Photo: ASUS
ASUS breaks the mould with the Zenfone 11 Ultra with its significant departure from the series' traditionally compact size. This phone offers a large-scale experience with a stunning 6.78-inch LTPO display protected by the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It's now the same size as its gaming-centric counterpart, the ROG Phone 8 Pro.
Speaking of gamers, they'll appreciate a buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate, while casual users benefit from a dynamic adjustment down to 122Hz for everyday tasks. It doesn't get the gaming-specific features of the ROG Phone, but you can at least get a smooth experience of it.
Under the hood, the Zenfone 11 Ultra boasts the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, clocked at 3.3GHz and paired with the powerful Adreno 750 GPU. This powerhouse ensures smooth performance for demanding applications and games.
While the Zenfone 11 Ultra borrows the foundation of the ROG Phone 8 series, it adopts a more minimalist aesthetic. Choose from glossy or matte finishes for the rear panel, which now comes in Skyline Blue, Eternal Black, Misty Gray, and Desert Sand.
Gone are the dual lenses of the Zenfone 10. The Zenfone 11 Ultra features a 50-megapixel Sony IMX980 primary sensor with advanced 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 for shake-free footage and 2x lossless zoom. Complementing this camera is a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera paired with a 32-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x zoom. These cameras let you capture stunning landscapes and detailed close-ups. There's also a 32-megapixel front-facing camera that boasts a wider 90-degree field of view, ensuring you can fit everyone in for group selfies.
Photo: ASUS
ASUS leverages artificial intelligence throughout the Zenfone 11 Ultra. One of the most intriguing features coming soon is Semantic Search. This AI-powered functionality allows you to search for content on your device using natural language. Imagine searching for a "picture of a dog at a party" to find the specific photo you're looking for.
AI also enhances calls with noise cancellation and empowers the camera with "Portrait Video" mode for natural-looking depth effects. It introduces some AI features in beta, including AI Call Translator, AI Transcript for voice recordings, and AI Wallpaper.
A 5,500mAh battery keeps you powered up throughout the day. The phone supports 65W fast wired charging and Qi 1.3 wireless charging for added convenience. It doesn't include a charger in the box, though.
The ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra retails for €1,000 (around CA$1,473) for the 12GB + 256GB variant, with a €100 (~CA$147) discount during the pre-order period, and €1,100 (~CA$1,620) for the 16GB + 512GB option. ASUS doesn't have plans to bring it to Canada, unfortunately. But we wanted to talk about what we're missing, given their past devices were made available here.