Asus Zenfone: Hands-on with the budget 4, 5 and 6-inch Android smartphones

 

 

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Asus Zenfone: Hands-on with the budget 4, 5 and 6-inch Android smartphones
1/6/2014 10:50:00 PM

Asus has already proven that just because something is affordable doesn't mean it needs to look and feel cheap. Think Nexus 7 and you'll have an idea what we mean. But at this year's Consumer Electronics Show 2014 in Las Vegas the Taiwanese company pushed a lot of effort into showing off its new line of smartphones. Or, as Asus calls them, Zenfone.

Available in three configurations, the Zenfone 4, Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 6 offer up 4, 5 and 6-inch screens respectively. Ranging from the iPhone-size (and style) 4-inch model, to a 5-inch version, right through to phablet territory with the 6-inch top-spec offering.

Each model takes on a different feel in the hand, with the 4-inch feeling super-light, whereas the larger models take on a little more weight and, for our tastes, feel the preferable options. They're also stronger on the specs front, although none are truly high-end models.

But that's not to say they don't look spectacular for the money. The 5-inch model, for example, shown here finished in black, will cost just $200 (£122) but has the feel of a device far above that price point. At 144g it's clearly a plastic build, but the way the screen joins to the rear section shows only a subtle seam - which in a black and white configuration looks rather suave.

Asus ships all the devices with Android 4.3 (with the promise of 4.4 on the way), but made a big song and dance about its ZenUI user interface when Jony Shih, Asus CEO, took to the stage at CES. "Simplified icons and menus, a selection of themes ... and a clever What's Next feature that helps users keep track of their lives," reads the statement. But the interface is rarely dissimilar from the usual, familiar feel of Android. You've got all the usual icon arrangements, but peppered with some specific Asus apps - and it's only really within the likes of these apps that you'll get a sense of what Asus is looking to achieve.

All the models ran really quickly to jump between applications and screens. We didn't test any heavyweight apps out, and the results of those will differ depending on device - the Zenfone 4 has a 1.2Ghz Intel Atom processor, whereas the 5 and 6 models come with a 2Ghz variation. All have just 1GB of RAM. Not super-powered, but for the money we can't complain - and the point of these devices is to be affordable.

Screen quality isn't the highest resolution available on the market. We spent most time with the Zenfone 5 and its 1280 x 720 pixel screen actually looked decent to our eyes. It's less the resolution and more the brightness and viewing angles that worked out well. The Zenfone 4 drops the resolution to 800 x 480 - but then given its $100 (£60) price point that's no surprise. And a the 4-inch scale it looks passable.

If you're after an affordable Android phone that doesn't look like a slab of cheaply pressed plastic then Asus could well be onto a winner with the Zenfone. And with black, white, red, blue and yellow external colour options you can go a bit more personal with your choice too.

 

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