The top model in this series is Zenfone 2(ZE551ML) with 4GB RAM, the first smartphone in the world to offer so much of memory. As you can expect, the dual-channel RAM will make multitasking and gaming a breeze, and you will never have to worry about lag or stuttering while using the smartphone.
Though the smartphone has been unveiled in India, its price has not been revealed yet. In foreign markets, it has been priced at$395, suggesting a price tag of approximately Rs 25, 000(and definitely under Rs 30, 000 even with all the taxes). We review the all-new Zenfone 2 to see what it has to offer and whether it has what it takes to compete against stalwarts like OnePlus One and Huawei Honor 6 Plus, along with Moto X(second-generation) and Oppo Find 7.
Asus has stuck to the design it used in last year’s Zenfone 5 with its follow-up devices. So you see the same curved back, plastic body and metal chin, but there are a few tweaks here and there.
First of all, the plastic back panel sports brushed metallic finish; the volume rocker is also on the back this time, the same way it is in LG’s top-end G series. We are not fans of the volume key on the back, and stick to the same view in Zenfone 2’s case as well.
Hardware
Asus Zenfone 2 is powered by Intel’s quad-core 2.3GHz Atom Z3580 processor, with PowerVR G6430 graphics chip, backed by(of course) 4GB RAM. The review unit we received came with 32GB internal storage and supported microSD cards with capacities up to 64GB. You also get 13MP rear camera with two-tone dual-LED flash and a 5MP selfie snapper.
This dual-sim smartphone supports 2G, 3G and 4G on the first sim, while only 2G networks are supported on the second sim. It also has other standard connectivity features, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC. The Zenfone range has seen a major jump in the battery capacity, from the 2, 110mAh juice-pack of Zenfone 5 to the 3, 000mAh powerhouse in Zenfone 2
Software
We were pleasantly surprised by Zen UI, Asus’s first attempt at creating a custom Android-based user interface. Zenfone 2 has an updated version of the same Zen UI, based on Android 5.0(Lollipop).
You will be hard-pressed to find the Material Design influence on the custom skin, as it is visible only in the notifications, toggles and animations on the surface. However, if you head to settings and dig a little deeper, you will notice standard Android Lollipop features like multiple user profiles etc.