They don’t make many smartphones like that anymore. Since Samsung launched the Galaxy Note in 2011, cell phones have not stopped growing, often to sizes that are impractical to use, especially with one hand. Zenfone 9 is extremely appealing to anyone looking for an ergonomic smartphone that doesn’t ‘shrink’ in performance or multimedia quality.
HP Dragonfly
Holding the new Zenfone 9 in your hand is… different. Especially for those who are used to using a ‘normal’ smartphone (consultant Omdia says that the average size of smartphones sold globally is 6.3 inches). Despite having dimensions very similar to those of the also recent iPhone 14, the Zenfone 9 is even more compact, as it can be narrower, which combined with the reduced thickness and weight, and the screen that does not reach 6 inches, creates a device with a very characteristic feeling in the hand.
And that’s the goal – to be able to use it, without major constraints, with a single hand. We managed to do that, always with a firm grip and taking advantage of the many software tricks that allow it. Also, it doesn’t sit in your pants pocket as much either, which is an extra.
In terms of materials, the Zenfone 9 combines Gorilla Glass Victus (the strongest today) on the front, with a metallic edge and a sandy plastic back.
One way to save on size is to do more with the ‘real estate’ space we have. In this sense, Asus has created tricks that allow you to use some features simply and with just one hand. For example, the power button, nicknamed Zentouch, is capable of recognizing small swipes: swiping your thumb from top to bottom lets you see the latest notifications or pause/play a video. We can attest that it is a system that works well and that it is practical, but the user can only define a single use for this gesture.
Another new feature, but which in the tests only behaved satisfactorily (touches are not always recognized, as they need some force), is the double tap on the back, which allows you to launch the flashlight, camera or Google Assistant in this way. But what we ended up liking the most was the slide, next to the bottom of the phone, which quickly pulls the entire interface down, preventing the user from having to do a great gymnastics with the thumb to get to the information and shortcuts that are on the top of the operating system. A user experience only possible thanks to the ‘strength’ of this smartphone.
What it may lack in size, it makes up for in performance – thanks to the combination of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, plenty of RAM and fast storage, everything is super fluid in the Zenfone 9. Asus also uses a temporary memory system so that our favorite applications are even faster to start up, which gives you a certain advantage here in terms of a feeling of speed in day-to-day use.
Even in games, we can play with everything maxed out – we did it with Genshin Impact and it’s amazing how something so compact delivers ‘pimple-free’ performance at 60 frames per second (fps). The screen also deserves a very positive note: excellent brightness, very strong colors and good contrast levels. And the sound is powerful for an equipment of this ‘stature’.
Difference in chambers
One of the great novelties of this smartphone is the camera system used. The new main camera (50 MP) ended up surprising us compared to what we usually find in Asus smartphones – we got a lot of sharpness, good levels of cropping in the elements and also good color variations (for that more dramatic effect at sunset, for example). example). In a night environment, we get lit photos, but still with noise, which puts it below equipment like the Galaxy S22 Ultra. We also miss a telephoto camera for more accurate portraits and zoom.
But what really impresses in this set is the six-axis video stabilizer. Available in three levels, it is at the maximum level that we achieve an impressive level of stabilization, almost as if we were using a dedicated gimbal. On the other hand, with maximum stabilization we can only record a Full HD, when the maximum of this equipment is Ultra HD 8K. But it is a counterpart that we consider acceptable, especially for those who enjoy recording sports and outdoor activities.
Still regarding video recording, we like the strong colors it is capable of capturing, but we cannot fail to point out some light reflection effect caused by the main camera lens.
If it is true that size is a positive point, on the other hand it brings constraints. One of them, clearly noticeable, is in the dissipation system – this Zenfone 9 gets really hot when the task is demanding (gaming, for example), to the point of being uncomfortable to hold the smartphone. We also have some reservations with the material chosen for the back cover, a sandy plastic – in addition to not ‘matching’ the asking price, the model we received, beige, already shows signs of dirt. Finally, we expected fast charging much better than what exists (30 W).
The camera system design is clearly distinctive and gives the device personality. On the other hand, it may not be to everyone’s taste, as the rim of the main chamber is particularly pronounced.
Even so, the Zenfone 9 is a very good smartphone in terms of performance/price, it is a complete choice for those who abhor giant smartphones and turns out to be a new option for those who like to make action videos and want to have that possibility without having to than resorting to a GoPro. Another quality device from Asus, but consider the version with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage as the most competitive in price (€829).
Tome Note
Asus Zenfone 9 (16 / 256 GB) €929
Benchmarks Antutu: 1087576 • CPU 254415 • GPU 461457 • UX 181178 • Memória 190526 • 3DMark Wild Life Maxed Out • Wild Life Extreme 2784 (16,7 fps) • PCMark Work 3.0 16539 • Autonomia 10h33 m • Geekbench Single/Multi 1326/4299
Screen Great
Photography Very good
Construction Bom
Autonomy Bom
Features 5.9” AMOLED display, 2400×1080p, 120Hz, 1100 nits • Proc. Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730 GPU • 16GB RAM (LPDDR5), 256GB storage. • 50 MP, 12 MP (ultra wide angle, 113°), 12 MP (selfie) • Wi-Fi 6e, BT 5.2, USB-C (30 W) • Android 12 • Battery: 4300 mAh • 146.5×68 ,1×9.1 mm • 169 g
Performance: 4.5
Features: 4.5
Quality/price: 4
Global: 4,3
