Head to head

iPhone 16 vs ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra leads 13 to 3 on the 16 rankable specs, but iPhone 16 costs $100 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: iPhone 16 lists 170 g (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 224 g (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: iPhone 16 lists 6.1 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 6.78 inches (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: iPhone 16 lists Apple A18 (3 nm) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: iPhone 16 lists 8 GB (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 16 GB LPDDR5X (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: iPhone 16 lists 2x optical quality crop (10x digital) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom) (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 3 to 13

Buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 13 of 16 rankable overall specs; iPhone 16 takes 3.
Size: 6.78 inches vs 6.1 inches
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
iPhone 16 is $100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

Check first: the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra has under 5 years of OS updates. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

3 iPhone 1616 rankable of 48 specsASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra 13

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:iPhone 16 · NoTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:iPhone 16 · NoClear:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · Yes (3.5 mm Hi-Res audio output)
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:iPhone 16 · NoTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · No
60 Hz screenrow
Scrolling looks noticeably less smooth than a 120 Hz rival.
Trips:iPhone 16 · 60 HzClear:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · 1–120 Hz LTPO
Under 5 years of OS updatesrow
Security patches stop sooner and resale value falls faster.
Clear:iPhone 16 · Typically 6+ years of major iOS versionsTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · 2 major OS updates + 4 years security p…
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:iPhone 16 · NoTrips:ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Apple

170 g

ASUS

224 g

Size

Apple

6.1 inches

ASUS

6.78 inches

Chipset≠

Apple

Apple A18 (3 nm)

ASUS

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

RAM

Apple

8 GB

ASUS

16 GB LPDDR5X

Max optical zoom

Apple

2x optical quality crop (10x digital)

ASUS

3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom)

Capacity

Apple

3,561 mAh

ASUS

5,500 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

iPhone 16

Upfront list price$799

Essential add-ons (20W USB-C charging brick (no charger in box))+$29

3-Year Estimated Total$828

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra

Upfront list price$899

3-Year Estimated Total$899

Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check

One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

One-Handed Palm Reach

Widths under 72mm allow thumb access to opposite screen edges without shifting grip.

Apple

6.1" display with 71.6mm width (easy one-handed thumb reach)

ASUS

Standard smartphone width

Desk Typing Table Wobble

Horizontal visor cameras sit flat on desks without annoying rocking while typing.

Apple

Vertical pill camera bump causes minor tilt on flat surfaces

ASUS

Corner camera bump causes minor wobble

Pocket Weight & Heft

Apple

170g (featherweight in pocket)

ASUS

Standard phone weight

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Apple: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

ASUS: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

iPhone 16$7993 wins

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$89913 wins

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

44 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Dimensions	147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm	163.8 × 76.8 × 8.9 mm
Weight	170 g (wins this row: lower)	224 g
Build	Ceramic Shield front, color-infused glass back, aluminum 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, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine	Skyline Blue, Eternal Black, Misty Grey, Desert Sand
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 4-2

Display specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Type	Super Retina XDR OLED	LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz for gaming
Size	6.1 inches	6.78 inches (wins this row: higher)
Resolution	1179 × 2556 (wins this row: higher)	1080 × 2400 (FHD+)
Pixel density	~460 ppi (wins this row: higher)	~388 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	1–120 Hz LTPO (up to 144 Hz in Game Genie) (wins this row: higher)
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	Latest-generation Ceramic Shield	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	No	Yes (wins this row: has it)

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
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 (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	5-core Apple GPU	Adreno 750

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
RAM	8 GB	16 GB LPDDR5X (wins this row: higher)
Storage	128 GB NVMe	512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)
Storage options	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB	256 GB / 512 GB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 3-0

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Main	48 MP Fusion, f/1.6, 26 mm, sensor-shift OIS, 2x in-sensor zoom	50 MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 24 mm, 6-Axis Gimbal OIS 3.0 (wins this row: higher)
Ultrawide	12 MP with Macro photography, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°	13 MP, f/2.2, 120° free-form lens (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	None (2x optical-quality crop from main sensor)	32 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS
Max optical zoom	2x optical quality crop (10x digital)	3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom) (wins this row: higher)
Stabilization	Sensor-shift OIS on main camera	6-Axis Gimbal OIS on main + OIS on telephoto
Video	4K 24/25/30/60 fps Dolby Vision, Spatial video capture	8K 24 fps, 4K 30/60 fps with Gimbal Stabilization

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Selfie camera	12 MP TrueDepth with autofocus, f/1.9	32 MP RGBW sensor, f/2.5 (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps Dolby Vision	1080p 30 fps

Battery & charging

leads 2-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Capacity	3,561 mAh	5,500 mAh (wins this row: higher)
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	~20–25 W USB-C	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

Audio specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Speakers	Stereo speakers	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

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)	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 2.0 (480 Mbps)	USB-C 2.0 (side display/charging)
SIM	eSIM (US) / nano-SIM + eSIM	Dual nano-SIM

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16, right column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.
Biometrics	Face ID	In-display fingerprint sensor + Face unlock
Extra controls	Action Button, Camera Control	Game Genie gaming overlay toolbar
Standout features	Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Spatial audio and video capture	6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal 3.0, 3.5mm jack, AI Call Translator, AI Transcript

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

iPhone 16 source ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

iPhone 16

Standard flagship featuring A18 chip, Camera Control button, Action button, and 48MP Fusion camera.

Powerful Apple A18 processor built for Apple Intelligence
Camera Control button and Action button included on standard tier
Vibrant saturated color-infused back glass designs

What you give up

Display still restricted to 60Hz refresh rate
No dedicated optical telephoto camera lens

Full iPhone 16 specs →

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

Full ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs.
Max optical zoom: 3x optical vs 2x optical quality crop
Main: 50 MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 24 mm, 6-Axis… vs 48 MP Fusion, f/1.6, 26 mm, sensor-shift…
iPhone 16 is $100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

For battery & updates, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,500 mAh vs 3,561 mAh
Wired charging: 65 W HyperCharge vs ~20–25 W USB-C
iPhone 16 is $100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if capacity matters to you.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

For games & video, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 4 of 4 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
Size: 6.78 inches vs 6.1 inches
iPhone 16 is $100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if ram matters to you.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

iPhone 16 spec sheet ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: iPhone 16 ↗ · ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the iPhone 16 or the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra?

iPhone 16 costs $100 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the iPhone 16 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 or the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra?

For photos, buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra. Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 3x optical vs 2x optical quality crop

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 32 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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