Last year Asus released the Zenfone 6 with a new take on an all-screen design. It had a flip camera that allowed the user to switch the main cameras to selfie mode. It was a unique and bold approach, but we liked it. It is now 2020 and the Asus team has released a successor or successor for the Zenfone 7 and the Zenfone 7 Pro. Has Asus done enough to keep the flip camera relevant? We'll find out in our upcoming Asus Zenfone 7 Pro review. For now, here are our hands-on experiences with the Zenfone 7 and the Zenfone 7 Pro.
Continue reading: All the details about Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 7 Pro
There are now two models
Like many others in this field, Asus has decided to expand and complicate its product range with several variants of the telephone. The Zenfone 7 differs from the Pro in that it reduces the optical image stabilization on the cameras, has half the memory and less RAM, and has the Snapdragon 865 compared to the Pro's Snapdragon 865 Plus chip.
Connected: What is image stabilization? OIS, EIS and HIS explained
The regular model ships cheaper than the Pro model to make up for this drop in tech. It's strange that Asus split the Zenfone into two models as both versions are close to each other across the board. However, this strategy seems to be the norm in 2020.
Refinement of the flip camera design
The flip camera is back, but now with an additional third lens. This makes the module much larger than the first version. Asus has refined the mechanism, claiming that the new motor has 2.2 times the torque of the original motor. The system has been rated for up to 200,000 flips, which is double the 100,000 flip rating of the Zenfone 6.
The Zenfone 7 series comes with a triple flip camera. Yes, you can take 8K selfie videos.
The new flip camera has three different focal lengths - wide, ultrawide and telephoto. The main camera is a 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor with an optically stabilized 1: 1.8 lens. The ultrawide is a 12MP Sony IMX363 sensor with a 113 degree field of view. The last one is an 8MP 3x telephoto camera. Asus says it wanted to keep the flip camera mechanism slim and therefore couldn't fit a larger zoom lens into its design.
Since these cameras are in the flip mechanism, you can of course use the main cameras on the back to take selfies. Rear view cameras usually have larger sensors and therefore tend to take better photos. Since you can take selfies with these cameras, the Zenfone 7 series is likely to take some of the best selfies in the game. And yes, you can take 8K selfie videos.
Continue reading: Maybe you're not buying into the 8K video recording hype just yet
How is it
I've spent the past few days with the Zenfone 7 Pro and right out of the gate the phone feels beefy. It comes in at 230g, which is heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and even the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra. Glue one of the supplied covers onto it and you will need large pockets for this device.
The Zenfone 7 Pro is powerful. It's not the prettiest smartphone either.
The aluminum rails of the 6,000 series feel robust and robust and adapt to the weight of the device. The surrounding chamfers break up the design and convey a sense of quality. The back is covered with Gorilla Glass 3 and the front with Gorilla Glass 6. The keys feel a bit loose, which affects the otherwise well-built Zenfone 7 Pro.
In the front, the 6.67-inch Full HD + 90 Hz AMOLED panel is surrounded by some rather thick bezels. Thanks to this flip camera mechanism, however, the display is not interrupted. The panel seems to get pretty bright and responsive thanks to the 200 Hz touch sampling rate. The viewing angles look solid, but we'll be putting the device through our full display suite for our upcoming Zenfone 7 review.
Continue reading: 90Hz smartphone display test: can users really feel the difference?
On the back are the cameras at the top and some Asus branding further down. The speaker, USB-C port and microphone are located on the bottom. At the top is the flip camera mechanism. On the left is the dual SIM and microSD card slot. On the right side is the combination of volume rocker and power switch / fingerprint scanner.
Overall, the Zenfone 7 Pro looks and feels a bit dated. The bezels are a bit thick and the weight is off-putting. Sure, it feels nice, but at nearly 10mm thick, it's by no means stylish.
Software bliss?
In the Zenfone 7 series, ZenUI 7 runs on Android 10. The software skin looks and feels very similar to standard Android, but has plenty of useful features to improve the user experience. ZenUI immediately feels light and fluid. There are five additional pre-installed apps: Instagram, Netflix, Facebook, Asus Data Transfer and Gallery.
ZenUI 7 is "warehouse plus"
Asus has integrated some functions for charging optimization in order to extend the battery life. The Asus camera app integrates the flip camera mechanism. This "Stock Plus" theme was introduced with the Zenfone 6 and refined for the Zenfone 7.
Asus Zenfone 7 specifications
display
6.67 inch AMOLED
FHD +
HDR10 +
90Hz refresh rate
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
6.67 inch AMOLED
FHD +
HDR10 +
90Hz refresh rate
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 650
Qualcomm Adreno 650
camp
128 GB
UFS 3.1
Expandable with microSD card (up to 2 TB)
256 GB
UFS 3.1
Expandable with microSD card (up to 2 TB)
Cameras
Primary:
64MP Sony IMX686 sensor with EIS
F / 1.8 aperture
0.8 µm pixels
Double LED flash
8K / 30fps video
Secondary:
12MP ultra-wide sensor (IMX363)
Tertiary: 8MP 3x Tele with EIS
Primary:
64MP Sony IMX686 sensor with OIS
1: 1.8 aperture
0.8 µm pixels
Double LED flash
8K / 30fps video
Secondary:
12MP ultra-wide sensor (IMX363)
Tertiary: 8MP 3x Tele with OIS
operating system
Android 10
Android 10
The specifications of the Zenfone 7 series make it a real flagship. It has top notch chipsets and lots of RAM, plus big batteries and good camera hardware. Based on the specification, this would put the Zenfone 7 in competition with the OnePlus 8 and the Zenfone 7 Pro against the OnePlus 8 Pro.
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Price, release date, availability
Asus is launching the phone in Taiwan today. An international introduction is planned shortly. We currently only have prices for Taiwan, but we'll update this post with international prices as they become available.
- Asus Zenfone 7: 6GB / 128GB - 21,999 TWD (~ $ 750)
- Asus Zenfone 7 Pro: 8GB / 256GB - 27,990 TWD (~ $ 950)
This pricing means that both devices are in competition with their respective OnePlus competition - the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. Specification after specification, the Asus Zenfone 7 series is competitive.
Overall, the Asus Zenfone 7 series feels like a solid advancement from last year's model. Nothing important has changed. We're getting updated internals, a faster screen, and three cameras. It looks good for the Zenfone 7 so far, but the test is still pending.
What do you think of the Asus Zenfone 7 and the Zenfone 7 Pro? Let us know in the comments and look forward to our upcoming Zenfone 7 Pro review!