I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You gotta love compact phones, it's just a shame they aren't mainstream enough

The fact that u can choose between stock android features or the custom ones really surprised me, well done Asus

Proud owner of the Zenfone 9 here, after almost 1 year it feels like just brand new, despite heavy use and more than half the storage full of excellent videos and photos. My entire family started switching to Zenfones after seeing mine, either because of the size, the glorious image stabilization, or the headphone jack... the latest has been my wife who received her new Zenfone 10 some weeks ago and she is also loving it, and they gave a free chromebook as a launch promotion 🤯 as well as the standard charger, cable and case. Personally, it felt and still feels like an insult from major brands to have removed the headphone jack, and to ship a flagship phone even without a cable. It's literally like paying for your meal at a restaurant but having to request cutlery at an extra cost... Asus is going the opposite direction, developing cutting edge phones in reasonable sizes and prices, with no compromises and having the decency of adding a cable, a charger and even a case. RESPECT for ASUS. I'll keep buying their Zenfones.

Who's rewatching the review again after Asus Zenfone 10 won "the best compact phone 2023" award?

I hope this sells well so they keep doing stuff like this

Well done Asus, 3 years in a row listening to the user/costumer and improving. Not perfect yet, but still refreshing to see... Keep up!

The first thing I did when I heard about the launch of Zenfone 10 was search for your review amongst other reviewers. I am glad to have come across your review now. Thanks.

I bought the 9 when your talked about it. Absolutly happy after more than a year with it. Thank you for your vides Marques!

Big thing that was missed is that there’s actually 4 years of security updates now, instead of 2 software 2 security. So now it’s 2 software 4 security, which at least keeps it quite usable I’d say. Basically doubled lifespan in that sense.

As a working musician, this looks like an absolute workhorse. Long battery life, headphone jack, compact form, android software with more compatibility for different file types. Love it.

Off your reviews last year, I jumped from a (finally) dying Galaxy Note 4 to the Zenfone 9 and I love it. It's good to see they're listening for improvements. Here's hoping they extend support one day.

I just bought the Zenfone 9 last week at a very good price and I am super happy about it! Takes better photos than my Pixel 6 in my opinion and I like the UI better. It allows me to choose what icons show up in the top bar, I can hide the battery and clock and cellular signal indicator for extra clean look :3

The fact that Asus isn't know for being a phone company but made a great phone is big props

The stock android vs manufacturer settings is one of those tiny things that should’ve been introduced years ago wow

I'm sold, I love this, so underrated!

Proud owner of a zenfone 9 in the eu. Love the phone, and even after a year and after dropping it countless times, it still feels brand new. I am so happy the rumours of a big zenfone 10 were false! I'm definitely going to continue buying zenfones.

The fact that you gave them the changes and they actually did them shows how much they listen. Great job there Asus.

In the era of small android LED Tv's that aren't day to day user friendly, what Asus is doing is brave and definitely worth every bit of appreciation. Love Zenphone 10. I'm still using my Pixel 4a for the small form factor and my options are running out as Google is making phablets these days. Thank you Asus for making the perfect phone for the small form factor phone enthusiasts. I have Asus monitors, Asus Tuff mobo, Asus Graphics card and I'm definitely getting this Zenphone 10. Thank you Asus for Keeping the Headphone jack, PROVIDING A CHARGER AND CABLE!!!!! Oh and thank you Asus for actually listening to the users.

yeah this sold me.. I'm going to move to this phone when it comes out. was already looking at the zenfone9 but this looks like they nailed it. thanks mkbhd 👍❤️🥰 would love if you made another deep dive on this phonee

I am greatly enjoying my Zen9. I hope they keep rolling out the hits

Asus deserves a lot of appreciation and credit for the work they've put in for this phone. Amazing product. Though, i'd say upto 6.1' scrren size is still fine. Like in the S23 & Iphone 14's. But Asus really delived on one-handed proper flagship. Kudos. & love how MKBHD really is showing his appreciation and love for the product Asus has delivered. Sadly, they won't be launching it in India & that's understandable. Artistic by Asus

Honestly this feels like the perfect for me. The small phone size, the headphone jack, the clean android OS. It's really a shame that the software support is so short, otherwise I likely would've picked one up myself.

I had 8, I have 9 and while I am seriously looking at this, it doesn't have enough upsides for me to upgrade. The biggest for me going from 8 to 9 was the fingerprint sensor as opposed to under-screen one and the improved battery life. From 9 to 10, I really like the wireless charging, but this is not enough for me to switch. I hope this is another success, I LOVE the zenfone line and I hope to buy these phones for years to come!

I totally agree, i liked my zenfone 8 very much, now i have the 10 and the jump is very big. The battery lasts about 3 normal use days for me and i like the size, it is perfect for my hands. And i love the so close to stock experience and the customisation options. The cameras are very good and i have never missed the telephoto lens cause i never needed it anyway.

i will buy this phone just for sake of supporting asus so they can make another compact phone for years to come.😊

Asus should create more smartphones like this at different budgets and create a good competition in the market.

Nice 👍🏻 this phone seems really cool, thanks MKBHD your tech videos are great.

According to Asus (based on what I've read) its 2 full android OS updates, and 4 years of software support. The big deal for me is that there's finally a 512GB version - as a photographer I use that storage for RAW and lightroom on the fly at festivals and events, so this looks like the smol phone I've been waiting for.

This is my next phone for sure. I was hyped about the Zenfone 9, was about to buy it, and now this? ASUS is killing it!

Whenever I've needed a new phone, I've always tried to buy a flagship that's 1-2 years old. This is genuinely the first time I've considered buying brand new.

Just purchased! Thanks Marques

This is a great phone, it's on my list of potential upgrades but the main things holding me back is the camera and the software support. 2 years has me a bit concerned about the longevity of the phone's lifecycle.

I own the Zenfone 9 and love it. Will probably keep it for a couple more years before upgrading, but I gotta say one additional feature that doesn't get talked about enough is its performance in capturing audio. Most phones usually struggle handling loud music e.g. from recording video clips of concerts, but not this one. Been to many different metal festivals and electronic music raves in the past year with bass booming everywhere, but I still get crystal clear audio capture every time. It's great!

I've been rocking the Zenfone 9 for almost a year now and I absolutely love it. I love how compacy and chonky it is and while the cameras might not be top of the line I am still really satisfied with them

You're AWESOME man!!! Keep up da good work.....stay real👍👍👍

Since your last review on Zenfone 9 I literally started thinking about switching to it. I’ve been using the smaller iPhones Pro since iPhone 11 Pro came out, and that’s the first Android I feel like buying in years

Grabbed the 9 around release, put off upgrading from my last for like 6 years cause I'm so damn picky and my god, love everything about it. So many simple, great features but refined in other ways to make it feel really unique. I don't plan on moving away from asus for a while now!

Had the Z10 for a week now, easily the best phone I've ever used. I love big screens but was curious to try something small, i'm never going back. Not once have I wished it was bigger, but i constantly appreciate how compact t it is. Also the things just so damn sexy!

This phone looks amazing!

Thanks Asus for keeping the compact phone alive. Looks like a good upgrade from Pixel 5.

Such a perfect phone, let down by the software support. I use my phones for at least 5 years, and was already let down by the lack of updates for the OnePlus 5T after 3 years. 5 years should really be the industry standard minimum for security patches.

I just got mine today and they've actually changed/added a few quality of life features since the 9. The quick settings for wifi and bluetooth now have drop downs so you don't have to go all the way into the settings to change wifi networks or connect to a bluetooth device. They also now have the apps screen search bar and settings dots at the bottom of the screen instead of the top (it is actually nicer, but it takes some getting used to). I believe ASUS added some more of their own apps (clock, phone, and contacts) though they do seem to be removable. I've noticed a few other things, but I can't remember them at this moment. A couple things I wish ASUS would change are the fact that there's only 2 of the colors available for the top model (I would have loved the silver and white color instead of fully black), their phone clone app would be a hell of a lot better if you could transfer data over usb instead of just wifi, and I can't find a way to buy the ASUS case bundle here in the US without going through a third party on ebay. There's also practically zero decent cases for it in the aftermarket. I would for sure buy kevlar case for it in a heartbeat

I'm really happy with the 9, good stuff!

Would absolutely love to own the blue one!!🔥🔥 Great job Asus!!

Asus caught my attention with the Zenfone 8 at the time. A compact flagship phone with a clean interface AND a 3.5mm headphone jack. Don’t have to mess around with adapters or proprietary earphones that don’t even come in the box anymore. Speaking of what’s in the box, Asus kept the charger. Well done! To me, all that’s left is to offer four years of software support and I’d be willing to order a Zenfone from abroad as Asus phones aren’t available in my market. Or maybe only the gaming Rog phones.

I held one in person today and I am instantly a fan. This phone has the best one hand ergonomic I’ve ever used. Now I just need to figure out how to adapt to Android ecosystem

Looks like the perfect phone... Eexxxcccceeeeeppppppttttttt... The front facing camera. The hole punch instantly makes this a no-go like every other phone with it. Hopefully the underscreen camera catches on and more companies can get hold of it to use.

I hope that Asus continues to make this model in the future. I currently have an iPhone mini and I think about going back to Android, and this is the only phone I would consider because of its size

Great stuff Asus. LOVE the ability to choose between their extras and stock android. Also the design is dope.

What a high praise, bravo Asus bravo..

That's an awesome looking phone. Love at first sight honestly

They're almost there! Just give us longer software support and I'm 100% buying.

Glad to see software support being talked about. I feel like it should almost be one of his pilars for a good smart phone. I tend to stick with my phone until it reaches end of life so active and prolonged software support is one of my main buying criteria

ASUS phones have greatly improved. I recall around 5 years ago their line up consisted of around ten models, all a little different, and very confusing for the buyer.

You have my respect Asus 🙌🏻🙌🏻

The Asus zenfone 2 was the first phone I bought doing my own research on the options I had, within my budget, what I thought was necessary and comfortable for me. I usually get attached to things and it's no surprise that I loved that phone, I loved the screen, the battery, the volume button on the back with the different texture. It was a big jump from my previous phone which was a samsung chat so it felt wonderful. Later I had a huawei, xiaomi and now Pixel. I love my pixel but I would also love to go back to an Asus Zenfone because that brand is still in my heart. I get in my feelings when it's something that I use so much cause I really do get attached to things! I love seeing that asus zenfone is doing great and keeps being just different. Saludos desde Argentina! ❤

just a tip. They did update the security patch support from 2 to 4 years. So you are able to safely use your phone for those years.

In Croatia (EU) is 829 EUR in pre-order.Excellent phone in terms of hardware and design. My only concern is software support. Thanks for the great review (not the first time)

Was awaited for so long for Zenfone 9 , but it not released in India 😢 Hope this Zenfone 10 releases soon. I love this phone over all phones , for real ❤

I hope the Asus team is celebrating as it is due. No small achievement to execute so well.

If this had slightly longer software support, 3-4 years I would 100% get this. When my p7 ages out in a few years this will definitely be up there

you got everything you need here!! good battery good performance head fricking phone jack compact design so you don't look like a goofy person carrying a whole tablet when going outside good cameras relatively cheap I must say I'm kinda sold on this one

The swipe down on the fingerprint button is a huge perk to me. I'm still using my Pixel 4a because I love the speed of a physical fingerprint reader and being able to swipe down for notifications on it is so convenient. Also headphone jack. If Asus added expandable memory with micro sd cards, I would swap to this in a heartbeat.

I have a condition called essential tremor which basically means my hands shake so I cannot hold a giant modern phone one handed without risking it slipping out of my hand and it's one of the reasons I've stuck with a small iPhone 7 for so long. Great to see smaller phones that are easier to wield like this one.

Some very nice features! Impressive. If ASUS can increase the 2 years of updates (that just doesnt cut it) and also a way to increase privacy over stock Android that would be nice.

I like the zenfone. My first Zenfone was the Zenfone 2 and it still works fine.

If I hadn't gotten an iPhone 13 mini last year (in frustration that there are no decent small Android phones), then I would definitely buy this one now. What a great phone!

As I heard, the zenfone 10 will deliver 4 years of security updates. So you won't end up with the latest android version but also won't have security issues. Only a little bit more and it really will be perfect :)

People will always have things to complain about in phones but asus wants to deliver what people actually want ,it is actually amazing what they do and it deserves respect and recognition

I bought the zenphone 9, wanting a smaller phone since flagships have gotten so heavy, and hard to fit in the pocket or use with one hand. It was amazing, nearly perfect. But after a day or two, i found that I wanted a bit better camera performance (esp in low light) as well as true optical zoom, and that i did end up missing the larger screen for viewing content. Foldables are where the sweet spot will be for me, once the battery and camera catch up. But in the meantime, this phone checks every other box. It's where OnePlus used to be before they lost their way.

I have got a Zemphone 7 and I have to say that it still works perfectly. Asus phones is just amazing

Man im so happy they are continuing the zenphones. I got my zenphone 8 some 2 years back and was expecting them to end that model line next year tbh. But they keep getting better.

Wanting the Zenfone 9 because that was the ideal phone, but was sad that it didn't have wireless charging. Happy to hear that they've added it! Good price, size, and set of features.

Thanks for your very informational video Mr. Brownlee. I would just like to know the company you bought or were given this phone from is?

I'd like to have a relic piece from your archive, I'm just impressed by content shared herein.

I never thought I'd feel like a good telephoto is a dealbreaker, but now that I've been using a Pixel 7 Pro, I use the telephoto all the dang time. It has a better optical zoom than its iPhone equivalent. But this Zenfone looks so good. Thrilled to see a company simply making a solid phone at a reasonable price.

Finally a review video like you used to do in the past, explaining everything in sub 10 mins.

That OS customization is awesome.

i definitely think this is what i’m picking up next

Yea I really love that set up option for the operating system. Other OEMs should adopt it.

if they do provide at least 3 years of software support then I would have ordered at least 5 for entire family. It looks nearly perfect as MKBHD said!

The Asus Zenfone 10 is, for lack of a better word, unique. Good job for keeping small phones alive, Asus!

So interesting what you say about a phone like this...as it is not power house on the spec...but very practical....

If i was looking for a new phone, this honestly would be the phone i would get. This is a really consumer friendly phone, which is something that should be praised. I never really gave ASUS much consideration, but when im ready to upgrade my phone in the future, this brand is something i will be keeping an eye on.

I really loved the writings on the back of the Zenfone 9, with the more industrial look borrowed from the ROG series. But I realise the new cleaner ones on the Zenfone fit the aesthetic they're going for on this non-ROG phone. Either way the rest of the design is absolutely beautiful, glad they fixed the material durability issue!

Still absolutely love my Asus Zenfone 9. Will get another Zenfone after this one.

very informative. The 2 year software support might be a feature though, personally that's the point where software updates have slowed my phone

Asus is easily the most innovative company in terms of new products , their laptops and phone are always fun to explore

This is basically the S10e reincarnated - the small size - the selfie camera to the side - the lock button features (finger print, notifications, camera) - the side dock - the headphone jack

Now this is an honest review

I have always wanted a small phone but with good features, this is great 👍🏾

I appreciate Small Phones like this, too many companies are making 7" Tablets and calling them Smart Phones..

Currently using the ZenFone 8, and it's shocking how much their phones have improved since this one

Omg your channel is so helpful, i am shoping around for a new affordable phone cause im switching from apple, cause I do not want to be forced into larger phone with auto brightening photos and live photo and this phone is awesome. Put it above my next pics which in order are Sony Xperia 1 V , Xperia 5 III, and Pixel 8 Pro.

The teleobjective missing is the only thing preventing me from switching from my S23. Other than that, the ZF10 seems perfect! (except the shiny ring you're talking about that I also saw on some Xiaomi and surprised/annoyed me)

Main problem of the Zenfone is the limited software support lifetime. I wanted to buy one last time but there were only 1.5 years left of software support.

Rocking a zenfone 9 since shortly after launch and it's been awesome. The only phone I've been as satisfied with as the Nexus 5 which I loved for way too long until the screen found a pebble on the floor. I can only hope that since zenfone 10 is so similar to 9 that they keep doing software updates for a bit longer.

I have a Zenfone 6 with flip camera. It's fallen off stairs, survived construction work, fallen out of my pocket more than I can count, ... It's still going strong. The only reason I'm considering reopening it, is because it's storage is running full. I love the Zenfone!

that vertical swipe!❤

I have always thought Asus phones were great bang for the buck. They were usually pretty understated and minimalistic, which is good for those who like that. Then they kinda dropped off my radar for a few years. I'm glad to see them coming back strong with their gaming phones and this small form factor which is a super under-represented niche in the mobile phone market. Seems like they made pretty much all the right choices here.