DxOMark says ASUS Zenfone 6 camera is just OK, but is nearly the king of selfies

The ASUS Zenfone 6 is one of the most interesting devices launched this year. Sure, it has killer specs — including the Snapdragon 855 chipset and a monster 5,000mAh battery — but the thing that’s most interesting about it is the flipping camera system.

Now, that camera system has been put to the test by photography review site DxOMark. The verdict? Not bad, but not great.

While DxOMark posits that the ASUS Zenfone 6 has a slightly better camera than the Google Pixel 3 from 2018, it doesn’t hold a candle to many of the top-of-the-line flagships launched this year. Even the rear camera system on the HUAWEI P20 Pro — also a 2018 device — bests the one on the Zenfone 6.

You can see the current rankings here, where the Zenfone 6 sits at twelfth place for its rear camera system.

Related: ASUS Zenfone 6 camera review

However, the ASUS Zenfone 6 has that flipping camera, so its front-facing review is actually amazing, besting every other device on the list aside from the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.

Here are two example shots for you to check out: one is from the Zenfone 6 while the other is from the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus. Try to guess which is which…no cheating!

The image on the left is from the Galaxy Note 10 Plus and the image on the right is from the Zenfone 6.

While it’s pretty clear that the Note 10 Plus photo is better than the Zenfone 6 photo, one needs to remember how much these devices cost: the starting price of the Zenfone 6 is just $500, a far cry from the $1,099 starting price for the Galaxy Note 10 Plus. That’s a pretty decent shot for a $500 phone.

But where the Zenfone 6 really shines is with selfies, considering it uses the same system for front-facing shots as it uses for rear shots. Here’s another mystery: one of these pics below is from the Zenfone 6 while the other is from the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. Which is which?

The Zenfone 6 image is the one on the left. Notice how the subject’s skin doesn’t look blown out and how the background is subdued with a very nice bokeh effect? The Galaxy S10 Pus image doesn’t do nearly as well in those two metrics.

While the ASUS Zenfone 6 might not be the best smartphone camera ever, it certainly is one of the best phones for selfies on the market right now. It’s also a worthwhile purchase considering how much phone you’re getting for just $500.

Grab the newest entry in the Zenfone line using the button below. For the full DxOMark review of the device, click here.