Pros
- Powerful enough to handle graphically demanding apps
- Subtle design
- Excellent sound quality
Cons
- Short software support timeline for its price
- AI features are restrained
- Some features unavailable at launch
When the Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra arrived at CNET’s office, I was particularly excited to try it because I thoroughly enjoyed the company’s ROG Phone 8 Pro gaming phone when I tested it in January. It’s obvious that the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s design was inspired, in part, from the ROG phone. But thankfully, the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s starting price wasn’t. At $900 (£870, AU$1,359), the new Zenfone is $100 cheaper than the regular ROG Phone 8.
Unfortunately, over the course of my week with a review unit running pre-release software, the phone’s data was repeatedly corrupted, which made it impossible to review fairly. When Asus addresses this issue, I’ll update and expand this hands-on story into a fully rated review. In the meantime, I have many thoughts about how the Zenfone benefits from its new similarities to the Asus ROG phone line.
Read more: Best phone to buy for 2024
Both phones run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, feature an expansive 6.78-inch display, a long-lasting 5,500mAh battery, 65-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging and excellent speakers with a built-in headphone jack. Both also have a similar camera system; including a 50-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 32-megapixel 3x telephoto camera.Â
All of these features came in handy during a long weekend trip I took to Washington, DC. The bright and big display was perfect for playing the game Dead Cells, and the phone’s AudioWizard paired with my Beats Studio Buds to drown out the sounds of screaming children on my flight. I took lots of pictures with it during my first visit to LaGuardia Airport’s new Chase Sapphire…
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