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.

Top-level specs Small form factor Respectable camera capability

No telephoto lens Middling battery life No wireless charging

The Asus Zenfone 8 is a solid flagship phone at a sub-flagship price, though inevitably there are compromises: there’s no telephoto lens or wireless charging, and it misses out on its predecessor’s novel flip camera that let the rear lenses rotate...

Fast performance ; FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate ; Compact and lightweight

Plain, simple design ; Camera lacks oomph ; No MicroSD card slot

The Asus Zenfone 8 is truly compact and somehow still manages to pack in impressive hardware. It may not look like anything special straight out of the box, but it really does have a stunning display and flagship-level performance.

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...

Waterproof ; Stereo speakers and 3.5mm port ; Good camera performance ; Flagship power

Gets hot quickly when gaming ; Fingerprint scanner is temperamental ; No zoom camera

There's a lot to like about this compact phone - which will suit many looking for a smaller flagship. There's a great display, quality build, and good cameras. But it heats up quickly under load so it's not for gamers, while the fingerprint scanner is...

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.