The ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra is the latest flagship phone to hit the Android market. It’s impressive at first glance with a shiny AMOLED 6.78-inch screen that can go up to 144HZ refresh in-game genie mode.
While it has a sleek and comfortable body that does feel good to hold in the hand, what’s keeping this phone running under the hood makes it feel par for the course for a premium Android phone in 2024. The price tag is considerably less than its Samsung or Google counterparts, and this makes it a worthy investment in the crowded smartphone market.
Design
The Zenfone 11 Ultra comes in either black or blue, with silver symmetrical lines that weave on the bottom half of the back of the phone. It does help the grip on the back of the phone and makes it look premium, while also standing out from the rest of the competition.
There is a camera block at the top of the phone which is my least favourite feature of this model. It’s big and bulky and is considerably larger than other flagship models have, which makes it difficult when putting it down on the table and attempting to interact with it.
It is worth noting that a thick case can easily alleviate this, but if you are a plain phone user like myself, it can be a low point.
On the front, the bezels are non-existent, the screen runs from top to bottom, side to side and looks simply spectacular. The build of the body and gorilla glass helps it feel solid and while it may not be the easiest to keep in your hands, a trusty phone case will help it feel comfortable.
Cameras
The three lenses are made up of a 50mp main camera, a 32mp telephoto and a 13mp ultrawide. The main camera utilises the ASUS 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabiliser 3 along with Super HyperSteady video stabilisation. It can also incorporate AI to blur photos and videos.
You can achieve 8K video at 24fps and 4K at 30 or 60 FPS. The camera on the front is a 32mp selfie camera and doesn’t have any additional features worth noting.
Performance
Under the hood, it’s sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It seems a lot of the power here is reserved for the multimedia and AI features of this phone. It does allow for multi-tasking The AI software here allows for AI accelerated noise cancellation to allow for more clarity on phone calls. It also allows for AI transcriptions when you record a call.
The battery is 5,500mAh and further uses its AI capabilities to distribute the power evenly depending on what you are doing to ensure a longer battery life. This was evident with long amounts of Netflix watching and games like Marvel Snap which barely saw a dent in the battery. By comparison, my main phone the iPhone 15 Pro Max needs charging three times a day with the same amount of use. You can use the phone for QI wireless charging or via a USB-C cable, it is worth noting, that like most modern phone carriers, chargers are not included in the box.
Screen
The OLED display is simply beautiful, it offers 2,500 nits here (which is up from 1,100 nits on the previous model). It makes it a lot easier to see outside in the sun. The resolution is 2,400 by 1,080 pixels with a density of 388ppi. This works in tandem with the 120HZ refresh rate, and up to 144Hz in the Game Genie mode.
While it doesn’t go up to 165Hz like other flagship phones, it more than makes up for it with its adaptive battery life.
Final Thoughts
The ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra is a high-powered flagship that is a huge step up from its predecessor. The introduction of AI to help make phone calls easier to hear and transcribe is extremely noticeable and a well-implemented feature.
The big seller is this device’s beautiful screen and all-day battery life that truly lives up to the test. It may not have as many beefed-up specs to go toe to toe with the Samsung S24 Ultra or the Rog Phone, it does however provide an alternative at a lower price point.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Bright OLED screen that looks incredible outside and in, Impressive battery life, AI features to improve call quality
Lowlights: Refresh rate less than competitors, 2 years of software updates
Manufacturer: ASUS
Price: A$1599
Available: Now
Review based on unit supplied by ASUS and available via the official ASUS store
