I got the phone on release, as there was a slight discount if it was pre-ordered. I made my decision based on its size and headphone jack. I've been using it with a Rhinoshield case since day one.
I'm satisfied with the phone itself, even though it could do with a longer battery life without the need for the user to fiddle with the settings. I don't think that is fitting a flagship phone.
The size is great for me, even though it's slightly thicker than my previous phone (Huawei P10+Spigen case).
I'm not that impressed with the quality of the camera, even though I like having the option of a wide lens.
I'm very satisfied with the screen.
The software is OK, I like that I have the feeling of being close to stock Android, without many Asus customizations. However, it is obvious that the quality and frequency of updates have declined over time. There have been updates with serious bugs that should have been caught before release. I have never had that experience on any other phone I owned before. Regarding the frequency of updates, it is almost November at the time of writing, and my phone is still on the security patch from August. I don't feel that is acceptable for a flagship phone released by a well-known company, especially when you take into account the fast pace at which new exploits and vurneabilities are discovered.
Ever since the whole ramdump situation and no reaction (except "send it in for repair") from Asus, I always have a fear in the back of my mind that my phone could die at any moment. I've never had that feeling with any phone I owned before, even though I used them to their max abilities and rooted/installed custom ROMs on most of them.
I don't think I will ever buy another Asus phone ever again, just because of the level of support Asus has shown.
