Head to head

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Plus

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra leads 12 to 3 on the 15 rankable specs.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 224 g (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Plus lists 199 g (7.03 oz) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 6.78 inches (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Plus lists 6.7 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Plus lists Apple A18 (3 nm) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 16 GB LPDDR5X (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Plus lists 8 GB (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra lists 3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom) (ASUS sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Plus lists 2x (sensor crop) (Apple 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: 12 to 3

Buy the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra.

Leads 12 of 15 rankable overall specs; iPhone 16 Plus takes 3.
Size: 6.78 inches vs 6.7 inches
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
Same list price, so the spec lead is the whole story.

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

12 ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra15 rankable of 48 specsiPhone 16 Plus 3

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

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

At a glance

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

6 of 6 differ

Weight

ASUS

224 g

Apple

199 g (7.03 oz)

Size

ASUS

6.78 inches

Apple

6.7 inches

Chipset≠

ASUS

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

Apple

Apple A18 (3 nm)

RAM

ASUS

16 GB LPDDR5X

Apple

8 GB

Max optical zoom

ASUS

3x optical (30x digital HyperClarity zoom)

Apple

2x (sensor crop)

Capacity

ASUS

5,500 mAh

Apple

4,674 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

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

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra

Upfront list price$899

3-Year Estimated Total$899

iPhone 16 Plus

Upfront list price$899

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

3-Year Estimated Total$928

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

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.

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 Zenfone 11 Ultra$89912 wins

iPhone 16 Plus$8993 wins

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

45 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Dimensions	163.8 × 76.8 × 8.9 mm	160.9 × 77.8 × 7.8 mm
Weight	224 g	199 g (7.03 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Build	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, matte glass back, aluminum frame	Aluminum frame with color-infused glass back
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP68 (up to 6m for 30 mins)
Colors	Skyline Blue, Eternal Black, Misty Grey, Desert Sand	Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 4-2

Display specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Type	LTPO AMOLED, 144Hz for gaming	Super Retina XDR OLED
Size	6.78 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.7 inches
Resolution	1080 × 2400 (FHD+)	2796 × 1290 (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density	~388 ppi	460 ppi (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO (up to 144 Hz in Game Genie) (wins this row: higher)	60 Hz
Peak brightness	2,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM (wins this row: higher)	2,000 nits outdoor peak / 1,000 nits typical
HDR	HDR10	HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Ceramic Shield (latest generation)
Always-on display	Yes (wins this row: has it)	No

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Operating system	Android 14 with ZenUI	iOS 18
Software support	2 major OS updates + 4 years security patches	5+ years estimated (typically 6-7 years)
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)	Apple A18 (3 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency)
GPU	Adreno 750	5-core Apple GPU

Memory

leads 2-0

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

Rear camera

leads 3-0

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

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Selfie camera	32 MP RGBW sensor, f/2.5 (wins this row: higher)	12 MP TrueDepth (f/1.9, autofocus)
Selfie video	1080p 30 fps	4K at 24/25/30/60 fps, Dolby Vision HDR

Battery & charging

leads 1-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Capacity	5,500 mAh (wins this row: higher)	4,674 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	65 W HyperCharge (100% in 39 min)	Up to 50% in 30 min with 20W+ adapter (up to 27W peak)
Wireless charging	15 W Qi wireless	25W MagSafe (with 30W adapter) / 15W Qi2
Reverse wireless	10 W reverse wired	4.5W wired reverse charging via USB-C
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

leads 1-0

Audio specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Speakers	Dual stereo speakers with Dirac Virtuo audio	Stereo speakers
Headphone jack	Yes (3.5 mm Hi-Res audio output) (wins this row: has it)	No

Connectivity

6 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Cellular	5G (sub-6)	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave in US)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes	Yes (Apple Pay)
USB	USB-C 2.0 (side display/charging)	USB-C 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps)
SIM	Dual nano-SIM	Dual eSIM (US model, no physical SIM tray)

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16 Plus.
Biometrics	In-display fingerprint sensor + Face unlock	Face ID (TrueDepth camera)
Extra controls	Game Genie gaming overlay toolbar	Action Button, Camera Control button
Standout features	6-Axis Hybrid Gimbal 3.0, 3.5mm jack, AI Call Translator, AI Transcript	Camera Control button, Action button, Apple Intelligence, Dynamic Island, Emergency SOS via satellite

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

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra source iPhone 16 Plus source

Which one should you buy

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 →

Pick this one if

iPhone 16 Plus

6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus with A18 chip, Camera Control, 48MP Fusion camera, and extended battery life.

Outstanding multi-day battery endurance
Large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR screen
A18 chip and Camera Control button

What you give up

60Hz display refresh rate (no ProMotion)
No dedicated optical telephoto camera

Full iPhone 16 Plus 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
Main: 50 MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 24 mm, 6-Axis… vs 48 MP
Same list price, so the spec lead is the whole story.

Battery & updates

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

Too close to call on battery & updates from the spec sheets. Only capacity is rankable here.

Wired charging: 65 W HyperCharge vs Up to 50% in 30 min with 20W+ adapter
Wireless charging: 15 W Qi wireless vs 25W MagSafe

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 6.7 inches
Same list price, so the spec lead is the whole story.

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.

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra spec sheet iPhone 16 Plus spec sheet

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

Common questions

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

Both list at the same price.

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

Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra or the iPhone 16 Plus?

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

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.

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