ASUS has finally announced the Zenfone Max Pro (M1) today in a Media event in India and this one is quite interesting to be fair. ASUS has always included High Capacity Batteries but, this is the first Zenfone Max device which includes a SOC that is quite powerful as well. The Snapdragon 636 sits right between the 630 & 660 in terms of performance.
So, let’s go through the Highlighting specifications first,
The area that makes the Zenfone Max Pro (M1) stand out from it’s predecessors is the fact that, it’s running Pure (Stock) Android & though it has a Snapdragon 636, it’s priced very competitively.
The Stock Android version installed on this device is Oreo (Android 8.1) & ASUS promises upto 2 generations of Android Upgrades. So, Android 9 & Android 10 should come eventually in the Zenfone Max Pro.
The 5.99 inch 2160×1080 IPS Display spots a brightness of 450 nits & the company also claims that, the panel covers about 85% of the NTSC color gamut.
The Cameras vary by RAM options. The 3GB & 4GB RAM variants come with 13MP main + 5MP depth sensing rear cameras & an 8MP Front Camera. The 6GB RAM variant bumps it up to 16MP main sensor + 5MP depth sensor on the Back and a 16MP sensor on the front as well. The device gives up ZenUI so, there is no PixelMaster in here as well. Instead ASUS has opted for a more basic Snapdragon Camera. It has all the basic options but, it does not come with a Manual Mode if that matters to you.
There is also a huge 5000 mAh Batery & ASUS claims that their 10W Charger that is supplied in the box can charge the device way quicker compared to other devices coming from their competitors.
ASUS hasn’t neglected the Audio section either so, they have included a NXP Smart AMP for great Audio Output. Also they’ll throw in a passive amplifier called “MaxBox” which shall improve the loudness of the single mono speaker of the bottom slightly.
Now, let’s talk about the pricing & this is where ASUS India has surprised everyone. The 3GB, 32GB variant costs 10999 INR, the 4GB, 64GB variant costs 12999 INR & the 6GB, 64GB variant (which will appear later) costs 14999 INR. At this point, the pricing is even better than what Xiaomi offers for their Redmi Note 5. So, at that price point the Zenfone Max Pro (M1) seems to be a great deal.
The sales haven’t started yet however. The device will be available for purchase starting 3rd May, 2018 on Flipkart.