Today, ASUS launched its all-new Zenfone 9, and this small phone packs a serious punch. The compact flagship phone is one of the smallest around these days, but potential buyers shouldn't let the size fool them.

With the ASUS Zenfone 9, the company finally ditched the weird flip-up cameras we saw on the Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 8. Instead, we're getting a highly refined camera experience unlike any other phone, packaged into a small 5.9-inch high-end smartphone.

If you're one of the many that hate huge phones and prefer something small and easy to hold and use, the Zenfone 9 could be perfect. The compact device has a small 5.9-inch 120Hz display protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a unique 6-axis gimbal-stabilized camera system.

ASUS took all the quirks out of its older smartphones and built what looks like a high-end, capable, powerful phone for the masses.

While the small screen will instantly make some people either love or hate this phone, you'll want to hear about the unique new camera before making up your mind.

With the ASUS Zenfone 9, you'll get a powerful device across the board. It's powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a large 4,300 mAh battery. You won't get wireless charging, but it does offer 30W fast-charging, along with IP68 dust and water resistance. The back utilizes a polymer material stronger than glass and more scratch-resistant than most plastics.

However, the star of the show---aside from the small size---is the significant camera upgrades. The Zenfone 9 has a new 50MP f/1.9 camera with a gimbal built-in. Instead of just offering optical image stabilization like most phones, the entire lens and sensor package can move up to plus/minus 3 degrees. It stabilizes itself, similar to a gimbal.

Then, there's an additional 12MP ultrawide camera and a 12MP selfie camera in the front left corner of the display. And while you won't find an in-display fingerprint sensor, there is a fingerprint scanner on the right side of the phone for easy lock/unlock. That sensor also doubles as a button and can handle swipes and gestures to navigate the nearly stock Android experience on board.

The base model comes in 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but ASUS is also offering a 256GB option and an even more expensive 16GB RAM and 256GB model.

You can get the new Zenfone 9 in one of four fun colors: midnight black, starry blue, sunset red, and moonlight white. The base model will be available in the U.S. starting at $699, but we don't yet have a release date.

Source: ASUS