ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

A big, bright 6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED that's very good in practice — but it's FHD+, not the QHD some expect from an 'Ultra'.

• It's a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED at 144Hz, HDR10, with 1,600 nits HBM / 2,500 nits peak at 1080x2400 (20:9), with an always-on display — unchanged from the 11 Ultra.
• Peak brightness hits 2,500 nits with a real-hero ~2,200 nits at 20% APL — though minimum brightness is a bit high at almost 6 nits.
• It's an LTPO 1–120Hz panel with a boosted 144Hz refresh mode available during gaming.
• Calling it an 'Ultra' but shipping no QHD screen is a recurring criticism among buyers.

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED at 120Hz is the standout reason to buy this phone for the money. Notebookcheck measured peak HDR brightness above 2,000 cd/m² and GSMArena clocked 1,230 nits in auto mode — better than most rivals in this bracket. The catch is a 120Hz/240Hz low-frequency PWM dimming pattern that can bother PWM-sensitive eyes, and the bezels are still wider than the cheapest competition.

• Peak HDR brightness measured over 2,000 cd/m² in lab testing — exceptional for a sub-$400 phone and even brighter than Samsung's claimed 1,900-nit spec.
• The display gets nice and bright for sunny-day use, though colors can look slightly washed out at peak auto brightness.
• GSMArena measured the panel at 430 nits manual and 1,230 nits auto, up from the A35's roughly 1,000 nits, and the adaptive 120Hz dynamically drops to 60Hz to save battery.
• In HDR, Short Circuit's lab not only met Samsung's 1,900-nit claim but exceeded it, making for an excellent HDR viewing experience on an OLED panel.
• OLED PWM dimming runs at only 120Hz with a 240Hz secondary frequency — too low for PWM-sensitive users who may experience eye strain or headaches.

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

Snapdragon 8 Elite plus ROG-derived cooling makes this a fast, stable performer with no thermal drama.

• The Snapdragon 8 Elite provides excellent burst performance.
• Paired with up to 16GB RAM and UFS 4.0, load times are fast, app switching is seamless and gaming performance is rock solid.
• The most demanding titles held a steady frame rate with no lag and no overheating, impressive given the slim 8.9mm body.
• It carries thermal controls (limit CPU boost, dim brightness, disable 5G when hot) so you can tune sustained performance outdoors.
• Its gaming result was slightly better than the 11 Ultra despite the overall battery regression.

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The A36's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is the phone's most consistent weak point. Notebookcheck found it benchmarks roughly the same as the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 from 2022, and in many tests the older Exynos 1380 in last year's A35 was actually faster. Wired's review went further: the carrier-locked A36 actually felt slower in daily use than the $100-cheaper Galaxy A26 sitting next to it. Reviewers agree it's still fast enough for everyday browsing, social, and light gaming, but anyone who games heavily should look elsewhere.

• The carrier-locked AT&T A36 produced visible stutters and felt sluggish out of the box, with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 actually scoring lower in benchmarks than the Exynos 1380 in the $100-cheaper A26.
• Aside from slightly higher clock rates, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is functionally the same chipset as 2022's Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, and the Nothing Phone (3a)'s Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is roughly 10-15% ahead in Geekbench.
• Benchmarks on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 are roughly the same as last year's A35, with only a minor boost in raw graphics — overall performance is adequate for daily tasks and light gaming.
• Geekbench 6 results land at roughly 1,019 single-core and 2,947 multi-core after a year of updates — clearly on the lower end of the $400 bracket compared to phones like the Galaxy S25 FE.
• Genshin Impact ran at an average 43fps on lowest graphics in lab testing, but only 24fps at high settings — playable but not what gamers should buy this phone for.

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

Strong real-world endurance from the 5,500mAh cell with fast 65W charging — though lab testing shows a regression versus the 11 Ultra.

• The 5,500mAh battery delivered an easy 10–11 hours of screen-on time across a mix of socials, YouTube and light gaming.
• 65W wired charging takes it 0–100% in roughly 39–45 minutes, with 15W wireless and 10W reverse wired charging.
• GSMArena's testing showed a regression — the 11 Ultra hit ~17h14m of battery life versus ~14h11m for the 12 Ultra.
• It carries an IP68 rating and a large 5,500mAh cell — strong stamina credentials for the class.
• One tester reported no wireless charging on their unit, though most sources confirm 15W wireless is supported.

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

The 5,000 mAh battery is unchanged from the A35 but the bigger story is charging: 45W wired charging (up from 25W) now hits 60-66% in 30 minutes and full in around 68 minutes — faster than the Galaxy S25 itself. Real-world battery life lands around a full day with 20-40% to spare. The catch: no wireless charging, no charger in the box, and you'll need a separate 45W brick with a 5A-rated cable to hit the advertised speeds.

• The 5,000 mAh battery comfortably lasts a day, with Wired regularly ending with 30-40% remaining and occasional heavy-use days dropping to 20% by 11pm.
• Samsung's quoted charging math — 30 minutes to 65% and full in 68 minutes — matches what reviewers measured in practice and is faster than the Galaxy S25 itself.
• Active-use battery score of 11 hours 38 minutes in GSMArena's standardised test is decent for the class, but actually a touch below last year's A35.
• There's no charger in the box, and you'll need a Samsung 45W brick (or compatible USB-PD adapter) with a 5A-rated cable — the 3A cable Samsung ships won't unlock full 45W speed.

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

It undercuts the big flagships on price and is excellent value used — but a thin software commitment and a so-so camera mean stronger options exist if those matter most.

• Although it's an Ultra with Ultra features, the price is significantly lower than a Samsung Galaxy S-series Ultra.
• It's expected to deliver Qualcomm's latest chipset, a large display and a price tag that undercuts a lot of the competition.
• New, the 16GB/512GB model sits around $1,039–$1,099 via import (not officially sold in the US); used units in mint condition go for $750–$850.
• If you're buying new at $1,000+ and cameras or long-term software support matter most, there are stronger options out there right now.
• The Zenfone line has been called an unremarkable big-screen smartphone that does nothing wrong but is eclipsed by stronger competition.

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G

At $399 the A36 sits in an awkward spot — pricier than its $300 sibling the Galaxy A26 (which Wired argues is the better buy thanks to a more responsive Exynos 1380), $100 cheaper than the much more polished Galaxy A56, and shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nothing Phone (3a), Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 and Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro — all of which offer something the A36 doesn't (better chip, wireless charging, microSD, more interesting design). The reason to choose the A36 is the six-year update window plus carrier promotions, not the spec sheet.

• Most people will not pay full $399 — Samsung and carriers run aggressive launch promos, trade-in offers up to $150 off, and bundle deals on Buds FE and Watch FE.
• Wired's verdict: 'I would buy a Moto G Stylus 2025 or Nothing Phone (3a) before the Galaxy A26 or Galaxy A36' — Samsung is coasting on brand and carrier reach rather than spec leadership.
• If you can stretch $100 more, the Galaxy A56 brings aluminium+glass build, a larger 1/1.56" main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, Exynos 1580 chip and Best Face mode — and Trusted Reviews calls the upgrade meaningful.
• Notebookcheck names the Nothing Phone (3a) and Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro as the alternatives to consider if you don't want to lock yourself to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 — both offer better performance per dollar.