ASUS’ naming conventions aren’t what you’d really call standard, and it’s just so confusing with the huge number of smartphone products in its portfolio. We’re not going to lie, there were some difficulties in googling specific things with this thing. But anyway, don’t let that dissuade you from the ZenFone Max Pro. Because we’re here to take a closer look to what it has to offer.
ASUS’ naming conventions aren’t
what you’d really call standard, and it’s just so confusing with the huge
number of smartphone products in its portfolio. We’re not going to lie, there
were some difficulties in googling specific things with this thing. But anyway,
don’t let that dissuade you from the ZenFone Max Pro. Because we’re here to
take a closer look at what it has to offer.
PACKAGING
We like things when they’re packed neat. We
find them so appealing when they’re neatly presented from the get-go. Classy,
if you will. ASUS goes for a more minimalist approach with the packaging on the
Zenfone Max Pro, and it’s set to catch your attention if you have an
affinity for such things.
When it comes to inclusions, ASUS
wants to keep you prepared for the road, and we’re not really talking about its
hefty battery life. We’ll get to that in a bit. Anyway, ASUS is throwing in a
case in the package to help you alleviate your stress when it comes to
searching for one online. Although, a tempered glass or even a screen film
protector would have also been nice. Moving forward, the standard affair is all
there – paperwork for terms and warranty, a 2A charger, microUSB cable, a SIM eject
pin, headset, and an extra set of earbuds.
DESIGN
ASUS is bound to make design
changes every now and then, and with the Max Pro, it’s a big step forward. It’s
truly modern, so to speak. It’s not all screen time per se, but screen-to-body
ratio is pushed further the fold, leaving with more screen size and aspect
ratio for ASUS to work with. You get a 6-inch 18:9 display that melds nicely to
its body through its 2.5D curved glass. Thankfully, it’s not a part of the
notch flock.
ASUS also continues to put the
fingerprint sensor on the back – there’s not much physical action up front, even
the company’s logo is absent there. And this is what we find appealing for us
most of the time. The dual camera is set up vertically up top left, while the
flash sits below it. The speaker setup is also located below the device beside
the microUSB port, opposite to the microphone and headphone jack. We’re not
really sure why ASUS didn’t go with a USB Type-C port, but hey, at least we still
have a headphone jack.
ASUS’ choice for the materials
used in the Max Pro is a tad weird, however. It does come with an aluminum mid-frame
and a metallic panel at the back, but odds are the frame of the phone is made
out of plastic. It’s not as tacky as it sounds, though. It looks quite as
premium, and it feels good to the touch, too.
Moving forward, the power and the
volume buttons are situated at the right side of the phone, while the SIM card slots
are on the other end. Oh, fun thing about it is it makes room for dedicated
microSD card slot, so you don’t have to sacrifice a second SIM card for
additional storage.
DISPLAY
We have plenty of love to give
with the Max Pro’s smexy display. As mentioned, we’re dealing with a 6-incher that’s
complete with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a sweet 2160 x 1080 resolution. The
contrast levels are quite exceptional, and its brightness levels are also
wonderful that you won’t have any problems when using your phone even under the
sun. Colors also do pop up and are quite vibrant, which is easily pleasing to
my eyes if I do say so myself.
PERFORMANCE
The Max Pro packs some serious punch
with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 under its hood. Basically, you’re dealing with an
Octa-core 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 CPU and Adreno 509 GPU. You’re also given two memory
configurations 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB. What we have is the former, by the by.
The level of gaming performance on
the Max Pro is where we expected it to be. Not purely anecdotal, as we also have the
benchies to back it up. Do check them below.
CAMERA
There’s no easy way to say this, so
let’s get right on to it. The camera performance of the Max Pro is quite decent for
its price. The only thing marring its quality is the software. To go into details,
the duo 13MP + 5MP camera do a pretty great job in good lighting, giving crisp
and fine details, with vibrant colors and good contrast. Lowlight image quality
does sink a bit in with noise and the colors getting a bit paler, but still
usable and workable photos nonetheless.
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| Daylight Photo |
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| Daylight Photo with HDR |
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| Depth of Field |
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| Night Shot |
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| Night Shot with HDR |
Video mode on the other hand offers
quite a surprise. It comes with 4K DCI recording capabilities. And a little bit
of Google-Fu indicates that it’s the dominant 4K standard when it comes to
movie projection, and it’s also what professional video cameras use. Check the video
sample below.
BATTERY LIFE
The Max Pro is nothing if we’re not
going to discuss its battery life. It is ASUS’ prime offering when it comes to
longevity. You’re working with a 5,000mAh battery for your endurance run. And
paired with a very efficient chipset, you’re up for a marathon here. You can
easily squeeze that to two days and over worth of usage, which is by far a go-getter
compared to smartphones that claim flagship title with only a day, or even less
to live before you charge it up for the next round.
ASUS does claim you can charge
the 5000mAh battery from 0 to full tank in less than 3 hours through its 2A
charger. Flash charging, as they call it. However, that time alone is quite
lengthy, but given the hefty amount of battery it has, this is to be expected.
On that regard, ASUS should have employed a Type-C and a wall charger with a
higher voltage and/or current. But again, the company may have imposed some
safety limits on the phone to keep it safe.
Also, do note that your mileage may vary, as there are a lot to consider when it comes to battery life.
CONCLUSION
ASUS attempts to win big in an
already saturated budget market that’s occupied with the likes of Chinese
companies, with each sporting their own unique features and traits. With that
said, ASUS is going in with an ace up its sleeve – the ZenFone Max Pro boasts some serious value for your money for what it has to offer. The user
experience and performance are quite smooth all thanks to its modern hardware, the
camera, despite having some software kinks to iron out, is definitely a performer,
and the huge display in that form factor is just so gorgeous. Oh, and did we
mention it has a 5,000mAh battery that can last you for a while?
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