Say hello to the Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip: Asus just unveiled both handsets at a virtual product launch, and straight away there’s a lot to like about these new phones (it’s also nice to see the flipping camera from the Zenfone 7 series make a return).
Let’s start with the Zenfone 8, which with a screen size of 5.9 inches is very much taking on the likes of the iPhone 12 mini in terms of its compactness. That screen also boasts a 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution and a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood there’s the premium Snapdragon 888 processor, and you can get the phone with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. 5G is on board, as is a 4,000mAh capacity battery.
Camera duties are handled by a 64MP+12MP dual-lens rear camera that has ultrawide and macro capabilities, and there’s a 12MP selfie camera around the front in a punch hole notch. The handset is IP68 rated for full protection against water and dust, and this can all be yours for a reasonable starting price of €599 (about $725 / £515 / AU$930).
Flipster vibes
On to the Zenfone 8 Flip, which has the same flipping camera trick that we saw last time around with the Zenfone 7 – the rear camera flips over to sit above the main screen when needed, so it does double duty as a selfie camera too (and means there’s no need for a notch on the display).
Asus says the light and strong metal alloy used for the camera housing means that it’s good for at least 300,000 flips – that’s 150 flips a day for 5 years, which should be enough for even the most enthusiastic mobile photographers.
Aside from the flipping mechanism, the camera setup adds an extra lens and a 3x optical zoom compared with the Zenfone 8, so this might be the one to go for if photography is a priority. There’s also an extra feature called Object Focus, that can automatically snap the focus to objects in the foreground.
The screen size is bigger on the Flip model, going up to 6.67 inches, but the refresh rate drops to 90Hz. There’s a bigger battery capacity to go with the bigger screen as well: 5,000mAh. All of this comes at a higher asking price, with the Zenfone 8 Flip starting at €799 (about $970 / £685 / AU$1,240).
