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In an era where most smartphones are getting larger, the Asus Zenfone 9 stands out as a compact powerhouse. Asus has designed this device for users who prefer smaller phones without compromising performance, battery life, or premium features. With a 5.9-inch AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, advanced gimbal-stabilized camera, and excellent software experience, the Zenfone 9 redefines what a compact flagship can deliver. This review covers its design, performance, display, camera system, battery, and overall value to see why it’s one of the best small smartphones available today.
Design and Build Quality
The Asus Zenfone 9 embraces a compact and minimalistic design that fits perfectly into one hand. At just 169g and 9.1mm thick, it is significantly lighter and easier to handle than most modern flagships. The device has an aluminum frame with a new textured polymer back that feels soft and provides excellent grip while resisting fingerprints. Its dual-camera system is placed in two large circular cutouts on the back, giving it a bold look. The Zenfone 9 is IP68 certified, offering dust and water resistance, which is a welcome upgrade over its predecessor. Available in colors like Midnight Black, Moonlight White, Sunset Red, and Starry Blue, the phone strikes a balance between fun and premium aesthetics.
Display Quality
The Zenfone 9 features a 5.9-inch Samsung AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels). It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and peak brightness of up to 1100 nits. Despite its smaller size, the screen offers sharp visuals, vibrant colors, and smooth scrolling. The compact form factor makes it ideal for one-handed use, while the flat design reduces accidental touches. Gorilla Glass Victus protection ensures durability, and the always-on display feature adds convenience. Though it doesn’t compete with larger QHD+ panels, it offers one of the best viewing experiences in the compact flagship category.
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Performance and Hardware
Under the hood, the Asus Zenfone 9 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, one of the most powerful chips of its time. It is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring fast app launches, smooth multitasking, and excellent gaming performance. Thanks to its smaller size, Asus has designed an advanced vapor chamber cooling system to manage thermals effectively, and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s efficiency improvements make a big difference. In real-world use, the phone breezes through demanding apps, high-end games, and multitasking without lag or overheating issues.
Camera System
The Zenfone 9 comes with a dual-camera setup, but don’t let the number fool you—the quality is outstanding. The main camera is a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor with 6-axis hybrid gimbal stabilization, which ensures incredibly stable photos and videos even when recording handheld or in motion. The second camera is a 12MP ultra-wide lens with autofocus, allowing it to double as a macro shooter. Image quality is excellent, with natural colors, strong dynamic range, and great detail in daylight. Low-light performance is impressive too, thanks to large pixels and advanced stabilization. On the front, a 12MP Sony IMX663 sensor captures sharp selfies with fast autofocus and 4K video support, making it ideal for vlogging. The rear cameras can record up to 8K at 24fps or 4K at 60fps, offering flexible options for creators.
Battery Life and Charging
Despite its small size, the Zenfone 9 packs a 4300mAh battery, which is impressive for a compact device. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s efficiency, battery life is excellent, easily lasting a full day of use with screen-on times of 6–7 hours. It supports 30W wired fast charging via USB-C, charging the phone to around 60% in 30 minutes and full in about 75 minutes. Wireless charging is absent, which may disappoint some users, but the long-lasting battery and efficient charging help offset this omission.
Software and User Experience
The Zenfone 9 runs on ZenUI, Asus’s lightweight skin on top of Android 12 at launch, with updates to Android 13 and beyond. ZenUI is close to stock Android but includes useful enhancements such as customizable gestures, one-handed mode, and advanced audio settings. The clean interface, combined with Asus’s promise of at least two years of major Android updates and security patches, ensures a reliable software experience. Gamers also benefit from Asus’s Game Genie, which offers performance tuning and in-game tools.
Audio and Connectivity
Audio performance is another strength of the Zenfone 9. It features dual stereo speakers with Dirac tuning, delivering loud, clear, and immersive sound. Impressively, it retains the 3.5mm headphone jack, a rarity in modern flagships, and supports high-resolution audio. Connectivity is solid with 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and dual SIM support. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor doubles as a customizable shortcut key, adding to the phone’s usability.
Price and Availability
At launch, the Asus Zenfone 9 started at around $699 for the base model, making it one of the more affordable compact flagships. Compared to rivals like the iPhone 13 Mini and Samsung Galaxy S22, it stands out for offering a more powerful processor, bigger battery, and unique gimbal camera system at a competitive price. However, availability is limited in some regions, which can make purchasing it more challenging.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Compact and lightweight design with IP68 rating, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with up to 16GB RAM, Excellent 120Hz AMOLED display, Unique gimbal-stabilized 50MP main camera, Great battery life for its size, Retains 3.5mm headphone jack, Clean ZenUI software experience.
Cons: No wireless charging, Limited to two rear cameras, Availability limited in some regions, Only two years of major Android updates.
Final Verdict
The Asus Zenfone 9 proves that small phones can still be powerful, feature-packed, and highly functional. With its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, superb gimbal-stabilized camera, long battery life, and compact design, it caters to users who want a flagship experience without the bulk of large-screen devices. While it skips wireless charging and has a more limited camera system, it makes up for it with unique innovations and excellent performance. For anyone seeking a compact flagship that doesn’t compromise, the Asus Zenfone 9 is one of the best choices available today.
