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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Asus Zenfone 9 has a slightly smaller screen compared to the Sony Xperia 5 III, which may be a factor if you prefer a more compact device for easier handling. For camera enthusiasts, the Xperia 5 III offers a slightly higher overall camera quality, but it uses a glass back, making it more fragile than the Zenfone 9's plastic back. The Zenfone's battery life is also marginally longer, which might be important if you need your phone to last through a long day. Both phones have similar performance capabilities, but the Zenfone 9 is a bit newer, and with that comes a slightly higher price. If budget is a key concern, you might lean towards the Xperia 5 III for its value. Both devices run on Android and have similar high refresh rate OLED displays, so your choice may come down to preferences in camera quality, battery life, device robustness, and price. 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 Asus Zenfone 9
- The Asus Zenfone 9 has no clear advantages over the Sony Xperia 5 III.
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 5 III
- The Sony Xperia 5 III has no clear advantages over the Asus Zenfone 9.
Key differences
Screen Size
The Asus Zenfone 9 has a screen size of 5.9 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$700
$450
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Asus Zenfone 9 has a price of $700 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
6.2
6.0
The Asus Zenfone 9 and Sony Xperia 5 III both have only fair overall cameras quality.
The Asus Zenfone 9 has poor ratings in key camera areas like dynamic range, low light performance, and camera versatility, which affects overall camera quality, including its fair-rated selfie camera. Comparatively, the Sony Xperia 5 III, while sharing a similarly fair selfie rating, achieves a good score in camera versatility, indicating a slightly more adaptable camera performance across various conditions.
Photo Quality
6.0
5.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Asus Zenfone 9 to have only fair photos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes poor photos.
The Asus Zenfone 9 takes poor photos, largely because it has low scores in dynamic range, low light performance, and camera versatility, and although it has a fair selfie quality, it may not compensate for these weaknesses. On the other hand, the Sony Xperia 5 III takes fair photos with slightly better scores in dynamic range and camera versatility, and it also has a fair selfie quality which makes it more balanced overall for photo taking.
Video Quality
6.4
6.0
The Asus Zenfone 9 and Sony Xperia 5 III both have only fair videos.
The Asus Zenfone 9 and Sony Xperia 5 III both take fair videos due to a combination of factors. While the Asus offers very good video stabilization and good video software experience, it is held back by only good scores in video low light performance and video dynamic range; the Sony Xperia 5 III, despite its very good video software experience and good video stabilization, also has limitations with just fair ratings in video low light performance and video dynamic range. Both phones offer good microphone quality, contributing to the overall video-taking experience.
Battery
7.8 Hours
7.3 Hours
The Asus Zenfone 9 has 7.8 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.
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How the Asus Zenfone 9 and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Asus Zenfone 9 | Sony Xperia 5 III |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $450 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Asus | Sony | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 15, 2022 | October 8, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 5.9" | 6.1" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2520 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 445 | 449 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD8+G1 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 6/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 50 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.8 Hours | 7.3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4300 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | No | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 0 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.77" x 2.68" | 6.18" x 2.68" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.96 oz | 5.93 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Plastic | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6e | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 89 | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Fingerprint sensor: Side | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Side | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Sunset Red, Starry Blue | Black, Green | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | Yes | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
Asus Zenfone 9
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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."
Sony Xperia 5 III
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Robert Triggs | October 2022
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Asus Zenfone 9 or the Sony Xperia 5 III
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.
About Sony
Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.
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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.
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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