The ASUS Zenfone Max has launched again with minor changes in it. The new Zenfone Max now sports a large 32 GB internal storage and a brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 having a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor whereas everything else is kept the same as you have seen in the previous Zenfone Max. The smartphone is shipped with the Android 6.0 Marshmallow with custom ZenUI skin while the things are changed little, the price is still kept the same. It holds the same price tag of ₹9,999. But before we make any judgements, here are our hands-on and first impressions with the new ASUS Zenfone Max.
ASUS Zenfone Max Specifications
- Display: 5.5-inch IPS HD Display covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4
- Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow with ZenUI
- CPU: 1.5 GHz octa-core 64-bit processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 615
- GPU: Adreno 405
- Memory: 2 GB LPDDR3 RAM
- Storage: 32 GB eMMC internal storage, Expandable up to 64 GB using MicroSD, Lifetime 5 GB of free ASUS WebStorage, Free 100 GB of Google Drive Storage for 2 years.
- Main Camera: 13 MP Laser Autofocus with dual-tone LED flash, F2.0 aperture, Wide View, Manual Mode
- Front Camera: 5 MP Autofocus, F2.0 aperture, Wide angle 88-degree lens, 140-degree Selfie Panorama
- Connectivity: WLAN 802.11 b/g/n, Micro USB, OTG support, Bluetooth V4.0 (EDR and A2DP), Wi-Fi direct, GPS, GLONASS, AGPS & BDS
- Network: Dual Micro SIM card, 4G LTE dual-SIM (GSM + GSM), supports 4G on SIM1 and 2G/3G on SIM2
- Battery: 5000 mAh Li-Polymer (non-removable)
- Dimensions: 77.5 mm x 156 mm x 10.55 mm
- Weight: 202 grams
- Color Variant: Black and White
- Price: ₹9,999
Design and Build
ASUS Zenfone Max looks exactly the same as the older Zenfone Max when you talk about the design. Almost everything is kept the same, the box, the price, even the weight, and dimensions aren’t different by a millimeter. So what’s the deal, why did Zenfone launched the same smartphone again? Well, it isn’t the same smartphone, they changed few things from the inside so you can’t notice what has changed when you look at the design. To tell you, a better CPU and a higher storage are added as a new while keeping the things from its old generation phone i.e. Zenfone Max.
What I think about this bulky smartphone is it is yet the best Zenfone available in the budget segment as the new mods will surely make it stand-out against the competitors such as the Lenovo K4 Note, LeEco Le 1S, and others or at least close enough.
The ASUS Zenfone Max comes with a 5.5-inch IPS HD display having a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Also prominent is the new Snapdragon 615 SoC with 1.5 GHz octa-core processor, new Adreno 405 GPU, and a 32 GB internal storage which can be expanded using MicroSD card. The previous Zenfone Max has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 which is a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor.
With the new processor and the graphics processing unit, the multitasking performance and gaming will be far better as compared to the old Zenfone Max. Additionally, the doubled storage will be the added advantage as many smartphones still offer 16 GB storage at this price point.
The top area has the same 5 MP camera having f/2.0. The camera also supports wide angle lens (88-degree) with autofocus. While many smartphones do not offer an autofocus on the front camera, the Zenfone Max has it.
You have the same leather-finished back which can be removed to insert two Micro SIM cards. The battery cannot be removed, however. Furthermore, the 13 MP autofocus with laser autofocus camera is the best in this price segment. For the rest, we have already covered the other aspects in our Zenfone Max review. You can see the Zenfone Max images below.
The Power button and Volume rocker buttons are kept on the right while as usual with the Zenfones, the left is all empty. The audio jack is at the top and the bottom has a standard Micro USB port and a microphone.
Software and User Interface
Talking about the software, the ASUS Zenfone Max comes with the new Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow as opposed to the old Zenfone Max which has an Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. With the upgraded operating system, the Zenfone Max now supports app permissions, Google Now on Tap and Doze feature from the Marshmallow. It also has the recent security patch from April 2016.
Initially, the interface ran very smooth thanks to its new CPU. It didn’t lag in our first usage. The UI seems to have a number of apps preinstalled that you would find on any other Zenfone. What else you see is the interface resembles very much to its previous variant but it gives a touch of the Android Marshmallow.
Camera
The Zenfone Max sports a 13 MP camera with laser autofocus along with a dual tone LED flash. The front camera is a 5 MP. We think the camera module used in this one is same from the previous Zenfone Max. The camera uses ASUS Pixel Master technology to get amazing quality shots. We were checking out the camera so we thought to show you some of the shots. The camera as we already know took the images quickly and focused very fast due to its laser autofocus. We will give you a detailed review of the Zenfone Max camera in our full review. Till then, check the images captured from Zenfone Max rear camera below.
Early Verdict
In our initial impressions, the new Zenfone Max will definitely replace the old variant and it is priced well (₹9,999) in my opinion. Also, you have the best battery backup in this price as far as I know. Still, there are some pretty good smartphones available at this price like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 but ASUS is keeping the pace by providing Android Marshmallow and a big 32 GB storage. We are yet to check out other aspects of the smartphone in detail though we think the other aspects sounds the same as the old variant so do check out our ASUS Zenfone Max review.
So, what do you think about this new Zenfone Max? Should you upgrade your existing Zenfone with this new one? Do add your thoughts or views in the comments.
