Head to head
iPhone 16 Pro vs ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra
ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra leads 10 to 5 on the 15 rankable specs and costs $100 less, which makes it the straightforward pick.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
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Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 5 to 10
Buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
- Leads 10 of 15 rankable overall specs; iPhone 16 Pro takes 5.
- Size: 6.78 inches vs 6.3 inches
- RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
- It is also $100 cheaper.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:iPhone 16 Pro · NoTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · No
- Trips:iPhone 16 Pro · NoClear:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · Yes (3.5 mm Hi-Res audio output)
- Trips:iPhone 16 Pro · NoTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · No
- Clear:iPhone 16 Pro · Typically 6+ years of major iOS versionsTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · 2 major OS updates + 4 years security p…
- Trips:iPhone 16 Pro · NoTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · No
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Apple
199 g
ASUS
224 g
Size
Apple
6.3 inches
ASUS
6.78 inches
Chipset≠
Apple
Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)
ASUS
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
RAM
Apple
8 GB
ASUS
16 GB LPDDR5X
Max optical zoom
Apple
5x optical (25x digital)
ASUS
3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom)
Capacity
Apple
3,582 mAh (typical)
ASUS
5,500 mAh
True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)
iPhone 16 Pro
ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra
Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check
One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.
One-Handed Palm Reach
6.3" display with 71.5mm slim bezels (manageable one-handed)
Standard smartphone width
Desk Typing Table Wobble
Large triangular stove-top camera island wobbles on table tap
Corner camera bump causes minor wobble
Pocket Weight & Heft
199g (balanced titanium heft)
Standard phone weight
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Apple: What to watch for
- Ergonomics
Camera Control button placement feels awkward in portrait orientation.
ASUS: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Body
leads 1-0| Dimensions | 149.6 × 71.5 × 8.3 mm | 163.8 × 76.8 × 8.9 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 199 g (wins this row: lower) | 224 g |
| Build | Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back, grade 5 titanium frame | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, matte glass back, aluminum frame |
| Water / dust rating | IP68 (6 m / 30 min) | IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min) |
| Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium | Skyline Blue, Eternal Black, Misty Grey, Desert Sand |
| Stylus | No | No |
Display
9 differences| Type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz for gaming |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.78 inches (wins this row: higher) |
| Resolution | 1206 × 2622 (wins this row: higher) | 1080 × 2400 (FHD+) |
| Pixel density | ~460 ppi (wins this row: higher) | ~388 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 1–120 Hz ProMotion | 1–120 Hz LTPO (up to 144 Hz in Game Genie) |
| Peak brightness | 2,000 nits outdoor / ~1,000 nits typical | 2,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM (wins this row: higher) |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | HDR10 |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield (2024) | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Always-on display | Yes (Dynamic Island) | Yes |
Platform
5 differences| Operating system | iOS 18 | Android 14 with ZenUI |
|---|---|---|
| Software support | Typically 6+ years of major iOS versions | 2 major OS updates + 4 years security patches |
| Chipset | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| CPU | 6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency) | 8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520) |
| GPU | 6-core Apple GPU | Adreno 750 |
Memory
leads 2-0| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB LPDDR5X (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 256 GB NVMe | 512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher) |
| Storage options | 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB | 256 GB / 512 GB |
| microSD | No | No |
Rear camera
6 differences| Main | 48 MP Fusion, f/1.78, 24 mm, sensor-shift OIS | 50 MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 24 mm, 6-Axis Gimbal OIS 3.0 (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120° (wins this row: higher) | 13 MP, f/2.2, 120° free-form lens |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.8, 120 mm, 5x optical, 3D sensor-shift OIS | 32 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS (wins this row: higher) |
| Max optical zoom | 5x optical (25x digital) (wins this row: higher) | 3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom) |
| Stabilization | Sensor-shift OIS on main and telephoto | 6-Axis Gimbal OIS on main + OIS on telephoto |
| Video | 4K 24/25/30/60/120 fps, ProRes, Log, spatial video | 8K 24 fps, 4K 30/60 fps with Gimbal Stabilization |
Front camera
leads 1-0| Selfie camera | 12 MP, f/1.9, autofocus, Retina Flash | 32 MP RGBW sensor, f/2.5 (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Selfie video | 4K 60 fps, cinematic mode | 1080p 30 fps |
Battery & charging
leads 2-0| Capacity | 3,582 mAh (typical) | 5,500 mAh (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Wired chargingNot on the official sheet | ~20–25 W USB-C (no charger in box) | 65 W HyperCharge (100% in 39 min) (wins this row: higher) |
| Wireless charging | MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2 | 15 W Qi wireless |
| Reverse wireless | No | 10 W reverse wired |
| Charger in box | No | No |
Audio
leads 1-0| Speakers | Stereo (bottom + earpiece) | Dual stereo speakers with Dirac Virtuo audio |
|---|---|---|
| Headphone jack | No | Yes (3.5 mm Hi-Res audio output) (wins this row: has it) |
Connectivity
5 differences| Cellular | 5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent) | 5G (sub-6) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes (Apple Pay) | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3 (up to 10 Gbps) | USB-C 2.0 (side display/charging) |
| SIM | eSIM (US) / dual nano + eSIM (many other regions) | Dual nano-SIM |
Features
3 differences| Biometrics | Face ID (no fingerprint) | In-display fingerprint sensor + Face unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Extra controls | Action Button, Camera Control | Game Genie gaming overlay toolbar |
| Standout features | Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, MagSafe, Find My | 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal 3.0, 3.5mm jack, AI Call Translator, AI Transcript |
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
iPhone 16 Pro
Titanium iPhone 16 Pro with A18 Pro, Camera Control, and a 48MP Fusion camera system.
- A18 Pro performance and video
- Lighter, smaller Pro body
- Camera Control and Apple Intelligence
What you give up
- Slower wired charging than Android flagships
- No fingerprint sensor
- Only 5x optical zoom
Pick this one if
ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra
Large-screen flagship with 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0, 3.5mm audio jack, and 5500mAh battery.
- Built-in 3.5mm headphone jack with Hi-Res Audio certification
- 6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 for silky video recording
- Massive 5,500 mAh battery with 65W HyperCharge
What you give up
- Software support limited to 2 OS updates and 4 years security
- Telephoto camera performance trails Samsung/Apple in low light
Best for each use
Photos
For photos, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Battery & updates
For battery & updates, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Games & video
For games & video, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: iPhone 16 Pro ↗ · ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the iPhone 16 Pro or the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra?
ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra costs $100 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the iPhone 16 Pro or ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra?
Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Which is better for photos, the iPhone 16 Pro or the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra?
For photos, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra. Leads 3 of 5 rankable photos specs; iPhone 16 Pro takes 2. Main: 50 MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 24 mm, 6-Axis… vs 48 MP Fusion, f/1.78, 24 mm, sensor-shift OIS
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 48 specs tracked here, 33 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.