ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra vs Sony Xperia 1 V

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.

Sony Xperia 1 V

The 6.5-inch 4K 21:9 OLED is the headline differentiator — no other 2023 flagship matches the cinema aspect ratio or the true 4K resolution at this size.

• 6.5" 4K 21:9 OLED 120Hz HDR — only smartphone in 2023 delivering true 4K at this aspect ratio.
• Creator Mode delivers accurate colors 'as the directors intended' — best smartphone for watching movies.
• 21:9 aspect ratio is divisive — perfect for cinema content but letterboxed on most apps and 16:9 video.
• Display gets dazzling 4K resolution that makes watching movies feel cinematic — long, narrow form factor pockets easily.

ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra

The gimbal-stabilized main camera is the genuine highlight; the rest of the system is solid-for-the-price but clearly trails rival flagships.

• Asus swapped the main camera sensor as part of a gimbal-stabilizer upgrade that now provides up to 66% better stabilization (6-axis, up to 5° each direction).
• The lead shooter promises gimbal-level stability when snapping or filming — the standout reason to consider this phone.
• The main camera captures 12.5MP pixel-binned stills; the ultrawide is limited to 4K30, the telephoto to 1080p60 and the selfie to 1080p30.
• Camera quality is subpar versus other flagships, with no autofocus on the wide-angle and the front camera capped at 1080p 30fps video.
• Photography and processing fall away once you push past 3x optical, where rivals with longer reach stay stronger.
• Asus confirmed the Zenfone 12 Ultra would launch with new AI camera features.

Sony Xperia 1 V

Sony makes the best camera sensors but Sony's smartphone processing still doesn't fully exploit them — the Xperia 1 V is the closest the company has come, with the new Exmor T sensor and continuous 3.5-5.2× zoom remaining unique selling points, but auto-mode HDR trails iPhone/Pixel processing.

• New 24mm f/1.9 52MP main with Type 1/1.35" Exmor T sensor — 1.7× larger than the Xperia 1 IV's, the headline hardware upgrade.
• 85-125mm telephoto offers continuous optical zoom 3.5×-5.2× — versatility that needs multiple cameras on rivals to match.
• Real-time eye AF + 30fps continuous shooting with autofocus — Sony Alpha DNA carried over from mirrorless cameras.
• Low-light performance still trails Samsung and Google — lights look blown out in completely dark conditions.
• Camera comparison vs iPhone 14 Pro is 'embarrassing' — despite better hardware, processing still trails Apple.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 V

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 + 12GB RAM delivers flagship-class performance; thermal management improved over the Xperia 1 IV but still throttles under sustained load.

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 + 12GB RAM — flagship-tier benchmarks aligned with Galaxy S23 family.
• Thermal management improved vs the IV but still observes 'significant thermal throttling' in prolonged stress tests.
• Real-world performance is better than the synthetic stress tests suggest — display refresh rate never throttled.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 V

5,000mAh + Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 efficiency delivers strong real-world endurance — but Sony's 30W wired charging is now firmly behind OnePlus's 80W and Samsung's 45W flagship peers.

• 5,000mAh battery delivers up to 20 hours of continuous 4K playback per Sony's claim.
• Real-world: ~50% remaining after average day of web browsing, messaging, calls, and gaming — strong endurance.
• 30W wired + PD3.0/PPS — 50% in ~30 min. Slow vs OnePlus 11's 80W and S23 Ultra's 45W.
• Wireless + reverse wireless charging supported — feature parity with S23 family for the basics.

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.

Sony Xperia 1 V

The $1,399 price is the make-or-break factor — meaningfully above Galaxy S23 Ultra ($1,199) and iPhone 15 Pro Max ($1,199), and limited US distribution shrinks the addressable market further.

• $1,400 price tag is a true flagship spend going up against Apple iPhone 14, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Z Fold 4, Pixel Fold.
• Notebookcheck verdict: 'more camera replacement and DSLR companion than smartphone' — niche positioning explicit.
• Most-cited fan critique: 'too expensive for what it offers, especially in camera department' — value debate is the central tension.
• If long battery life is the priority, Galaxy S23 Ultra or Xiaomi 13 Ultra offer more endurance at lower prices.