Zenfone 10 Takes My Social Media Game to a New Level

Nov 09, 2023

I'll admit that I've been struggling to kick off my travel-dedicated social media page for a while. I've always thought it's a shame not to share my adventures with more people. I've just been annoyed by all the equipment I would need to buy and carry around, such as a DSLR camera for photos, a tripod for action shots and long exposures (which, in my opinion, look fantastic in global metropolitan settings), and a separate action cam for recording on the go (a better alternative to carrying around an additional gimbal to stabilize my DSLR camera when recording).

You may ask, "Why don't you just use your phone?" A fair question! But I've been struggling to find a smartphone with a good camera that isn't large, heavy, and expensive. Additionally, the videos I'd take with them while walking around were always shaky. Then, I'd need to buy a protective case, a power bank, and all the other accessories, and the result would still likely be subpar.

But my struggles are finally over, thanks to the Zenfone 10! I spent a weekend with this brand-new smartphone from ASUS and felt that I can finally kick off cherished ambition. Read on to find out why!

All photos featured in this blog article have been captured with a Zenfone 10

When I first received the new Zenfone 10, the first thing that struck me was just how light and compact it was. With its 5.9-inch screen size, the smartphone weighs only 172 g. It was comfortable to hold and operate the phone with just one hand — even a very small one, like that of my partner.

The phone came in a funky green color with a matte finish. The minimalistic design features an edge-to-edge screen with just a small space reserved for the front camera. On the back, one can find two large camera lenses, the Zenfone logo below the camera, and the ASUS monogram on the bottom-right. The rear lid of the phone had a slightly rough, grippy finish, adding an interesting urban aesthetic to it and making it easy to hold with one hand.

I slipped the phone into my backpack’s front pocket (where it fit very easily, regardless of the small size of the compartment) and headed out.

Zenfone 10’s most prominent design feature is the two large lenses on the back. And this is for a good reason: this phone is a beast when it comes to photography! The camera in the Zenfone 10 features three lenses. The top one on the back is the main camera. With a 50 MP sensor, it takes clear, sharp photos. This lens also features a 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 2.0, which comes in super handy when on the move. Thanks to this feature, I could take clear pictures and videos when walking around — even on the stairs — while holding the phone with one hand.

The gimbal also enables long exposure shots without a tripod, which is extremely useful when trying to capture light streak images, such as the flow of water (e.g. waterfall), traffic trails, or dynamic urban settings. The software on the phone has been packed with useful features. Starting from horizon detection, all the way to automatic AI-powered enhancements, most of my pictures ended up looking great without me having to do much to them. Another useful feature is Quick Shot. It enables users like myself to take pictures immediately from the lock screen, without having to unlock the phone, go to a camera app, aim, and only then snap the picture. This came in handy a few times when seeing something surprising and wanting to capture the fleeting moment.

Below the main camera lens is the 13 MP ultra-wide camera with a 120° field of view. Thanks to this feature, I was able to capture wide-angle shots, all without the unwanted “fish eye effect” usually common in cameras with wide field of view. This is due to ASUS’s camera software optimization. The algorithm processes the entire image entering the lens much more than what's visible on the screen, and adjusts the field of vision to ensuring that the edges of the photo remain undistorted and natural. The difference is especially visible around the edges of the picture, making the images appear closer to reality.

Similar algorithm works hand in hand with the mechanical built-in gimbal in the Zenfone’s camera when taking videos. The camera uses the captured parts of the field of view to “stabilize” the image and reduce shaking effect when moving by shifting the image within the field of view and smoothening the movement. The effect is similar to what one can achieve with action cameras.

The 32 MP front camera is great for selfies, even in challenging conditions. The camera features an RGBW sensor, which captures up to 67% more light, resulting in clearer night selfies with reduced noise, thanks to the addition of white pixels to the light sensor.

The phone has been fine-tuned to the needs of those who take photography seriously. I appreciated the fact that I have the option to save the photos I take in RAW format, preserving the entire original image data, making it easier to make significant edits if they're needed.

But I found myself fully satisfied with the JPEG files generated by the phone. They were crisp, well-saturated (but not over-saturated), had lifelike colors, and were free of noise. The AI object sense feature enhances photos by automatically detecting different objects in the image and making adjustments where needed. Zenfone 10 did great in both well-lit outdoor environments and more dim, indoor spaces. My food snaps had never looked so realistic before!

When it comes to video recording, the Zenfone 10 doesn't disappoint either. Especially useful is the stabilization feature, attributed to the six-axis hybrid gimbal built into the camera and the adaptive EIS algorithm. The way it records videos is quite reminiscent of an action camera. For the times when I wanted to record commentary on my travels, I simply switched to the front camera, which recorded in very high quality, and the microphones picked up clear, loud, and deep voice recordings.

This phone was designed to ensure easy one-handed usage. It starts with its compact size, measuring only 68.1 mm in width and less than 1 cm in thickness, with a weight of just 172 g. Combined with a grippy, porous back cover, the Zenfone 10's body can be comfortably held and operated with one hand, leaving the other hand free for various tasks.

On the right side of the phone, right where my thumb usually rests, is the ZenTouch key. It can be customized with a wide array of shortcuts and functions, including unlocking the phone, video playback controls, web browsing, and more, giving me convenient control over the phone's operations. You can even use it for scrolling through the internet or documents!

Another valuable feature is the Edge Tool, a control panel positioned on the side for maximum operability with your thumb. If you prefer to relocate it elsewhere, you have the flexibility to do so!

Zenfone 10 is attractively priced, so I assumed there must be a reason for it — probably performance. Oh, how wrong I was.

Zenfone 10 packs plenty of power into its ultracompact body. It comes with the latest Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 CPU, commonly found in high-performance devices. On top of that, up to 16 GB of memory ensures that I never experienced a freeze or even lag while using the phone. To store the multitude of pictures I usually take, there is up to 512 GB of storage space.

It also lasts surprisingly long — especially considering the compact size. The engineers at ASUS managed to fit a 4300 mAh battery and power-efficient components to ensure the phone's battery lasts the whole busy day of social media content creation. The phone charges very fast with its 30 W HyperCharge. If you want, Zenfone 10 can also be charged with a 15 W wireless charger for maximum convenience.

The display also doesn't disappoint. The 5.9-inch screen features a sharp, crisp, and smooth 144 Hz* AMOLED panel with 445 ppi pixel density that offers up to 1100 nits brightness for comfortable viewing in any light conditions. And it's color-accurate! The display covers 112% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and offers Delta-E < 1 color accuracy.

The phone is made to accompany people in normal and exceptionally tough conditions. The body feels very durable and solid yet lightweight. The back cover’s material helps prevent obvious scratches, which comes in handy for a phone that is to be used for travel photo and video taking. I wasn't worried about the screen either. It’s covered with Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® glass for maximum durability.

What I also found handy, especially when traveling in a humid, rainy place, was the IP68 water resistance that this phone features. That means that I wasn’t particularly worried about recording in a wet environment, such as nearby a pond, when my phone dropped into dew-covered grass, or during the rain.

When I first unpacked the phone and saw the green back lid that felt like it might have been made of recycled materials, I got a strong hunch this was an eco-friendly choice for a phone. As I later learned, I wasn’t wrong.

Zenfone 10’s back cover is made of eco-friendly bio-based polycarbonate material, which reduces the use of petrochemicals during production and helps minimize the carbon footprint of the phone. The packaging, made from 100% recycled paper with soy-based ink, is designed to be recyclable for sustainable disposal as well.

I've spent a long time looking for something like this. Compact-sized and lightweight, with strong performance and good battery life, an awesome camera, and features designed specifically for single-handed usage, this phone got me excited all over again about recording my travels and sharing them on social platforms. The Zenfone 10 doesn't compromise, as it packs plenty of power and has a high-quality build that is ready to accompany users on every step. And don't even get me started about the gimbal-supported camera and the many smart features ASUS has packed to make taking great pictures a breeze. Perhaps best of all, it's so attractively priced that it makes one wonder how something of such high quality costs so little.

I think the Zenfone 10 is a great option for those looking for a small yet uncompromising phone. I personally found it perfect for kicking off my social media profile and was very happy with the photos and videos it took.

Curious to learn more about this handy little smartphone? Check out more Zenfone 10 information via the button below!

The 144 Hz refresh rate can only be enabled in Game Genie while playing mobile games.