Asus’ weird and wonderful Zenfone 6 launched last year and debuted the company’s unique flip camera system. The company is back with the Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 7 Pro — both of which see the flip camera design evolve.
Did Asus make the flip camera valuable enough to warrant your cash? In the same vein, did Asus do enough to distinguish itself from the stiff competition? Find out in Android Authority’s Asus Zenfone 7 Pro review.
Design: Long in the tooth
- Gorilla Glass 6 (front)
- Gorilla Glass 3 (back)
- Series-6,000 aluminum
- Flip camera system
- 165.08 x 77.28 x 9.6mm
- 230g
As soon as you pick up the Zenfone 7 Pro, you quickly realize how much of a lump this phone is. At 230g and 9.6mm in thickness, it certainly takes presence in your pocket. As such, the phone isn’t the best fit for those who prefer compact, lightweight devices.
The Zenfone 7 Pro carries over the glass sandwich design from the previous generation. There’s a large camera module on the back, which spins around to the front thanks to Asus’ flip camera mechanism. The company claims the motor has 2.2x the torque of last year’s model, for better longevity. It’s rated for 200,000 flips, as opposed to last year’s 100,000.
Up front is the display, which is surrounded by some sizable bezels and an earpiece speaker nestled in between the glass and the metal frame. On the left, there’s a dual-SIM tray with microSD support. The volume rocker and power button/fingerprint scanner are on the right. On the top edge is the flip camera mechanism. The USB-C port, speaker, microphone, and notification LED are on the bottom.
The phone is hefty, but the flip mechanism is a little loose.
The aluminum rails help the phone feel robust and solidly made. However, their coating is slippery and so we recommend using a case.
The flipping camera system rattles a little and isn’t as tight as I’d like it to be. Moreover, the moving parts mean Asus couldn’t certify the Zenfone 7 Pro for water and dust resistance.
The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is very quick and accurate. It registered my thumb quickly on setup. Unfortunately, the Zenfone 7 Pro’s haptics are weak and hollow, which translates to a loose-feeling experience.