The Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra is officially out, marking the first attempt at the Ultra by the Taiwanese company. Many may think that it's just a toned down ROG Phone, but in reality, you're getting a very fast phone for not a lot of money.
The Google Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, is now a seasoned player in the smartphone scene and has a lot going for it. The model is without a doubt the best Pixel phone out there. And guess what? These two phones come with the same exact price tag: $899. So, which one to get, then?
Today, we're pitting against each other the Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra and the Google Pixel 8 Pro. Let the best one win!
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro differences explained:
Zenfone 11 Ultra
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Square camera bump design
Camera bar design
Faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor
The latest Google Tensor G3 chipset (still lags behind the competition)
Three cameras on the back with wide, ultrawide and telephoto with 3x optical zoom
Three cameras on the back but the telephoto is a periscope system with 5x optical
Super bright 6.78-inch, 2,500-nits screen 1-120Hz LTPO with 144Hz gaming mode
Very bright 6.7-inch screen, 1-120Hz LTPO dynamic refresh rate
Well, these two are quite different at first glance, but the more you look, the more similarities you can pick out. The materials are similar; of course, we have the usual glass sandwich design, but the overall shape, colors, and feel of both phones are rather similar.
Speaking of colors and size, the Zenfone 11 Ultra is just a millimeter taller, but both phones feel quite similar in the hand, as both have rounded backs. The colors are also very similar.
Of course, the Zenfone 11 Ultra relies on a more traditional camera bump, inspired by the ROG Phone 8, while the Pixel 8 Pro follows in the footsteps of its predecessors with the camera bar design.
The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set(area)of colors that a display can reproduce,with the sRGB colorspace(the highlighted triangle)serving as reference.The chart also provides a visual representation of a display's color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The 'x:CIE31' and 'y:CIE31' values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. 'Y' shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while 'Target Y' is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, 'ΔE 2000' is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.
The Color accuracy chart gives an idea of how close a display's measured colors are to their referential values. The first line holds the measured (actual) colors, while the second line holds the reference (target) colors. The closer the actual colors are to the target ones, the better.
The Grayscale accuracy chart shows whether a display has a correct white balance(balance between red,green and blue)across different levels of grey(from dark to bright).The closer the Actual colors are to the Target ones,the better.
As far as display quality goes, both phones sport excellent displays that are very bright and vivid. The Zenfone 11 Ultra comes with a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel that can do 1-120Hz dynamically and 144Hz in games, while the Pixel 8 Pro sports a 6.7-inch AMOLED with a 1-120Hz refresh rate and very similar color accuracy and brightness to its competitor.
If we really have to nitpick, the Zenfone 11 Ultra scores higher in our brightness test, while on the other hand, it has lower resolution and lower PPI density (388 vs 430 for the Pixel).
Both phones use under-display fingerprint scanners, and both work very similarly regarding speed and accuracy. All in all, the display shouldn't be a deciding factor if you're wondering which phone to get. The Zenfone 11 Ultra is a tad brighter, while the Pixel 8 Pro is a tad crisper, but that's about it.
Performance and Software
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 wins the speed race
(Image credit - PhoneArena
The big difference between the Zenfone 11 Ultra and the Pixel 8 Pro is the hardware heart of both systems. The Asus comes with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while the Google phone gets the proprietary Tensor G3. And there is a difference. While the Tensor is not a slow chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 runs circles around it.
It's debatable whether the AI chip inside the Tensor platform is more capable than what Qualcomm is doing in the Snapdragon 8 chipset, and of course, real day-to-day performance is different than synthetic benchmarks, but we think that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is still the better chipset.
When it comes to software, things are pretty straightforward. The Pixel 8 Pro offers seven years of major Android updates, and you will also get them first. The Zenfone 11 Ultra, on the other hand, offers only two major OS updates and four years of security patches. The Pixel 8 Pro also has the potential to utilize AI better through further updates, so we think that Google wins the software round.
Camera
Computational photography wins
(Image credit - PhoneArena
There are three cameras on the back of both phones, and they serve similar purposes. The main shooter is 50MP on both phones, but the Pixel 8 Pro has a larger sensor (1/1.31") with larger pixels (1.2μm). The aperture is also different; the Zenfone 11 Ultra has f/1.9, while the Pixel 8 Pro comes with an f-stop of 1.7.
The ultrawide camera on the Pixel 8 Pro has more megapixels at 48MP, compared to the 13MP one on the Zenfone. And the telephoto on the Pixel 8 Pro is more sophisticated, with a periscope system and 5.0x optical zoom over a 48MP sensor, while the Zenfone has a regular 32MP telephoto camera with 3.0x optical zoom.
But as we all know, smartphone photography is highly computational these days, so without putting too much weight on the hardware, let's check some side-by-side samples.
Main Camera - Day
< ZenfonePixel >
< ZenfonePixel >
Even though both phones sport 50MP sensors under the main camera lens, it seems that the Pixel 8 Pro does a better job at preserving details and it also offers wider dynamic range. The Zenfone 11 Ultra produces softer and darker images (probably due to the smaller sensor and pixel size) and the phone also tends to smear the details a bit.
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Main Camera - Low-light
< ZenfonePixel >
The low-light samples just reinforce what we already learned. The bigger sensor and better processing algorithms of the Pixel 8 Pro give the Google phone an edge with brighter and clearer images, with more detail and better dynamic range.
Zoom Quality
< Zenfone 10XPixel 10X >
< Zenfone 5XPixel 5X >
Another win for the Pixel 8 Pro, at least in our book. Both at 5x and 10x the Pixel offers much clearer image with lots of detail. The Zenfone, on the other hand, introduces some artifacts at 10x, and even at 5x the image suffers from noise issues.
Ultra-wide Camera
< ZenfonePixel >
Things are much more on par in the ultrawide department, although the Pixel 8 Pro still manages to output brighter photos. But when it comes to details and overall picture quality, both phones are pretty close in this category.
Selfies look great on both phones. The Zenfone 11 Ultra has a new 32MP front camera with RGBW pixel arrangement and it shows. The image is clear, bright and detailed. It looks a bit cold next to the selfie taken with the Pixel 8 Pro but other than that, both look great. It's a draw!
Video Quality
What do you think about the video sample above? Which phone does a better job? The super-stabilized Zenfone 11 Ultra or the AI-clad Pixel 8 Pro? Our preference leans toward the Pixel 8 Pro, as we feel it has wider dynamic range and captures more detail.
Audio Quality and Haptics
We were really impressed with the stereo speakers in the Zenfone 11 Ultra. Being a ROG Phone relative, the sound level and quality are both excellent. You can feel the bass through the phone's chassis, and the sound remains clear even at max volume. As a bonus, you're getting a 3.5mm audio jack to use your favorite wired headphones.
The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, doesn't sound bad or something, it's still decent in the audio department. But it lacks the aforementioned audio jack, and if we have to pick a clear winner here, it will be the Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Battery Life and Charging
Similar but fast charging wins
(Image credit - PhoneArena
The battery situation is similar between the two devices: the Pixel 8 Pro comes with a 5,050mAh cell, while the Zenfone 11 Ultra rocks a slightly larger battery at 5,500mAh. Real life longevity is also pretty similar on both phones, with a full day of heavy use, and 1.5–2 days if you keep your foot off the throttle.
Quite unsurprisingly, our battery benchmark reinforces the notion from above. The Zenfone 11 Ultra has a 25-minute advantage over the Pixel 8 Pro in web browsing; it can play 2 more hours of YouTube, and you can game 45 minutes longer as well. The difference isn't huge, and it is completely in line with the 450mAh capacity disadvantage for the Pixel 8 Pro.
When it comes to charging, the Zenfone 11 Ultra has the edge with its 65W fast wired charging support. The phone is able to fill its hefty 5,500mAh battery in just 47 minutes. The Pixel 8 Pro doubles that time, and a full charge takes around 90 minutes.
Both phones support wireless charging, and the results are closer between our two contenders. A full wireless charge takes 2 hours for the Zenfone 11 Ultra and 2 and a half for the Pixel 8 Pro.
Specs Comparison
You can check out our detailed phone comparison here.
Specs
Zenfone 11 Ultra
Pixel 8 Pro
Dimensions
163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm
162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm
Weight
224.0 g
213.0 g
Screen
6.78" AMOLED, 1-120Hz, 144Hz (Game mode) 2400 x 1080 pixels, 20:9 ratio, 388 PPI
6.7-inch OLED, 120Hz 2992 x 1344 pixels, 20:9 ratio, 490 PPI
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Google Tensor G3
RAM, Storage and Price
12/256GB for $899
12/128GB for $899
Cameras
Battery Size
5,500mAh
5,050mAh
Charging Speeds
65W wired, 15W wireless
30W wired, 23W wireless
Summary and Final Verdict
So, there you have it. Our Zenfone 11 Ultra versus Pixel 8 Pro comparison. Which one should you buy? The Asus phone is faster, brighter, and its battery lasts longer. It also charges faster. On the other hand, getting a Pixel device will grant you seven long years of fast OS updates, more AI tricks inside the UI, and a more potent camera system.
Both phones are priced identically at $899, but you can get deals on the Pixel 8 Pro, while the Asus is bound to be stuck at this launch price for a little while. If you want the fastest Android experience on the market, the Zenfone 11 Ultra is the right choice for you. If you don't care all that much about raw power and prefer software longevity, the Pixel 8 Pro is better suited to fulfill your needs.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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