Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Smartphone Review – Asus launched its Zenfone series phone alongside the ROG lineup. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has finally arrived on the market, but there aren’t many changes from last year’s model. This time, the company has focused on improving hardware and bringing new on-device AI features. Like most Zenfones, you will get an all-around good design and a similar build.
You get the same camera setup, except the new main sensor supports gimbal stabilization. Besides this, you will also find the latest Snapdragon chipset, which is arguably the best thing about this phone. The good news is that it’s available in Europe, Taiwan, and Hong Kong and is expected to arrive on the global stage soon. But is the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra a true flagship phone or not? Let’s find out from the following review.
Table of Contents
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Smartphone Review
Highlights
- The device grants a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel, granting a 144Hz refresh rate with higher brightness nits.
- As for the software experience, the users will obtain a near-stock Android 15 operating system with little to no bloatware apps.
- The latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset brings astounding processing power and an advanced level of thermal throttling.
- A flagship 50MP triple camera configuration ensures clear picture quality with 8K video recording support.
- Under the hood, a 5500 mAh battery with 65W fast charging and 15W wireless charging will improve screen time.
Design and Display
From the start, the Zenfone 12 Ultra didn’t fall behind in impressing the users with its sleek and sophisticated design. But, there isn’t any aesthetic refinement of the ROG phone. Still, the phone proudly brings three color variants that welcome a subtle and elegant matte finish. The Ebony Black features a jet black paint job, the Sakura White introduces a baby pink color back panel, and Sage Green brings a tone of saturated green.
The device appears more appealing with the aluminum middle frame, giving it a premium look. The overall built quality is undoubtedly rock solid, as the entry of IP68 certification is unexpected. Although, it may not flaunt any additional features except undisclosed glass protection on the back protection. On the other hand, Asus presents a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution, which is nothing short of impressive.
With the LTPO technology, the users can choose between three refresh rate modes. The panel can switch from 1Hz to 120Hz through the dynamic refresh rate setting, which supports your daily activities with ease. However, the 144Hz refresh rate is only attainable through gaming mode. In everyday usage, the users will get up to a 120Hz refresh rate. As for the brightness level, the phone delivers remarkable outdoor results.
Memory and Internal
There’s no denying that the Zenfone lineup is known for providing clean UI. That said, the Zenfone 12 Ultra runs on a clean Android 15 interface with native apps like Gallary, File Manager, and others. With this setup, you can expect a bloatware and ad-free user experience. At the same time, Asus ensures two system updates with a standard five-year security patch. Apart from that, the software houses a variety of customization options so you can tweak the interface according to your liking.
You receive cool on-device AI features such as AI article summary, document summary, semantic search, transcribing, and more. One of the interesting things about this interface would be the Game Genie mode. Although it might not be as powerful as ROG Armory Crate settings, it borrows the core features. Through them, the users can efficiently adjust the frame rate, on-screen overlay, quick access, and more to explore. With this, the gaming session would become more delightful.
Still, aggressive gaming or constant thermal throttling will cause heating issues. In terms of hardware, the phone is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset based on modern 3nm architecture. It allows the CPU to shine during performance-driven activities such as intensive task handling, video editing, and multitasking. Plus, the octa-core processor will reach 2×4.32 GHz clock speed.
The Adreno 830 GPU, on the other side, is particularly great as you won’t face hassle playing graphic-intensive games. It improved the GPU performance by 40% compared to its predecessor. With 12GB to 16 GB. Moreover, the UFS 4.0 storage is available in 256GB and 512GB variants. Overall, the phone prioritizes providing performance and doesn’t fail in it.
Camera
The Zenfone 12 Ultra didn’t surpass the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s photography. It’s still the same setup, except for the upgraded 50MP primary sensor with gimbal stabilization. It grants a 6-axis hybrid gimbal stabilization that compensates for vibration and provides detailed photos. Aside from this, the ASUS hasn’t modified the complementary 13MP ultra-wide, 32MP telephoto, and 32MP selfie sensor from the predecessor.
The native camera app offers feature-rich modes without being overwhelmed by various customization options. The main camera sensor captures stunning photos with decent dynamic range and finely managed contrast. Following this, the colors come out naturally and smoothly. But the results aren’t on the level of a flagship phone. The portrait mode enhances the photos with reliable subject detection, while you can also use the telephoto camera for portrait images.
The zooming capabilities aren’t that bad either, especially in the daylight condition. However, the limited dynamic range is noticeable. As far as the ultra-wide results are concerned, they could have been better since their color saturation is higher. The facial features come out great, while the skin tones are fairly accurate if you are using the 32MP selfie camera. Yet, noise is visible alongside details in low-light conditions.
The night mode marginally improves the images, but it will take a few seconds for each click. The proper usage of gimbal stabilization appears in video recordings. The Zenfone 12 Ultra presents an 8K at 24/20fps recording and 4K at 60fps. It provides flexibility to your life moment without losing any details or stabilization.
Battery and Others
The Zenfone 12 Ultra does not disappoint when it comes to battery life. With a 5500 mAh battery, the users can enjoy gaming, streaming, and multitasking for the whole day. During heavy usage, getting up to five hours of screen time is possible. Besides this, the phone also supports up to 65W wired charging. Typically, it takes roughly 45+ minutes to refill the battery from scratch, while one and a half if you are using a 15W wireless charger.
Inside the box, the Asus provides two different covers and additional materials. But you won’t find a charger there. Instead, it will only have Type C to Type C cable. So, the users have to rely on the third-party charger. Speaking of which, the phone didn’t lack when it comes to additional sensors or comms. You get 5G connectivity, a 3.5 mm jack, NFC, and other flagship sensors. As far as Zenfone 12 Ultra audio quality is concerned, you don’t have to worry about anything. The sound output is crisp and clear, and you can adjust the output using the dedicated equilibrium settings from the UI. Last but not least, it would cost around $1141 (Rs 99,990 in India), which is quite expensive.
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Pros and Cons
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra smartphone.
| Specifications | Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | February 2025 |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Dimensions | 6.45 x 3.03 x 0.35 inches |
| Weight | 220 g |
| Size | 6.78 inches |
| Display | LTPO AMOLED 144Hz HDR10 1600-2500 nits brightness ~388 PPI density Always-on display |
| Protection/Others | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 IP68 dust-tight and water-resistant |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| OS | Android 15, up to 2 major Android upgrades |
| Chipset | 3nm – Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6×3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M |
| GPU | Adreno 830 |
| Card slot | No |
| RAM | 12GB, 16GB |
| Internal | 256GB, 512GB UFS 4.0 |
| Camera | 50 MP (wide), PDAF, gimbal OIS 32 MP (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 13 MP (120˚ultrawide) LED flash, HDR, panorama Max – 8K@24fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ |
| Selfie | 32 MP (wide) Panorama, HDR Max – 1080p@30fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes (stereo speakers) |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes 32-bit/384kHz Hi-Res & Hi-Res wireless audio |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| GPS | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC, GLONASS |
| NFC | Yes |
| Infrared port | No |
| Radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C |
| Sensors | Under display fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 5500 mAh 65W wired, PD3.0, PPS, QC5 15W wireless (Qi) 10W reverse wired |
| Colors | Ebony Black, Sakura White, Sage Green |
| Expected Price | $1141 (Rs 99,990 in India) approx |
Conclusion
The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is a well-made and functional phone. But, there are no significant changes compared to previous generation phones. However, when it comes down to real-time performance, prolonged usage causes aggressive heating. It might be a compelling choice for those who want a premium device with high performance and a clean UI.
But, the phone lacks gaming-centric features. Plus, the camera results might not satisfy the expectations of many users. The addition of smart AI features didn’t go unnoticed, while gimbal stabilization is fully utilized for video shooting. If you want a slightly better option, consider getting the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra instead. It promises seven major updates, making it a future-proof phone. Nevertheless, the final choice, as always, comes down to what you want and your budget.
