Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Review: Cutting-Edge Features & Design
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra offers powerful hardware, a smooth UI, and great battery life, but its cameras and limited updates fall short.
The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is a minor upgrade over the model from the previous year, with minimal hardware and design modifications. Despite a slightly altered camera configuration and a new color scheme, the phone maintains its similar appearance.
Display, speakers, and battery remain the same as the previous model with the same 5,500 mAh battery that supports 65W charging and Qi wireless charging. Camera setup is mostly unchanged but Asus has updated the main sensor for better stabilization, offering up to 66% better gimbal stabilization.
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Key Specs:
Display & Sound: 6.78″ AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10, stereo speakers.
Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite, up to 16GB RAM, Android 15.
Cameras: 50MP main (better stabilization), 32MP telephoto (3x zoom), 13MP ultrawide, 32MP selfie.
Battery: 5500mAh, 65W fast charging, 15W wireless charging.
Extras: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, 3.5mm jack, under-display fingerprint sensor.
Most significant upgrade is the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which boosts AI performance with its powerful NPU enabling new AI features that run directly on the device, not requiring cloud processing. These updates make the Zenfone 12 Ultra a strong choice for users seeking powerful AI capabilities.
Table of Contents
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Specification
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 📡 Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 📅 Launch | Announced: 2025, February 06 |
| 🏷 Status | Coming soon, expected release 2025, February 28 |
| 📏 Body | Dimensions: 163.8 x 77 x 8.9 mm |
| ⚖ Weight | 220 g |
| 🏗 Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back |
| 🎫 SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| 💦 Resistance | IP68 (dust & water resistant) |
| 📺 Display | Type: LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10 |
| 📏 Size | 6.78 inches, 111.0 cm² |
| 🔍 Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| 🛡 Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| 🌙 Features | Always-on display |
| 🤖 Platform | OS: Android 15, 2 upgrades |
| ⚙ Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| 🚀 CPU | Octa-core |
| 🎮 GPU | Adreno 830 |
| 💾 Memory | Internal: 256GB/12GB RAM, 512GB/16GB RAM |
| 🎥 Main Camera | Triple: 50 MP (wide), 32 MP (telephoto), 13 MP (ultrawide) |
| 📹 Video | 8K, 4K, 1080p, 720p |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | Single: 32 MP (wide) |
| 🎬 Selfie Video | 1080p |
| 🔊 Sound | Speakers: Stereo |
| 🎧 Audio Jack | Yes, 3.5mm jack |
| 🎼 Hi-Res Audio | 32-bit/384kHz Hi-Res |
| 📶 Comms | Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7, tri-band |
| 🔗 Bluetooth | 5.4 |
| 📍 Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, NFC |
| 🔌 USB | Type-C |
| 🔋 Battery | Type: 5500 mAh |
| ⚡ Charging | 65W wired, 15W wireless |
| 🎨 Colors | Ebony Black, Sakura White, Sage Green |
| 💰 Price | ~1000 EUR |
| 📊 Tests | AnTuTu: 2702580 |
| GeekBench: 9695 | |
| 3DMark: 5678 | |
| 🌞 Brightness | 1965 nits max brightness |
| ⏳ Battery Life | Active Use: 13:55h |
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Pricing & Availability
ASUS announced the Zenfone 12 Ultra on February 6, with an initial launch in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Europe. The phone will be available in a single 16GB RAM and 512GB storage variant outside Taiwan, priced at €1,099 ($1,141). To encourage early sales, ASUS is offering a €100 discount until February 28, bringing the price down to €999 ($1,037).
ASUS does not currently have any official intentions to release the Zenfone 12 Ultra in the United States or the United Kingdom. But, as was the case with earlier versions, there’s a chance it will reach North America later. We’ll let you know as soon as any updates are available, if any are announced.
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Design
The ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra‘s design has some issues. Despite being made with Gorilla Glass 3, the back is not very durable against drops. After just three days, the device cracked when it fell from about two feet. The glass is good for scratches but doesn’t hold up well from tumbles.
The phone has a glass back with a basic camera island and an aluminum mid-frame, made from 100% recycled aluminum. It’s available in Ebony Black, Sakura White, and Sage Green, with green being the best option.
The design feels plain and doesn’t stand out, especially for a phone that costs over $1,000. The phone is lighter than last year but bulkier and taller compared to other devices. The placement of the USB-C port is inconvenient for charging or using mobile controllers.
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Display
The 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED screen on the ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra is identical to the one from the previous year. It has LTPO technology, which allows you to change the refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. Some games even support 144Hz. The screen can still be read in direct sunlight thanks to its consistent 1080p resolution and peak brightness of 2,600 nit.
ASUS’s display calibration is excellent, offering vibrant colors and customization options. Thin bezels enhance the experience and the optical fingerprint sensor is well-placed for easy access.
A 3.5mm headphone jack is still included, a rare feature in premium phones. ASUS’s Dirac audio tuning further improves sound quality.
The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, though ASUS should have used the same protection on the back. Gaming and media consumption are smooth, with only a limited selection of always-on display styles being a minor drawback.
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Hardware and battery
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra is a powerhouse, featuring Qualcomm’s latest chipset, making it one of the fastest phones in 2025—even beating the A18 in single-core performance.
I tested a device with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and it runs through tasks without stuttering or slowing down. Better thermal management than ROG Phone 9 Pro allows it to run demanding games without overheating. Its superior performance is confirmed by benchmarks, making it one of greatest Android gaming phones on the market.
Cool Features:
✔ Customizable back tap gestures, even with a case
✔ AptX HD & AptX Lossless support for high-quality audio
✔ Strong connectivity, both indoors and outdoors
Battery & Charging
🔋 5500mAh battery (same as last year)
⚡ 65W USB PD fast charging (full charge in 44 minutes)
❌ No charger included in the box
✅ Easily lasts a full day on heavy use
Even though its battery life isn’t the greatest, it’s still dependable throughout the day.
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Cameras
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra has a 50MP main camera (Sony Lytia-700), a 32MP telephoto (3x zoom) and a 13MP wide-angle lens. The main upgrade is improved gimbal stabilization, making videos smoother. However, the other cameras remain unchanged from last year.
Camera Features:
📸 New document scanning mode
⏳ Easier timer activation
🎥 Better stabilization for videos
Photo & Video Quality:
✅ Good dynamic range & color accuracy (daylight)
✅ Main camera handles low-light well
❌ Focus issues with fast-moving subjects
❌ Auxiliary lenses lack detail in low light
❌ 4K60 video limited to the main camera
Zenfone 12 Ultra has ASUS’s best camera setup yet, but it lags behind rivals like the Vivo X200 Pro and Find X8 Pro. If you don’t rely on cameras heavily, It’s an excellent option if you don’t use cameras a lot. Otherwise, think about better phones with cameras.
ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Software
✅ Smooth & Customizable UI
ASUS offers one of the best Android interfaces, balancing a clean look with extensive customization. The UI is faster and smoother than even the OnePlus 13, Vivo X200 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. You can tweak gestures, volume slider, notification panel, power menu, and more.
✅ AI Features
Runs Android 15 with on-device and cloud AI options:
- 📜 Summarization (powered by Meta’s Llama 3 8B)
- 🌍 Real-time translation
- 🔍 Semantic search for quick info
- ✍️ AI-assisted transcribing & document summaries
❌ Limited Software Updates
ASUS only promises 2 major Android updates and 5 years of security patches—less than most $1,000+ phones. Even budget devices now offer 3+ Android updates. ASUS needs to improve here.
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Is the ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra Worth Buying?
✅ Buy it if:
- You want top-tier hardware
- You prefer clean, bloat-free software
- You need great battery life
❌ Skip it if:
- You want long-term Android updates
- You need the best camera performance
- You prefer a standout design
ASUS delivers great performance, smooth software and excellent battery life but at its premium price, it falls short in key areas. The cameras aren’t as good as rivals, the design is generic and ASUS’s limited software updates are disappointing. For a $1,000+ phone, these flaws are hard to ignore.
Pros and Cons of ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| 🎨 120Hz AMOLED display | 🔄 Only 2 Android updates |
| 🎮 Powerful gaming performance | 📷 Cameras not as good as rivals |
| 📱 Clean, bloat-free software | 🔌 No charger in the box |
| 📷 Good main camera | 💰 Expensive |
| ⚡ Smooth performance | 🌍 Limited global availability |
| 🔋 Great battery life, 65W fast charging | ❌ |
Conclusion
Zenfone 12 Ultra is another ASUS phone that I enjoy. It is perfect for gaming because of its powerful hardware, long battery life and fluid user interface. It is difficult to suggest, though because the cameras don’t live up to the €1,099 price tag and there are only two Android upgrades.
