Best dual SIM phone 2023: Smartphone reviews and buying tips

The Zenfone 9 is a full-fledged flagship in a small size and with remarkably few compromises.

The 5.9-inch screen makes it one of the smallest phones out there, especially on the Android side, and comfortably the smallest with such solid specs.

The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and up to 16GB of RAM make this a capable phone, although cooling issues leave that power slightly limited. The 8+ Gen 1 is also partly to thank for excellent battery life, which puts other compact smartphones to shame.

The gimbal-stabilized main camera impresses, especially at night, although with some visual issues and issues in bright environments, it’s clear Asus has some software tweaking to do. Some may also miss the variety offered by rivals, particularly the lack of a telephoto lens here.

Given that the phone is so good, it’s frustrating that Asus only promises two years of support, so this will only suit those who know they’re on a regular upgrade schedule. The lack of mmWave support will also limit 5G performance for US buyers. The overall experience is excellent though, with smart software and welcome touches like the IP68 rating and headphone jack.