A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you value a smaller, lighter phone and prefer iOS, consider the iPhone 13 mini; however, if battery life and camera capabilities are higher priorities and you're comfortable with Android, the Asus Zenfone 9 might be the better option despite being slightly more expensive. The Zenfone 9 also offers a higher refresh rate display and more RAM, which can enhance your experience during demanding tasks and media consumption. The choice comes down to which features align with your needs and whether you prefer the iOS ecosystem or Android. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 13 mini
- Good for taking photos
- Very good for recording videos
- Very good display quality
- Very good performance
Advantages of the Asus Zenfone 9
- Good battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.7
6.2
The Apple iPhone 13 mini has good overall camera quality, while the Asus Zenfone 9 has only fair overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 13 mini has superior camera capabilities compared to the Asus Zenfone 9, primarily because it delivers better performance across a range of important camera characteristics. While the iPhone 13 mini excels in photo software experience, dynamic range, low light performance, and selfie quality.
Photo Quality
7.5
6.0
The Apple iPhone 13 mini takes good photos, while the Asus Zenfone 9 takes only fair photos.
The Apple iPhone 13 mini delivers sharper selfies due to its superior selfie quality, in addition to having better overall software in camera operations, more dynamic range, and more consistent low light performance. In contrast, the Asus Zenfone 9 falls short with poor dynamic range, low light performance, and less versatile camera abilities, though it does offer satisfactory selfie quality.
Video Quality
8.0
6.4
The Apple iPhone 13 mini takes very good videos, while the Asus Zenfone 9 takes only fair videos.
The Apple iPhone 13 mini delivers very good videos due to its superior video stabilization and better overall video software experience, resulting in clearer and more stable footage. In contrast, the Asus Zenfone 9, while offering good video stabilization, falls behind in software, leading to a fair video capture experience.
Battery
5.6 Hours
7.8 Hours
The Apple iPhone 13 mini has 5.6 hours of battery life. The Asus Zenfone 9 has 7.8 hours of battery life.
Cost
$600
$700
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Apple iPhone 13 mini has a price of $600 and the Asus Zenfone 9 costs $700.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Phone
Find your new phone
Key similarities
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 13 mini has a screen size of 5.4 inches and the Asus Zenfone 9 is 5.9 inches.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple iPhone 13 mini and the Asus Zenfone 9 compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 13 mini | Asus Zenfone 9 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $700 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Asus | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 24, 2021 | September 15, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 5.4" | 5.9" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 476 | 445 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A15 | SD8+G1 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 50 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.6 Hours | 7.8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 2438 mAh | 4300 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 12 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.18" x 2.53" | 5.77" x 2.68" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.97 oz | 5.96 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6e | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6) 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 89 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Fingerprint sensor: Side | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue, Pink, Midnight, Starlight, Green, Red | Sunset Red, Starry Blue | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 13 mini
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Jordan Palmer | May 2022
"It’s the best small phone you can possibly buy, outpacing anything Android can offer. With the A15 Bionic system-on-chip, which includes a quad-core GPU, the iPhone 13 mini is a very powerful little phone. Fans of smaller handsets will love this phone, as it fits in many a pocket."
Asus Zenfone 9
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Robert Triggs | March 2023
"The Asus Zenfone 9 is a compact device that still packs more than enough power under the hood. It's compact size, Bluetooth and audio features (including a headphone jack!), and hardware gestures combine to offer a package that does enough differently to warrant your attention."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 13 mini or the Asus Zenfone 9
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About ASUS
Asus is a well-known player in the mobile world, and in the past few years it has been known for covering specific niches in the smartphone market. Their Zenfone line of devices appeal to small phone enthusiasts, by providing very well-rounded and capable phones at a package that is not too large to operate with one hand – something hard to find in modern Android smartphones. Conversely, their ROG line of devices cater to mobile gamers, by providing a slew of hardware and software features, specifically tailored to enhance the mobile gaming experience. Additionally, Asus is one of the only manufacturers left that continues to include headphone jacks in their lineup of phones, a feature that has become exceedingly rare in today's market.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Phone guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about phones
Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
151,800
Recommendations made
86,020
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
Featured in
