Not to be one-upped by the likes of Samsung, Nokia, and Vivo, ASUS today introduced the new ZenFone 5 series at MWC [Mobile World Congress] 2018 in Barcelona.
Leading the charge for the Taiwanese electronics maker are the ASUS ZenFone 5Z and its less impressive sibling, the ASUS ZenFone 5. Both flaunt premium designs inspired by what the company refers to as the “Fruit Phone X” — with high-end specs to match.
SEE ALSO: ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Lite, ZenFone 4 Max, or ZenFone Max Plus (M1)? A comparison
That also means the ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 have thin, almost imperceptible bezels, resulting to an incredible 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. There’s glass on the front and back, held in place by a solid metal frame.
Then there’s ASUS taking a page from Apple’s playbook and cutting a (smaller) notch into the display in order to fit the front-facing camera and sensors snug at the top bezel. To complete the “fruit phone” look, both ZenFone 5 models rock two vertical cameras positioned on the top-left corner of the backing.
The ASUS ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 take a page from the Apple iPhone X’s playbook. They come with a notch and two vertical rear cameras.
In terms of design, these phones are about as identical as the pictures make them out to be. That’s great news for those looking to score the ASUS ZenFone 5, which gets the flagship looks of the ASUS ZenFone 5Z sans the loftier price tag, we presume.
Another major selling point for ASUS this time around is — to no one’s surprise — artificial intelligence. There’s AI Boost for better gaming performance; AI Photography in the camera app; AI Display that manages color temperature and keeps the screen on as long as you’re looking at it; and AI Ringtone that intelligently adjusts ringer volume based on ambient noise.
ASUS ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 official introduction video
ASUS’ intelligent algorithms even extend to the front-facing camera system, allowing for animated avatars you can use in a video call or live stream. Yes, they’re kinda like the iPhone X’s Animoji.
Talking about specs, you can expect the ASUS ZenFone 5Z to ship with a 6.2-inch display, 2,246 x 1,080 pixels at a taller aspect ratio of 19:9; a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage; 12- and 8-megapixel main cameras; an 8-megapixel selfie camera; a 3,300mAh battery; and the company’s custom interface on top of Android 8.0 Oreo.
SEE ALSO: Full specs of the ASUS ZenFone 5Z and complete specs of the ASUS ZenFone 5
For security, there’s a fingerprint reader at the back, in addition to face unlock. You get dual speakers on the body, as well as USB Type-C connection along the bottom edge.
The ZenFone 5, in exchange for a more palatable price, will ship with toned-down specs, with a Snapdragon 636 processor at the helm alongside 4GB or 6GB RAM and 64GB storage.
Pricing and availability for the ASUS ZenFone 5 have not been disclosed at this time. Even so, it’s fair to say it will cost a lot less than the ZenFone 5Z, which will start at 479 euros (around P30,491 or $586) when it arrives in stores later this year.
Main image via Engadget
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