Smartphones manufactured nowadays mostly focus on high end specs or camera, but one important factor companies overlook is the battery life. ASUS recently announced the new Zenfone 3 Max series with 2 variants. The first model ZC520KL has a lower config and a 5.2-inch screen while the latest one i.e. ZC553KL comes with better specification and 5.5 inch full HD display. This device is not for someone who expects very high performance or high-end gaming, but for those who wants their phone to last easily for 2 or more days on a single charge. This is our full review of the Asus Zenfone 3 Max.
ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Design – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
The Asus Zenfone 3 Max comes with the now common though popular metal unibody design and rounded edges with a flat back. The placement of buttons is pretty standard and we have a 3.5mm audio jack too. With the Asus Zenfone 3 Max still houses the micro USB port and not the type-C.
The fingerprint sensor is on the back with the camera, LED flash and laser auto-focus. There have been many improvements in the design and the new refreshing design gives the phone a premium look. Despite having this huge battery inside, the phone doesn’t feel that bulky but can be a little slippery to hold.Three capacitive buttons are still at the bottom with no backlight and the ASUS logo is present on the back. The phone weighs approx to 175 g and is 8.3 mm in thickness.
Display – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Asus Zenfone 3 Max has a 5.5 inch full HD IPS display which looks crisp and you can easily notice the upgrade from the earlier 720p display. For protection, it has an oleophobic coating on the screen to prevent fingerprint/smudges to a great extent. The bezels on the edges are quite thin.
Performance – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Asus Zenfone 3 Max comes with a Snapdragon 430 Octa-core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz. It has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to 128 GB by sacrificing one SIM slot as it comes with a dualSIM hybrid slot. For the graphics, it has Adreno 505 midle range GPU which is capable of running some mid-graphic games.For the everyday use it works fine as long as you keep clearing the apps you are not using from the background. The Asus Zenfone 3 Max scored a measly 44980 on AnTuTu.
Camera – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
ZC553KL comes with a 16 MP rear shooter with dual-tone LED flash and laser auto-focus while on the front you have 8 MP camera. The aperture for the rear lens is F2.0 while on the front it is F2.2.
As always the camera app comes with various modes like HDR, beautification, Low-Light, Super-resolution etc. Pictures taken indoors or in low light condition comes with a little bit of noise while the camera does a great job outdoors. The good thing about ASUS camera app is we have the functionality of switching to manual mode and tinkering with more advanced settings like ISO, taking control of shutter, manual focusing etc. For the video recording, the camera of Zenfone 3 Max is capable of recording full HD videos at 30fps. It has 3-axis EIS(Electronic Image Stabilization) and you can also take pictures while recording video. There is no OIS present on the Asus Zenfone 3 max.
Connectivity and Sound – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Asus Zenfone 3 Max comes with a Dual SIM hybrid support i.e. you can either insert a micro SD card or the second SIM. The first SIM slot is Micro and the second one supports nano-SIM. Both the slot supports 4G/3G/2G but only one of them can use 4G/3G at a time. Asus Zenfone 3 Max comes with VoLTE and will work fine with Jio services. Other connectivity features include Wifi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, and USB OTG support.
The audio level and quality from the speakers is good and the ringtone is audible from the adjacent room. Calling experience and noise cancellation using Asus Zenfone 3 Max was awesome.
Battery – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Here comes the USP of this device i.e. the battery life. Asus Zenfone 3 Max comes with a massive 4100mAh battery. The battery life on this device will impress everyone who uses the device. For me with complete 4G internet usage, intense multi-tasking, a bit of gaming, and a lot of calling, the phone easily lasted for 1.5 days.
If you are a normal user then you can easily use the device for 2 days with single charge. And for intense gamers and media consumers, the phone will last for AT LEAST 1 full day. I even managed to spend my entire day with a 34% charge. Asus Zenfone 3 Max comes with a standard 2 amps charger and takes around 3 hours to fully charge.
Pricing – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Zenfone 3 Max (ZC553KL) is priced for Rs.17,999 and is available in 4 color variants viz. Titanium Gray, Glacier Silver, Rose Pink, & Sand Gold. I would say that the phone is priced a bit on the higher end considering battery life as its USP.
The box contents include the device itself, 5V 2A charger, USB cable, USB OTG cable, SIM ejector pin, warranty card and user manual.
Verdict – ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC553KL Review
Summarizing the features, Zenfone 3 Max has an excellent design, build, and battery. The camera is good while the performance of the device is average.Overall for someone having mid-level usage with a lot of battery requirement should go for this device. While those expecting an excellent camera or high-end gaming should consider some of the other phones in this budget.