Asus Zenfone 7 Pro review

Competition

The Asus Zenfone 7 Pro's biggest competitor is very likely the Asus Zenfone 7. A Snapdragon 865 in place of the 865+, half the storage (at a perfectly usable 128GB, still expandable) and no OIS on the main and telephoto cams can easily be conceded when that means keeping €100 in your pocket.

This is the Zenfone 7 Pro, but it could very well be the Zenfone 7

For Zenfone 7 Pro money you could buy the Galaxy S20+, even cheaper if you don't insist on 5G. That will come with the Exynos in Europe, but if the Snapdragon vs. Exynos conundrum doesn't get you all riled up, so what? You'll be getting dust and water protection in a more pocketable package, a 120Hz display, and well, it'll be a Samsung. The Zenfone's selfie camera prowess is unmatched, of course, and all things considered, it could be the more versatile cameraphone.

If the Samsung badge is, in fact, a downside, you could be a OnePlus person. The thing is though, the OP 8 Pro is a €100 on top of the Zenfone 7 Pro, and for half the storage with no expandability on the table. The premium could be justified by the 8 Pro's higher-res, higher-refresh-rate display (1440p+, 120Hz), its IP68 rating, wireless charging, and under-display fingerprint sensor. But the ultimate selfies, a chipset with a plus, and money in your pocket are strong arguments in the Zenfone's favor.

Meanwhile, the Realme X50 Pro retails for about €100 less than the Zenfone 7 Pro - for a 12GB/256GB trim level too. The Realme is a close match for the Zenfone in display and rear camera hardware and even has an ultra-wide selfie cam - not that it can compete with the Zenfone for selfies even with it. The Realme charges faster and has an under-display FPR, the Zenfone 7 Pro has the newer chipset and a microSD slot.

It gets even trickier for the Zenfone 7 Pro against the Poco F2 Pro. The Poco in its base 6GB/128GB trim is half the Zenfone's price and it's not half bad. Some trade-offs will be unavoidable, of course - it's the non-plus Snapdragon you'd be getting, only a single speaker, no microSD slot, and motorized as it may be, the F2 Pro's selfie cam isn't up to the Zenfone standard, not to mention there's no real telephoto on the Xiaomi phone. But the Zenfone at twice the price won't get you a 3.5mm jack or an infrared emitter, both present on the Poco.

It's worth mentioning that the Zenfone 7 Pro has some of the most comprehensive 5G band support you can find in a single phone. While that may be irrelevant to the vast majority of buyers for now, it could be of interest to some and can add value where we don't normally look for it. For example, the Poco above only covers two bands, the S20+ can be had in 4G-only trim and even its 5G version doesn't match the Zenfone's wide-ranging 5G band support. At the same time, the OnePlus 8 Pro comes with regional 5G specifics on top of an already more limited set of bands. A bit surprisingly, the Realme covers the most bands of this curated bunch of rivals, still not as many as the Zenfone.

Samsung Galaxy S20+ • OnePlus 8 Pro • Realme X50 Pro 5G • Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro

Verdict

The Zenfone 7 Pro was met with much excitement by our team - moving bits on phones typically do that with us geeks, and the Asus Flip Camera is about as unique as these come. The whirring action of the flip-up module wouldn't have been enough to hold our attention if it didn't carry capable cameras and there wasn't a fine smartphone attached on the other end.

The Zenfone 7 Pro is a fine smartphone indeed. It offers a remarkably balanced package of display, endurance, performance, and image quality. It's perhaps the best option if selfies are a top priority - whether placed there by vanity, vlogging aspirations, or even quarantine-related work-from-home content creation without the hassle of a dedicated camera.

The Zenfone 7 Pro then comes at a sensible price for all that it can do just as well as most competitors and the things only its Flip Camera is capable of. But you know what other phone ticks those boxes? The Zenfone 7 non-Pro. We'd save €100 and get that one instead.

Pros

• Unique motorized camera assembly is cool, recognizable and useful.
• Cutout-free bright 90Hz AMOLED display, color-accurate and HDR10+-capable too.
• Dependable battery life, reasonably fast charging, extensive battery care options.
• Chipset is a powerhouse, software options let you use it to the fullest.
• Good image and video quality across the board, top-grade selfie videos and photos.

Cons

• Heavier than most, thick too.
• No IP68 rating.
• 3.5mm jack is now gone.
• Less than ideal fingerprint reader experience.