With the rise of ZenFone 3 series, ASUS has updated a whole lot of stuff including design, hardware, cameras and more on these new ZenFones. From the ZenFone 3 lineup, ASUS launched a budget phone, ASUS ZenFone 3 Max (ZC520TL) which is the company’s latest smartphone in India priced at ₹12,999. It is beautifully designed made out of metal and 2.5D curved glass. The device packs a 4,100 mAh battery that will give a longer run considering the battery capacity. We got the device and here’s our ASUS ZenFone 3 Max (ZC520TL) hands on review.
ASUS ZenFone 3 Max (ZC520TL) Specifications
- Display: 5.2-inch IPS HD Display (1280 x 720 pixels resolution) with 2.5D curved glass
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes, at the back
- Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow with ASUS ZenUI 3.0
- CPU: 1.25 GHz Cortex-A53 quad-core processor, MediaTek MT6737M SoC
- GPU: Mali-T720 MP2 (650 MHz)
- Memory: 2 GB LPDDR3 RAM OR 3 GB LPDDR3 RAM
- Storage: 16 GB OR 32 GB internal storage, MicroSD support up to 256 GB
- Main Camera: 13 MP f/2.2, LED flash, 1080p @30fps
- Front Camera: 5 MP f/2.0, 1080p @30fps
- Connectivity: Micro USB, 3.5 mm stereo jack, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, A-GPS, GLONASS
- Cellular: 4G LTE, Hybrid SIM Tray, Micro + Nano SIM (GSM + GSM), VoLTE-enabled
- Battery: 4,100 mAh Li-Ion (non-removable)
- Dimensions: 149.5 mm x 73.7 mm x 8.6 mm
- Weight: 148 grams
- Colors: Gold, Silver, Gray, Rose Gold
- Price: ₹12,999
- Warranty: 1 Year Warranty
ZenFone 3 Max uses a 5.2-inch IPS HD Display, a 1.25 GHz quad-core processor from MediaTek MT6737 SoC with Mali-T720MP2 as an entry level GPU for gaming. Further, it has a 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage that sounds mainstream since most of the budget smartphones now come with similar configurations. By looking at the specs, it looks promising for a budget smartphone until we compare it with the Chinese offerings. It could be a really tough fight to take on the popular Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Lenovo, and LeEco offering better specs.
If that’s now all about specs, the design would simply win in this regards. The ASUS ZenFone 3 adopts metallic frames clad in Gorilla glass on both sides, while its companion, ZenFone 3 Laser adopts a metallic back instead. The ZenFone 3 Max has a similar design having metallic back. Unlike the older ZenFone series, the Zenfone 3 Max boasts a metallic unibody with 2.5D curved glass on top. In fact, all the Zenfone 3 series devices feature a 2.5D curved glass already.
The back feels very soft having a matte finish design. You will find a fast fingerprint scanner on the back along with a 13 MP camera that does not have a laser autofocus. The previous ASUS ZenFone Max used to have a laser autofocus.
With a 720p display, the 4,100 mAh battery will get a boost eventually give a better battery life. I do think, a 720p is good for 5 inchers, and it consumes a lot less battery than the 1080p counterpart. Remember ZenFone Max? It has a 720p display with 5,000 mAh battery making it the longest survivor in terms of battery life among ASUS smartphones. Although we can’t be sure how long the battery lasts until we review, but it will certainly better than those having a 1080p display.
There aren’t any external navigation buttons but ASUS branding on the free space. ASUS used on-screen navigation buttons instead while the other ZenFones have the capacitive touch buttons on the bottom.
ASUS ZenFone 3 Max seems to be using a dated camera. The 13 MP could sound mediocre on paper, but as we know, ZenFones utilizes the Pixel Master technology, the camera is pushed to its limits. Nevertheless, I believe it has the same performance ZenFone 3 Laser offers.
Like all the other ZenFone 3 lineup, the button placements remain the same. The right side has a power key and volume keys, the left has hybrid SIM tray. It has dual SIM capabilities, supports 4G network with VoLTE. The SIM 1 tray a micro SIM and SIM 2 holds a nano SIM (GSM + GSM). The second slot can be either used for one nano SIM or a MicroSD card (GSM + MicroSD).
Moving to the bottom of the device, you can find a Micro USB and a microphone. The top has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and another microphone.
On the software side, it runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow overlaid with ASUS ZenUI 3.0.
Given that the hardware is relatively low powered along with the display, the 4,100 mAh battery should offer a plenty of uptime. It is priced at ₹12,999 and available on online and offline stores.
What do you think about the new Zenfone 3 Max? Share in the comments.
