Asus has officially launched its most premium smartphone offering so far, the ZenFone 6. And unlike its predecessor, the ZenFone 5Z that largely depended on a top-end processor for its appeal, the new ZenFone 6 has a distinct identity to itself that makes it stand apart from the rest.
The first thing that hits the user with the new ZenFone 6 is its looks, which has the display extending right up to the edges even though the bottom bezel is tad bit thicker. Nevertheless, the uninterrupted expanse of the display has been made possible by what can be considered one of the biggest USP of the device – its flip camera which can serve both as a selfie cam as well as the primary rear camera.
The company has introduced a ton of improvisations too based on the rotating camera design, which includes the ability to shoot from bizarre angles without worrying about diminishing quality. Those include horizontal or vertical panorama shots with the rotating camera itself capturing the panorama shot without the user having to move the smartphone any bit. Also, no matter how elaborate or maybe even weird it might seem to be, Asus assured there is some solid engineering at work behind its operation.
For instance, the company showcased during launch the camera can withstand quite a bit of rough while also being robust enough to continue operating for at least a decade while shooting 28 selfies a day. Specifically, Asus said the camera has been designed to sustain at least 100,000 usage – opening and closing – without seeing any perceivable degradation. It being made of liquid metal is another reason for its strength and durability.
A stepper motor is in place to make the camera movement possible, which Asus said is almost similar in working to a car’s gearbox. The motor is also designed to rotate two degrees each time and won’t launch or retract the camera module in a jerk. Instead, the module slows down a bit at the terminal point when retracting or deploying, making it seem quite sophisticated and state-of-the-art. What’s more, it also uses the gyro sensor to detect a fall, during which the camera is designed to retract automatically to prevent damage.
Now coming to the camera specs, it’s a 48 mp Sony IMX586 lens with an f/1.79 aperture that serves as the primary cam. Complementing the above is a 13 mp ultra-wide camera having a 125 degree field of view. Also included in the camera module is an LED flash that sits in the middle of the two lenses. Both the camera support 4K video recording while the main sensor is capable of super slow motion videos at 480fps.
Now, coming to its other specifications, those are much like any vouching to be a flagship phone. That includes the Snapdragon 855 chipset with the choice of RAM ranging from 6 GB and 8 GB. Storage options start at 64 GB before topping out at 128 GB and 256 GB.
Another highlight of the new ZenFone 6 happens to be its 5000 mAh battery, which is among the highest for any top-end smartphone. There is a headphone jack too, as is a dedicated slot for storage expansion. There is a pair of speakers as well besides supporting NFC.
The 6.4-inch FHD+ display, however, is an LCD panel instead of AMOLED but still impresses with its color reproduction and vibrancy. The display supports HDR10 as well though it being an LCD panel, there is no in-screen fingerprint sensor. Instead, there is a physical sensor at the rear for user authentication. On the software front, its stock Android that Asus has gone for and already qualifies for Android Q when that becomes available.
As for the price, that again has been kept at an affordable €499 for the base 6 GB/ 64 GB model, €559 for 6GB + 128GB version and finally, €599 for the top-end 8GB + 256GB variant. It currently available only in Europe and is expected to reach India soon and will be Flipkart Exclusive.
