The Asus Zenfone 8 is a solid flagship phone at a sub-flagship price, though inevitably there are compromises: there’s no telephoto lens or wireless charging, and it misses out on its predecessor’s novel flip camera that let the rear lenses rotate forward to take selfie shots.

Top-level specs, Small form factor, Respectable camera capability

No telephoto lens, Middling battery life, No wireless charging

There's a lot to like about this compact phone - which will suit many looking for a smaller flagship. There's a great display, quality build, and good cameras. But it heats up quickly under load so it's not for gamers, while the fingerprint scanner is irritating in use.

Waterproof, Stereo speakers and 3.5mm port, Good camera performance, Flagship power

Gets hot quickly when gaming, Fingerprint scanner is temperamental, No zoom camera

The ZenFone 8 Flip retains the creative motorised camera system, but a lack of features compared to the cheaper, smaller ZenFone 8 make it a harder sell than ever before.

Versatile Flip Camera system, All-screen design, Great performance

No waterproofing, No OIS, No headphone jack, No wireless charging, Heavy and bulky

A solid Google Pixel 5 rival with more powerful performance, but sadly limited battery life.

Pleasingly compact, Absolute powerhouse, Clean, satisfying ZenUI, Capable camera

Mediocre battery life, Netflix stuttering, Not exactly attractive

The Asus Zenfone 8 has nailed its particular niche: a small Android phone with top specs and a reasonable price. If that’s what you want, then look no further. But if you are searching for better camera or battery endurance, then you might want to consider an alternative such as the Samsung Galaxy...

Asus delivers a very compact and high-quality smartphone with the Zenfone 8. The system performance is very good, which is also reflected in a very smooth operation in everyday use. Besides very fast Wi-Fi and a bright AMOLED display, the new 5G mobile standard is also supported.

robust housing with IP68 certification, bright 120 Hz display, good performance, compact design, fast WLAN

short battery life, no DC dimming

“The Zenfone 8 Flip's unique motorized camera module makes it the best selfie camera you can buy, but the rest of the phone fails to standout due to a hefty body and a recycled design.”

Motorized camera means amazing selfies, Excellent audio, Great for gaming, Fast, reliable software

No water resistance, No wireless charging, Big and heavy

Most of you are likely familiar with ASUS’ extensive line of PCs and related components, including ASUS’ ROG gaming products. You’ve probably also seen our ASUS ROG Phone 5 benchmarks , which showcase this incredibly fast gaming phone.

Did we mention it's small?, Premium build and materials, Beautiful display, Solid camera, Fantastic audio, Impressive performance, Almost stock Android

No wireless charging, Middling battery life, No telephoto shooter

Asus has built a steady presence in the mobile industry with help from its recent ROG Phone series . But it's been chasing a general audience (mostly in Asia) for much longer with its Zenfone lineup, attempting to please everyone and usually failing.

Size Smaller competent Android phones continue to be severely underrated and this entry puts even Sony's Compact lineup on notice., Display It's got excellent brightness and colors. 120Hz refresh is still rare at this price.

Software, again Some of the Asus customizations are annoying or unnecessary. Also, Asus’s track record on software updates is lagging., Camera Occasionally mediocre output on auto, especially in the selfie department.

ASUS has been making its Zenfone line for many years now, but it’s not the most popular line of smartphones out there. In fact, in North America, most people likely wouldn’t even know they existed. They haven’t sold well in North America, and haven’t always been available here.

Compact size, Snapdragon 888 inside, Good battery life, Headphone jack!!, Charger included in the box

Camera underperforms the competition