Introduction
We all know that there is no perfect smartphone in the world, even a flagship smartphone will have its downside. One problem that mostly every Android smartphone will encounter is the battery life. Well, ASUS recently launched the ZenFone Max, which seems to have solved this problem.
Leather Backing
As it is in the ZenFone lineup, the Max packs the same design language as the other ZenFones. The concentric circle at the bottom chin of the phone is the signature of the entire ZenFone lineup.
However, the volume rocker and power button are back to the right side of the device. I have to admit the ZenFone Max indeed doesn’t feel cheap, all thanks to its metal frame plus faux leather backing.
Bright Display
The ZenFone Max sports a 5.5-inch HD display at 267 ppi pixel density. On paper, it seems that the resolution is a bit too low for a 5.5-inch device. Look on the bright side, it actually helps a lot in saving more battery consumption than a Full HD display. Additionally, the display is bright, which has a good outdoor visibility, but not good for using it in the dark.
Similar Experience
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with 2 GB of RAM, the ZenFone Max has pretty similar experience as the ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL), which I reviewed last year. You’ll get the same features and functionality like other ZenFones. Quick update on ZenUI, there’s now a dedicated market for you to download the icon packs and wallpapers.
13 MP Shooter with Laser Auto-Focus
Like the ZenFone 2 Laser, the ZenFone Max has the same 13 MP camera with laser auto-focus. Well, it’s actually the same camera unit from the ZenFone 2 Laser, so really nothing much to say.
Battery Life Beast
So, 5,000 mAh battery sounds promising. The ZenFone Max is definitely one of the smartphones with long battery life in the market. ASUS also includes an OTG cable in the box, which means you can use the ZenFone Max to charge other device.
Remember to turn on the reverse charging feature in the settings if you want to charge another device. Otherwise, the ZenFone Max will stop charging other device after sleep.
A single charge would provide more than 2 days of battery life based on my usage. It’s not surprising to know that the ZenFone Max has more than 9 hours of screen-on-time.
Pricing and Availability
Pricing at RM 899 RM 799, the ZenFone Max is available in black and white colors. It can be purchased through ASUS Malaysia Online Store or Lazada Malaysia.
Final Words
To make it simple for you to understand easily, the ASUS ZenFone Max is actually a ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) with bigger battery. I didn’t realize it in the beginning, but as I’m going deep, to know about it, that’s all I got. Anyway, I once said that the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser proves that you don’t need to pay much to get a smartphone with a decent camera. As for the ZenFone Max, it proves that you don’t need to pay much to get a smartphone with a decent camera, and battery life.
Yay
- Build quality doesn’t feel cheap
- Insane battery life
Nay
- HD display only
- No fast charging