Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is a mid-range smartphone that is equipped with a large 5000 mAh battery and excellent technical characteristics at a price of $225 (RUR 14,000).
For review, I used the Zenfone Max Pro version with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. During testing, the phone received several firmware updates, with a focus on improving camera performance and adding features like VoLTE support and facial recognition.
Let's find out what else, besides the large battery and low cost, is this device interesting?
Specifications Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
| 5.99-inch IPS HD+ (2160×1080); aspect ratio 18:9; brightness 450 nits; 2.5D safety glass |
|
| CPU | 64-bit 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (8 Kryo cores) with 14 nm FinFET technology. |
| Rear camera | 13-MP + 5-MP sensor with depth effect; aperture f/2.2; 80-degree viewing angle; 5-element lens; LED flash; 4K UHD video recording |
| Front camera | 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture; 85.5 degree viewing angle; 5-element lens; led flash |
| Android 8.1 Oreo |
|
| 5000 mAh; included 2A/10W charger with fast charging support |
|
| Dimensions and weight | 159×76×8.61 mm; 180 gr. |
Design and build
The design of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro is unremarkable and looks like most other smartphones in this segment. The build quality is solid, and the aluminum frame gives the whole structure extra rigidity. Weighing 180 grams, this phone is quite heavy, and due to the large battery it is still a little thick, but the heavy weight gives the device an additional feeling of durability.
The Zenfone Max Pro M1's screen has rounded edges and narrow bezels on both sides. Asus claims that the phone has a 2.5D protective glass, but there is no word on what kind specifically. Despite its large size, the device is quite ergonomic and fits well in the hand.
The metal back cover has a soft matte finish that is pleasant to the touch, but quickly attracts fingerprints. The main design feature of the Zenfone Max Pro is the dual camera module on the back, which is flush with the body and looks quite neat.
The phone is available in two color options - silver and dark black. Overall, this gadget won't win any awards for best design, but it has a minimalist and functional design with good build quality that will appeal to most users.
Smartphone display
The new Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 features a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display with oleophobic coating and an 18:9 aspect ratio. It is a premium display with a contrast ratio of 1500:1 and a maximum brightness of 450 nits.
The screen colors are rich, and the brightness is enough for comfortable viewing of content even on clear sunny days. Viewing angles are excellent and even better than most smartphones in this segment.
Equipment performance
Under the hood, the Asus Zenfone Max Pro houses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, which offers better performance over the Snapdragon 625 as it uses Qualcomm's own Kryo cores to boost power.
The phone comes with two memory options: 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB. The internal memory of both devices can be increased using microSD. Asus has also announced a 6GB/64GB version (with better camera quality) which will be available a little later.
The version I tested with 3 GB of RAM performed well. Zenfone Max Pro (M1) copes with hardcore games, everyday tasks and even multitasking without any problems. During long gaming sessions, the phone gets slightly warm, but not uncomfortable.
Overall, the device works well and even the performance of the version with 3 GB of RAM will be enough for most users. Of course, more experienced ones will choose the version with 4 GB of RAM.
Battery autonomy
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 also boasts a 5,000mAh battery, but it doesn't offer exceptional battery life. Some competitors offer similar battery life with less capacity and in a smaller package.
The battery charge lasts for a whole day with active use. This is quite enough, but I hope that a software update will optimize energy consumption even better.
The phone comes with a 2A/10W fast charger that charges the battery from 0 to 100% in less than 3 hours.
Multimedia and sound
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 supports Bluetooth 4.2 with AptX technology for better sound quality over wireless connections. Thanks to the built-in NXP amplifier, the mono speaker here sounds quite loud.
To increase volume even further, the package includes a Max Box accessory that passively amplifies the sound without any electronics. The thing may be useless, but it is offered for free and can be useful to anyone.
Hardware
It's a little disappointing to have a MicroUSB port instead of USB Type-C. For most people this is not a problem, but after all, this is a 2018 smartphone!
SIM card tray allows you to install two SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time. This is a nice addition for a budget phone, but only one can work on 4G networks, while the other is limited to 3G.
Software
Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the company's first smartphone that comes with a pure Android Oreo OS without the proprietary ZenUI shell. Asus says it plans to release two major updates to Android Q in the near future.
Even though it's stock Android, there are some pre-installed apps like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Go2Pay mobile wallet that cannot be removed.
The inexpensive Asus Zenfone Max Pro has a dual camera on the back with a 13MP primary sensor and a secondary 5MP sensor for depth effects. During the day, photos are clear, bright and with plenty of detail. In low light conditions, photos become noisy and details become a little blurry.
The HDR mode here doesn’t work well in the dark; the pictures come out blurry and with loss of detail. But the depth effect here was pleasing, as for a budget smartphone. The rear camera of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 can record 4K video but lacks stabilization.
The front 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture also creates good selfies with lots of details and rich colors. The LED flash on the front panel is hard and for selfie mode I preferred to turn it off.
The camera app is confusing and not entirely clear. The controls are awkwardly placed, and simple buttons, like the flash, are hidden under the menu and cannot be pressed with a single press. Asus needs to revise this app and make it more user friendly and functional.
The camera on the Zenfone Max Pro is quite decent, better than most smartphones in this segment, but not as powerful as the Redmi Note 5 Pro.
Bottom line
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is an excellent smartphone whose pros outweigh all the cons. Top-notch performance, pure Android OS and a $225 price tag that rivals even some of Xiaomi's offerings.
The Zenfone Max Pro definitely needs improvement in camera software and battery life, but it's still a top-notch device with excellent value for money that could easily be the best on the market.
Advantages of Asus Zenfone Max Pro
- Excellent build quality.
- Bright display.
- Good performance.
- Value for money.
I am sure that the ASUS brand does not need to be introduced to anyone. Today we will look at the hot new product in the mid-budget segment: a smartphone ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus, with code number X015D.
Characteristics
- System: Android 7.0
- Processor: 64Bit Mediatek MTK6750, 8 cores (4 x 1.5 GHz + 4 x 1.0 GHz)
- Graphics: Mali-T860 MP2
- Memory: 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM
- SIM cards: two NanoSIM
- Screen: 5.5" 2.5D IPS with HD resolution (1280x720), multi-touch 5 touches
- Front camera: 5 MP
- Main camera: 13 + 8 MP (dual)
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Bluetooth: 4.1
- Navigation: GPS, A-GPS
- Dimensions: 154.5 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm, weight - 177 grams
- Additionally: FM radio, fingerprint scanner.
Video version of the review
Unpacking and packaging
Judging by the appearance of the package, the postal worker was clearly having a bad day. However, the box survived and the contents reached me safe and sound.
Inside we find two instructions, a branded MicroUSB cable, a 5 volt 2 amp charging unit and a paperclip for opening the SIM card tray.
Design/Ergonomics
When I first took the device in my hand and examined the all-metal back wall, a logical question arose: excuse me, where are the antennas? And indeed, it seems that ASUS engineers succeeded more than Apple employees running ahead of the locomotive. Having examined the device more closely, I discovered plastic inserts on the upper and lower ends of the device. It seems that this is how ASUS got rid of the unsightly stripes on the back cover a la the iPhone. Well, kudos for the idea!
What do we have on the back of the smartphone? Here we find a protruding block of two cameras, a dual LED flash of different color temperatures, a noise reduction microphone and the ASUS logo.
If you take a closer look, you will find that although the camera block protrudes, it is completely immersed in the metal border and is slightly recessed into it. Thanks to this simple solution, the cameras are reliably protected, even if the device is carried around the table.
Audio output 3.5 mm. placed on the upper end of the device.
At the bottom we have two perforations, under which the main microphone and ringing speaker are hidden. Between them is the now classic MicroUSB connector. It probably doesn’t make sense to explain why it is needed, however, in addition to the OTG function, the device is also capable of sharing its charge with other gadgets. The speaker volume is acceptable, with some low-frequency inclinations.
Without going too far from the topic, I would like to immediately praise the device for the good quality of its microphones and earpiece. In cellular mode, I didn’t have any questions about my opponent’s audibility, and neither did he.
The hybrid slot for two cards and MicroSD is made flush and located on the left side of the smartphone.
On the right, right under the thumb, there is a volume rocker and a ribbed power button.
The front part of ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus contains a 2.5D display, sensors, a front camera and an event indicator. The screen has an oleophobic coating, which is in no way inferior to that on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
At the bottom, just like in Meizu smartphones, there is a mechanical button with a built-in fingerprint scanner. The recognition accuracy is simply excellent, however, when the screen is turned off, awakening occurs with a noticeable pause. Well, as you probably already guessed, there are no touch keys on the left and right sides of the button.
Battery and autonomy
ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus has a 5000mAh non-removable battery, which allows us to watch FullHD video at maximum brightness for about 14 hours or play productive games for 6.5 hours. With average use, the device lasted more than two days on one charge. However, taking into account the autonomy and battery capacity, we can confidently talk about poor optimization of the current firmware version. In my opinion, a smartphone is capable of providing much more impressive numbers.
 |  |  |
Display
As we said above, the ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus has a 5.5" display made using 2.5D technology. As for the resolution, ASUS apparently decided to save money and installed a screen with HD resolution (1280x720) and multi-touch for 5 touches.
And although the picture looks quite bright and juicy, the budget oozes out of all the cracks: at the corners the display turns yellow and violet.
Interface
Zenfone runs on a thoroughly redesigned Android 7. Currently, only Chinese firmware versions are available, however, right out of the box, I received my device with the Russian language already installed. On the 4PDA website you can already find two such Russian-language firmware, but the localization there is incomplete: approximately 80% of the text has been translated. The remaining part consists of inscriptions in English.
Interesting features include gestures, a dual-screen mode, an Easy mode for the elderly and children, and of course dual applications, for those who need to separate personal social networks from work ones.
 |  |  |
From what I personally see for the first time, I can note the vibration intensity that can be adjusted for different tasks, the ability to select a screenshot format (PNG or JPG) and the ability to remove on-screen buttons. With the latter, everything is not so obvious. The fact is that there is no such menu item out of the box and it appears only after editing the build.prop file, changing the location from WW to CN. That is, when I first got a smartphone, I had only one option - to use the on-screen buttons. But their location did not suit me personally, and no adjustments were provided in this regard. Therefore, the opportunity to use a single button, similar to Meizu smartphones, turned out to be just a gift for me. It works as follows: touch - return, press - home, double press - list of applications, press and hold - screenshot.
I have no complaints about the quality of Wi-Fi: through one wall the arrow literally lies, through two - a quite good value.
 |  |  |
As a plus, I’ll highlight the presence of an electronic compass for walking navigation, but I’ll immediately add a fly in the ointment: among the navigation systems, the current firmware version only supports GPS and A-GPS. I have no questions about the quality of navigation, but support for GLONASS satellites has already become some kind of standard and it certainly wouldn’t be superfluous.
 |  |  |
Iron
The heart of the smartphone is an 8-core 64-bit Mediatek MT6750 processor, four cores of which operate at a frequency of 1.5 gigahertz and four at a frequency of 1.0 gigahertz. The graphics are handled by the rather modest Mali-T860 MP2. But as far as memory is concerned, everything is fine. The device has 3 gigabytes of RAM with an average speed of 4000 MB/s and 32 gigabytes of permanent memory. The speed characteristics of the ROM are 134 MB/s for reading and 80 MB/s for writing. There are not very many sensors, and when loading the system, it eats up about half of all available RAM.
However, on medium and low graphics it is quite possible to play modern 3D games.
Having run the device for throttling, I was convinced of its absence. Moreover, after almost 2 hours of continuous play, the device only warmed up slightly.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Sound in headphones
For various modes of use, a special utility is preinstalled on the smartphone: Audio Wizard. In which you can choose any sound correction algorithm that is convenient at the moment. There are also rough settings for low and high frequencies and a very nice system equalizer. When you connect headphones, the “outdoor” value is automatically replaced with “clean” sound.
 |  |  |
In “clean” mode, the smartphone has a good frequency response and decent test results.
 |  |
However, after turning on the music, the smartphone automatically switches not to the “clean” mode, but to the “music” mode, where the unevenness of the frequency response turns from average to downright bad. At the same time, the perception of music by ear subjectively seems more comfortable.
 |  |
Cameras
ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus has a block of two main cameras: 13 MP from Samsung and an 8 MP fisheye from Hynix. The front camera is from the same Hynix at an honest 5 megapixels. There is slow motion in the settings, but in fact it does not slow down, but speeds up the process. Among the “killer features” we have a professional mode for photos and videos, and in video settings can be changed “on the fly”.
 |  |  |
The quality of the front camera is quite good, I was pleased with the pictures.
In good lighting, the main module is 13 megapixels. It takes pictures quite well, but sometimes details are lost.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
I liked the macro shots the most, but I also find them less than ideal.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Photo quality at night may vary. There are several pictures that I was frankly pleased with and several that went straight to the trash can.
 |  |
 |  |
The detail of the fisheye module leaves much to be desired, but shooting video in this mode adds some psychedelic quality to the videos.
 |  |
 |  |
At first, as usual, I started looking in the menu for the absolutely useless “bokeh” mode, but I was pleasantly surprised: ASUS decided to go a different route and the second camera module here is designed for shooting in “super resolution” up to 52 megapixels. Which can be done both from normal mode and from fisheye mode and really adds detail to the pictures. But I want to ground you right now, the shooting speed in this mode is extremely low, so using it on a regular basis is absolutely inconvenient.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Video is shot in FullHD MP4 at 30 frames per second. Focusing is automatic, but a little jerky, there is no optical stabilization.
Conclusions
To sum up, I can say that the smartphone ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus- this device is exactly worth the money. Naturally, it simply has an abundance of advantages: a metal body, an advanced shell, a gorgeous 5000mAh battery, a bright juicy display, good sound in headphones, two cameras with manual settings. However, if we take each of these points separately, then they all have some minor drawbacks: low screen resolution, lack of GLONASS, frankly weak hardware, low autonomy for its battery and very average image quality for today. Of course, I have a new product in my hands and most of the issues can be resolved with firmware updates, but I can’t help but highlight them. In my subjective opinion, ASUS Zenfone 4 Max Plus is a good handset for exactly its 170 bucks. If the device costs less, you can buy it, but if it costs more, I would look at other models.
Coupon available now Bfriday300, which reduces the price to $158.89
Energy for the whole day.
With the new 5.2-inch ZenFone 3 Max, you no longer have to worry about your smartphone dying at the most inopportune moment. Thanks to its large battery capacity (4130 mAh), ZenFone 3 Max can last up to 30 days in standby mode. The larger the battery capacity, the more useful your smartphone will be, because everyone wants to get the most out of their mobile device without having to recharge: browse more websites, watch more videos and chat with more friends...
The device works with Micro-SIM cards from all GSM operators.
Maximum energy. Maximum impressions.
Do you live an active life, but by the middle of the day your smartphone is already dead? Then you need the new ZenFone 3 Max. A 4130 mAh battery will allow you to use this smartphone from early morning until dawn...
The device works with Micro-SIM cards from all GSM operators.
Maximum energy. Maximum impressions.
Do you live an active life, but by the middle of the day your smartphone is already dead? Then you need the new ZenFone 3 Max. A 4130 mAh battery will allow you to use this smartphone from early morning until late at night. Be more productive and have more fun - ZenFone 3 Max helps you live an even more active life!
Energy for the whole day.
With the new 5.2-inch ZenFone 3 Max, you no longer have to worry about your smartphone dying at the most inopportune moment. Thanks to its large battery capacity (4130 mAh), ZenFone 3 Max can last up to 30 days in standby mode. The larger the battery capacity, the more useful your smartphone will be, because everyone wants to get the most out of their mobile device without having to recharge: browse more websites, watch more videos and chat with more friends than with regular smartphones.
Great appearance.
ZenFone 3 Max combines the best of everything: a display covered with protective glass with rounded edges, an ergonomic body with a curved back panel, and stylish colors. This is a masterpiece of modern design and innovative technology that you won’t want to let go of.
Colorful image.
ZenFone 3 Max features a stunning 5.2-inch IPS display with 400 cd/m^2 brightness and wide viewing angles. Moreover, thanks to the thin frame (2.25 mm) and large relative area (75% of the size of the front panel), the screen does not at all affect the compactness of the smartphone.
Multifunctional fingerprint scanner.
The fingerprint scanner located on the rear panel not only serves to instantly unlock the smartphone, but also supports several other useful functions. For example, by swiping down on it, you will activate the front camera to take a selfie, so that you can then take a photo by touching the same scanner, which in this case will act as a duplicate shutter button.
For high-quality photography.
ZenFone 3 Max is equipped with a 13MP main camera with instant shutter function, and a front camera with a 5MP sensor will help you take great selfies and video chat.
PixelMaster technology for capturing memorable moments.
The camera with PixelMaster technology offers a range of special modes to help you take great photos. HDR mode automatically changes image parameters to ensure uniform illumination of the entire photo, which will be very useful when shooting in backlit conditions. The brightness of the photo increases up to 400%.
Improved user interface.
The ZenFone 3 line of smartphones features ZenUI, a user interface designed specifically for ASUS mobile devices, giving you improved design, increased performance and many additional features over the standard interface. For example, the weather forecast is now displayed with colorful animation effects, and the appearance of the clock widget has become even more stylish. In addition, the parallax effect while scrolling contributes to the animation of the interface, and “freezing” the background helps the eyes focus on the main thing. Convenient and functional, ZenUI 3.0 is not just a user interface, it is a reliable assistant that is always at hand!
For lovers of mobile games.
Game Genie is a unique set of technologies implemented in the ZenUI 3.0 user interface specifically for mobile game lovers. With it, you can use the pop-up help window right during the game, increase the gaming performance of your smartphone, or organize an online broadcast of the gameplay via YouTube or Twitch services - if you really have something to show off to your friends!
Yesterday, Asus held a presentation and announced the price of the ZenFone Max Pro (ZB602KL) smartphone, which the company positions as a gaming smartphone. It has fairly balanced hardware and some of its own features that make this model desirable. Not least of all, the price tag has something to do with this.
The smartphone has a FullView screen with a diagonal of 6 inches, while its overall dimensions correspond to typical classic smartphones with 5.5 inches. The screen resolution is 2160×1080 pixels. Aspect ratio 18:9.
Asus uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset.
RAM can be 3 or 4 gigabytes. Built-in 32 or 64 gigabytes.
The smartphone has 2 slots for SIM cards and a separate one for a memory card; the device will accept a capacity of up to 2 terabytes. Both SIM slots can work with 4G networks.
The main camera of the smartphone consists of a 13 megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a second 5 megapixel one.
Front camera 8 megapixels, f/2.2 aperture. There is also a flash with soft diffused light. The smartphone can also take photos with the bokeh effect, which many people love today.
The smartphone can unlock by identifying the owner by face. In addition, it received a fingerprint scanner, which works even if you pick up the device with wet hands.
It is worth noting that this time the manufacturer does not install the proprietary ZenUI shell, offering consumers pure Android.
I'm also pleased with the battery. Asus compares ZenFone Max Pro with Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. 5000 mAh for Asus versus 4000 mAh for Xiaomi. At the same time, the Asus smartphone is fully charged in 2 hours and 42 minutes, and for the same result Xiaomi will require 3 hours and 13 minutes.
If we touch on Xiaomi for the second time, then ZenFone Max Pro will please you with a more contrasting screen. 1500:1 vs 1000:1.
In addition, they were able to place an NFC module under the metal body of the androphone.
Asus also notes that this model uses an NXP smart amplifier and a 5-magnetic speaker, which provides loud and rich sound.
The price of the devices is very reasonable. For a modification with 3+32 gigabytes of memory, the manufacturer wants to receive 13,990 rubles, and for a model with 4+64 gigabytes he will ask for 15,990 rubles.
If you are interested in news from the IT world as much as we are, subscribe to our Telegram channel. All materials appear there as quickly as possible. Or maybe you're more comfortable