So small, so cute

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It’s hard not to fall in love with the Zenfone 9. This year again, Asus is betting on the compact format for its most high-end smartphone. A daring (not to say risky) bet that actually limits its target.

This in no way detracts from the build quality of the product. Starting with the rough coating affixed to the back of the device. No glass, but a plastic that recalls the texture of a racket grip (for tennis or badminton players) or rubber. This choice has two advantages: the Zenfone 9 does not mark fingerprints and it is held firmly in one hand.

Always with the aim of distinguishing oneself, the Zenfone 9 proudly displays its two photo optics, surrounded by a chrome trim, and particularly imposing. If the multiple inscriptions on the back make more cheap than anything else, the whole thing remains both elegant and original.

At the front, the integration of the screen would have deserved a little more attention, the chin being much wider than the rest of the borders. On the aluminum color contours we find, on the right, the power button – which also acts as a fingerprint reader – as well as the volume keys. The little surprise is on the upper edge: Asus has chosen to keep the 3.5 mm jack.

Finally, let us specify that the Zenfone 9 is neither thin nor light. This small aesthetic sacrifice does not detract from the space-saving nature of the device and also allows Asus to integrate a large battery into this small chassis (see the section devoted to autonomy).

On a daily basis, using the Zenfone 9 is a real pleasure. The compact format allows very pleasant one-handed handling and the screen is large enough for a pleasant multimedia experience. Everything is also IP68 certified. A little gem.

Small screen, big quality

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In the past, a 5.9” smartphone would have been the norm, not a compact model. But in 2022, the reduction of the contours of the screen makes it possible to integrate a diagonal of this size in a mini format.

Small in size, the screen of the Zenfone 9 is big in quality. Since it is based on AMOLED technology, it first displays infinite contrasts. Asus takes care of its customers and opts for a panel with 120Hz variable refresh rate for smoother scrolling and animations. No need for QHD + on a screen of this size, the Full HD + definition here is more than enough to take full view.

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Although small (has it already been said?), the screen of the Zenfone 9 is very comfortable on a daily basis. In our opinion, it is the best compromise between one-handed use and viewing comfort. Lovers of compact smartphones AND multimedia will therefore find what they are looking for. Others will also be able to enjoy this very beautiful screen in all environments.

The results of our tests in the 01Lab laboratory confirm these impressions. The Zenfone 9 screen has an average brightness of 856 cd/m2 and a peak brightness in HDR of 961 cd/m2. Asus does not reach the scores of the best models on the market (more than 1,200 cd/m2) but competes with its direct competitors, the Galaxy S22 and the iPhone 13 mini. We’ve seen worse as references, right?

The “hot” must go on

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Performance is a philosophy at Asus. From its PCs to its gaming smartphones, the experience must be fluid. The Zenfone 9 necessarily inherits this creed and therefore contains Qualcomm’s latest chip, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Associated with 8 or 16 GB of RAM, it displays the highest scores on the various benchmarks.

The Zenfone 9 thus ranks as one of the most powerful smartphones on the market, despite its small size. In its category, it obviously outclasses its competitors even if the iPhone 13 mini holds it high.

So much power in such a small model necessarily has a disadvantage: it heats up. A lot. A 15-minute gaming session can raise the temperature to more than 45°, thus causing a little discomfort for the user. We therefore do not recommend this device for tenacious players and advise them instead to turn to the latest ROG Phone, another smartphone from Asus, designed for the gaming.

Other manufacturers would no doubt have chosen to drastically reduce performance (throttling) when the temperature increases too much. Not ASUS. When it gets too hot, the Zenfone 9 still delivers 80% of its maximum power which allows you to do everything without ever encountering the slightest problem (slowdown, bug or other).

What stamina!

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Historically, compact smartphones have always had a defect: their autonomy. Space constraints have always been a problem for engineers, forcing them to integrate small batteries. If capacity is not everything, a minimum is still required.

At Asus, we have chosen to leave more room for the battery, even if it means sacrificing photo optics (we will come back to this). Thus, the Zenfone 9 embeds a generous 4,300 mAh battery. Combined with careful optimization, it makes Zenfone 9 the most durable compact smartphone on the market, and by far. Better, it even comes to position itself at the top of the basket, all sizes combined.

With a versatile autonomy of 18:40 (according to our tests at 01Lab) and 14:40 in video streaming, it even climbs into the top 10 of the most enduring smartphones. For comparison, the iPhone 13 mini barely exceeds 15 hours of versatile autonomy.

On a daily basis, therefore, count a day and a half before going through the recharge box for sustained use, a little more if you do not force too much on video and gaming. Never has a compact smartphone recorded such performance. Hat.

The Zenfone 9 is also…

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The Zenfone 9 comes with a 30W charger allowing to restore all its energy to the battery in 1h13. It takes 24 minutes to reach 50%. A score quite correct but not extraordinary. Unfortunately, wireless charging is missing.

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The Zenfone 9 embarks a pure version of Android 12 with ZenUI bringing some small home features. Special mention to the on/off button (with fingerprint reader) which can trigger other actions depending on the type of movement. The interface is light and fluid, but fans of customizations of all kinds may feel a little cramped.

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Finally, space constraints forced Asus to integrate “only” two photo sensors, a 50 Mpxl with wide-angle lens and a 12 Mpxl with ultra-wide-angle lens.

Overall the results are correct but do not reach the level of its direct competitors (Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13 mini). The absence of a telephoto lens also makes it lose versatility.

So let’s say that this aspect of the smartphone is not its main strong point even if most users will find their account there.