- Analysis by KJ David
While it does not level with the ultra-high-end Zenfone AR (another CES 2017 release from Asus) in some aspects, the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom boasts several premium-caliber specs of its own, the biggest of which is its sophisticated dual-lens optics , made up of a 12-megapixel ASUS SuperPixel f/1.7-aperture main sensor and a 12-megapixel Zoom Camera that rocks a whopping 59mm focal length , consequently enabling up to 2.3x optical zooming as well as a 12x total camera zoom.
Alongside its promising camera sensors are a bunch of top-tier imaging pros, including 4K/UHD (3840 x 2160) video-recording , the ASUS TriTech+ Autofocus System (dual-pixel phase-detection + laser + subject-tracking) , and both optical (OIS) as well as electronic (EIS) image stabilization technologies . Feel free to check out our list of the Best Camera Smartphones.
Given the aforementioned camera facets, however, the Zenfone 3 Zoom does not escape our keen eye for cons, since we caught its 170g body weight (The average was roughly 150g when it came out) and lack of a full-blown frontal LED light , the latter offered by several of the Best Android Selfie Phones. Its 13-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera does pack a Screen Flash function to make up for that setback, though.
As for the rest of its pros and cons, this Zenfone 3 edition swaggers with a monstrous 5000mAh battery pack sitting in the engine room, with self-attributed scores like a 48-hour 3G talk time and a 25-hour maximum Wi-Fi browsing time under its belt. Speaking of Wi-Fi browsing, its data rate peaks at 433Mbps on Wi-Fi networks , with a corresponding 300Mbps when using cellular data.
Display-wise, it rocks a 5.5-inch Full HD (1080p) display, which, despite missing out on a QHD (1440p) resolution and scoring a not-so-ambitious 76.5% screen-to-body ratio (Some top-tier contenders boasts over 90% in this aspect), is armed with an oleophobic coating and a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 cover glass that claims a 70% better damage resistant versus its predecessor.
As for hardware, we have no complaints about its Snapdragon 625 2GHz octa-core processor , which is clubbed with the FinFET LPP power-saving technology and 4GB of RAM . Its 128GB maximum internal memory and up-to-2TB external storage allowance should meet its heavy multimedia storage demands as well, while a rear-facing fingerprint scanner leads the security suite.
Related: Octa-core Smartphones
Looking for top-of-the-line imaging, but concerned about the phone's stamina? The Zenfone Asus Zenfone 3, with its endurance- and photography-focused assortment of pros and cons, may be your perfect match.
** This phone is also known as: Asus ZE553KL
You Should Also Be Interested In These:
- Don't Buy The Wrong Phone! Celliminator Will Find Your Perfect Phone
- Best Phones As Of March 2024 (12 Categories)
- Newest Asus Phones 2024 (latest Models)