ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

ASUS

Good

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Samsung

6.8

Decent

What Reviewers Agree On

Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers excellent, blazing-fast performance
Battery life is genuinely strong — comfortably lasts a full day and beyond
6-axis gimbal stabilizer produces uniquely impressive video stabilization
Clean near-stock Android with minimal bloatware is the best software package on Android
Only 2 Android updates is universally criticized as unacceptable at EUR 1,099
Camera processing falls short of Samsung, Google, and Apple at this price tier

Deal Breakers

Only 2 Android OS updates — worst among 2025 flagships at this price

Detailed Comparison

Design & Build

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

Sleek matte glass back with ultra-narrow bezels and IP68 water resistance. The rare 3.5mm headphone jack is a welcome differentiator. However, the design is nearly identical to the Zenfone 11 Ultra, and the large 6.78-inch form factor disappointed fans of ASUS's formerly compact Zenfone line.

Retains the rare 3.5mm headphone jack — almost unique among 2025 flagships
IP68 water resistance with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and sleek matte glass back
Nearly identical design to the Zenfone 11 Ultra — barely iterative year-over-year
No charger included in the box despite the premium EUR 1,099 price

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The A36 5G punches above its weight in design, with a clean aesthetic that mirrors Samsung's flagship lineup. Build quality is solid for the price with a polycarbonate back that still manages to look sleek.

Clean, modern design that takes cues from the flagship S25 series — doesn't look like a budget phone

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Display

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

The 6.78-inch Samsung E6 AMOLED panel delivers 2,500 nits peak brightness with LTPO adaptive 1-120Hz (144Hz for gaming). Vivid colors and excellent outdoor readability are let down by FHD+ resolution at a price where competitors offer QHD+, and poor minimum brightness.

2,500 nits peak brightness with LTPO 1-120Hz and 144Hz gaming mode — vivid and responsive
Same display panel as the Zenfone 11 Ultra — no improvement whatsoever year-over-year
Only FHD+ resolution at EUR 1,099 — competitors offer QHD+ at this price tier

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display is the A36's strongest feature. Samsung's AMOLED expertise trickles down effectively here, delivering punchy colors and smooth scrolling that outclass most budget competitors.

Super AMOLED display delivers rich, vibrant colors that punch well above the $299 price point
120Hz refresh rate makes the UI feel smoother than the processor sometimes allows
FHD+ resolution is sharp enough for the screen size — text and images look crisp

Battery Life

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

The 5,500mAh dual-cell battery delivers excellent all-day endurance that approaches two days for lighter users. 65W wired charging goes from 0-77% in 30 minutes, and Qi 1.3 wireless charging is included. Battery specs are unchanged from the Zenfone 11 Ultra.

5,500mAh battery delivers excellent all-day endurance — close to two days for light users
65W wired charging reaches 77% in 30 minutes with Qi 1.3 wireless charging support
Same battery specs as Zenfone 11 Ultra — 65W charging falls behind competitors offering 100W+

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

Battery life is one of the A36's genuine strengths. The 5,000mAh battery combined with the efficient (if slow) processor means the phone easily lasts a full day and often stretches into day two.

Excellent battery life — the combination of efficient chip and large battery means consistent two-day endurance for light users
Even heavy users will get through a full day without anxiety
25W charging is painfully slow by 2025 standards — a full charge takes well over an hour