Devices manufactured by Asus have always been famous for their high quality, manufacturability and attractive design. It is noteworthy that this applies equally to both tablet computers and laptops, and mobile phones, which are marked with this logo. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that on the network you can see a lot of positive recommendations from those who managed to directly test Asus smartphones directly from their experience.
Customer reviews of devices, as well as the technical parameters of some of the most popular models will be placed in this article. We will also consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them and thus make our own verdict on what Asus smartphones are.
Positioning
To begin with, we will try to characterize these devices in general terms. 3 models will take part in our review, namely: the Asus Zenfon 2 Laser smartphone (we will publish reviews of it first), the Zenfone 4 model, as well as Zenfone 6. It turns out that we have three devices, whose indices are arithmetically increasing by 2. At the same time, you should not look for logic in defining phones - the “second” version is superior to the “four” in technical specifications.
However, the general idea is that a smartphone of 4 models is a budget representative of a fairly “strong” Zenfon line (which is formed by Asus smartphones). The reviews show that even the low cost and significant limitations on the functionality do not prevent the phone from seriously outperforming its competitors in class.
Speaking of Zenfone 2 and 6, it should be said that they are very similar both in their parameters and by definition in the segment. The difference, of course, is in favor of the “deuce” - it has a more powerful processor, camera and equipment as a whole. However, both smartphones can be attributed to the beginning of the "middle" class or to the highest circle of "state employees".
Cost
Also, in order to immediately determine the models we describe, we note their price. To tell you the truth, it is different - and the most affordable was, of course, the Asus Zenfon 4 smartphone. Customer reviews indicate that it (at the time of release) was offered at a price of 4-5 thousand rubles. It is really very cheap for a device with its capabilities.
Further in our hierarchy of value is the “six”. She, again, according to data from users, was offered for 10-11 thousand rubles. Obviously, the smartphone is moving from the “budget” and approaches, rather, to the “middle”.
Finally, the most expensive was the Asus Zenfon 2 smartphone ZE500CL 5. Reviews of it make it clear that several modifications of this device were on sale. The most affordable of them was offered for 15 thousand rubles; while the most expensive option was available for 19,000.
What can be said about this price range? Firstly, we decided on an explicit “state employee” from our review - this is the “four”. Secondly, two other devices, similar in parameters, still differ in their class. This demonstrates Asus’s universal approach to positioning its products; about occupying several niches at once and, as a result, a widespread presentation of their products on the market.
For further characteristics, we provide technical data on the models.
Smartphone "Asus Zenfon 2"
We will publish the reviews that we managed to collect regarding each of the phones at the end of our review. The thing is that they are all divided into two types - positive and negative.
The first group actually repeats the description of the device parameters, its technical data. We will describe them to you first of all. The second category of reviews is negative ratings. They relate to some shortcomings identified by buyers in the device - and here you need to pay attention to them when choosing a phone. For example, if the technical data helps to form a general opinion about the charms of a particular model, then the reviews on the Asus Zenfon 2 ZE500CL smartphone, for example, will help to more accurately identify its weaknesses. You definitely need to know about them before buying the device, and not after it.
CPU
So, on the basis of what does the second generation model function? This is the Intel Atom Z3580, which has 4 cores and a clock speed of up to 2.33 GHz. The last indicator is responsible for the speed of processing information by the processor and, in comparison with other models of smartphones, it can be called high. Benchmark tests confirm this: for example, the model clearly bypasses Xiaomi Mi4 and Samsung Galaxy S5; but inferior to Meizu MX4 and Galaxy Note 4.
Autonomy
An important factor is the ability of the model to economically consume charge. In the event that we are talking about the Asus smartphone (specifications, reviews of which we now provide), we are talking about a 3000 mAh battery. With it, the device is able to play videos for up to 10 hours, games - up to 4, books - up to 13-15 hours of work. Compared to other similar gadgets, this is not so much, but quite tolerable.
Camera
The 13-megapixel matrix that was installed on the Asus Zenfon 2 smartphone is called a worthy solution. In our review, we noticed some inaccuracies in her work. In particular, we are talking about lighting. When taking pictures in a dark environment, some colors may change. Because of this, the most correct thing is to shoot outdoors in sunny weather. Of course, adhere to this rule will not always succeed. Also, reviews on Asus Zenfone 2 smartphones report the existence of a special mode in which you can create “bulky”, but somewhat more accurate (in terms of color) pictures.
Asus zenfone 4
The basis for the work of the Quartet is the same Intel Atom, but the hardware version is somewhat different - this is the Z2520. The module has two cores, the frequency of which reaches 1.2 GHz: as you can see, the speed of circulation is almost two times lower than in the case when it came to the Asus Zenfon 2 smartphone ZE500CL 5.
Reviews show that this is significantly displayed at the speed of the device; on the tasks that it can perform. First of all, this refers to the reproduction of colorful games and applications published on Google Play. If the "deuce" was really able to work with any software, then version 4 has limitations on the requirements of the programs for the device.
Battery
On the Asus Zenfon smartphone (reviews confirm this), a 1750 mAh battery was installed. If you take into account that the device has a completely classical level of charge consumption, it becomes obvious - with a full battery, the phone can “hold out” for no more than half a day.
The developers obviously came to such a decision due to the fact that they wanted to make the device’s case thinner. And the truth is that in the fourth generation Asus smartphones (customer reviews confirm this in every way) are small in width - for this reason, it is simply impossible to increase the battery.
Camera
Finally, our third criterion for the characteristics of the phone is the device’s camera, its capabilities. Zenfone 4 has a pre-installed matrix with a resolution of 8 megapixels, which also has a stabilization system and auto focus (we are talking about the main module). There is also a front camera, which has a resolution of only 0.5 megapixels: it is suitable for creating simpler “selfie” images.
However, in order to better understand the quality of the device’s optics, it’s enough to study user comments, which we did. The reviews describing the Asus smartphones (dedicated to the 4th version of the gadget) indicate that the camera can sometimes display the color set incorrectly, and in low light it loses sharpness and accuracy of the image. Of course, all this is the result of the weak hardware that was installed on the budget device.
The solution may be to shoot in a more lighted room, or you just have to come to terms with what is available.
Smartphone "Asus Zenfon 6"
The reviews show that the third model participating in our review is presented in a slightly different technical class due to the diagonal of its screen. So, we are talking about a 6-inch display, which automatically transfers the device to the category of “phablets”.
We have already described above how the device is positioned based on price characteristics. But what about the technical parameters of the device?
CPU
According to official information from the manufacturer, the model has a budget Intel-processor, consisting of two cores (we are talking about Atom Z2580). Despite the fact that their clock frequency is 2 GHz, according to reviews, braking, freezes and the so-called “freezing” of the screen on the model is not observed. This may indicate a high degree of optimization and excellent interaction of the software component of the device with its hardware basis.
What are the features of the “filling” of this phone? Tests conducted on benchmark applications showed that the smartphone is clearly ahead of Google Nexus 4 and Xiaomi Mi2 in performance, although it loses noticeably to Galaxy Note 3.
Let's just say: launching “bulky” (from the point of view of graphics) games here is possible, however, some will not be able to play at maximum resolution.
Autonomy
According to what owners say about the Asus smartphones, a battery with a capacity of 3100 mAh is installed on this model. This, of course, is much more than in the case of the Quartet, but you can’t call the phone a “long-lived person” (from the point of view of the ability to “hold” the charge, you can’t): given the size of the model’s screen, the expense here will be quite large. In the most energy-intensive mode of operation (playing games at maximum brightness and high volume), the smartphone is able to work a little more than 5 hours. This is a very good result; In standby mode, the model can hold up to 296, and a conversation - up to 28 hours.
Camera
One can not help but mention this module, preinstalled on our phablet. The description indicates that its resolution is 13 megapixels (meaning the main one); the additional camera has a matrix resolution of 2 megapixels. High quality shooting provides automatic focusing, as well as a number of software filters that can provide a high degree of color reproduction and sharpness of lines.
Problems, according to reviews, traditionally arise in low light. Then the matrix simply incorrectly recognizes a number of colors, which is why an inaccurate photo is taken. However, in general, the situation is better than in the case of the Quartet.
Zenfone 2 reviews
First of all, we note that we were able to find a large number of recommendations in which buyers advise purchasing this device. This at least indicates the great popularity of the smartphone, as well as its positive qualities in the eyes of people who turned their attention to it.
In addition to positive reviews, here, of course, some negative comments are presented, which list the minuses of the device. We will talk about them in the framework of this article in order to navigate in the device’s weak points (which was mentioned at the beginning of the review).
So, the first item is the battery. Often, buyers say that the smartphone has a small battery, which loses its charge much faster than required. The problem is quite common among mobile devices of this class, but its solution is simple: just purchase a special portable charger (an analogue of the popular PowerBank). This is offered, among other things, among accessories developed by Asus. Therefore, we recommend that you purchase this particular company gadget.
The second point is some software flaws on the part of developers. They are expressed in the fact that, for example, the smartphone hangs somewhat immediately after unlocking the display. This happens if the device is protected by a graphic key. It is possible that there is a flaw in the firmware software, due to which such a frieze (freezing) is observed. However, it is short-term, and if you do not focus on it, it should not bring any troubles.
Often users mention a poorly protected display. Perhaps the problem is common among devices, but fighting it is also easy. Take care of the film or protective glass (which is glued) on the screen, so you will protect the main navigation module of your device from damage.
There is also information in the reviews about the low quality of the assembly of the device. In particular, buyers complain that the back cover of the smartphone does not fit tightly enough to the case, due to which there is a slight backlash and creaking. Of course, this drawback cannot be called serious or critical, but there is also such a moment in the operation of the device.
Analyzing the rest of the comments on a number of popular review resources, we could not find other massive and any significant shortcomings. Of course, this is a good indicator for the device.
Zenfone 4 reviews
We were looking for interesting customer reviews describing Asus smartphones on this model as well. And, of course, found in large numbers.
Zenfon 4 buyers praise the product in every possible way, mentioning its low cost, excellent manufacturer reputation, and good build quality. There are a lot of positive comments, they describe those and other advantages that we already wrote about in the technical review of the model. However, of course, many users did not forget to indicate the shortcomings that they encountered in working with the gadget. Read about them further.
Autonomy, again, is a drawback of this model. Given how weak the battery is installed here, in normal use you can talk about 9-10 hours of operation. This means that in order to use the gadget during the working day, it will have to be charged twice.
In addition, other disadvantages are mentioned. Some are not happy with the fact that the device does not have a flash; others - the back cover is too tight (which as a result is quite problematic to remove). There are also comments about the weak 3G-module (because of which the speed of connection to the mobile Internet is much lower than on similar devices of other models).
Among the disadvantages of the device, I recall a weak display (which is impossible to work with in the sun), lack of key illumination, and software errors. The last point is especially depressing, given that even updating the firmware does not help get rid of them. You can meet such failures in the SMS message menu, when calling other subscribers, playing various applications.
Zenfone 6 reviews
What negative comments did we manage to find regarding our “six”? Firstly, these are large, somewhat bulky dimensions. Some buyers also note that for this reason it is not too comfortable to work with the gadget (although this is a phablet that initially has a large screen and a thickened case).
Secondly, there are complaints about minor errors in the software component; they are expressed in the form that some records may disappear from contacts; the gyroscope may fail or significantly slow down the browser (when typing). Thirdly, many write that the phone is too quiet. We did not find more significant shortcomings of the device mentioned by customers.