to make the speaker larger, but it is extremely difficult to fit it into a small machine. The iPhone should have a pretty good sound, but I was dissatisfied with the small device I used, the iPhone 12 mini, whose sound pressure was low, and when I turned up the volume, the high-pitched sound of the speaker was unpleasant.
This unit ensures a sound quality that is comparable to the high-end class. At maximum volume, the volume is about the same as the iPhone 12 mini, but there is no crackling or discomfort. Stable high sound quality and sound pressure are good impressions. The low range is also powerful.
Compared to other models, the Xiaomi MIX Fold2 excels in maximum volume, resolution in the high range, and sound, but gives up the low range and power to the Zenfone 9. If you don't even compare it to top-class, high-quality sound like ROG Phone 6 or iPhone 14 Pro, I think it boasts enough sound quality as a high-end model.
The camera consists of a 50-megapixel wide-angle IMX766 sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle IMX363 sensor. The wide-angle camera features a 6-axis gimbal stabilizer for enhanced image stabilization. I didn't encounter a situation where it failed due to camera shake, probably because of the reasonably good auto and 6-axis gimbal image stabilization. You can mass-produce good-looking photos. Night scenes can also be shot at a level that is not embarrassing as the latest high-end terminal. Xiaomi Mix Fold2 on the left, Zenfone 9 on the right. The camera UI is fan-shaped, making it easy to change the angle of view with one hand, and flicking from top to bottom brings up a camera menu similar to that of a Pixel, making it even more sophisticated.
Zenfone 8 was difficult to use because it was difficult to use because it was hard to imagine as a modern high-end that the night view mode could not be invoked with HDR enabled auto, but the night view mode judgment was also added automatically.
On the other hand, the Zenfone-like usability is also inherited, such as the retention function of the manual mode setting that was in Zenfone 8. Camera modes can be rearranged and customized to be displayed or hidden. What you can't miss is the existence of genuine accessories sold separately. This is the Connex Accessories Set. It looks like a case with just a hole, but it is possible to fit a stand or card slot into this hole. Since it is compatible with FeliCa, you can put your bills, driver's license, etc. in it and go out with just your smartphone without having to carry a wallet.
The stand is very interesting you can use the it to watch videos. The Phone detects the opening and closing of the kickstand with a magnetic sensor, and can set any startup application. When you stand up, you can automatically start Netflix and YouTube. It is an item that you definitely want to get together.
| OS | Android 12, Zen UI 9 |
|---|---|
| SoCs | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| memory | 8/16GB LPDDR5 |
| capacity | 128/256GB UFS 3.1 |
| screen | 5.9 type (1080×2400) |
| camera | Main: 50MP Sony IMX766 Super wide angle: 12MP Sony IMX363 |
| front camera | 12 million pixels |
| battery | 4300mAh |
| size | 146.5 × 68.1 × 9.1mm, 169g |
| others | Waterproof and dustproof FeliCa up to 30W fast charging compatible Charger included |
Covers 5G Sub6 n77/n78 other than docomo n79, and platinum bands from each company. The obvious weak point is that it does not support wireless charging.
With the excellent Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 and large cooling system, you don't have to worry too much about heat and battery drain, and you can use the camera without thinking too much. I am often impressed that this much volume is contained in this small size. It is exactly the ideal narrow high-end.
Since it also supports waterproof and dustproof Osaifu-Keitai, there is no blind spot as a domestic use aircraft.
The fact that such a model, which has the best design and substance, can be sold for less than $712 including tax even in this severe yen depreciation really shows the efforts of ASUS. Narrow high-end available on the open market, regardless of carrier. It seems to be a very attractive option for consumers.
Post a Comment