It’s a brand new day with a fresh smartphone review, and this time, we’re putting the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s pros and cons under the lens. Asus has been on a roll with its smartphone releases and we loved what they did with the ROG Phone 8 Pro. Unfortunately, it appears they were hoping to replicate the success again with a low-effort release. The Zenfone 11 Ultra specs are amusingly similar to that of the gaming ROG Phone, which makes its addition to the market a little redundant. The official release date for the Zenfone 11 Ultra has been set for April 14, 2024, but with pre-orders already open since March 14, you might be on the lookout for a few Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra reviews that can put matters into perspective for you. 

This Just In: Zenfone 11 Ultra Pros and Cons

The opening of pre-orders for the phone gave us a reason to write this Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra review and the first surprise in store for us was the size of the new device. The Zenfone series is known for being more compact than its competitors, which is why the new Ultra sizing choice is quite surprising. The Zenfone 10 was 5.77 x 2.68 x 0.37 inches in size and had a 5.9-inch display. The new Zenfone 11 Ultra display is 6.78 inches with the overall dimensions marked at 6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 inches. The difference in size is quite enough to make it feel like an entirely new series of Asus phones but it remains a part of the Zenfone line. 

The Positives of the Zenfone 11 Ultra

Let’s start with the Zenfone 11 Ultra pros—the good before we slip into the drawbacks of the device. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor is a reliable choice for the Zenfone 11 Ultra specs considering it provides a good base for building the architecture of the smartphone. The display features, camera capabilities, and overall design of the smartphone that follow only enhance what the device can accomplish.

The Zenfone 11 Ultra Display Quality

A primary consideration of the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s pros and cons is the display. The 6.78-inch Flexible E6 AMOLED display with 2,400×1,080 pixel resolution provides a reliable visual experience all the time. It also has a 94 percent display-to-body ratio which guarantees you get more screen space than unnecessary bezel crowding up your screen. Additionally, the phone promises 2500 nits peak brightness, which means you should have no problem using it outdoors. With a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen that is paired with an IP68 rating, the new Zenfone guarantees a durable smartphone experience. 

The LTPO display has an adjustable refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz but there’s more to this adaptability. The device can offer up to 144Hz refresh rates through its Game Genie interface, allowing users to run their fast-paced games. The ROG Phone 8 pushes this to 165Hz, but that’s only something you need if you’re serious about gaming.

The Zenfone 11 Ultra Camera Specs

Another one of the Zenfone 11 Ultra pros is the camera. The main camera is a 50 MP Sony IMX890 lens that supports 2x lossless zoom. It also has a 6-axis hybrid gimbal stabilizer that guarantees shake-free shots wherever you go. Then there’s a 32 MP telephoto camera with 3x telephoto zoom followed by a 13 MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field-of-view. The HyperClarity AI algorithm behind the non-blurry 10x zoom images is quite nice to see, even if the images lose some of their color when using the feature. The 32MP front camera has a 90-degree FOV so you get a wider-angled selfie rather than one that narrows its attention to just the pores on your face.

Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra Review of The Specs

It would be embarrassing for a company to put a smartphone on the market without mentioning AI so Asus threw in a few of those features as well. The smartphone is capable of advanced semantic search where you can search for things without having to scroll and locate them yourself. For example, you can locate images you’re trying to find by typing out the description of the image. 

Summoning pictures of that one dessert you tried in 2018 has never been easier. There’s also an AI noise cancellation feature that can help you filter out background disturbances while using your device. Other beta AI features include call translation, transcript generation, and an AI wallpaper tool that can craft images in a tone suited to you. 

Apart from AI, we have to take a moment to acknowledge the battery life of the device. The Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra takes inspiration from the ROG Phone 8 and features its 5,500 mAh battery, which can easily last you through the day. The 65W wired charging and 15W wireless charging capabilities are not bad either, ensuring you can charge it at your convenience without having to be bogged down by a dying phone. 

The Drawbacks of the Zenfone 11 Ultra

To start things off, if you’re considering buying the Zenfone 11 Ultra, know that it is not compatible with CDMA carriers such as Verizon and Sprint. Just like the Zenfone 10, the device can only be used to its full potential with GSM carriers. So if you have a Verizon connection, you might have to consider switching carriers to T-Mobile or AT&T. There is also the fact that you will only receive two years of overall updates and four years of security updates while you try to enjoy the Zenfone 11 Ultra specs. This seems awfully shortsighted and in bad faith, especially considering how competitors on the market are willing to offer more. 

Other than that, the Zenfone 11 Ultra specs are not bad by any means, nor is it a poorly designed smartphone. If you look at the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s pros and cons, it is evident that the pros far outweigh the cons. The major drawback of the device is in identifying its place in the market. Whether you look at it in terms of its specs, camera, or overall performance, there is already a phone on the market that does it better. 

The Field Is Packed With Competitors 

You might consider the Zenfone 11 Ultra display quality and battery to be good for gaming, but if those are your priorities, you might as well purchase a ROG phone 8. The ROG Phone 8 costs $1099.99 USD and the ROG Phone 8 Pro costs $1499.99. If the price feels too high, only then will you find yourself turning to the $899 USD Zenfone 11 Ultra as your gaming phone. 

Even at lower price ranges, there are other smartphones with a complete kit of features. The Google Pixel 8 is priced at $699 USD while the Pro model is available at $999 USD. At these prices, you might as well pick the Google phone for a better camera and longer software support instead of taking a risk with Asus. Similarly, there’s the OnePlus 12R you can buy. If it feels too basic in terms of features, you’ll find the OnePlus 12 waiting on the shelves for you. 

Our final Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra verdict almost hinged on the fact that the device has a headphone jack but we’re not so easily swayed. Weighing the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s pros and cons, we’d suggest you give the Asus device a chance if you’re open to trying out something new. Otherwise, just like most Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra reviews, we’re inclined to think that most would be fine skipping out on the new Asus phone for other alternatives on the market. 

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