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The Google Pixel 8 is Google’s latest compact flagship, and it has some competition in the market. One of the devices that is competing directly with it comes from ASUS, and it’s actually really great. In this article, we’ll compare those two phones, the Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10. The ZenFone 10 launched back in June, but it has top-of-the-line specs, many would say better than the Pixel 8.
Both of these phones are quite compact, even though the ZenFone 10 is a bit smaller. They are very different, though, and that doesn’t apply only to their designs. They’re different in terms of specifications too, and also software, and various other things. ASUS bases its software on Google’s but adds its own features on top, while Google has a ton of AI features exclusive to the Pixel 8 series on the phone. You can read more about those software features in our reviews, we’ll focus on other aspects here. We’ll first list their specifications, and then compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance.
Specs
Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10, respectively
– Screen size:
6.2-inch Actua AMOLED display (120Hz LTPS, HDR10+, 2,000 nits max)
5.92-inch Super AMOLED display (144Hz, HDR10+, 1,100 nits)
– Display resolution:
2400 x 1080
2400 x 1080
– SoC:
Google Tensor G3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– RAM:
8GB (LPDDR5X)
8GB/16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 82-degree FoV, 1.2um pixel size), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 1.25um pixel size, 125.8-degree FoV)
50MP (f/1.9 aperture, gimbal OIS), 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
32MP (f/2.5 aperture)
– Battery:
4,575mAh
4,300mAh
– Charging:
27W wired, 18W wireless, 5W reverse wired (charger not included)
30W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wired (charger included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm
146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4mm
– Weight:
187 grams
172 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & Face Unlock
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 14
Android 13 with ZenUI
– Price:
$699+
$699
– Buy:
Best Buy
Amazon
Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10: Design
The Google Pixel 8 is made out of metal and glass. Its frame on the sides is slightly curved, while the bezels around the display are almost uniform. There is a display camera hole at the top, and the phone has a flat display. On the back, you’ll notice a camera visor, which connects to the phone’s frame on the left and right sides. It’s covered by metal (aluminum) too. Gorilla Glass Victus sits on the back.
The ZenFone 10, on the other hand, is made out of metal and plastic. That plastic on the back feels like paper almost, though, it’s not your cheap, glossy plastic, not at all. It adds some grip to the device too. The phone’s sides are flat, but come with chamfered edges for comfort. There is a flat display on the front, while the bezels are thin, but the bottom one is slightly thicker than the rest. A display camera hole sits in the top-left corner. The ZenFone 10 has two camera islands on the back, for its two cameras.
The Pixel 8 is taller, wider, and slightly thinner than the ZenFone 10. It also has a larger display than the ZenFone 10, though not by much. The Pixel 8 weighs 187 grams, compared to the ZenFone 10’s 172 grams. Both of these phones feel very premium in the hand, and also look great, but the in-hand feel is entirely different. The ZenFone 10 definitely offers more grip in comparison, and is easier to use with one hand.
Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10: Display
The Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED display. That panel is flat, and it has a centered display camera hole. This panel has a 120Hz refresh rate, and does support HDR10+ content. It also gets very bright at 2,000 nits of peak brightness. We’re looking at a 20:9 display aspect ratio here, while the panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus, so it has the same protection as the phone’s back.
The ASUS ZenFone 10, on the flip side, includes a 5.92-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Super AMOLED display. That panel is also flat, and it has a display camera hole, but in the top-left corner. It supports a 144Hz refresh rate (only during gaming), and HDR10+ content too. This panel goes up to 1,100 nits of peak brightness, so it’s considerably less bright than the Pixel 8’s. We’re also looking at a 20:9 display aspect ratio here, and the same display protection too.
Both of these displays are very good. They are vivid, and offer good viewing angles, not to mention that the blacks are deep on both panels. The thing is, the Pixel 8’s panel does get a lot brighter, and that is easily noticeable. The ZenFone 10’s display is not exactly dim, but it doesn’t get nearly as bright as the Pixel 8’s. If you’re spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in direct sunlight, the Pixel 8 is the better choice. Touch response is good on both phones.
Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10: Performance
The Google Pixel 8 is fueled by the Google Tensor G3 processor. In addition to that, Google also included 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside the Pixel 8, along with UFS 3.1 flash storage. The ASUS ZenFone 10 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, while it comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage.
Now, both of these processors are 4nm chips, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is more powerful. Not only that, but it’s also more power efficient. The Tensor G3 does enable the Pixel 8 to offer a ton of AI features, though, and it’s adapted to the phone really well. The ZenFone 10 also has the advantage of having faster and more efficient storage, which does make the phone a bit more future-proof, at least from the hardware standpoint. Google will cover the Pixel 8 with updates far longer than ASUS will the ZenFone 10, so… there’s that.
When it comes to day-to-day performance, they both do an outstanding job. These are some of the most fluid smartphones we’ve ever used. That goes for basically anything you throw at them. The ZenFone 10 will handle the most demanding games a bit better, but in most situations, you won’t even notice the difference. Both smartphones offer outstanding performance, though you should note that the ZenFone 10 does have a bit more powerful performance-related hardware.
Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10: Battery
A 4,575mAh sits inside the Google Pixel 8, while a 4,300mAh unit is included inside the ZenFone 10. Battery capacity isn’t everything, and these two phones are the sheer proof of it. The ZenFone 10 does offer better battery life than the Pixel 8, and it’s not even close. Its SoC definitely has something to do with it, and its display is also slightly smaller.
With the ZenFone 10, we’ve been able to cross the 10-hour screen-on-time mark a number of times. Getting over 8 or 9 hours of screen-on-time with this phone is very easy, which is uncharacteristic of compact smartphones. The Pixel 8 is capable of providing over 6 hours of screen-on-time, at least it was for us, but not much more than that. On some days, we’ve been able to get over the 7-hour mark, but anything over that will be difficult to reach. Your mileage may vary, though, of course, as your usage will be entirely different, and so will your signal strength.
When it comes to charging, the Pixel 8 supports 27W wired, 18W wireless, and also 5W reverse wireless charging. The ZenFone 10, on the flip side, supports 30W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wired charging. The thing is, the Pixel 8 does not include a charger in the box, while the ZenFone 10 does. So take that into account.
Google Pixel 8 vs ASUS ZenFone 10: Cameras
Both of these smartphones have two cameras on the back. The Google Pixel 8 includes a 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.7 aperture, 25mm lens, 1.2um pixel size, multi-directional PDAF, OIS), and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (128-degree FoV, 1.25um pixel size). The ASUS ZenFone 10 has a 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.9 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, multi-directional PDAF, gimbal OIS), and a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size).
Both smartphones are quite capable in the camera department, but they do offer different results. The ZenFone 10 still tends to go a bit overboard with oversharpening, though not nearly as much as its predecessor. It also tends to use saturation a bit more than the Pixel 8 does. The Pixel 8, on the other hand, tends to provide images with cooler tones. Both devices handle HDR situations like champs, though images from the Pixel 8 tend to look more realistic.
They both have a tendency to brighten up low light scenes quite a bit. They end up looking great in both cases, but quite unrealistic. Truth be said, the Pixel 8 does that more than the ZenFone 10, thanks to its Night Sight mode. Video is good on both phones, as is stabilization. However, the stabilization does look better overall on the ZenFone 10 thanks to its gimbal OIS which does its job perfectly.
Audio
What about the audio? Well, you’ll realize that both devices have stereo speakers, but only one has an audio jack. The ZenFone 10 does equip that port at the top, while the Pixel 8 does not. So, if you do use wired headphones still, the ZenFone 10 is an ideal choice. You can use the Pixel 8’s Type-C port too, but you’ll need a dongle.
In terms of stereo speakers, both smartphones do a good job. The sound is good enough from both devices, and it’s also loud enough. Speakers on either phone are not as good as some others we’ve seen, on larger phones, but they’re not that far from that point either. The Pixel 8 does have Spatial Audio support too. Both smartphones also support Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless audio connections.