Now that ROG Phone 5 is outdated, ASUS can finally focus on updating its main smartphone product line for the masses-especially those who like the company's unique "flip camera". The good news is that the Zenfone 8 Flip just released by Asus still provides this convenient function, but the simply named Zenfone 8 does not. Even better, this is a compact flagship product that is rare in today's mobile market. 

Asus's new direction here may surprise some people. Sony has long given up on its compact flagship strategy, and Apple’s iPhone 12 mini is reportedly underperforming. Despite this, the Taiwanese company claims that there is a considerable market segment eager for such packages, so this year's dual flagship strategy.

Starting from Zenfone 8, we are looking for a body that fits the palm of the hand, a matte aluminum middle frame and a curved frosted glass back cover, and two color options of black or silver. It covers an area of ​​148 x 68.5 mm, and the width is between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. The entire package weighs 5.96 ounces (169 grams) and reaches IP65 and IP68 dust and water resistance ratings-this is also the first of ASUS smartphones. 

I found that this smaller form factor makes it easier to grasp with my fingers, which is a good change for the recent ROG Phone 5 and LG Wing, which I usually deal with bulky smartphones.

Zenfone 8 is very large, thanks to the use of two-layer logic boards connected to the interposer connector board by some engineering hackers. You will find a 5.9-inch 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and in-display fingerprint reader, Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor, 4,000mAh battery (30W charging) and triple microphones, as well as some powerful stereo speakers and even 3.5 Millimeter headphone jack-optimized by audio expert Dirac. 

You can also get up to 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage space, plus a 64MP main camera (Sony IMX686 sensor) and OIS (optical image stabilization), a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera (IMX363) and a 12MP punch-hole selfie camera with automatic Focus (using the new IMX663). Needless to say, Zenfone 8 is a true flagship phone, albeit relatively small.

As for the larger Zenfone 8 Flip, it is actually just the slightly updated Zenfone 7. I mean Zenfone 7, not Zenfone 7 Pro, because Zenfone 8 Flip inherits the former’s main camera and lacks OIS. Except for the new Snapdragon 888 processor, a new 256GB storage option, and a new in-display fingerprint reader (as opposed to the old capacitive reader on the power button), the hardware is basically the same as its predecessor in other respects- This is even true in terms of size and a heavy weight of 8.11 ounces (230 grams). As with the smaller variants, you can also choose black and silver here.

This is the familiar specification sheet: 6.67-inch 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED screen, 90Hz refresh rate, 5,000mAh battery (30W charging), 8GB RAM, three-camera flip module, stereo speakers, three card slots (microSD and two nano SIM) And triple microphones. For those who care, there is still no 3.5mm headphone jack here, which is a shame considering that the much smaller ZenFone 8 has one. 

Zenfone 8 Flip shares the same main camera and ultra-wide-angle camera with Zenfone 8, but the former has an additional 8MP telephoto camera (OmniVision OV08A sensor) with 3x optical zoom. As for the durability of the flip module, ASUS claims that its life has been increased from 200,000 flips to 300,000 flips. If flipped 150 times a day, it can be used for more than 5 years. 

If you need extra protection, you can choose RhinoShield SolidSuit, which provides a sliding cover for flip cameras. This sturdy protective case allows you to turn on the camera as soon as you slide down the cover when the phone is in standby.

In terms of software, ASUS ZenUI 8 (based on Android 11) adds some new camera functions, namely auto bracketing (click 3 photos of EV), document mode (auto crop and PDF export options), customizable watermark ( Use text and emoji) and so on. Zenfone 8 Flip adds a unique feature: the self-explanatory object focus mode, which is very suitable for displaying and telling video blogs.

Like its predecessor, Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip will eventually enter the United States, but there is no information yet. However, if you do live in Europe, Zenfone 8 will be available immediately, starting at 599 Euros (approximately US$725), equipped with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space, and Zenfone 8 Flip will be available "a few days later" at a price of 799 Euros On the market ($965), this is a top-spec 8GB RAM plus 256GB storage model. We will promptly notify you of the availability in the United States.

Update at 4:55 AM Eastern Time on May 13th: The full European price list of Zenfone 8 is as follows: 6/128 599 euros, 8/128 669 euros, 8/256 729 euros, and 16 euros 799/256.

Zenfone 8 will also be launched in the UK soon, with the following price levels: 6/128 GBP 539, 8/128 GBP 599 and 16/256 GBP 699. As for the Zenfone 8 Flip, the price is 699 pounds (8/256).

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