Realme P3 Ultra vs Asus Zenfone 9: A Deep Dive into Performance and Portability
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-day battery life and peak performance, the Realme P3 Ultra emerges as the winner. Its significantly longer battery endurance (16:47h active use) and faster 80W charging outweigh the Zenfone 9’s portability. However, those valuing a truly pocketable design will find the Zenfone 9 compelling.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Realme P3 Ultra | Asus Zenfone 9 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 - A version |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 77, 78 - A version |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat20 2000/211 Mbps, 5G 4.5/0.9 Gbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 - C version | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, March 19 | 2022, July 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, March 24 | Available. Released 2022, September 15 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i), plastic frame, plastic back or silicone polymer (eco leather) back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.1 x 76.9 x 7.4 mm (6.42 x 3.03 x 0.29 in) | 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.1 mm (5.77 x 2.68 x 0.36 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 183 g or 186 g (6.46 oz) | 169 g (5.96 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 7i | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1272 x 2800 pixels (~450 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~445 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.83 inches, 113.3 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.9 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 600 nits (typ), 1200 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.35 GHz Cortex-A715 & 3x3.20 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.20 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 8350 Ultra (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali G615-MC6 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 15, up to 3 major Android upgrades, Realme UI 6.0 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 112˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, gimbal OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 113° (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS, HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, 23mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm | 12 MP, f/2.5, 28mm (standard), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, BLE Audio | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD, 100% in 47 min 5W reverse wired Bypass charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, QC4 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Si/C Li-Ion 6000 mAh | Li-Po 4300 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Neptune Blue, Orion Red, Glowing Lunar White | Starry Blue, Moonlight White, Sunset Red, Midnight Black |
| Models | RMX5030, RMX5031 | AI2202-1A006EU, AI2202, AI2202_B |
| Price | ₹ 29,599 | £ 619.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 108h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.7 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1083092 (v9) GeekBench: 4338 (v5.1) GFXBench: 89fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Realme P3 Ultra
- Exceptional battery life (16:47h active use)
- Ultra-fast 80W charging (100% in 47 min)
- Significantly brighter display (1862 nits)
- Likely larger and heavier form factor
- Camera specs currently unknown
Asus Zenfone 9
- Compact and pocketable design
- Flagship-level performance (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1)
- Premium build quality
- Shorter battery life (108h endurance)
- Slower 30W charging
Display Comparison
The Realme P3 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1862 nits, compared to the Zenfone 9’s 831 nits. This makes the P3 Ultra far more usable outdoors under direct sunlight. While the Zenfone 9’s display is described as having an infinite contrast ratio, the lower peak brightness is a notable disadvantage. Neither specification details refresh rate or panel technology (LTPO), but the brightness difference is a clear win for the P3 Ultra, benefiting users who consume a lot of media outdoors.
Camera Comparison
The provided data is limited regarding camera capabilities. Both phones are listed as having photo/video functionality, but lack specifics on sensor size, aperture, or OIS. Given the Zenfone 9’s history, it likely prioritizes image quality and computational photography. The P3 Ultra, being a newer device, may incorporate more advanced sensor technology. Without detailed specifications, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the Zenfone 9’s brand reputation suggests a more refined camera experience. We can assume the P3 Ultra will lean towards higher megapixel counts, a common trend in the market.
Performance
Both phones utilize 4nm chipsets, but their architectures differ significantly. The Realme P3 Ultra’s Mediatek Dimensity 8350 Ultra features a tri-cluster configuration with three Cortex-A715 cores, suggesting strong multi-core performance. The Asus Zenfone 9, powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, employs a Cortex-X2 prime core for peak performance. While the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is known for its efficiency, the Dimensity 8350 Ultra’s core count and clock speeds (up to 3.35 GHz) suggest it may excel in sustained workloads. The Zenfone 9’s smaller size may present thermal challenges, potentially leading to throttling under prolonged stress, while the P3 Ultra’s larger form factor offers more thermal headroom.
Battery Life
The Realme P3 Ultra dominates in battery performance, achieving 16:47 hours of active use. The Zenfone 9’s endurance rating of 108 hours, while respectable, doesn’t translate directly to active use time and is likely based on a more conservative usage model. The P3 Ultra’s 80W wired charging is significantly faster than the Zenfone 9’s 30W charging, reaching 100% in just 47 minutes. Both offer 5W reverse wired charging, a convenient feature for topping up accessories. The P3 Ultra’s combination of longer battery life and faster charging provides a substantial advantage for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Realme P3 Ultra if you need exceptional battery life for demanding tasks like gaming or content creation, and prioritize raw processing power. You'll benefit from faster charging and a brighter display. Buy the Asus Zenfone 9 if you prefer a compact, one-handed experience and value a premium build quality in a smaller package, accepting trade-offs in battery endurance and charging speed.