In 2023, there aren’t many compact phones in the market, so any option remotely resembling one is an exciting prospect. Even Apple, which tried making small phones — and successfully did — has moved onto the iPhone 14 Plus. Fortunately, unlike some rumors indicated, ASUS isn’t leaving behind its compact smartphone; yet.
The next flagship smartphone in its lineup, the ASUS Zenfone 10, is now making its way to market, with an aggressive price and great hardware, all bundled into a relatively compact phone! Here we will see how this model compares to its competition, the Samsung Galaxy S23, the iPhone 14, and the Pixel 7.
Technical Specifications
-
Asus Zenfone 10
- Brand
- Asus
- SoC
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Display
- 5.92-inch, Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2400-pixel resolution, 120Hz refresh rate (144Hz in Game Mode), 1100 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
- RAM
- 8GB, 16GB
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- Battery
- 4300 mAh
- Ports
- USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Operating System
- Android 13
- Front camera
- 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide)
- Rear cameras
- Primary: 50 MP, f/1.9, wide, multi-directional PDAF, gimbal OIS; Ultra-wide: 13 MP, f/2.2
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G, LTE
- Dimensions
- 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.4 mm
- Colors
- Starry Blue, Midnight Black, Aurora Green, Eclipse Red, Comet White
- Weight
- 172 g
- IP Rating
- IP68
-
Samsung Galaxy S23
- Brand
- Samsung
- SoC
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Display
- 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz, 1750 nits
- RAM
- 8GB
- Storage
- 128GB (UFS 3.1), 256GB (UFS 4.0)
- Battery
- 3,900 mAh
- Ports
- USB-C
- Operating System
- One UI 5.1 based on Android 13
- Front camera
- 12MP, Dual Pixel PDAF
- Rear cameras
- 50MP main, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, 12MP ultra-wide
- Connectivity
- 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm
- Colors
- Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender; Samsung.com exclusive colors: Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, Red
- Weight
- 168 grams
- IP Rating
- IP68
-
Google Pixel 7
- Brand
- SoC
- Google Tensor G2 (5 nm, octa-core)
- Display
- 6.3-inch, OLED, FHD, 90Hz, 1000 nits
- RAM
- 8GB
- Storage
- 128/256GB
- Battery
- 4,355 mAh
- Ports
- USB-C
- Operating System
- Android 13
- Front camera
- 10.8MP, f/2.2
- Rear cameras
- Primary: 50MP, f/1.9, Dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultra-wide: 12MP, f/2.2, 114-degree FoV
- Connectivity
- 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
- Dimensions
- 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm
- Colors
- Obsidian (Black), Snow (White), Lemongrass (Yellow)
- Weight
- 197 grams
- IP Rating
- IP68
-
Apple iPhone 14
- Brand
- Apple
- SoC
- A15 Bionic
- Display
- 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR
- RAM
- N/A
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- Battery
- N/A
- Ports
- Lightning Port
- Operating System
- iOS 16
- Front camera
- 12MP, f/1.9 with autofocus
- Rear cameras
- Primary: 12MP, f/1.5 with Sensor-Shift OIS; Secondary: 12MP, f/2.4 Ultra-wide Angle with 2x Optical Zoom Out
- Connectivity
- 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm
- Colors
- Black, White, Blue, Red, and Purple
- Weight
- 172 grams
- IP Rating
- IP68
Design
The ASUS Zenfone 10 keeps most of what made the Zenfone 9 unique. From its shape to the uniquely-large dual camera lenses on the back, there isn’t much difference, all but in the front, which is a lot flatter than it was previously. Also, the back maintains its polycarbonate plate, while the frame and display glass retains the familiar flavors of aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus.
Speaking of its competition, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Pixel 7 also feature versions of Gorilla Glass Victus and an aluminum frame; plus, it’s on both sides of the device and not just the front. The iPhone 14, on the other hand, has Ceramic Glass on the front — co-developed by Corning and Apple — and toughened glass on the back.
The ASUS will feel less premium than the other three, but it might be your cup of tea if you’re into alternative materials and textured matte finishes.
Display
Now, there aren’t a lot of differences between the Zenfone 10 and Zenfone 9, and the display is one of those hardware components that stands out as similar at first glance. Fortunately, it isn’t a sore point for the Zenfone 10 too!
The Zenfone 10 ships with a 5.9-inch (1080 x 2400) FHD+ display that boasts a peak refresh rate of 144Hz — albeit only in gaming mode — with 120Hz being the default for day-to-day use. As mentioned earlier, it also has a peak brightness of 1,100 and uses Gorilla Glass Victus.
Looking at its competition across the table, the Samsung Galaxy S23 poses the firmest competition with its 6.1-inch display that’s not only easy to use with one hand but is also pleasing to look at, with its 120Hz refresh rate, FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2340) and a peak brightness of 1,750 nits. The Pixel 7 comes next because of its 6.3-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2400) panel, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 1,400 nits.
The iPhone 14’s 6.1-inch OLED display ranks somewhat in the middle of these devices as it has the highest resolution (1170×2532) but has the worst refresh rate, measuring 60Hz, which can be a downer for some. But if you’re hoping for a great mobile viewing experience for movies on the go, don’t discount this option.
Processor
Coming to processing prowess, the ASUS Zenfone 10 ships with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The flagship Qualcomm processor has even proved itself as a worthy rival to Apple’s A16 Bionic system-on-chip as it maintains high-performance levels without compromising on efficiency.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 also features this processor, albeit with a few customizations that make it a little more unique. The iPhone 14 features the A15 Bionic from 2021, albeit the one found in the iPhone 13 Pro — with an additional GPU core). And lastly, the Pixel 7 features the Tensor G2.
We know that all phones will perform in an ideal manner for day-to-day use, but if you’d like a little more power available for strenuous tasks, make sure to keep the iPhone 14, along with the Samsung and ASUS, at the top of your list.
Battery
But what good is a powerful phone if it can’t power through an entire day of use? Well, the ASUS Zenfone 10 will have you covered on this end too! With credit due to its 4,300 mAh battery, which now supports 15W wireless charging in addition to its zippy 30W wired charging system. The device, as some reviews have indicated, sips on battery power and, if coupled with the host of battery-saving features, will last you well over a day’s use.
As for its competition, the Samsung Galaxy S23, which ships with a 3,900 mAh cell with support for 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, is a device with a respectable battery backup. The Pixel 7’s battery hardware is also par for the course, with a 4,350 mAh cell that supports 20W fast charging and 21W wireless charging via the Pixel Stand (12W via Qi-charging adapter).
In the case of the iPhone, you’re likely to receive some of the best battery backup too. Also, since Apple doesn’t report charging speeds, we know that the device will charge up to 50% in 30 minutes via a wired charging setup (third-party testing says the iPhone supports input of 27W). But if you choose to charge wirelessly, using a MagSafe adapter will let you provide 15W of power to the phone, while a Qi-certified accessory allows for 7.5W charging.
Camera
Coming to the cameras, the optics on the Zenfone 10 aren’t going to blow you out of the water, but it does have a decent set of sensors on its back. Headling its system is the 50-megapixel wide camera with the same gimbal stabilization we saw on the Zenfone 9, and the second lens is a new 13-megapixel ultrawide camera with a wider field of view, but support for autofocus is missing, in case you were hoping it could once again double as a macro shooter.
The camera hardware on each of its competition includes a wide and ultrawide sensor, with the Samsung also featuring an additional telephoto option.
On the iPhone, the dual camera setup includes two 12-megapixel sensors. As for the Pixel 7, you will find a 50-megapixel main camera with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor. The S23 has a 50-megapixel wide, 12-megapixel ultrawide, and 10-megapixel telephoto shooter.
As for the front cameras, the Zenfone 10 features a 32-megapixel camera; both the iPhone 14 and Samsung Galaxy S23 feature a 12-megapixel one, while the Pixel 7 features a 10.8-megapixel camera.
Software
The Zenfone 10 has the poorest software support plan of all the devices, with only two OS upgrades and four years of security patches. The iPhone 14 will likely receive the most updates based on the trends. Apple tends to drop devices after the 5th update cycle is completed but does go past these in some cases. As for Samsung, users will get four major Android updates with five years of security updates. The Pixel comes in second from the bottom with a promise of three version upgrades and five years of security patches.
ASUS Zenfone 10 versus the competition
All in all, the Zenfone 10 is a pretty great phone. If you’re looking for a compact smartphone that doesn’t change much about how Android looks and feels, it’s an option worth considering without much doubt. It has great battery life and a powerful processor that won’t leave you longing for more!
-
Asus Zenfone 10
Great Compact Phone
The Asus Zenfone 10 takes inspiration from the Zenfone 9 and brings powerful 2023 hardware, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, to the company’s compact smartphone. If you want a small phone that performs as well as or better than most others on the market, this is one to consider.
-
Samsung Galaxy S23
Best Value
The Samsung Galaxy S23 enters the market as a leading option for those who want a compact flagship. It ships with the powerful, yet efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and has a triple camera array that’s proven itself to be reliable in any scenario.
-
Google Pixel 7
Best Camera
$505 $599 Save $94
The new Google Pixel 7 is powered by the all-new Google Tensor G2 chipset. The device is coupled with 8GB of memory, and it has 128/256GB storage tiers. The phone comes with a significantly improved camera system, and it’s more portable than the last generation. The Pixel 7 is available in Obsidian, Lemongrass, and Snow colors.
-
Apple iPhone 14
Premium Pick
iPhone 14 joins the market as the smartphone to pick if you want a high-tier of performance, great cameras, and battery life that will last you through a day of use with ease.
