The best Asus phones - from compact phones to gaming monsters

With the ZenFone 8 and the Zenfone 9, Asus made a sharp U-turn in design and overall philosophy, going down the compact route. Now, the ZenFone 10 has taken this idea and perfected it in every possible way. The phone features the best Qualcomm processor at the moment, it now supports wireless charging, and the battery life is just astounding for such a small device.

Everything you loved about the ZenFone 9 is present here as well - all the audio Dirac magic with some additional algorithm enhancements (the phone sounds really good, and there's a 3.5mm jack too), the display now has a 144Hz gaming mode on top of the regular 120Hz available everywhere else, it's calibrated to perfection, and last but not least, RAM and storage are aplenty.

The main camera algorithms have been upgraded, and the whole thing sports the second iteration of the sophisticated gimbal system that can make you the next Kubrick (if only it were that easy). The Zenfone 10 is a really good deal (there's a case and a charger in the retail box) at $799. Currently, it's the best compact Android flagship phone on the market.

The Zenfone 10 may be all the hype for compact Android phones, but we shouldn't forget its predecessor, the Zenfone 9. It was a huge success when it launched, and unsurprisingly, Asus decided to rehash the design in the newer version and play it safe.

The Zenfone 9 is still a very potent phone, it has everything its successor sports, barring wireless charging. Granted, the chipset is older, but you won't notice a day-and-night difference. If you like compact Android phones and don't need wireless charging, this one is a great option to save some money.

The super-smooth gimbal stabilization is present, there's a fast refresh rate on the screen, the battery lasts long, and there's no fault with this flagship. Well, maybe a dedicated telephoto camera would've been nice, but there have to be compromises with the smaller size. Anyway, this one is loved by Asus and Android fans, and it can be had for cheaper than the Zenfone 10, so it's a solid option.

The never-ending quest for maximum screen-to-body ratio has spawned some very interesting design solutions in the past few years. Asus came up with its own idea for the ZenFone 6 and perfected it in the next two generations - the flip camera. It's a unique take that comes with some drawbacks, but it gets the job done and looks really cool.

The ZenFone 8 Flip took up where the 7 Pro left off - adding small refinements to the flip mechanism. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about - there's no selfie camera in the ZenFone 8 Flip. The whole main camera module flips up instead, so you can snap your persona with three different high-quality lenses. Neat!

The phone delivers on many different levels - the notchless 6.67-inch HDR 10+ display is pretty good, and even though it can only go up to 90Hz, you won't feel like you're missing something. You get the same top-of-the-line Snapdragon 888 chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128/256GB of storage, with the surprising addition of a microSD card slot.

The camera module features the same main and ultra-wide snappers we saw in the ZenFone 8 but adds a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. There's a big 5,000mAh battery on board, but there's no sign of wireless charging or a 3.5mm audio jack (pretty strange at this size). Nevertheless, if you want the flip experience, the Asus ZenFone 8 Flip is your best bet.

Gaming Features (ROG Phones): If you're interested in gaming, the ROG (Republic of Gamers) smartphone line is the right for you, as it comes with gaming-centric features. Check for features like high refresh rates, dedicated gaming modes, capacitive trigger buttons, and efficient cooling systems.

Asus ZenUI: Some Asus smartphones run on Asus's custom ZenUI, while others opt for a more stock Android experience. Even though ZenUI is very close to stock, and offers some quite nice bonus features, you should decide which user interface you prefer, as it can significantly impact your overall user experience.

Biometrics: The side-mounted capacitive fingerprint scanner on the Zenfone 9 and Zenfone 10 is one of the fastest (if not the fastest) in the industry. On the other hand, if you prefer under-display fingerprint readers, you should consider other models.

Updates Frequency: This is a hot topic in the industry, and with Google offering seven years of major updates for the Pixel 8 series, the bar has now been set very high. Asus phones normally receive two years of major OS updates which might not be enough for some.

Accessories and Ecosystem: We're talking about different accessories here, not your regular smartphone cases and protectors. As most of the entries in this list are gaming phones, you should consider accessories such as active cooling fans, joystick handles, etc.

So there you have it! We believe that any of these phones can be worthy of your attention and hard-earned money. Asus may not be as popular as Samsung or Apple in the smartphone space, but this doesn't mean that the company can't make phones. On the contrary - just take a look at a ROG phone of any generation. And you don't need to be an avid gamer to enjoy such device - a good phone is a good phone, period. 

Of course, this best Asus phones list is a work-in-progress, and with the pace of today's tech, it'll always be. The Zenfone 11 Ultra surprised us all, adding some variety to the otherwise compact Zenfone lineup, and we might also get a regular version sometime this summer. So stay tuned for more.