Tag: ZenFone 2

Spec Battle: Lenovo Vibe X3 vs Asus Zenfone 2 vs Moto X Play vs Huawei Honor 7

Lenovo today launched its flagship Vibe X3 smartphone in India. The device comes packed with a ton of features and improvements over its predecessor including a brand new design language and ergonomics.

The Vibe X3 comes with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, Adreno 418 GPU and 3GB of RAM. Internal storage is at 32GB which is expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot.

On the photography front, the Vibe X3 will come equipped a 21-megapixel PDAF rear camera featuring Sony IMX230 sensor with 6P lens and f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus and 4K video recording. The device also has a Pro Mode and Smart Assist feature which suggests best framing angle for a picture. On the front is an 8-megapixel camera.

We compare the Vibe X3 which is priced at Rs 19,999 with a few phones with similar price tags and specifications to see which one does better. Have a look at the table below.

Specs	Lenovo Vibe X3	Asus Zenfone 2	Moto X Play	Huawei Honor 7
Display	5.5-inch Full HD, Gorilla Glass 3	5.5-inch Full-HD	5.5 inch, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	5.2-inch FHD display (423ppi).
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels (401ppi)	1080×1920 pixels (401ppi)	1080 x 1920 pixels (~403 ppi pixel density)	1080 x 1920 pixels (~424 ppi)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor	2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580	Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615	64-bit octa-core Kirin 935
GPU	Adreno 418	PowerVR G6430	Adreno 405	Mali-T628 MP4
RAM	3GB	4GB	2 GB	3GB
Storage	32GB	64GB	32GB	16GB
Rear Camera	21-megapixel PDAF, Sony IMX230 sensor with 6P lens and f/2.0 aperture	13MP, AF, dual LED flash	21 MP rear, auto-HDR, dual-LED flash	20MP PDAF
Front Camera	8MP	5MP	5MP	8MP
Expandability	Up to 128 GB via MicroSD	Up to 64GB	128GB MicroSD card slot	Up to 128GB via MicroSD
Battery	3500mAh	3000mAh	3,630mAh	3,100mAh
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, microUSB v2.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, bluetooth v4.0, NFC	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-bandBluetooth v4.0, Micro USB v2.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot, bluetooth v4.1, NFC
OS	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop with EM UI 3.1 on top
Price	Rs 19,999	Rs. 17,999	Rs 19,999	Rs 22,999

January 27, 2016

Asus Announces Zenfone 2 Deluxe

Asus has announced a new phone for its much Zenfone lineup. This new phone will be the top of the line variant and will be called Asus Zenfone Deluxe. This new variant will come equipped with an Intel Z3590 chipset which boasts of four processor cores running at 2.5 GHz.

The Zenfone 2 Deluxe will come packing 4GB of low power DDR3 RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. Option to further expand this using a memory card will also be available.

Other than these the variant comes with the same specs as its siblings. There’s a 5.5 -Inch Full HD display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection shielding it from the outside. A 5-Megapixel camera will also be housed at the front with the beautiful display.

At the back will be a 13-Megapixel PixelMaster snapper,and all this sophisticated hardware will be juiced by a decent 3000mAh battery pack.

The Zenfone 2 Deluxe will be available in two designs, Silver Polygon and Night Carbon. No launch date or price has been revealed, but expect it to start retailing for around the Rs 25,000 mark in India.

January 27, 2016
Asus Deluxe Edition Zenfone 2 Comes With 256GB Internal Storage

Asus has unveiled the Deluxe Special Edition of Asus Zenfone 2 in Brazil on Friday. The feature that makes this phone truly ‘deluxe’ is the fact that it comes with a 256 GB of internal storage.

Other general specifications include, a Gorilla Glass 3 protected 5.5-inch display with a 1080 x 1920 resolution, an Intel Atom Z3580 SoC along with an octa-core 2.5GHz CPU and a PowerVR G6430 GPU. The phone also comes with an additional expandable microSD card slot up to 128GB along with a 4GB of RAM space.

The camera comes with a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. Other connectivity features include, 4G LTE (Cat.6), 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS connectivity, Dual SIM, Dual Active capabilities and the Asus Boostmaster fast charging technology. It is powered by a 3000mAh battery and runs on the Android 5.0 with Zen UI.

Along with all this, the Deluxe Edition Zenfone 2 also comes with an exclusive version of the racing game Asphalt 8, and two new back covers -Black with red, and White with red.

The Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition will be available in Brazil next month. Pricing of the product is unknown for now, as is its availability for other countries.

August 22, 2015
Asus Hints ZenFone 3 Will Come Equipped with a Qualcomm Chipset

ASUS has long been using Intel chipsets on its smartphones. It has a tie-up with the software firm that makes available latest chips for personal computers, as well as handsets. The Taiwanese equipment manufacturer is reportedly in talks with Qualcomm to embed its chips in future Asus phones.

The CEO of Asus, Jerry Shen shared some information with online tech portal Yugatech about the company’s partnership with Qualcomm and hinted that it could use Snapdragon 615 for future handsets. He also disclosed that they will discontinue using confusing naming convention opted for the recent releases, and go Apple’s simplistic way. Users might see a new nomenclature for the forthcoming ZenFone 3.

Shen mentioned that the company will release a major product every year and will roll up incremental upgrades every six months. With this he confirmed we can expect the successor of the ZenFone 2 in 2016.

April 29, 2015

Spec Battle : ASUS ZenFone 2 Vs OnePlus One

The ASUS Zenfone series is a highly appreciated lineup in the Indian smartphone market. The Taiwanese electronics maker already has Zenfone 4, 5 and 6 in its India handset portfolio and today, it expanded its ZenFone range in the country with the launch of ZenFone 2. The latest iteration is a mid-range smartphone and known to boast the powerful 4GB of RAM.

Priced at Rs. 22,999, ZenFone 2 holds quite a good spec sheet. It has an edge over many the high-end smartphones and competes with devices like Huawei Honor 6 Plus, iPhone 5c, and LG G3. We have pitted it against the flagship killer of 2014 i.e. OnePlus One and here are the differences between the two.

Specs	OnePlus One	ASUS ZenFone 2
Display	5.5-inch Full-HD, 1080×1920 pixels	5.5-inch Full-HD, 1080×1920 pixels
Processor	2.5GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801	2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580
RAM	3GB	4GB
Storage	64GB, non-expandable	64GB, expandable up to 64GB
Camera	13MP Rear and 5MP Front	13MP Rear and 5MP Front
Battery	3100mAh	3000mAh
Operating System	CyanogenMod 12	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 21,999	Rs. 22,999

As you can see in the table above, both OnePlus One and ASUS ZenFone 2 bear nearly the same specifications. Both the devices have a 5.5-inch Full-HD display, 64GB onboard memory, 13MP primary shooter, and 5MP selfie camera. The One has a slightly bigger battery and stuffs a Snapdragon processor, while the new ZenFone houses an Intel chipset. The ZenFone is priced Rs. 1,000 higher than the OnePlus One.

OnePlus has an edge over the ZenFone as it give a variation to the users by offering CyanogenMod which can now be upgraded to CyanogenMod 12 or Oxygen OS now. The ZenFone 2, on the other hand, comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop. We won’t be able to give a final verdict till we’ve reviewed Asus’ new flagship. Stay tuned, more coming up on iGyaan.

April 23, 2015

ASUS Outs 4 Variants of ZenFone 2 in India; Pricing Revealed

The much-awaited flagship by Taiwanese consumer electronics firm has finally arrived in India. Today, ASUS introduced the latest ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM in the Indian market. The smartphone was first showcased at CES this year. The ZenFone 2 enfolds some top-notch specifications that give it an edge over other smartphones in the budget segment. The device will be available in India exclusively on Flipkart.

ASUS has launched the ZenFone 2 in four variants – ZE551ML (4GB RAM) with 64GB and 32GB inbuilt storage, ZE551ML (2GB RAM), and ZE550ML. The former one is a top-tier device, while the other three have comparatively lower specifications. The ZE551ML with 4GB RAM comes in two storage versions. The one with 64GB storage space will cost customers Rs. 22,999, while the 32GB model will cost Rs. 19,999. The ZE551ML (2GB RAM) variant is launched at Rs. 14,999 and the ZE550ML will be available for Rs. 12,999.

ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (both 4GB and 2GB of RAM) sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080p) IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. On the other hand, ZenFone 2 ZE550ML features a 5.5-inch HD screen. A 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 is equipped to the ZE550ML with 4GB RAM. It’s 2GB RAM version, along with ZE550ML has a 64-bit 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560. All the handsets run on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom ZenUI on top. All the variants can expand up to 64GB via MicroSD card.

The ZenFone 2 packs a 13MP PixelMaster rear camera with dual-LED Flash along with a 5MP selfie snapper. The rear shooter also offers 52MP Super Resolution mode. A 3000mAh non-removable battery is fitted with all the ZenFone 2 models. The handsets are dual-SIM and offer dual active support. The devices have ZenMotion touch and gesture control support features common in them.

Here’s the specs sheet of the four handsets:

Specs	ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (4GB RAM)	ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (4GB RAM)	ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (2GB RAM)	ZenFone 2 ZE550ML
Display	5.5-inch full-HD 1080p	5.5-inch full-HD 1080p	5.5-inch full-HD 1080p	5.5-inch HD 720p
Processor	2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580	2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580	1.8GHz quad-core Intel Z3560	1.8GHz quad-core Intel Z3560
RAM	4GB	4GB	2GB	2GB
Storage	64GB (Expandable up to 64GB)	32GB (Expandable up to 64GB)	32GB (Expandable up to 64GB)	16GB (Expandable up to 64GB)
Rear Camer	13MP with dual-LED Flash	13MP with dual-LED Flash	13MP with dual-LED Flash	13MP with dual-LED Flash
Front Camera	5MP	5MP	5MP	5MP
Battery	3000mAh	3000mAh	3000mAh	3000mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI	Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI	Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI	Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI
Price	Rs. 22,999	Rs. 19,999	Rs. 14,999	Rs. 12,999

In case you missed our review of ASUS ZenFone 2, watch the video below:

April 23, 2015

Asus ZenFone 2 | Exclusive Unboxing and Hands On

Recently Asus introduced the successor to its affordable Zenfone series, the Zenfone 2. The company also announced that there are three variants of the device that would share the Zenfone 2 name. Chinese tech giants, Xiaomi and OnePlus, who have successfully created a niche in the Indian market, may find themselves facing severe rivalry in the mid-range category.

The Asus ZenFone 2 box consists of:

An Asus ZenFone 2 Handset.
Documentation including Warranty card and User Guide.
Earphones (Although, our box did not)
Standard Asus Charger
USB Cable

The phone is expected to launch on 23rd April, exclusively on Flipkart with an expected price tag of Rs. 19,000. The device comes with a 5.5-inch 1920x1080p IPS Display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by an Intel Atom 23580 Quadcore processor with 2.3 GHz CPU. One of its notable features is that the phone comes with two variants of RAM; 2GB RAM and 4GB RAM. The one we unboxed came with 4GB RAM. The juice is supplied by an adequate 3000mAh non-removable battery and the smartphone comes pre-loaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The device is well-built and similar to the LG G3, and HTC One M8 in terms of its colour finish. Its User Interface was clean, fast and responsive. In our initial impressions, we did not experience any lag.

Asus Zenfone 2 has a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. The dual LED flash paired with the rear camera, comes in two colours, to help you get the right white balance. Both the microphones consist of the noise cancellation feature, thus enabling you to talk with least hassle.

To get a clearer idea of the specs, you can check out the table below:

SPECIFICATION	ASUS Zenfone 2
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Screen Size	5.5-inch 1920x1080p IPS Display
RAM	4GB
Battery	3000mAh Lithium Poly-ion Non-Removable
Processor	Intel Atom 23580 Quadcore processor
CPU	2.3 GHz
Front camera	5MP
Rear Camera	13MP
Price	Rs 19,000 (Tentative)

Check out the in-depth video below

April 15, 2015

ASUS ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM to Arrive in India on 23rd April

Finally, ASUS has put an end to all the speculations about the release of its next flagship in India. The Taiwanese electronics manufacturer has sent out media invites for the launch of ZenFone 2, that will take place on April 23 in New Delhi. The smartphone was first showcased at the extravagant Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year.

As notified before, the device will launch in three variants in India. The dual-SIM handset stuffs 4G RAM, and unlike other handsets, ZenFone 2 offers an additional memory card support in spite of coming in three storage variants, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.

The device flaunts an original ergonomic design and features a 5.5-inch Full HD (1280x1920p) IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 coating. A 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 with PowerVR G6430 GPU is fitted to the device to give it a faster processing speed. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom Zen UI on top. The smartphone features a 13MP “Pixelmaster” rear camera along with a 5MP selfie snapper.

On the connectivity side, ZenFone 2 comes with 4G/LTE support that offers faster data speed, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The device comes with Dual Active mode that allows users to have two active phone lines at the same time.

ZenFone 2 equips a powerful battery of 3000mAh and comes in five different colour options: Osmium Black, Sheer Gold, Glacier Gray, Glamor Red and Ceramic White. Meanwhile, there is no information about its pricing. More details will be unveiled at the launch event itself. And as always, we’ll be bringing you the latest updates.

April 8, 2015
ASUS Confirms Three Different Zenfone 2 Variants Will Arrive in India

Since the launch of Zenfone 2 at CES 2015, folks have been eagerly waiting for the device to launch in the Indian sub-continent. Taiwanese electronics manufacturer has confirmed that the device will arrive in three variants in India. The firm hasn’t spoken about which models will be releasing, but the speculations are that these variants could possibly be the ZE551ML, ZE550ML, and ZE500CL.

Though, the company is yet to disclose a launch date of the handset.

3 variants of #Zenfone2 for India. Gear up to see what others can’t see. pic.twitter.com/p4n6BSC5rk

— ASUS India (@ASUSIndia) April 6, 2015

Till date, ASUS has three five variants of the Zenfone 2. The ZE551ML is the top-tier device with 4GB and 2GB RAM options with 32GB and 16GB storage capacities respectively. The other two devices, as we said can be ZE550ML and ZE500CL, fit well in the Indian market’s high-specs low price approach.

Talking about what all can be expected from the upcoming ASUS handsets, then Zenfone 2 ZE551ML boasts a 5.5-inch Full HD (1920x1080p) IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom Zen UI on top. A 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 with PowerVR G6430 GPU is equipped to the device bundled with 4GB RAM. The Zenfone 2 ZE551ML packs 13MP “Pixelmaster” rear camera along with a 5MP selfie snapper. The device might arrive at a price of Rs. 18,000.

The Zenfone 2 ZE550ML also sports a 5.5-inch screen but has an HD IPS (1280x720p) display. It stuffs a 1.8GHz Intel Atom quad-core Z3560 with PowerVR G6430 GPU with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. The model also runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom Zen UI. With 13MP rear and 5MP front camera, the ZE550ML variant is expected to be priced at around Rs. 11,900.

The ZE500CL is a cheaper sibling of all and is anticipated to cost only Rs. 9,500. It features 5.0-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS screen, 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2560, 2GB RAM and 16GB expandable memory space. The handset runs on the latest Android Lollipop, and flaunts 8MP rear and 2MP front shooter.

Precise details about the models and their pricing will unfold with the official launch.

April 7, 2015

Hands On | ASUS Zenfone 2

Asus Zenfone line of smartphones has done well in the market. These devices offer high-quality specs with unique features at affordable prices. The company has already launched the Zenfone 4, 5 and 6 in the Indian market. This year the company unveiled a new addition to the portfolio with the Zenfone 2. We got to take a look at this device at MWC 2015, and here we bring you our hands-on experience with the device.

Zenfone 2 flaunts a Full HD, 5.5 inch display that is protected with Gorilla Glass 3. It comes in two processor variants; a Quad-core 2.3 GHz, Intel Atom Z3580 processor and a Quad-core 1.8 GHz Intel Atom Z3560 processor along with 2 and 4 GB RAM options. It is available in 6/32/64 GB storage variants that can be further expanded up to 64 GB. It gets its juice from a 3000 mAh battery.

On the camera front, the device has a 13 MP shooter on the back along with the dual-LED flash. On the front sits a 5 MP selfie shooter. The front camera has an 85-degree field of view which will let the users click wider selfies.

Like its other Zenfone siblings, Zenfone 2 has also received some visually appealing design features. The front is dominated by the massive 5.5 inch display. It has a premium look and feel, especially with the brushed metal finish on the back.

The device runs Asus ZenUI based on Android 5.0 out of the box. ZenUI offers multiple customization and scheduling options that can make life easy for the users. It also has a unique option called Share link through which you can share content such as photos, videos, music, apps and APKs without the internet. The UI also has an easy mode that allows users with low technical skills to easily operate the device.

The device looks promising and has a great design. The vast number of options in the specs listing might confuse the consumers. The device is expected to be launched in $199 (approx Rs. 12,400) price bracket that would make it a steal. Keep checking iGyaan for an in-depth review of the new Asus Zenfone 2 and all the latest happenings at MWC 2015.

Specs	Asus Zenfone 2
Display	5.5-inch Full HD 403 PPI
CPU	2.3 GHz,Quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 and 1.8 GHz,Quad-core Intel Atom Z3560
RAM	2 and 4 GB
Internal Storage	16GB/32GB/64GB
Expandable Storage	64 GB
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Battery	3000 mAh

March 4, 2015

CES 2015 : Asus Brings Out Zenfone 2 and Camera-focused Zenfone Zoom

Asus, Taiwanese smartphone maker, has launched two new variants of its blockbuster phone, Zenfone at CES 2015. The Zenfone 2 and Zenfone Zoom, both are based on the same hardware platform and run on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Second Gen Zenfone flaunts a 5.5-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) IPS display, with evidently narrower bezels than its earlier devices. In fact, the company claims that the phone features 72 percent screen-to-body ratio. As for power, the smartphone is powered by Intel’s 64-bit Atom Z3580 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz, and it is paired with 4GB of RAM.

On the software side ASUS is now packing Android 5.0 Lollipop and the latest version of its Zen UI custom overlay. On the photography front, the smartphone features a 13-megapixel “Pixelmaster” camera with an f/2.0 aperture, zero shutter lag, and according to the company, “the world’s best HDR technology.”

On the front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie snapper with different features including a Beautification mode, which offers real-time image enhancement, skin softening and brightening, blush and colour correction, eye enhancement and cheek thinning. The Zenfone 2 gets its juice from a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging capabilities.

On the other hand, the Zoom boast the similar specifications as Zenfone 2 but with serious focus on imaging. The Zoom sports a 13MP camera that has 10-element lens, 3X optical zoom, and optical image stabilization. The back of the smartphone is reminiscent of the Nokia Lumia 1020.

The Zenfone 2 is priced at $199 (Rs 12,600 approximately), and will be available later this year in March. However, the availability and price of the Zoom is yet to be announced.

January 6, 2015
Asus Plans to Unveil 2nd Gen ZenFone Smartphones at CES 2015

Asus, Taiwanese smartphone maker, has revealed its plan for the next quarter. Asus CEO Jerry Shen on Thursday said that the company plans to introduce the successors to the popular ZenFone 2 series of smartphones next year at CES 2015.

Shen also said that the company is going in to business with another chip maker to swell their shipments next year. He stressed that the new chip maker will help the company produce affordable devices which can be priced as low as NTD 4,990 which is Rs. 10,000 approximately.

Currently, Asus uses chipsets from Intel for its devices starting from the price tag Rs. 5,999 for the ZenFone 4 in India. However, Shen did not reveal the name of the chip maker. The company is planning to bring second generation of ZenFone series with two of the biggest Chinese carriers – China Mobile Ltd and China Telecom Corp, along with various other models designed for global market.

“All of the new phones scheduled for release at the annual trade show will be powered by Intel Corp. chips and will support 4G LTE connectivity. LTE-enabled phones will account for about 30 percent-40 percent of Asustek’s total smartphone shipments in 2015,” Shen said in an interview.

He also added that 4G-LTE handsets powered by Intel chipsets will start at the price of NTD 9,990 (Rs. 20,000 approximately). This is quite high comparing to the current offerings by Asus in India.

The Taiwanese handset maker estimates that it will ship 8 million smartphones by the end of this year and 16 million next year. It intends to double its shipments with availability of its ZenFone series to about 6 new markets, currently the company is present in 14. Shen said that the company will now focus on China and Japan.

November 15, 2014