Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra: Another déjà vu from this year, just a little more expensive

So it is Asus the new Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra really ultrasound, or is this just recycling with some new label? Spoilers: the second option is closer to the truth.

Design: The Zenfone 11 Ultra is back... oh, wait, it's a 12

When you pull the phone out of the box, the first thing you'll think is: “Did I just accidentally buy last year’s model?” Don't worry, it's not you who's confused - Asus simply copied the design Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra and added one new color. If they were a little lazier, they would have just put a sticker on the box saying “12” and let us update our phones ourselves.

Last updated 2025-02-08 / Affiliate links / Photo source: Amazon Product Advertising API

So we have again 6.78-inch AMOLED display, which is as flat as a workplace monitor and wrapped in an aluminum casing. It weighs 220g, meaning that after a day of carrying it in your hand, you will probably develop biceps on one side of your body. Frosted glass on the back It looks sleek, but it's so slippery that your Zenfone 12 Ultra will probably be the first phone you'll inadvertently drop test. Luckily, Asus includes a protective case, which makes the phone less unsightly, but deprives you of the ability to use the camera as a handy finger tray.

The phone, like last year, IP68 water and dust resistant, which means it survives immersion in water. Unfortunately, it is not IP69, which means that if you accidentally spill hot coffee on your phone, you will probably lose both your phone and your will to live.

Display and sound: Samsung's AMOLED saves the day

Since Asus didn't have the will to develop anything new, it used Samsung AMOLED panel, which at least does its job. The picture is sharp, the contrasts are excellent, the refresh rate 120 Hz It's so smooth that you'll find it easier to scroll through YouTube comments where people are explaining why you should buy an iPhone instead. HDR10+ support it's here, but it's still not there Dolby Vision, meaning Netflix apparently thinks Asus users don't need superior color display.

The speakers are decent and supportive Hi-Res Audio, so at least your depressing music after a lost Warzone match will sound great. But the big win remains 3.5 mm headphone jack – Asus is clearly aware that their users still appreciate the fact that they can plug in their headphones without hunting for adapters in drawers.

Performance and software: Fast, but no guarantee of future-proofing

It's under the hood Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which means the phone is lightning fast. Nothing lags, nothing stutters, games run at the highest settings, and the battery doesn't overheat like a radiator in the middle of January. 16 GB of RAM it ensures that you can simultaneously browse Instagram, argue on Reddit, and listen to podcasts without your phone starting to cough like Windows XP on its last update.

The problem arises with software support. Asus only offers two years of OS updates, which is a disaster in the world of premium phones. While competitors such as Samsung and Google, offers at least four or even seven years of upgrades, Asus is clearly counting on you throwing the phone in a drawer in two years anyway.

Last updated 2025-02-08 / Affiliate links / Photo source: Amazon Product Advertising API

ZenUI does offer some interesting AI features, such as AI article summaries, which fold the text into a few short sentences in a matter of seconds – ideal for those of you who don't like reading long analyses about why Asus recycles phones. Also available are AI audio enhancements, which reduce noise during calls, and AI photo editing, which can remove distracting elements from images. The problem? Sometimes the AI will also remove some important detail and your image will end up looking like you edited it in Paint.

Battery and charging: Powerful, but no progress

The battery remains at 5,500mAh, which means the phone can easily last a full day of intensive use. If you're a less demanding user, it will last two days, which is commendable. Unfortunately, Asus didn't upgrade the charging speed – 65W charging is still the same as last year, which means you need about 40 minutes to 100 %Wireless charging at 15 W is still desperately slow and does not support the new standard Qi2, which means you are still doomed to the old methods when charging.

Cameras: Still OK, but not on par with the competition

The main camera uses 50MP Sony LYT-700 a sensor that is slightly improved, but still not superior to the competition. In good light, the pictures are excellent, but in low light ... let's say that the memories of night trips will remain more in your head than on your phone. The stabilization is improved, but if the subject moves even a millimeter, the picture will probably be blurry.

The telephoto camera offers 3× optical zoom, which is useful but nothing special. Ultra-wide camera with 13MP is not very impressive and is more there for statistics than not. The front camera with 32MP it is solid, but for some unknown reason it does not support 4K videos, which is absurd for a phone of this category.

Conclusion: Is it worth buying?

The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is fast, powerful, and has a good battery. But if you were expecting major changes, you'll be disappointed. Asus clearly isn't trying too hard - minimal improvements, short software support, and practically the same design as last year.

Last updated 2025-02-08 / Affiliate links / Photo source: Amazon Product Advertising API

If you already have Zenfone 11 Ultra, there's no point in upgrading. But if you're coming from an older phone and want a powerful phone with a large screen, the Zenfone 12 Ultra will still be a decent choice. But with the competition offering more for a similar price, Asus will have to do more than just rebrand last year's model going forward.