Asus Zenfone 8

Small and lightweight ; Great, but quite simple, camera

Poor battery life ; Screen responsiveness problems ; No wireless charging

Compact and lightweight body, IP68-rated, GG Victus, notification LED.

The dynamic refresh rate behavior can use some optimization.

The Zenfone 8 is an impressive little beast. It lived up to every single promise. And with a starting price of €599, it sounds like a real bargain. We rarely get to review devices that good, and it's one of the easiest recommendations of the season.

Hand-friendly size ; Powerful processor ; Excellent onboard audio ; Flagship-quality photos

Lacks wireless charging ; Software updates aren't guaranteed ; Does not work on Verizon's network

With two impressive cameras, a top-notch chipset, and a compact build, the Asus Zenfone 8 is a top choice for small-phone fans.

Thoughtful compact design ; Robust build quality and IP68 rating ; Excellent Snapdragon 888 performance

Battery life is just okay ; Only two major OS updates ; No telephoto camera

The ZenFone 8 features a design optimized for one-handed use. It offers a 5.9-inch display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, top-of-the-line Snapdragon 888 processor, and sturdy build quality with an IP68 waterproof rating. It’s a small phone that...

Excellent performance ; Durable and compact design ; Vivid and bright 120Hz display ; Solid photo/video quality ; Affordably priced

5G support is weak ; Poor software update track record ; No telephoto zoom lens

The Asus Zenfone 8 may be the most surprising phone of 2021 with top-of-the-line performance in the smallest Android flagship in years.

Compact and easy to handle ; Top-level performance ; Great display ; Cameras are pretty good ; Good battery life, especially for the size ; Stereo speakers, 3.5mm audio jack, hi-res audio support ; Clean and feature-rich UI ; Competitive price tag ;...

Gets hot in high-demanding situations ; No wireless charging ; No SD card slot ; The small size might be a con for some people

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. ; Performance ; Even...

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. ; Missing hardware ; You’ll...