The Zenfone 8 is Android’s iPhone 12 mini

• The Zenfone 8 is Asus’ latest smartphone that packs the flagship punch in a small form factor.
• If you are a fan of small phones and yet don’t want to switch to iPhones, this could be what you are looking for.
• But how does the Zenfone 8 fare against the iPhone 12 mini? Let’s find out.

Small smartphones are rare. Perhaps as rare as Jupiter and Saturn coming close to ‘touching’ each other in the sky. And this is what makes them special.

One of the best small smartphones that you can buy right now is undoubtedly the iPhone 12 mini. Apple knocked it out of the park by equipping the phone with the same firepower as its bigger siblings, so you don’t have to compromise in terms of power or performance when choosing the smaller iPhone.

Cut to the Android world, and there seems to be an endless barrage of big phones that somehow just keep getting bigger. Google tried to make a small phone in the form of the Pixel 4a, but it lacks the power and punch of even budget smartphones.

Enter the Asus Zenfone 8. It comes with a slightly bigger size than the iPhone 12 mini, but that is forgivable considering the options available. And if you are in the market for a new small smartphone, we are here to help you decide.

Asus Zenfone 8 vs iPhone 12 mini: Price and availability

Asus Zenfone 8	Price	Apple iPhone 12 mini	Price
6GB + 128GB	$599 (approx. ₹44,000)	64GB	₹69,900
16GB + 256GB	$799 (approx. ₹58,800)	128GB	₹74,900
		256GB	₹84,900

The Zenfone 8 India launch has been delayed due to the surge in COVID-19 cases. It should make its way to the country in the next few weeks. It comes in Obsidian Black and Horizon Silver colours.

The iPhone 12 mini is available for purchase on the Apple India online store, Amazon and Flipkart. It comes in Blue, Black, White, Red, Green and Purple colours.

Asus Zenfone 8 vs iPhone 12 mini

Particulars	Asus ZenFone 8	Apple iPhone 12 mini
Display size	5.9-inch	5.4-inch
Display type	AMOLED	OLED
Resolution	2400 x 1080 pixels	2340 x 1080 pixels
Refresh rate	120Hz	60Hz
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus	Ceramic Shield protection
Android version	Android 11 with ZenUI 8	iOS 14
Chipset	Snapdragon 888	Apple A14 Bionic
Rear camera	64MP primary	12MP primary
	12MP ultra-wide	12MP ultra-wide
Selfie camera	12MP primary	12MP primary
Fingerprint sensor	In-display	Rear-mounted
Battery	4,000mAh	2,227mAh
Fast charge	30W	20W
5G	Yes	Yes

Asus Zenfone 8 vs iPhone 12 mini: Display and size

The Zenfone 8 sports a slightly larger display when compared to the iPhone 12 mini. As such, its dimensions are relatively larger as well. But both still offer a small phone experience that’s become a rarity these days.

The Zenfone 8 has a 5.9-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate that boosts it to 240Hz when you interact with the phone (i.e., the touch sampling rate is 240Hz). In simpler terms, the Zenfone 8 has a compact yet bright, smooth display that should have a major positive impact on the user experience.


The iPhone 12 mini has a slightly smaller 5.4-inch OLED display with a similar resolution as the Zenfone 8. However, the refresh rate is just 60Hz, so you might not experience the same level of smoothness while interacting with the screen.

Asus Zenfone 8 vs iPhone 12 mini: Performance and battery life

Coming to the most important aspect of modern smartphones, both the Zenfone 8 and the iPhone 12 mini are powered by top of the line processors available right now.

The Zenfone 8 is powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset built on a 5nm fabrication process – the best that Qualcomm has launched till date. This is paired with fast memory and storage, so the latency is reduced even further.

It is equipped with a 4,000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging.

On the other hand, the iPhone 12 mini is powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset, which is also built on a 5nm fabrication process. This is paired with 4GB of memory. It is equipped with a much smaller 2,227mAh battery, but results suggest it should last a day of normal usage.

Some might think that using top of the line chipsets in such small phones is an overkill, but for those who want small phones, this will come as a major positive point.

The Zenfone 8 is Android’s iPhone 12 mini.

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