ASUS 8Z is the latest Snapdragon 888-powered smartphone to debut in India. It will be competing with some of the affordably-priced flagship phones such as the OnePlus 9RT and iQOO 9, which are priced around Rs 42,999 in the Indian market. One of the major USPs of the ASUS phone is that it is a compact flagship as compared to OnePlus and iQOO offerings that have bigger form factors.
All three devices are packed with stellar specs such as high refresh rate displays, impressive cameras, and big batteries with fast charging support. Here is a comparison between the three devices to see which one is the best device in terms of specifications, features, and pricing.
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: complete specs
| Specs | ASUS 8Z | OnePlus 9RT | iQOO 9 |
| Display | 5.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED (120Hz) | 6.62-inch FHD+ curved AMOLED (120Hz) | 6.56-inch FHD+ AMOLED (120Hz) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5 | 8GB | 12GB LPDDR5 | 8GB | 12GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 128GB UFS 3.1 | 128GB | 256GB UFS 3.1 | 128GB | 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| OS | Android 11 | OxygenOS 11 based Android 12 | FunTouch OS 12 based Android 12 |
| Rear cameras | 64MP + 12MP | 50MP + 16MP + 2MP | 48MP + 13MP + 13MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 16MP | 16MP |
| Battery | 4,000mAh | 4,500mAh | 4,350mAh |
| Fast charging | 30W fast charging | 65W fast charging | 120W fast charging |
| Dimensions | 148 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm | 162.2 x 74.6 x 8.3mm | 159.1 x 75.1 x 8.6mm |
| Weight | 169 grams | 198.5g | 200g |
| Price | Rs 42,999 starting price | Rs 42,999 starting price | Rs 42,990 starting price |
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: price in India
| Variant | ASUS 8Z price in India | OnePlus 9RT price in India | iQOO 9 price in India |
| 8GB+128GB |
Rs 42,999 |
Rs 42,999 |
Rs 42,990 |
| 12GB+256GB |
– |
Rs 46,999 |
Rs 46,990 |
ASUS 8Z is available in a single variant of 8GB RAM and 128GB in India. The device is priced at Rs 42,999, and it comes in hues like Obsidian Black and Horizon Silver. It is exclusively available through Flipkart.
The OnePlus 9RT is available in two configurations like 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage. Both models are priced at Rs 42,999 and Rs 46,999, respectively.
The iQOO 9 comes in same variants such as 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage. They are priced at Rs 42,990 and Rs 46,990, respectively. Its colour variants include Legend and Alpha. The OnePlus 9RT and iQOO 9 are available for purchase through Amazon India and their official websites.
It is difficult to choose a winner among the three only on the basis of their pricing since their base models have nearly identical pricing. Unlike the 8Z, the 9RT and iQOO 9 comes in a higher version of 12GB+256GB. The 8Z is an ideal choice for those who are looking for a compact phone. Otherwise, buyers can choose between 9RT or iQOO 9.
Winner: Tie between ASUS 8Z, OnePlus 9RT, and iQOO 9
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: display
The ASUS 8Z is a compact flagship from the brand
The ASUS 8Z features a 5.9-inch AMOLED display that offers an FHD+ resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 240Hz touch response rate, HDR10/10+ support, and DCI-P3 colour gamut. As far as display design is concerned, it features a punch-hole placed at the top-left corner.
The OnePlus 9RT has a 6.62-inch AMOLED panel with a punch-hole at the upper left corner, whereas the iQOO 9 has a bigger 6.56-inch with a centrally positioned punch-hole. The OnePlus 9RT’s display offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. On the other hand, the iQOO 9 supports a Full HD+ resolution of 1,080 x 2,376 pixels, a 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit colours, and 1,200 nits of brightness.
The smaller 5.9-inch screen of the ASUS 8Z allows users to operate it seamlessly with one hand. Hence, it will be a good choice for people for a compact flagship. Otherwise, people who wish to buy a flagship phone with a larger screen can opt for iQOO 9.
Winner: Tie between ASUS 8Z and iQOO 9
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: performance and software
The iQOO 9 comes with Snapdragon 888 SoC and up to 12GB RAM
The Snapdragon 888 SoC, LPPDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage are common denominators for the ASUS 8Z, OnePlus 9RT, and iQOO 9. The ASUS 8Z ships with the older Android 11 OS but with a near-stock experience. While it is expected to get the latest Android 12 OS upgrade, there is no clarity on future OS and security patch updates.
The OnePlus 9RT runs on Android 12 OS with OxygenOS 12 UI on top. OnePlus is offering three years of OS upgrades and four years of security patch updates for the users of 9RT. The iQOO 9 boots FunTouch OS 12 based on Android 12. It will be provided two years of OS updates and three years of security patch updates.
Winner: OnePlus 9RT
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: cameras
The OnePlus 9RT has an OIS-assisted 50-megapixel main camera, a 16-megapixel ultrawide snapper with a 123-degree FOV, a 2-megapixel macro camera
The ASUS 8Z has a 12-megapixel Sony IMX663 selfie camera on the front. On the back panel, there’s a dual-camera system, which comprises a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 primary camera with OIS support, a 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 ultrawide lens, and a single LED flash.
The OnePlus 9RT and iQOO 9 are fitted with a 16-megapixel camera. The rear camera system of the 9RT has an OIS-assisted 50-megapixel main camera, a 16-megapixel ultrawide snapper with a 123-degree FOV, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a dual-LED flash On the other hand, the iQOO 9’s rear-facing camera setup promises a better photography experience as it features a gimbal OIS-assisted 48-megapixel primary camera, a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 120-degree FOV, and a dual-LED flash.
Winner: iQOO 9
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: battery
The ASUS 8Z has a 4,000mAh battery, the OnePlus 9RT gets a 4,500mAh battery, and the iQOO 9 has a slightly smaller 4,350mAh battery. The iQOO 9 is a clear winner in this department as it carries support for 120W fast charging. The 9RT supports 65W fast charging whereas the 8Z offers 30W charging.
Winner: iQOO 9
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: other features
The ASUS 8Z, OnePlus 9RT, and iQOO 9 are all equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The ASUS phone comes with an IP68 rated dustproof and water-resistant chassis, Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front, and Gorilla Glass 3 layer on the back. The OnePlus 9RT has Gorilla Glass 5 panels on the front and rear. As far as iQOO 9 is concerned, its official website listing has no information on display protection. The OnePlus and iQOO phones do not come with an IP rating.
All three smartphones are equipped with dual stereo speakers. ASUS offers Dirac audio optimizations, whereas 9RT is equipped with Dolby Atmos support, and the iQOO 9 offers Hi-Res Audio support. The trio measure between 8.3mm and 8.7mm. While the 9RT and iQOO 9 weigh around 200 grams, the 8Z is a tad lighter weighing only 169 grams. The ASUS 8Z is the only phone among the three to feature a 3.5mm audio jack. The other common features that these phones offer include dual SIM support, 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, and a USB Type-C port.
Winner: ASUS 8Z
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9: conclusion
ASUS 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT vs iQOO 9
The ASUS 8Z impresses in departments like display, durability, and performance, whereas the OnePlus 9RT has an upper hand in areas like performance, OS support, and battery. While all three phones have similar specs and pricing, the iQOO 9 manages to win the competition by impressing in the display, cameras, performance, battery, and fast charging departments. To reiterate, people who do not like to carry a bulky smartphone will be better of with the ASUS 8Z.