Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra Review: Flagship Features at a Mid-Range Price
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra offers top performance, long battery life, powerful cameras, and customizable features for a premium experience.
I don’t usually have strong reactions to phones but Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra really frustrated me at first. I thought Asus had replaced smaller Zenfone 10 (a phone I love) with this bigger model. Thankfully, Asus still sells Zenfone 10, so I could focus on the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s good points—and there are many!
Zenfone 11 Ultra borrows a lot from the ROG Phone 8 which is a great start. Its lower price, practical design, and excellent battery life make it better for everyday users. The big, bright screen is a plus too, though its camera and software are less exciting. Still, features like the gimbal-stabilized main camera and some AI tools add value.
To see how it stacks up against other phones keep reading this Zenfone 11 Ultra review.
Table of Contents
Main Specs:
| ⚖️ Weight & Thickness | 224g, 8.9mm | 🛠️ Operating System | Android 14 (Up to 2 upgrades) | 💾 Storage Options | 256GB/512GB (No card slot) |
| ⭐ Popularity Rating | 3.7% | 🔥 Hits | 838,806 | 📏 Display Size | 6.78 inches |
| 🔍 Resolution | 1080×2400 pixels | 📷 Main Camera | 50MP | 🎥 Video Recording | 4320p |
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra Specification
| 📋 Category | 📱 Details |
|---|---|
| 📡 Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 📅 Launch | Announced: March 14, 2024; Released: April 14, 2024 |
| 📏 Body | 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm, 224g; Gorilla Glass Victus 2; Aluminum frame; IP68 |
| 💳 SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by); IP68 dust/water resistant (1.5m for 30min) |
| 📺 Display | 6.78″ LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10, 1600 nits (HBM), 2500 nits (peak) |
| 🔍 Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~388 ppi) |
| 🛡️ Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2; Always-on display |
| ⚙️ Platform | Android 14, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm), Octa-core CPU, Adreno 750 GPU |
| 💾 Memory | No card slot; 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM (UFS 4.0) |
| 📷 Main Camera | 50MP wide, 32MP telephoto (3x zoom), 13MP ultrawide; LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| 🎥 Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | 32MP wide; 1080p@30fps; Panorama, HDR |
| 🔊 Sound | Stereo speakers; 3.5mm jack; 32-bit/384kHz Hi-Res audio |
| 📶 Comms | Wi-Fi 6e/7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, USB Type-C |
| 📡 Sensors | Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| 🔋 Battery | 5500mAh; 65W wired (100% in 39 min), 15W wireless, 10W reverse charging |
| 🎨 Misc | Colors: Black, Blue, Gray, Sand; Price: $779.99 / £728.00 / €829.00 |
| ⚡ Performance | AnTuTu: 2147516 (v10); GeekBench: 7085 (v6); 3DMark: 18596 (1440p) |
| 💡 Display Brightness | 1773 nits (measured) |
| 🔊 Loudspeaker | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| ⏳ Battery Life | Active use: 16h 28min |
Zenfone 11 Ultra Price and Availability
Zenfone 11 Ultra is priced at $899/£869, with pre-orders available from March 14 until its release on April 14.
This price is $200 more than Zenfone 10, but $100 and $300 less than standard ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro. Compared to other Android options, Google Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus are $1,000 each, while the OnePlus 12 starts at $800.
Zenfone 11 Ultra Design
Zenfone 11 Ultra is much bigger than the Zenfone 10, growing from 5.9 to 6.7 inches. This size change has its pros and cons.
It looks similar to ROG Phone 8, with a shared camera design and a left-aligned USB-C port but it’s more user-friendly for everyday use.
Key features include a tough Gorilla Glass Victus 2 display and IP68 rating, making it water and dust resistant.
It also has a headphone jack, which is a nice touch. Dual stereo speakers offer great sound without distortion.
You can choose from four colors: Misty Gray, Skyline Blue, Eternal Black and Desert Sand. Availability may vary by region. Satin finish feels good, resists fingerprints, and looks nice with shiny Asus logo.
Zenfone 11 Ultra Display
Zenfone 11 Ultra features a 6.7-inch FHD OLED display. It has an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120Hz and a special 144Hz mode for certain apps and games. This makes it better than many rivals that only offer up to 120Hz in limited cases.
Zenfone 11 Ultra Cameras
Zenfone 11 Ultra features:
- Main Camera: 50MP for clear photos.
- Ultrawide Camera: 13MP for wider shots.
- Telephoto & Selfie Cameras: Two 32MP cameras.
Performance:
- Main camera has cooler colors and less detail than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
- Ultrawide camera is good but the Pixel 8 Pro captures more detail.
- Telephoto camera takes 8MP photos, which can look flat.
- HyperClarity feature helps with zoom shots but lacks brightness.
For selfies, Zenfone shows accurate skin tones but less detail.
In videos, it offers smooth, stable footage, better than iPhone and Pixel. AI Portrait Video feature allows you to change focus between subjects but can’t be adjusted later. Overall, it’s great for video stability.
Zenfone 11 Ultra Performance
Zenfone 11 Ultra uses Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a top choice for Android phones this year. You can get it with either 12GB RAM and 256GB storage or upgrade to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. Standard version offers more memory and storage than many other phones, like the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Battery and Charging
Phone has a 5,500 mAh battery and supports 65W wired and 15W wireless charging. In tests, it lasted nearly 18 hours on a charge, making it great for long use.
Asus says you can fully charge it in about 39 minutes, but there’s no charger included. You can use a compatible third-party charger to get similar speeds.
Software and Features
Running on Android 14, Zenfone 11 Ultra includes useful AI features like:
- Automatic transcription for calls.
- Noise cancellation during calls.
These features work on your device for better security and don’t have extra costs.
You can also choose from three Quick Settings styles for more customization, making it easy to access notifications and settings.
For connecting with other devices, GlideX allows you to share files and controls between your phone and computers.
Software Updates
Asus offers only two years of updates and four years of security updates for Zenfone 11 Ultra. This is shorter than many competitors which may be a downside for some users.
Zenfone 11 Ultra Pros and Cons
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| 🛠️ Well-built | 📷 Cameras can be inconsistent |
| ⚡ Fast universal charging | 🎥 No 4K recording on all lenses |
| 🤖 Good AI features | 📅 Update policy could be better |
| 🎥 Great video stabilization and bokeh | 👎 |
| 📱 Sleek, simple software | 👎 |
| 👆 Useful back-tap gestures | 👎 |
Conclusion
Combination of Asus ROG Phone 8’s design and Zenfone 10’s features creates a phone that many flagship Android users will appreciate for its long battery life and stunning display. However, this Ultra-branded phone isn’t focused on photography and it has a shorter software support period than some might expect. This may lead buyers seeking top camera performance and longer updates to look elsewhere.
