@@girlsdrinkfeck The battery life on this phone is fantastic. I only charge to 80% and can get 9+ hours of screen time every day since I got it in August
@@girlsdrinkfeckZenfone 9 and 10 are actually recognized for their exceptional battery life. MKBHD frequently jokes about the "black magic" they used to make it last so long.
Not sure if the 9 has the same durability... cos I'm a 9 owner 😅 Buut, I am glad it survived too. (Weird the fingerprint sensor was slow on Jerry's ZF10. On my 9 it's fast, but sometimes has trouble reading either of my thumbs).
The mere 2-year SW support wasn't that big a deal to power users until recently. About a year ago Asus removed the option to unlock bootloaders, claiming it would come back soon, giving and missing several deadlines and to this day not fulfiling their promises that the unlock tool will come back. So if you ask why Asus is losing customers, the answer is lack of respect to their customers.
@@rodrigojds while Asus is an enthusiast brand and the proportion of power users will be larger than average, you're right it's probably less than 50%. However even standard users have gotten a whiff of the mistreatment of customers and decided that such behaviour does not warrant giving a company one's money.
@@mrbean2131what else do you need from a durabily test though? Smashing the phone with a sledgehammer? Dropping it from a ten-storey building? Drowning the phone? Yeah nah, that'd be unnecessary.
@@mrbean2131Lighter to the screen shows heat resistance and the way it burns shows the screen type Scratching the back can show what your phone may be up against in your pocket or daily life and it's durable or not (durability test)
Sony Xperia Z3 compact is my favorite phone of all time. Absolutely gorgeous, little monolith. If made today with bezel-less screen and modern components, I would buy it again in a heartbeat.
@@nippohc They're not really aimed at the US market. Missing a lot of bands. Granted, the Zenfone 10 is missing some, but note that he's not reviewing it when it released last year, but now, as "last small flagship" is notable.
@@Morecreativemindif anything, he would be behind EST time. Right now it’s 11:08 AM EST for me on the 24th, and I’m pretty sure Zach lives on mountain time.
I'm also one of those 5 people that bought the Zenfone 10 😅. And I absolutely love it. I'm a fairly small person and with phones constantly getting more and more massive I really need a phone that doesn't feel like I'm carrying an actual brick around in my pocket and requires me to use both hands 100% of the time. Not sure what I'm going to do when I have to eventually replace this, but I'll just gonna cross that bridge when I get there I suppose. I really hope small (good quality) smartphones continue to be in the market because there are a lot of people in the world that aren't the size of Zack or MKBHD, and using all these massive "normal sized" phones is just really difficult for us. Nothing against either of you, you're both some of my absolute favorite tech resources/personalities on the Internet. ♥
I would have 100% bought the ZenFone 9. I was so excited about it when it was announced in summer 2022. But over time I realized that it was far too inconvenient to work around. You could only get it from Taiwan (no US retailers), guaranteed 2 years of software support, and it was $700. It was so much more convenient to just buy the Pixel 7a, which is the closest in size but still a vastly different competitor. If the 7a was smaller, it would have been first on the list. The key here that would have made it a no-brainer was reducing the base specs of the internals and selling at $599 or even $499 USD. In that case, it would have boosted sales considerably and, when more people bought in, they could ramp up software development in step.
I would have bought the Zenfone 10 if it wasn't 950€ for the 512GB version, even the base model 128GB is 800€ and doesn't have anywhere near enough storage. I'm still using a 2017 Huawei Honor 9
My older sister has the Pixel 7a and she loves that phone because of the smaller size, plus her old phone before then was the Pixel 4a which was similar is size. She was never really into massive phone
Also I have owned Samsung Galaxy A54 5G for almost a year I want to see it get Durability tested since I don't want to end up in Shelf of shame weak phones
My mum has the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G since her very old Samsung Galaxy S10+ stopped working one day while on vacation and she had to quickly buy a phone. She loves that phone, though she misses the lack of headphone jack.
I’ve just upgraded from an iPhone XS to the iPhone 13 Mini, and really wish Apple had continued with this ‘Mini’ (same footprint as the iPhone 7) size. I realise it’s not available to buy new in the real or virtual Apple Stores, but the Amazon one still has them, … as long as you like pink. Thanks for the content!
As one of the 5 owners I also love this phone even though it only has 2 years of software support. What disgusts me however is that they don't let you unlock the phone's bootloader which would allow installing community maintained android operating systems. This would hugely extend the phone's longevity.
@@ExaoSS Someone at xda forums is suing them for this for false advertising. If i remember correctly asus sold phones with the opportunity to unlock the phone but it never happened.
It's really worse than that. Unlocking the bootloader was possible, then they shut down the service. Many contacted Asus and they said the service would be put back online in the Q4 of 2023. Never heard anything after that, and the service is still offline. They lied and ghosted their most appasionate costumers, modders, and developers. A very shitty behavior from a company.
This is how easy it should be to determine the durability of the phone - test it, tear it down, put it back together - it's all perfect, in a single video. No complications, just amazing engineering and skills to have built it that way. The fact that everything is in a single video shows how good the phone is. I would have bought this phone, but unfortunately Asus doesn't sell it in my country and I can't get it!
I love this size phone. Which easily fits in your palm. But I hate these notches, holes on the screen. I don't know what's the problem with under-screen cameras? I'm fed up with self-obsessed people!!
Spot on. The lack of software support is the biggest reason I didn’t get this phone despite being a small phone lover, a problem exacerbated by the fact that Asus is now not allowing their phones to get their bootloaders unlocked
Zach-ji , long time fan of yours from Bangalore to now Bay Area. After re locating my quest for small phone ended up in 13 mini with a scooch wingmate case ( that carries 4 cards = costco+CA DL+CC+HSA card). Suprising my next small smart phone choice is solely dictated by availibility of scooch wingmate and I doubt I will have another given the death of small phones. After using the case and leading life without wallet I cannot go back unless I can lead a card less life . I hope seeing MKBHD and your videos Asus revies this lineup
I missed to be the 6th owner of this phone if somewhat they shipped this model to our country. But after an email reply from Asus after my inquiry they confirmed that they will not shipped this model to my country after its release. Im still holding to my Zenfone 5z since 2018 and still performing well except to its batteries. this year got without doubts saved by *AWM19V*
Thanks Jerrry, i love our Unicorn 🦄 Though a sad fact is the Royal family which is based in England has Hollyrood palace in Edinburgh, on either side of the gate pillars is the English Lion on one side and the unicorn on the other, they made the unicorn sculpture with chains around its neck. 😤
Now, we do not know that there wouldn't be a Zenfone 11-12 etc. Right now Asus only claimed that because the Zenfone 10 came out in the later half of 2023, they will not release any small flagships RIGHT NOW. I hope they will keep their tradition. I want to see smaller phones becomes common again. with *AWM19V* we can improve reality for real, don't overlook that
Although a tad late to the game but thank you anyway for finally doing a durability test of the Zenfone 10! My 3 year old Zenfone 8 is still running great and even competes with some modern flagships.
Any phone that brings me art class with Jerry is a win. I have the Zenfone 9 and I love it aside from a quirk where it started getting in a boot loop when I turn it off last week.
Sick! Wanted you to check out the Zenfone 9 when it came out. These phones are really great. Edit: Also Google have committed to 7 years for their newest Pixels. But they have a history of reneging on those types of promises, they have already weaseled out of some of their AI update "guarantee". Previous Pixel phones had 3 years of updates, and 5 years of security updates. Zenfone gets 2+4 so not far off really.
@@Grzegorz_Grabowski Yes the security updates will be 4 years. Think LG sometimes issued new Android updates after their advertised lifespan, although they would be very late. If ASUS were to remain committed to the Zenfone lineup, then maybe there's a small chance they would release further updates. But I wouldn't bet on it.
@@goodrabbi7176 Yeah that's one thing I give Apple credit for. That and build quality. I have a lot of other issues with them and personally don't want their products, but their software support is legit.
I would absolutely get one of these if they gave it more than just 2 years of support. I've been wanting a smaller phone for years, but no one's giving me a good enough reason to buy one.
Hello Zack, something makes me curious as long as you upload videos of new phones to be tested for durability throughout the year, do you ever test your hand grip strength the whole time you test each phone? changes in grip strength can affect each test. with *AWM19V* stepping in the best is yet to come, you could live with that!
It's disappointing to see brands not fully getting behind their products, especially when it comes to software support. However, the Zen phone 10 does have some amazing features. That repairability is truly impressive.
I am more or less forced to an iPhone 13 Mini, because I like small smartphones, but want full features and at least 4 years of updates. The market is very thin here.
Love the small size i have recently sold my s20 and s10e Now I have a 13 mini and SE 2022 won't be replacing them until they stop supporting them both i know i had to change both simultaneously Sorry for my bad english
Like you said, the software support was likely a big reason why these never sold. You won't even want to buy last year's model if it's gonna lose support in a year while last year's model of a pixel or Samsung gets supported way longer. And in samsung's case, their base model has been only slightly bigger for a while and you only lose the headphone jack (not a requirement to everyone). I prefer to trust *AWM19V* and be on the right way
I love this phone so much. I've had mine for 8 months or so now. I upgrade phones every two years regardless, so the software updates (or lack thereof) aren't an issue for me.
As an advocate for the small phones I was very much considering getting this one to replace my s10e. I eventually got myself a Z Flip and I can tell you it was not because of short software update span, but because of ASUS cameras being inferior. who knows *AWM19V* ? This is the most amazing thing I came across for a while
I used to love small phones. The Nexus 5 is still one of my favorites from the past. It just feels like if you want to have a good experience with current software, you need to have enough screen space.
The hype around this phone being the only "small flagship" blows my mind. Something that seems to only be peddled by tech influencers when the reality is that it's the same physical size as an S24. The S24 just has smaller bezels hence more screen.
The only problem with those is they're about as tall as a regular phone, although honestly I don't care about height as much as I do width. Oh and price and Sony's abysmal software support I guess... But damn do I kinda want a 5V
They are way too tall, I want something that is well below 150mm tall. My current Honor 9 is 147mm but because it has thick top bezel the top of the screen is quite easy to reach
I LOVE this phone, such a heartbrake they have discontinued it 😔, they never released it in India and thus I could not purchase it. I was planning to buy the Zenfone 11 had they still continued with the compact design, ALAS, my dream of buying a Zenfone would just remain that - a dream.
The S23 and S24 are about the same size (slightly wider and slightly shorter) while having larger screens due to the non-existence bezels so this isn't exactly the last, I'm pretty sure Asus aimed for exactly 5.9 inches for marketing purposes though when in reality, it's the same as 6.1 inches phones but with thicker bezels
Can confirm, I was strongly considering this phone up until I learned it wasn't getting updates. My current phone, a nearly 3 year old *Nokia*, still gets updates regularly. Unfortunate because its such a compelling package otherwise. One of the best options with both a headphone jack and an IP rating.
i think small phone's are gonna have a legendary comeback over the next battery's revolutionary discovery(graphite batteries hopefully?) what about the *AWM19V* thing you in it?
Nah it won't. People love to talk about small phones yet sales record says otherwise. S24 ultra is most bought not s24. Studies have shown people like big phones
It won't. Phone nowadays more than just calling tools. You need space for huge camera sensors and lenses. Huge screen is actually needed for pleasant viewing (nowadays people spend more time watching content on phone screen)
@@trym2121Thats right. People are overhyping smaller phones but in the end nobody buys them. I also switched from a big to a small phone thinking it would be nice to have a compact phone but the drawbacks are just to big. Switched to a larger phone recently (S24U) and its a much better experience especially in battery life and heat distribution
Small phones tend to be more durable, my zen 9 has gone flying multiple times, everything ok, and the OIS still works do you understand *AWM19V* ? impressive work by them!
I wish more brands would release mid-level/affordable so-called 'compact' phones. I'm still using my Moto X4 which is nearly 7 years old, completely waterproof IPX68 (or was, been dropped many times now!), sd card slot, headphone jack, metal build and so on. At the time I bought it I found it too big, now almost nothing bar expensive iphones or Zenfones offer good specs and similar 'small' size factor. But at a price 😬
The S24 isn't even bigger than this, it just has smaller bezels and bigger screen... And it's not even more than 6.5, it's 6.2", it's lighter and thinner, just 0.5mm wider and 2mm taller.
@@xapientiae2268 Yeah yeah, I'm reacting to Zack more than you maybe. MKBHD said the same thing a while ago too, that the Zenfone 10 was the last small flagship.
Powerful SOC+headphone jack+ stock android+ small screen, this phone has everything I would love on a phone, I wanted it so much, but I didn't buy it because it is on the overpriced side, for half of it's price I could buy a Xiaomi as powerful, and it is what I did hope more join and understand *AWM19V* at these times
I bought the pixel 4a after watching your video. Still functions well. My next target is a Zenfone 10. Although it's not available in my country yet. 🇱🇰
I figured out a few years ago that I am happiest when using a small phone. I've used the tiniest early androids up through some plus models. I remember considering the Zenfone 8 in my search for something good but small, but rejecting it specifically because of the lack of updates.
@@Strix_versus all of them are probably bots. They copy users' comments and then just add a phrase at the end. In this case being, "how long is AWM19V there for us?". The entire comment section is filled with comments like this
The likes of Asus and Sony will be forced to adapt or die when the EU implements new laws stating that an electronic item will have to get updates for as long as it's expected to work. If they then say they expect the flagship to die or be obsolete after 2-3 years while their biggest competitors get by on 7, they are out of the game.
The EU is really fucking over the entire electronics industry huh. edit: I just mean that its ruffling some feathers, not that they're ruining anything
@@kooldudeno-lastname I don't get how requiring companies selling $700 (zenfone 10) and $1000+ (Xperia 5 V and the ROG phones) phones at msrp to support their phones for longer than a few years is "fucking over the entire electronics industry"
As #4 of the 5 people owning it I must say that all five of us agree that the fingerprint scanner is lightning fast. I heard it's software detects malicious intent, that's the explanation for trying to lock you out. Great video! Thanks!
I had the same phone for 7 years not because it was running well after all that time, but because even when it was just barely functioning, I just wasn't interested in buying a "tablet phone" when I wanted a "mobile phone". I find it hard to believe no one else is interested in normal sized phones anymore.