I have been using the Zenfone 9 for a week now. And I must say, this is one of the best phones I have used in a while.
I use 2 phones as my daily driver. I live in Singapore but my family lives in the Philippines. So I usually keep one phone, my iPhone 14 Pro Max, as my Singapore phone, which has all my work apps, Singapore banking apps, ride hailing apps, and food delivery apps. Then I have another phone, usually an Android phone, for my Philippines related apps which includes group chats with my family, PH bank apps, etc.
I used to have a Galaxy S22 Ultra as my Android phone. I liked it at first. It was huge, screen was amazing, it was fast, audio was decent, and it looked beautiful. But after using it for about 2 weeks, I realized it was too huge. I was keeping huge slabs of phones in my bag which contributed to the weight as well. And the Ultra wasn't really doing it for me. Pulling the phone out of my bag or my pocket was a chore. The 14 Pro Max on its own is already huge, but its more acceptable.
I decided to trade it in for a Zenfone 9. I decided on the Z9 after watching a bunch of reviews and I was sold on it after watching MKBHD. I instantly was in awe after seeing it. It actually did not look bad. It really looked premium and handsome. The sandstone back of the phone is a nice touch. My only regret was I did not get the red one, but oh well. It still looked insanely good. The phone is also a monster. No slowdowns at all, but I had to set the refresh rate to constant 120hz because the Auto was somehow making the phone feel slower than it should feel. Camera is also great, but I dont take a lot of pics so I am not really a good judge here. Speakers are loud and clear. Google Pay works perfectly in the trains and stores. My only slight complaint is the OS. They couldve just made it pure Android like a Pixel and added a menu for Asus customizations, but its honestly close to that already so just a slight complaint.
I find myself using the Z9 now more than the iPhone. Its just a good feeling to reach for a phone that is not a huge slab of metal. The iPhone is not really a huge slab, but the size of the Z9 is such a breath of fresh air. Now, would I ditch the iPhone totally and use the Z9 as my one and only? Nah. Sorry but IOS is on another level. But would this be my Android phone for a while? Definitely.
