Once again Asus has come out with not a single release but an entire lineup for every type of consumer possible and while you might think its daunting looking at all the specifications, you only need to know some tell tale signs to understand how the Zenfone series will work for you.
Let’s start with their names:
Zenfone – the standard version without any other name attached to it – is the balanced market offering from the company. These tend to favor photography.
Max – when you see this in the Zenfone lineup, it means that the battery of the phone is the highlight rating at 5000mAh or just around that. It’s not a slouch by any means and should be more than sufficient for the average user’s activities. It has reverse charging as its very specific feature.
Selfie – this denotes Zenfone units that have stellar front facing camera features. Models with this name usually have superior front camera setups over their rear counterparts. The Selfies have moderate processing power and is usually a notch above the Max variants.
These names have been in place from the second generation of Zenfone and Asus seems likely to carry it through towards newer models so best get acquainted. Within the names are the numbers which denote their generational model of which the current is 4.
The Pro Versions:
Each of the targeted market segment has a pro version but the local release sees the Zenfone 4 Max Pro out of the listing rounding the number to 5 units being marketed in the Philippines.
Getting the Pro extension on Zenfone models means that the particular device uses something better than its standard version – it can be the processor, screen, cameras, you name it; one or a number of these specifications are upgraded on the Pro counterparts.
This generation of devices is the first to use the “Pro” naming convention and we might see it being used over time as well.
Now that you’re up to snuff, lets look at the 4th generation of Zenfone devices and what they have in store for us. These have just been launched at the Zenfone City gathering held at the function halls of SMX Convention Center earlier today.
From a price standpoint, the hierarchy goes as such:
Zenfone 4 Max – Php 9,995
Zenfone 4 Selfie – Php 13,995
Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro – Php 18,995
Zenfone 4 – Php 28,995
Zenfone 4 Pro – Php 39,995
These numbers are actually quite refreshing as it situates the devices on attainable standing as far as the current market is concerned. Let’s look at what makes each unique from one another:
The Zenfone 4 Max maintains the 5000mAh battery and the ability to reverse charge at a current of 1A. It has dual cameras at the rear normal + wide, and a dual SIM tray + memory card slot… yup not a hybrid, three slots right here. The Zenfone 4 Max confguration in the Philippines is the 32GB / 3GB configuration with the Snapdragon 430. At Php 9,995 its a steal!
The Zenfone 4 Selfie configuration for the Philippines is 64GB / 4GB also using the Snapdragon 430. It’s a proper step up from the Max with its price of Php 13,995. You’d get a 20MP normal and 8MP wide combo for the front and a very reliable 16MP at the back.
The Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro ups the game of the Zenfone 4 Selfie by placing a DuoPixel front facing camera capable of capturing twice as many pixels for a staggering 24MP resolution output suitable for printing. What’s more, this variant allows for 4K video capture from the front facing camera which really puts the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro in a league all its own… and at the Php 18,995 price point, it is a definite contender for the space.
The Zenfone 4 at Php 28,995 is the most balanced among the flock with a 64GB / 6GB configuration running the Snapdragon 660. It has dual cameras at the back featuring the Sony IMX362 f1.8 and a wide angle lens as well. The battery is at 3300mAh.
The Zenfone 4 Pro is unique in that it is actually the flagship device sporting the Snapdragon 835, a 128GB / 6GB configuration, as well as the finest camera sensors from Sony… all of the cameras in the Zenfone 4 Pro are technically primes: IMX362 normal, IMX351 zoom, and the IMX319 for the front camera. Having this setup for Php 39,995 was way off from what we had expected and that is a very good thing!
All the SKUs leave for the Zenfone 4 Pro were available at launch so expect to find them in stores already. Now here’s how to tell the versions apart from each other:
This is a very simple way to understand which version of the Zenfone 4 you might be looking at and I hope it would help you decide which design is best for you and your usage pattern. I’ve also prepared this specification lineup with all the global variants side-by-side as a quick reference, this can also help if you’re still confused with all the descriptions above:
Along with the launch of the units themselves, attendees also had the privilege of viewing the APAC ambassador Gong Yoo‘s TV commercials for the Zenfone 4 lineup. Bea Alonzo was also present as Asus latest celebrity ambassador and it was a genuine surprise to everyone present.
Asus had also announced a partnership with Operation Smile that is basically the company pledging a peso per post with the appropriate hashtag, a very nice method of giving back IMHO.
The launch was a resounding success and what better way to end it than with a final wefie from Bea ^^
Twas a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the new Zenfone lineup and I’m certain we’re bound for a few more surprises in no time at all, kudos to Asus Philippines for another grand launch!
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