If the 4GB Asus Zenfone 2 were $100 cheaper, it would be near the top of our recommended phones list; however, its $299 and S$499 (converting directly to about £245 and AU$475) price makes it a tough sell in a world of capable sub-$200 phones.
.jpg)
There is however a 2GB version of the phone retailing for $199 (converting to £127 and AU$249); however, since we've as of yet spent no time with the 2GB version, we can't yet say how it performs compared to the its 4GB sibling. Both versions of the phone will be available starting May 19th carrier unlocked at Amazon, Newegg and Groupon in the US.
The ZenFone 2 his somewhere in-between budget and flagship and unfortunately lacks the performance and features to be considered a high-end handset. That said, it's capable in its own right, delivering silky smooth performance thanks to its combination Intel Atom CPU and 4GB of RAM. And while its 13-megapixel rear camera takes decent shots, its low-light performance handily beats that of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Apple iPhone 6.
.jpg)
It has a sharp vibrant 5.5-inch screen, but the plastic build unfortunately feels cheap and bulky. Its Zen UI is clean, aesthetically pleasing and packed with useful features, but can at times isn't all that intuitive to navigate thanks to the changes Asus made to its Android 5.0 interface.
Those looking to spend less, should check out the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime. It has longer battery life, decent cameras and costs less than $200. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the current highest of high-end Android, but tip the scales at $600 unless you're willing to commit to a 2-year contract.
Confusing lineup
What Asus calls the ZenFone 2 is actually two different models with five different variants, three with 5.5-inch screens and two with 5-inch displays. Each model has a different price point, RAM, and built-in storage capacity, but the whole range is marketed under the same name.
Asus is likely trying to avoid last year's problems with its first ZenFone line -- the phones were marketed as ZenFone 4, 5 and 6, which was probably even more confusing for consumers since it sounded like subsequent generations of phones were being sold at the same time. To lesson the confusion, we've created a table that lists the details of each of the new ZenFone 2 models. Our review unit is the 5.5-inch version with 4GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage that retails for S$429 and $299 in the US (around £210 or AU$410).
Design
5.5-inch, 1,920x1,080-pixel IPS (403ppi)
6 x 3 x 0.4 inches (152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm)
6 ounces (170g)
The design of a modern smartphone is usually dictated by the screen size, and in this case the 5.5-inch full-HD display means the ZenFone 2 is quite a handful -- the phone checks in at 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm (6 by 3 by 0.43 inches) and isn't the thinnest of devices. It's just slightly shorter than the iPhone 6 Plus, but the Apple phone is thinner at 7.8mm. The thickness means the ZenFone does make its presence felt in the pocket, and with more smartphones taking the slim approach, the ZenFone 2's size and weight of 170g (6 ounces) doesn't do it any favors.
Clad in plastic like the first ZenFone, the ZenFone 2 opts for a brushed metal look, unlike the soft-touch feel used previously. While it looks metallic, it still feels slightly plasticky (I prefer the original, though I can see why Asus chose to go with the metallic style) and it looks a lot more premium at first glance.
That said, the rear cover is replaceable and comes in a variety of colors -- the standard black and white, and a more colorful range of red, gold, grey. Asus will also sell a special range of "Illusion" covers that come in a pretty crystal pattern.
Viewed head on, the ZenFone 2 resembles the first ZenFone, from the Asus logo near the top speakers, to the concentric circle pattern below the 5.5-inch display. The touch-sensitive buttons are located just above that. In a way, I'm glad that Asus has stuck with the familiar, but I do wish the phone used software buttons instead -- this would probably have helped cut down on the phone's size.
The removable rear cover gives you access to the dual-SIM and microSD slots. The 3,000mAh battery is non removable, so you won't be able to swap it out for a fresh one. Unlike some of the other dual-SIM phones which come with dual 4G capabilities, the ZenFone 2 only has one active 4G SIM, with the other SIM limited to 2G speeds.
Hardware and software features
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580
32GB of storage
4GB of RAM
Expandable storage
3,000mAh non-removable battery
Powered by Intel's Atom Quad Core Z3580 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, this model of the ZenFone 2 comes packing a whopping 4GB of RAM. Most smartphones, including high-end flagships, come loaded with 3GB at most. Asus claims having 4GB of RAM helps the ZenFone 2 multitask (more on this later), as multiple apps and can remain on standby in the background without needing to be offloaded to memory and reloaded.
Our review model came with 32GB of onboard storage, and if that somehow isn't enough for your needs, there's a microSD slot to add even more space. There's a 13-megapixel camera located at the rear, and a 5-megapixel shooter on the front.
Mobile app development
Mobile’s strategy is the key to any business success in todays digital world. Pixotri technologies works one-on-one with businesses and individual product lines to develop a comprehensive mobile presence that complements your existing brand identity while building out your mobile brand.
Contact us for your mobile app development requirements.email- info@pixotritechnologies.com. Visit our website: www.pixotritechnologies.com
No comments:
Post a Comment