ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra: More power, more AI, more… ROG Phone?

A Zenfone or a disguised ROG Phone?

For years, ASUS considered the Zenfone a compact alternative in the premium class. But since the Zenfone 11 Ultra, it has been clear that the "compact times" are over. The Zenfone 12 Ultra continues the path of its predecessor and delivers an impressive smartphone with a 6,78-inch AMOLED display that reaches a peak brightness of 2.500 nits.

With LTPO technology, the refresh rate can vary dynamically from 1 Hz to 144 Hz to save power. The device remains protected against water and dust with IP68 certification, while the recycled aluminum frame and matte glass promise a classy feel. The smartphone is available in Sage Green, Ebony Black and Sakura White - timeless tones without frills.

Camera with gimbal stabilization and AI magic

The main sensor is a 50MP Sony Lytia 700, combined with the 6-axis gimbal stabilization 4.0. Shaky videos should be a thing of the past. The setup is complemented by a 32MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and OIS as well as a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a 120° field of view.

The front camera uses 32MP and an RGBW sensor, which should deliver better results, especially in low light conditions.

AI is also omnipresent in the Zenfone 12 Ultra:

•  AI tracking always keeps moving subjects in focus.
•  AI Portrait Video 2.0 simulates professional bokeh effects.
•  AI Magic Fill removes distracting objects from images.
•  AI Voice Clarity provides better sound in video recordings.

For vloggers and amateur photographers, the improved gimbal stabilization could prove to be a particularly practical feature.

ROG power without a gaming skin

The heart of the Zenfone 12 Ultra is the Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. Multitasking, gaming and AI-supported applications are guaranteed to run smoothly.

On the software side, the smartphone runs on Android 15 and ZenUI 15. ASUS keeps the interface relatively clean, without excessive bloatware, but integrates many AI functions.

•  AI Transcript 2.0: Converts conversations into text and recognizes multiple speakers.
•  AI Call Translator 2.0: Translates phone calls in real time.
•  Circle to Search: Simply circle an object on the display and search directly.
•  AI Document Summary: Automatically summarizes long documents.

For many of these functions, ASUS uses the Meta Llama 3 8B language model, which runs locally on the device, i.e. without the Internet. There is room for improvement when it comes to software updates. ASUS only promises two years of Android updates, which seems weak compared to Samsung or Google.

The 5.500 mAh battery should easily get the Zenfone 12 Ultra through the day. It charges with 65W via cable or 15W wirelessly. There is also Qi 1.3 support, which makes the device compatible with the latest charging pads.

Technical data at a glance

Price and availability

The ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra starts with a recommended retail price of 1.099 euros. However, ASUS is offering a 100-euro launch discount at the market launch, so the smartphone will be available for 28 euros until February 999th.

Source: ASUS press release