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ASUS’ new compact powerhouse smartphone is here. The ZenFone 10 got announced quite recently, and we’re here to compare it to its predecessor. In this article, we’ll compare the ASUS ZenFone 10 vs ASUS ZenFone 9. The ZenFone 9 launched basically exactly a year ago at this point, and its successor brings some improvements to the table, while keeping the same design, essentially.
The ZenFone 10 comes with a more powerful chip, that is also more power efficient. It delivers wireless charging, unlike its predecessor, and an improved camera setup. We’ll first list the specs of both smartphones, and will then move to compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. Having said that, let’s get started, shall we?
Specs
| ASUS ZenFone 10 | ASUS ZenFone 9 | |
| Screen size | 5.9-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED display (up to 144Hz refresh rate, 1,100 nits peak brightness) | 5.9-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED display (60-120Hz refresh rate, 1,100 nits peak brightness) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2400 x 1080 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM | 8GB/16GB (LPDDR5X) | 8GB/16GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0), non-expandable | 128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (f/1.9 aperture, 24mm wide-angle lens, 1.0um pixel size, gimbal OIS, PDAF) 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size) |
50MP (f/1.9 aperture, 24mm wide-angle lens, 1.0um pixel size, gimbal OIS, PDAF) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 113-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size, 14.4mm lens) |
| Front cameras | 32MP (f/2.5 aperture, 0.7um pixel size) | 12MP (f/2.5 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 27.5mm lens, dual pixel PDAF) |
| Battery | 4,300mAh, non-removable, 30W wired charging Charger included |
4,300mAh, non-removable, 30W wired charging Charger included |
| Dimensions | 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4mm | 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.1mm |
| Weight | 172 grams | 169 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | Side-facing fingerprint scanner | Side-facing fingerprint scanner |
| OS | Android 13 ZenUI |
Android 12 (upgradable) ZenUI |
| Price | $699-$799 | $799 |
| Buy | Amazon | ASUS |
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs ASUS ZenFone 9: Design
If you quickly glance at both of these smartphones, you’ll see no difference, basically. They not only look almost the same, but have almost identical dimensions. The ZenFone 10 is 0.3mm thicker, but that’s about it as far as footprint differences are concerned. You will notice the difference when you pay attention to the writings and markings on the back, though. Other than, and some different color variants, they’re basically the same.
Both phones have a flat display with a display camera hole in the top-left corner. The bezels on the two phones are not uniform, unfortunately, but they’re quite thin. The sides are flat, while the backplate is made out of soft-touch plastic, which feels… well, not like plastic. It’s somewhere between plastic and OnePlus’ sandstone finish, that’s the best way to describe it. Do note that there are some differences in softness between colors, and that goes for both models.
Both smartphones have a fingerprint scanner on the right side. That button also serves as a power/lock key, and a touch panel that you can customize. The backplate on both devices sticks out on the back, so that the phone is more pleasant to use. It doesn’t curve into the frame, but towards the back. Both devices have two camera islands on the back, each of which has a single camera on the inside.
They’re exactly the same in terms of height and width, while the ZenFone 10 is a hair thicker, which is not something you’ll notice. The ZenFone 10 is also 3 grams heavier, which is also something you won’t even notice. You’re getting IP68 certification on both devices here, and both also offer an audio jack at the top. The ZenFone 10 and 9 are grippy, and feel great in the hand. They’re also great for one-handed use, and feel different than most phones out there.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs ASUS ZenFone 9: Display
These two smartphones both have a 5.9-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) display. In both cases it’s a Super AMOLED panel that is flat, and supports HDR10+ content. The top brightness is also the same, 1,100 nits. We’re looking at a 20:9 display aspect ratio in both cases, and ASUS decided to use Gorilla Glass Victus to protect both panels. Do note that the ZenFone 10 does support a 144Hz refresh rate, compared to 120Hz on the ZenFone 9, so they’re not entirely identical.
It is worth noting that the phone won’t make use of a 144Hz refresh rate unless you’re playing games, though. So, in almost every way, these two panels are the same. They’re good displays, though. The colors are vivid, the viewing angles are great, and the blacks are deep. The touch response is also good, as both displays are well-optimized. You can also tweak them further via the settings.
The thing is, both panels could be brighter. 1,100 nits is arguably enough, in general, but other high-end phones have gone above and beyond that. If you’re spending a lot of time under the sun, this could bother you. After using the ZenFone 9 for quite a long time, however, I didn’t really find any issue with it, not even during the summer. Then again I didn’t use the display that much while standing under direct sunlight, so… to each its own. Overall, though, both of these displays are quite good.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs ASUS ZenFone 9: Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 fuels the ASUS ZenFone 10. That is Qualcomm’s latest and greatest SoC. ASUS also included up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside of this phone, along with UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 sits inside the ZenFone 9, while that device also offers up to 16GB of RAM, but LPDDR5 RAM, not LPDDR5X. UFS 3.1 flash storage is included inside the ZenFone 9.
The ZenFone 9 offered outstanding performance, and it still does, and the same goes for the ZenFone 10. Truth be said, in most cases, we can’t even tell the difference between the two. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is still a truly mighty processor. You may notice a difference during gaming, however, if you have a tendency to play the most graphically-intensive games from the Play Store. Overall, though, both of these phones provide outstanding, flagship-level performance.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs ASUS ZenFone 9: Battery
There is a 4,300mAh battery inside both of these smartphones. The ZenFone 9 offered really good battery life, and even managed to surprise us. It stayed that way since launch, and the ZenFone 10 builds upon that. The ZenFone 10 does provide better battery life than its predecessor, and definitely the best battery life in a smartphone with a sub-6” display, though it can easily compete with much larger phones. ASUS did a fantastic job with battery life here.
Getting over 8 hours of screen-on-time with the ASUS ZenFone 9 is not a problem, well, at least it wasn’t for us. At times, the phone could even stretch its feet to 9 hours. The ZenFone 10 flies above that, as we were able to clock in over 9-10 hours of screen-on-time, and a couple of times, it even managed to reach the 11-hour mark. There are not many smartphones that can say that for themselves, especially not flagship ones. There’s not a single other compact phone out there that can reach this level, at least not one that is as powerful as the ZenFone 10.
One thing to note is that your mileage may vary, of course. Your usage will be different, as will your installed apps, signal, and so on. Now, regarding charging. Both devices support 30W wired charging, and come with a charger in the box. The ZenFone 10 also supports 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wired charging. The ZenFone 9 supports 5W reverse wired charging only, no wireless charging.
ASUS ZenFone 10 vs ASUS ZenFone 9: Cameras
Both of these phones have the same main camera, a 50-megapixel camera, which includes Sony’s IMX766 sensor. You’re also getting an f/1.9 aperture here, 1.0um pixel size, multi-directional PDAF, and gimbal OIS support. That sensor is not the best or the newest, but the ZenFone 9 performed well, and the ZenFone 10 builds upon that. It comes with a new version of gimbal OIS, to make things even less shaky, and that is truly noticeable when you’re shooting video. The ZenFone 10 will provide one of the most stable video footage recordings on any smartphone, if not the most stable one.
ASUS also relies on software to improve images on the ZenFone 10, as it presented some new tricks to achieve that. We’ll talk more about pictures later on. There is one more camera on the back of each phone that we have to talk about. A 13-megapixel ultrawide camera (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size) on the ZenFone 10, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide one (f/2.2 aperture, 1.4um pixel size, 113-degree FoV, Dual Pixel PDAF) on the ZenFone 9. Do note that ASUS, for whatever reason, didn’t include autofocus on the ultrawide camera for the ZenFone 10.
The photos from the ZenFone 10 do end up looking brighter, and a bit richer at the same time. The sharpening is also less noticeable than on the ZenFone 9. The phone does seem to have some issues with autofocus at the moment, at times, but chances are ASUS will fix that soon. The ZenFone 9 has a tendency to provide images that look a bit oversharpened in comparison, but it does a good job nonetheless. Both fare well in low light, but cannot compare to the very best camera smartphones out there.
The ultrawide cameras do a good job, but the lack of autofocus on the ZenFone 10 is mind-boggling. This does present some issues when shooting objects that are relatively close, as the proper focus can be an issue. The video footage looks great on both, but the ZenFone 10 is definitely better in that regard.
Audio
Both devices include a set of stereo speakers. Those speakers actually provide compelling loudness considering how small these phones are, and they’re actually quite close in that regard. The sound quality is also good, and well-balanced.
You will also find an audio jack on both smartphones, which is always nice to see. If you prefer to go wireless, however, you’ll be glad to hear that the ZenFone 10 supports Bluetooth 5.3, while the ZenFone 9 has Bluetooth 5.2 support.