Massive or little Zenfones, extra individuals ought to have their palms on them

Whereas final 12 months’s swirling rumors that ASUS’ Zenfone line was at an finish turned out to be incorrect, these trying critically on the new Zenfone 11 Extremely may nonetheless really feel that the reviews have been true in spirit. The gargantuan new mannequin definitely doesn’t look very similar to the just about uniquely compact Zenfone 10. As a substitute, it bears greater than a passing resemblance to the late 2023 gaming-focused ROG Telephone 8 Professional, each in and out.

At face worth, then, we’ve seen a lot of the Zenfone 11 Extremely earlier than, and it’s arduous to disregard voices that query: “Is that this actually a Zenfone?” This isn’t the very reasonably priced, little however mighty flagship that’s earned a small cult following. I definitely miss the pocketability, grippy again, and sensible use of the shape issue, such because the fingerprint swipe gestures, that made final 12 months’s Zenfone 10 probably the most compelling little telephones available on the market.

For those who’ve not learn our Zenfone 11 Extremely assessment but, you’ll be happy to know that ASUS continues to supply the acquainted back-tap gestures and stock-like UI, and has imbued the vary with a stronger triple digicam array and a few new AI options. ASUS claims it wished to convey all the perfect bits of Zenfone to prospects demanding a bigger kind issue, and it has succeeded in that effort.

Whether or not that’s the precise logic working within the higher echelons at ASUS HQ, we will solely think about. What we do know is that, regardless of spectacular {hardware} and stable evaluations, ASUS doesn’t have the all-important provider and retailer partnerships that might assist put extra of its Zenfones into client’s palms. You possibly can’t simply stroll right into a retailer to purchase one, which limits Zenfone’s attain to those that already find out about it.

Traditionally delayed US delivery dates additionally haven’t helped generate the extent of enthusiasm required to dent the market’s choice for iPhones, and Galaxies to a lesser extent. Truthfully, availability is holding the Zenfone again from taking over the greatest flagship telephones greater than something associated to {hardware}. ASUS isn’t alone right here; we’ve seen different manufacturers, equivalent to Sony’s Xperia sequence, hit an analogous wall within the US market.

In fact, we’re not aware of ASUS’ gross sales knowledge. But when, hypothetically, the smaller Zenfone isn’t fairly shifting the models required to maintain improvement (for what it’s price, ASUS says it’s pleased with the Zenfone 10), reusing the ROG’s design and internals is an affordable approach to reduce prices. Different compact telephones have struggled to chop by way of previously; even Apple’s iPhone SE doesn’t shift the numbers of its greater counterparts.

If there’s any benefit to the rumors and Zenfone is to stay on, it’s attainable that we’re taking a look at a extra mainstream model of ROG going ahead. Stripping the telephone of its area of interest gaming options, equivalent to RGB lighting, shoulder triggers, and a second USB-C port, leaves room to undertake mainstream attracts like glass supplies, superior digicam applied sciences, and novel concepts like AI summarization.

Whereas shedding the compact kind issue can be a disgrace, a powerhouse flagship aggressively priced at $899 — making it cheaper than the Galaxy S24 Plus and Pixel 8 Professional — is definitely a win for an trade that’s develop into relatively complacent with its plus-sized flagships. As tempting as it’s to dwell on ASUS’s portfolio, it’s price remembering what the Zenfone 11 Extremely provides within the grand scheme. Its massive show, quick charging, very good efficiency, and versatile cameras, are arduous to dismiss at this worth. So long as you realize the place to purchase the telephone, after all.

Nonetheless, all of this chatter could also be a moot level. The little Zenfone 10 isn’t even a 12 months previous but, so it’s relatively untimely to speak in regards to the demise of small ASUS telephones. It launched in July 2023 too, so there’s an out of doors probability we nonetheless may see a compact Zenfone 11 launch halfway by way of the 12 months. Nothing in ASUS’ playbook says it could’t have each a small and huge Zenfone in any case, and the Extremely moniker leaves hope for compact lovers that we would see one other entry within the sequence within the not-too-distant future.