Nice to see folks are paying attention to my emails. :)

I have a sample. It's a nice piece of kit, albeit very large if you're into that (I am).

ASUS has not yet released Nougat for the Zenfone 3 range. The phones came out relatively recently, and they're focusing on bugfixes and improvements with quite the rapid series of OTA updates since launch. I'm sure Nougat will be on the way, ASUS have a pretty solid track record in that space.

@gnfb: Have you considered the OnePlus 3 instead?

Not only is it $300 cheaper, the OP3 has the following spec advantages:

- Better display: Super AMOLED display (vs IPS LCD) with higher PPI (401 vs 321)
- Faster CPU: Snapdragon 820 (vs 652)
- Faster GPU: Adreno 530 (vs 510)
- More RAM: 6GB (vs 4GB)
- Faster storage: UFS 2.0 (vs eMMC)
- Better camera: 1.12 um pixel size (vs 1um)
- NFC
- Faster charging: 0-60% in 30 mins (vs 45 mins)
- Stock(ish) Android with zero bloatware (vs ASUS's ZenUI with tons of bloatware)
- Large developer community with several custom ROM options (non-existent for the Zenfone 3 Ultra!)

To keep things fair, the Zenfone does has the following advantages over the OnePlus 3:

- Larger display: 6.8" (vs 5.5")
- microSD slot
- Stereo speakers
- Infrared Port
- FM Radio
- 4600 mAh battery

Overall, I guess the Zenfone is a better choice if your primary usage is media consumption, whereas if you're a power user looking for performance, then the OnePlus is a better choice (and it's cheaper!)

Only thing I'd add to the above is that the ZenFone 3 range supports band 28, whereas the OnePlus 3 does not.

Thanks for the informative comments. I was going to get a Pixel but was put of by all the complicated comments. My main focus is size and quality of screen (watching stuff) and the google assistant. Hence the nougat comments. I may even just end up with a 6p , that seems to do the job. The OP3 is that likely to get nougat anytime soon?

gnfb:

 

Thanks for the informative comments. I was going to get a Pixel but was put of by all the complicated comments. My main focus is size and quality of screen (watching stuff) and the google assistant. Hence the nougat comments. I may even just end up with a 6p , that seems to do the job. The OP3 is that likely to get nougat anytime soon?

 

The screen on this phone is 6.8" at 1080p, isn't it?

Nik's recently counselled (and convinced) me that a 1080p screen on the Huawei Mate 9 (5.9") and Mate 8 (6") is absolutely adequate, but this is a big jump up to 6.8" at the same resolution.

I guess the response will be that this is still a similar pixel density to the iPhone 7 (iPhone: 326ppi; Asus: 324), but given you're talking about quality of screen being a key element will this be adequate for your purposes?

Have you considered either the Mate 8 or Mate 9? Large screens but small bezels - very similar physical size to the iPhone 7+ and Nexus 6P, but with larger screens. Personally, I prefer the look and feel of the Huaweis to that of the 6P, but horses for courses I guess!

NikT: Hate to say it, but Google Assistant isn't a Nougat feature, it's a Pixel feature. You won't currently get it on any other phones.

The Pixels are not complicated - this is just Geekzone being Geekzone, people dive into the really technical stuff most folks would never know, notice or care about. :)

I should get the Pixel damm it I was in the UK last month but they hadnt been released there yet.

So if I could impose upon your knowledge If I buy a pixel here It will work in the UK and It will work with 2 degrees?

gnfb:

 

I should get the Pixel damm it I was in the UK last month but they hadnt been released there yet.

 

So if I could impose upon your knowledge If I buy a pixel here It will work in the UK and It will work with 2 degrees?

 

Sure will.