Syed Imran Haider 
The Asus Zenfone series from Asus is synonymous with small devices, but the company has decided to go the opposite route with the Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Design and build
It is apparent from the design that Asus wants the Zenfone 11 Ultra to stand out from the crowd. It looks very different from other smartphones from the back, as it boasts a single square module instead of the circular camera islands. The glass black comes with a matt coating and it is shimmery in the light. The angular pattern on the back is eye-catching and adds an interesting element to the design. But, the phone is very slippery, so it is best used with a case.
The Zenfone 11 Ultra feels robust and strong and the display is protected with Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The bottom of the phone is where you will find a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is quite appealing. The phone is undoubtedly big, as it measures 163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9mm. It is also one of the heaviest phones in the market, as it weighs around 224.4g.
Screen and speakers
The display of the Zenfone 11 Ultra comes as a surprise because the 6.78-inch panel is a lot bigger than other devices. In fact, it is one of the biggest screens you will find on any device these days and one of the most gorgeous as well. The OLED panel has a refresh rate of 144Hz and the LTPO tech means that it can go all the way down to 1Hz, which can save battery life without making any compromises on the smooth visuals.
The maximum refresh rate can only be used during gamine; otherwise, it is 120Hz, but it is still impressive when you use social media apps and scroll websites. The phone is very responsive and there are no delays whatsoever. While the resolution of 2400×1800 may not be something special, the content looks crisp and clear. There is an optical fingerprint scanner built within the display, which unlocks the phone quickly.
There is a very impressive slim bezel that surrounds the display of the Zenfone 11 Ultra due to which watching videos on it feels quite immersive. This is also due to the speakers. The dual stereo setup comprises of a downward-firing grille and an earpiece. The audio is clear and punchy and the sound has an impressive depth.
Specs and performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is used to power the Zenfone 11 Ultra, which is the most powerful chipset from Qualcomm at the time of writing. When combined with 16GB of RAM, the phone can deliver excellent performance. The large display and the great performance means that the phone is great for multitasking.
As far as gaming is concerned, while it might be challenging for other devices. It does not apply to the Zenfone 11 Ultra. You can play even the most demanding games on the Google Play Store and enjoy a top-tier mobile gaming experience. There are no noticeable dropped frames, or lags and the 144Hz refresh rate makes things smooth.
Another perk is that the back of the phone only gets slightly warm during gameplay rather than hot, as the passive cooling system Asus has used is very effective. There is also a version of the phone with 12GB of RAM, which obviously suffers from some performance issues. As for storage, you have the option of choosing between 256 and 512GB versions. The phone also supports 5G and has Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7, along with dual-SIM and NFC support.
The Verdict
The Zenfone 11 Ultra has moved away from Asus’ compact models, but it is undoubtedly a good package. The cameras are prone to errors, but otherwise, the phone delivers a stellar performance.
