Poco F7 vs. Asus Zenfone 9: A Detailed Comparison of Two Powerful Smartphones
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Poco F7 emerges as the winner. Its significantly brighter display (1525 nits vs 831 nits) and faster 90W charging, coupled with the newer Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, offer a more compelling package. However, the Zenfone 9’s compact form factor remains a unique advantage.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Poco F7 | 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, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 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, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 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, June 24 | 2022, July 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, June 24 | Available. Released 2022, September 15 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.1 x 77.9 x 8.2 mm (6.42 x 3.07 x 0.32 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 | 215.7 g (7.62 oz) | 169 g (5.96 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, Mohs level 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1280 x 2772 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~447 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~445 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.83 inches, 114.5 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.9 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, 3840Hz PWM, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 700 nits (typ), 1700 nits (HBM), 3200 nits (peak | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.21 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8735 Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 825 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 15, HyperOS 2 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 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/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.95", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm (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 | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS, HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | - |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/4" | 12 MP, f/2.5, 28mm (standard), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 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 | 6.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC 5 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5), GLONASS | 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/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | 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 | 90W wired, PD3.0, QC3+, 80% in 30 min 22.5W reverse wired | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, QC4 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· 6500 mAh - International model· Si/C Li-Ion 7550 mAh - India model | Li-Po 4300 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Cyber Silver | Starry Blue, Moonlight White, Sunset Red, Midnight Black |
| Models | 25053PC47G, 25053PC47I | AI2202-1A006EU, AI2202, AI2202_B |
| Price | € 329.90 / $ 376.57 / £ 289.00 | £ 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) |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 64:03h endurance, 1000 cycles | - |
| Energy | Class B | - |
| Free fall | Class D (45 falls) | - |
| Repairability | Class C | - |
Xiaomi Poco F7
- Significantly brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Faster Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor
- Ultra-fast 90W wired charging
- Longer battery endurance (based on newer testing)
- Likely larger and less pocketable than the Zenfone 9
- Software experience may not be as refined as Asus’s
Asus Zenfone 9
- Extremely compact and pocketable design
- Refined software experience with minimal bloatware
- Excellent camera image processing and video stabilization
- Good battery life for its size
- Dimmer display compared to the Poco F7
- Slower 30W charging
- Older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
Display Comparison
The Poco F7’s display is a clear standout, achieving a measured peak brightness of 1525 nits, significantly surpassing the Zenfone 9’s 831 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize 4nm chipsets, the brighter display of the Poco F7 will draw more power. The Zenfone 9’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a high-quality OLED panel, but the lower peak brightness limits its HDR performance. The Poco F7’s larger size likely contributes to its brightness advantage, but also means it won’t be as easily one-handed as the Zenfone 9.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited for both. The Zenfone 9’s camera is known for its excellent image processing and video stabilization. Without specific sensor size or aperture details for the Poco F7, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. The Zenfone 9’s focus on photo and video suggests a more refined camera experience, while the Poco F7 likely prioritizes overall value. We can assume the Poco F7 will have a higher megapixel count, but megapixels aren’t everything; image processing and sensor quality are crucial.
Performance
The Poco F7’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (4nm) represents a generational leap over the Zenfone 9’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm). The 8s Gen 4’s Cortex-X4 prime core, clocked at 3.21 GHz, offers a performance advantage over the Zenfone 9’s Cortex-X2 (3.19 GHz). The Poco F7’s CPU configuration, with a mix of Cortex-A720 cores, is designed for sustained performance. While the 8+ Gen 1 is still a capable chip, the 8s Gen 4’s newer architecture and potentially improved thermal management will likely result in higher sustained clock speeds during demanding tasks. The Poco F7’s LPDDR5x RAM will also contribute to faster application loading and multitasking.
Battery Life
The Poco F7 boasts a 64:03h endurance rating and 90W wired charging, capable of reaching 80% charge in just 30 minutes. This is a significant advantage over the Zenfone 9’s 30W charging. While the Zenfone 9’s 108h endurance rating is impressive, it’s based on older testing methodologies. The Poco F7’s active use score of 14:45h provides a more realistic measure of real-world battery life. The Poco F7’s faster charging mitigates any potential battery life concerns, allowing for quick top-ups throughout the day. The 22.5W reverse wired charging on the Poco F7 is also substantially faster than the Zenfone 9’s 5W reverse charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Poco F7 if you prioritize raw performance, a vibrant display for media consumption, and incredibly fast charging speeds. It’s ideal for gamers and power users who demand the most from their device. Buy the Asus Zenfone 9 if you value a truly pocketable design, a refined software experience, and don't mind sacrificing some display brightness and charging speed for ultimate portability.