Asus is about to drop the Zenfone 12 Ultra globally on February 6th, and the leaks are pouring in. While it shares some DNA with the ROG Phone 9 Pro, it’s clear the Zenfone 12 Ultra is carving its own path. Let’s break down what we know so far.

Zenfone 12 Ultra: A Premium Look, Not Just for Gamers

The Zenfone 12 Ultra sports a premium design, distinct from the ROG Phone’s aggressive gamer aesthetic. While the form factor is similar, the camera module is completely redesigned with clear markings like “50MP,” “OIS,” and “Gimbal Stabilization.” It’s a more refined look, available in black, green, and pink (at least according to leaked images).

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Under the Hood: Familiar Power, Different Focus

The Zenfone 12 Ultra packs a 6.78-inch Samsung LTPO OLED display (2400×1080, 120Hz, up to 144Hz in games), a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage—all borrowed from the ROG Phone 9 Pro. However, the similarities aren’t the whole story.

Camera Focused: Gimbal Stabilization and AI Enhancements

The camera is where the Zenfone 12 Ultra truly shines. It features a 50MP Sony Lytia 700 sensor with hardware-based gimbal stabilization—a big deal for smooth photos and videos. Alongside it are a 13MP ultrawide and a 32MP telephoto lens (3x optical zoom, OIS). The 32MP front camera is the same as the ROG Phone 9 Pro. Asus is emphasizing AI features for photography and video.

Battery, Charging, and Other Goodies

The Zenfone 12 Ultra has a slightly smaller 5,500mAh battery (compared to the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s 5,800mAh), supporting 65W wired and 15W Qi wireless charging. It runs Android 15 out of the box and, surprisingly, includes a 3.5mm headphone jack despite having IP68 dust and water resistance.

The Verdict: A Mainstream Flagship, Not a Rebadged Gaming Phone

While the Zenfone 12 Ultra shares core hardware with the ROG Phone 9 Pro, it’s clearly targeting a different audience. The focus on camera capabilities, AI enhancements, and a more refined design makes it a compelling mainstream flagship, not just a gaming phone. It’s less about the gaming bells and whistles (no AirTriggers here) and more about a well-rounded premium experience.

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