14 DAY TRIAL // As we were expecting, ASUS has taken the stage at CES 2015 and unveiled its newest flagship smartphone, the ZenFone 2.
This year the company is not focusing on offering models with varying screen sizes but on a single ZenFone 2, which will be sold in two models.
So let’s take a look at what the new handsets bring to the table in terms of specs.
ASUS ZenFone 2
This is a smartphone arriving with a 5.5-inch Gorilla Glass 3-protected display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, 403 ppi and 400 nits of brightness.
ASUS mentions the phablet has a screen-to-body ratio of 72% while its dimensions are 6 x 3.03 x 0.43 inches / 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm.
The models that got unveiled in Las Vegas will be arriving on the market with a brushed metal texture and dual SIM, but ASUS promises a number of so-called “Transfusion” and “Illusion” models that will feature atypical shells.
“Transfusion” is supposed to mix two different colors, while the latter will bestow a funky-looking back to your ZenFone.
The first smartphone to arrive with 4GB of RAM
As for performance power, ASUS goes with Intel once more (as expected), choosing to bundle an LTE-enabled, 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor clocked at 2.33GHz working side-by-side with a whopping 4GB of RAM (the lesser model will be offered with just 2GB), PowerVR G6430 GPU with OpenGL 3.0 support.
In the photography department, users will find a 13MP snapper with 5 elements, f/2.0 aperture lens, plus a dual-color “Real Tone” LED flash.
Up front lives a 5MP selfie snapper with wide-angled (85-degree) lens that also has the ability to shoot in panorama mode.
ASUS’ PixelMaster software is available for both shooters and comes bundled with goodies such as low light shooting mode, which in theory can take photos that are up to 400% brighter.
The ZenFone 2 continues to use ASUS’ own ZenUI, but this particular version is based on Google’s latest Android 5.0 Lollipop update. The device manufacturer has added new feats for your pleasure, like actions and app shortcuts tied to gestures, “one-handed” ones and Kids mode.
ASUS said that the handset would be available sometime around March, but it’s unclear whether both models will go on sale during that time or just one of them.
The company says the ZenFone 2 will be sold for an affordable $199 / €166 but we suspect ASUS was referring to the 2GB model not the 4GB one, which is bound to sell for more.
