Review of the ASUS Zenfone 3 smartphone: form that matches the content

ZenFone smartphone lines have always distinguished themselves from competitors, offering an individual approach to each customer, which is reflected in the devices themselves. Third generation Zen devices from the Taiwanese company ASUSTeK Computer Inc. presented in the widest possible range in terms of class, price range and application. ASUS ZenFone 3 has two versions with screens with a diagonal of 5.2 and 5.5 inches, each of which, in turn, also has two variations with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, and 4 GB and 64 GB, respectively. The cost varies between 18,680 rubles and 24,900 rubles. Let's start with the “classics” - ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE520 KL with a 5.2-inch display and 4 GB/64 GB version.

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Specifications

• Screen: 5.2″, IPS, 16 million colors, 1920×1080 pixels, capacitive, 2.5D glass;
• Operating system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow, ZenUI 3.0 shell;
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953), Cortex-A53, 8 x 2.0 GHz;
• GPU: Qualcomm Adreno 506, 650 MHz;
• RAM: 3 GB/4 GB;
• Built-in memory: 32 GB / 64 GB, support for microSD memory cards up to 2 TB;
• Cameras: Main 16 MP – dual-LED flash, digital zoom, autofocus – TriTech technology, front 8 MP – digital. zoom, focus lock, PixelMaster 3.0 technology;
• Video recording: 2160p (4K) 29 fps, 1080p 29 fps, 60 fps, 720p, 480p.
• Battery: Li-Ion 2650 mAh;
• Dimensions: 146.87 x 73.98 x 7.69 mm;
• Weight: 144 g;
• SIM slots: 2 microSIM/nanoSIM, Dual Standby;
• Communication: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900, 3G HSPA+, UMTS: 850/900/1900/2100, 4G Cat6 850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600, TDD 1900(B39)/2300(B40)/ 2500(B41)/2600(B38), LTE 850(B26)/800(B18)/800(B19)/700(B28) GPRS, EDGE, WIFI: 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/ A-GPS/GLONASS/BDSS; USB Type-C 2.0
• Sensors: gyroscope, RGB, light, pedometer, proximity, accelerometer, compass, Hall, fingerprint scanner;
• Available colors: Lunar Silver, Shining Gold, Turquoise Water, Black Sapphire.

Review of ASUS Zenfone 3 (ZE520KL)

ASUS occupies a fairly small percentage of the market in the smartphone segment. This is not to say that the smartphones of the Taiwanese manufacturer lack something, but ASUS did not enter into direct confrontation with the giants. However, the current generation has everything you need for a difficult battle for a buyer in an overloaded market. This time we tested the middle model of the line without any prefixes in the name - ASUS Zenfone 3. But you shouldn’t relax because of this simplicity, because even the regular Zenfone 3 comes in different modifications, and not only the amount of RAM and ROM differs, but even the display size. The provided modification with the code ZE520KL is equipped with a 5.2-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM, as well as a 16 MP camera with laser focusing, optical stabilization and the ability to record 4K video.

Specifications

Appearance and ease of use

The smartphone is a “sandwich” consisting of electronic filling and two glass panels. Of course, the glass is not simple, but Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with a 2.5D effect. The ends of the device are hidden by rounded aluminum panels with unpainted chamfers along the edges. The smartphone was tested after being tested by many journalists. And tech journalists are far from the most careful users, often testing devices under the most difficult operating conditions. During this time, a couple of long scratches appeared on the front side. Small abrasions are visible at some angles on the lower back. However, on a light modification, such minor damage will definitely not attract attention. In addition, a dent appeared on the lower end of the aluminum plate, probably caused by a fall of the smartphone.

The device comes in 4 colors, namely: Lunar Silver (white with gold ends), Radiant Gold (gold), Turquoise Water (turquoise) and Black Sapphire (dark blue). Of course, the black sapphire that was tested looks the most impressive, but it is instantly covered with fingerprints.

On light versions, and especially on white ones, fingerprints are almost invisible. But unpainted chamfers, which the manufacturer so actively emphasizes in press releases, are also lost. You can't fault the build quality. When twisting, the case does not creak, and when lightly tapping on the case, the keys do not rattle.

Above the display there is a sensor block, a front camera, a status indicator and a speaker. Below the display there are touch control keys. For some unknown reason, the manufacturer decided to abandon the installation of backlighting for these keys. Of course, you can get used to the layout of the keys quite quickly, and muscle memory will come into play. But still, the smartphone earns a significant minus on such a cheap detail.

On the back side, the most protruding element is the camera module. But there is no need to worry about its integrity, because it is covered with sapphire glass, and will easily withstand not only regular contact with a table top or other mounting surface, but will also easily survive being in the same pocket with a bunch of keys. The fingerprint reading sensor, on the contrary, is slightly recessed, and in addition it is also very narrow, so you have to carefully place your finger. In addition to unlocking the smartphone, the sensor allows you to answer a call, open a photo and video application, and also capture photos. To the left of the camera there is a laser focusing unit, and to the right there is a flash and an IR sensor, which allows you to more accurately determine colors when shooting.

On the left side surface, only a hybrid tray is noticeable, which allows you to install a pair of SIM cards or replace one of them with microSD media. However, in the version with 64 GB of internal memory there is no particular need for an additional storage device. The card tray has a pallet, making it easy to install tiny cards.

On the right is the swing key, as well as the unlock key. The keys are covered with ring notches, which is a feature of ASUS smartphones.

At the top end there is a 3.5 mm mini-jack connector and a microphone. At the bottom there is a second microphone, a USB Type-C connector, and a system speaker. Fortunately, the manufacturer limited itself to one decorative grille and did not install another one on the other side of the USB connector solely for symmetry.

Software

All more or less famous smartphone manufacturers have shells for Android. In some cases, the appearance of Android changes beyond recognition, in others, the changes are so minor that assigning your own name to such a shell is just a marketing step. In the case of ASUS Zenfone 3, the ZenUI 3.0 shell is used, which radically changes the appearance and functionality of the interface, but at the same time the Andorid OS remains as recognizable as possible. It’s worth noting right away that the shell is too overloaded with a variety of pre-installed software. But otherwise I liked ZenUI 3.0. A variety of theme options are available, you can select options for displaying and grouping applications, there are various swipe effects, and in general the customization options are quite decent.

Functionality doesn't suffer either. To begin with, it is worth noting the one-hand control function, which allows you to reduce the working area of ​​the screen, which is especially important for the version with a 5.5-inch display. When you swipe from the center to the bottom, the search bar opens throughout the entire smartphone, and when you swipe from bottom to top, the main page management menu opens. The information curtain is not very different in functionality from the standard Android curtain, but the icons are redrawn.

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Display

Depending on the modification, Zenfone 3 can be equipped with either a 5.5 or 5.2-inch display. It was provided for testing with a smaller display option. From a subjective point of view, it seems to be the most successful solution. In the case of a 5.2-inch screen, when working with a smartphone with one hand, it is quite possible to do without the function of reducing the working area. The rest is a complete set: IPS matrix, no air gap, polarizing filter and oleophobic coating, supports 10 simultaneous touches.

The manufacturer claims that the maximum brightness of the display is 600 cd/m2, but this value could not be recorded either with manual or adaptive brightness adjustment with the sensor illuminated by a very bright light source. When manually controlling the brightness of the backlight, it was possible to record the maximum white field luminosity value of 482.75 cd/m2 in the “balanced” display mode and 497.65 cd/m2 in the “bright” mode. In this case, the minimum value was 0.56 cd/m2 and 0.54 cd/m2, and the static contrast was 889:1 and 893:1, respectively. In both display modes, the color temperature is quite high, but if necessary, it can be changed in the display settings. In addition, an adjustable blue filter can be activated to reduce eye strain during prolonged use, such as reading. Color deviation, Delta E, for RGBCMY colors is in the range of 2.2-9.5. For amateur technology, this is considered a normal result, although the human eye is already able to detect deviations of more than 3.

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Sound

In the description of the smartphone on the manufacturer’s website, much attention is paid to sound quality. There is a 5-magnetic speaker, a Smart AMP amplifier, a reduction in harmonic distortion for low frequencies and a decrease in resonance frequency, as well as an increase in volume by 20% compared to the previous generation. Sound pressure is rated at 94.5 dB SPL (SPL – Sound Pressure Level). For example, 95 dB is the sound pressure created by a moving subway car at a distance of 7 meters. In practice, the system speaker sounds really good, but it is far from the loudest in the class. When playing a sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1 kHz and maximum volume, the recorded noise level was 71.9 dBA at a distance of 1 meter. For comparison, the record holder among the smartphones we tested, Moto M, showed a result of 81.1 dBA under similar conditions (remember that dBA is a logarithmic scale).

Volume when using wired headphones depends to a large extent not only on the impedance and design of the dynamic drivers, but also on the signal level at the analog audio output. When playing a sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1 kHz and operating at a load of 32 Ohms, the voltmeter showed a result of 276.6 mV. By smartphone standards, this is a good result, but it’s still not possible to drive high-impedance headphones without a portable amplifier. Unfortunately, it was not possible to evaluate the sound quality in the Right Mark Audio Analyzer package.

Performance

The smartphone is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, made using the 14 nm FinFET LPP process, which in theory should ensure low battery consumption. This is an 8-core solution based on the Cortex-A53 architecture, with all cores operating at frequencies up to 2 GHz. The Adreno 506 is responsible for the video subsystem. The volume of single-channel RAM of the LPDDR3 933 MHz type is either 3 GB or 4 GB, as in the test sample. The ROM capacity in the tested modification is 64 GB.

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System performance was measured using synthetic PCMark, 3DMark, Geekbanch 4 and AnTuTu v6.

Memory speed was assessed using the AndroBench application.

Testing was also carried out in cross-platform javascript tests (Mozilla Kraken JavaScript and SunSpider). The results of these tests significantly depend on the browser used, therefore, to minimize the impact, Google Chrome will be used in all reviews, as the most common one.

The system performance is sufficient to run any modern game, but for more demanding games it is advisable to use medium display quality settings.

Camera

The smartphone is equipped with a 16 MP Sony IMX298 matrix and a 6-element lens with f/2.0 aperture, as well as optical stabilization. The camera features TriTech tracking focusing, which combines contrast focusing, phase focusing, and laser focusing. According to the manufacturer, this complex provides focusing in 0.03 seconds. This sounds fantastic by DSLR/mirrorless standards, but given the considerable depth of field of small smartphone sensors, this is quite possible. And in real conditions, the smartphone focuses really extremely quickly, including in low light. And that's not all the features. There is an IR color correction sensor (a small peephole next to the flash LEDs). A similar method is used, for example, in the Sony Xperia XZ and X Compact smartphones, which were tested not long ago. In general, the camera is a complete mess.

The camera application can be called up not only by clicking on the corresponding icon, but also by double pressing the volume key, as well as by clicking on the fingerprint reading sensor, which is very convenient. In the main window of the control program, icons for setting the HDR and flash operating modes are available. By the way, when you select the “forced” flash mode and in low light, the subject is not illuminated during focusing, whereas in the automatic mode, the flash is activated as a backlight when focusing. The flash based on two LEDs is relatively bright - at a distance of 1 meter from the smartphone, the light meter recorded a result of 28.1 lux.

The list of shooting modes is quite large - 21 modes in total. But due to the large size of the icons, they do not fit on the screen, so you have to scroll through them, which is not always convenient. I was pleasantly pleased with the presence of a brightness histogram, which will be appreciated by users who like to fully control the shooting process.

Manual settings mode is quite standard. It is possible to manually focus, set shutter speed, sensitivity, introduce exposure compensation, and also adjust white balance. In the latter case, it is not a choice from a list of presets like sun or shadow, but a very specific indication of the color temperature in the range from 2500...6500K in 50K increments.

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To evaluate image quality, a test pattern was captured with all available sensitivity values. Below are cropped fragments.

The smartphone supports transferring full camera control to third-party applications. In addition, shooting in RAW format is supported, which made it possible to assess the camera noise before the intervention of software processing. The method for assessing camera noise in numerical terms can be found in the Huawei GR5 2020 review. This review shows only a graph with measurement results.

Sample shots Main camera

Macro photography

Shooting in low light

Front-camera

In video mode, it is possible to record 4K videos at a flow rate of 30 frames per second (30p), as well as FullHD video in 30p and 60p formats. Optical stabilization is not available in video mode, but there is very effective electronic stabilization. Of course, the electronic stabilizer reduces the viewing angle, but the result is worth it.

Battery and battery life

The smartphone uses a battery with a rather modest capacity of 2650 mAh (there are modifications with a 3000 mAh battery). The testing methodology can be found in the Huawei GR5 2017 review.

In short, the results are excellent. And this despite the use of far from the most capacious battery. But the non-disabled dynamic brightness adjustment when watching a dark test video resulted in the smartphone lasting longer in video mode than in reading mode. Unfortunately, it was not possible to measure the battery charging time. The manufacturer claims a full charge in approximately 2 hours.

Conclusion

ASUS has made a good mid-class smartphone. But, of course, there were some downsides. These include the easily soiled case and the lack of backlighting of the touch keys. Advantages of the smartphone: interesting appearance, high-quality materials and assembly, good display, well-designed and convenient ZenUI 3.0 shell, decent volume level on the analog audio output, good main camera with support for shooting in RAW, optical stabilization, laser autofocus and a relatively powerful flash, yes and the front camera is decent.

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Equipment

The packaging of ASUS ZenFone 3 is “imbued” with mystery. A box made of dark gray thick cardboard with a hinged lid and an ultra-minimalistic design, which includes, with the exception of stickers with control information and numbers pasted on the back, a gold-embossed model name on the front side of the lid and a colorless ASUS logo on the end, “warms up” a pleasant anticipation of the content.

Having lost the strength to fight the desire to find out what’s inside, the box opens and the buyer is presented with the smartphone itself in all its glory, which lies on a cardboard envelope with stickers with barcodes with IMEI user instructions (for some reason, missing in our copy). The kit also includes a key for removing the SIM card slot, which is very similar to a smiley face.

Under the envelope are a 5V 2A charger, a 90 cm long USB Type-C cable for connecting to a PC, and branded ZenEar in-ear headphones with 4 spare tips of different sizes.

Review of the ASUS Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL) Android smartphone: in full view

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Specifications
• Packaging and equipment
• Appearance and design
• Display
• Hardware platform and performance
• Firmware and software
• Multimedia
• Memory and file system
• Wireless Interfaces and Communications
• Navigation
• Battery life
• Camera
• Comparison with competitors
• Conclusion

Introduction

ASUS (ASUSTek) has been producing mobile devices for a long time, dating back to the days of the so-called “palm computers.”
The accumulated positive experience has allowed it to become a respected manufacturer in the smartphone industry. In recent years, the company has been developing the Zenfone line. At first it was “just” Zenfone, then Zenfone 2, and now Zenfone 3. And, perhaps, the most revolutionary difference between the latest line and the previous ones is ASUS’ transition from Intel processors to Qualcomm processors. The greatest “credit” for this belongs to Intel, which is losing interest in activities in the smartphone solutions market, where other leaders have already emerged.

The Zenfone 3 model actually consists not of one single smartphone, but of two models with some differences in technical parameters. The first model – Zenfone 3 ZE520KL – has already been reviewed on our portal. In addition, there are also branches of this series: Zenfone 3 Max, Zenfone 3 Deluxe; perhaps others will appear.

And now we will move on to the second model from the series of “regular” Zenfone 3. The official page of Zenfone 3 smartphones is here (Russian). Let's start by comparing the tested Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL) with its “neighbor” in the Zenfone 3 series (ZE520KL) and its predecessor Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML).

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Specifications ASUS Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL)

*Indicated are approximate prices in Russian retail.
The smartphone is available in different colors and runs on Android 6.01 Marshmallow OS with ASUS' own ZenUI shell. We received a version in a white case for testing.

The device has a vibration motor, an automatic brightness control sensor, orientation sensors (G-sensor), proximity sensors, a magnetometer, a gyroscope and some other little things. A notification LED is also installed - a very simple but convenient thing.

Packaging and equipment ASUS Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL)

The packaging of the product is dim and made in the style of “strict elegance”:

On the back of the box there is a black sticker with the technical data of the smartphone, but in a very brief form:

The box is a “clamshell”, the upper part of which folds down along the long side:

Having opened the packaging, we see the smartphone itself, lying in a bag made of hard transparent film. This film contains in white print some of the technical parameters of the device in addition to those indicated on the back of the box.

And under the smartphone there is a compartment with accessories, which we will now look at. This is what the charger looks like:

The charger is quite strong, 2 A, but with a fixed output voltage of 5 V (no support for “fast charging” modes).

Next is the headset:

The headset is made in the form of earphones. The quality is not “audiophile”, but nevertheless decent.

The headset comes with a set of additional attachments:

The included cable for connecting the smartphone with the charger and the computer is not quite standard (at the moment). One of its connectors is USB Type-C:

The USB Type-C connector (on the smartphone side) is symmetrical, which is convenient for the user (no need to figure out which side to insert correctly). What is less convenient is that such cables are not yet widespread, and are not sold on every corner (if you suddenly need them).

Also included in the package are the traditional “User Guide”, warranty card and a tool for opening the tray with SIM cards and a memory card. This tool and one of the open spreads of the “User Guide” can be seen in the following photograph taken directly by the smartphone under test:

The photo of the text was taken under artificial lighting (such conditions are considered difficult for mobile device cameras). The text turned out well and can be read without any problems. Other test photos will be in the corresponding chapter of the review.

Let's summarize the simple configuration of the smartphone:

• The smartphone itself;
• Charger;
• USB Type-C cable;
• Headset;
• SIM card tray removal tool;
• User guide;
• Warranty card.

Unfortunately, there is no cover or case to protect the device from accidental damage. As a result, the device kit represents the standard minimum: everything you need is there, but there are no additional frills or bonuses.

Next, we move on to the main component of the kit - the smartphone.

Appearance

It cannot be said with certainty that previous generations of ZenFone had a stylish design, and this is the main difference between ASUS ZenFone 3 and its predecessors. The metal body is covered on both sides with a layer of 2.5D glass, the side edges are rounded and decorated with a thin chamfer.

On the front panel above the screen there is an earpiece, light and proximity sensors, a front camera and a three-color notification light. Below the screen there are touch-sensitive hardware buttons “Back”, “Home”, “Recent applications”, which are not backlit.

On the back panel of the smartphone, a camera with a laser phase focusing device, an RGB sensor and a two-tone flash surrounding it stylishly fits into the design, just below there is a fingerprint scanner of a non-standard shape, around which ray-like highlights appear, outlining the main design pattern of the entire Zen line - concentric circles, and the ASUS logo shines below.

On the top edge there are visible plastic inserts to improve the GPS signal, which do not spoil the appearance of the smartphone in any way; next to them is a 3.5 mm jack and a microphone.

The external power and volume buttons have a corrugated surface, repeating the pattern of the rear panel. They are located on the right side of the device.

The smoothness of the opposite side edge of ASUS ZenFone 3 masks the slot for SIM cards and microSD memory cards.

The main antenna is located at the bottom of the device, next to the microphone, USB Type-C connector and the main speaker.

The device is generally comfortable to hold and use.

What’s pleasing to the eye is the manufacturer’s decision not to print technical symbols, which are present on almost all smartphones on the market, on the case under a layer of glass, but to apply them on a transparent sticker that can be easily removed without leaving any traces of glue, emphasizing the stylish and “uncluttered” design of the smartphone

The specificity of glass surfaces a priori suggests being covered with fingerprints and palm marks. The back panel completely matches this image, even though it has an oleophobic coating. You will have to wipe it quite often.

The phone slides in your hand on paper, artificial leather and other smooth inclined planes.

The main camera module is quite large and protrudes from the body by a whole millimeter. Paired with a glass back panel, the camera will be very scratched when in contact with hard surfaces.

All the above-described inconveniences are, in theory, easily corrected by putting ZenFone 3 in a branded case with a round “smart window”.

The location of the fingerprint scanner is quite standard for most smartphones, but practice has shown that it is convenient to use only when holding the smartphone in your hand. If it lies on a table or is secured with a holder in a car, reaching it is at least inconvenient - you have to enter a PIN code, password or pattern key. In these situations, the Smart Lock function comes to the rescue (for more details, see the “Features of ZenUI 3.0” section).

Specifications of Asus ZenFone 3 in detail

Platform

Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953) Octa core CPU 8 x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 2.00 GHz 64-bit Yes GPU Adreno 506 @ 650 MHz NPU No Process technology 14nm FinFET (LPP)

Memory

RAM 4 Gb - LPDDR3 @ 933 MHz (Single Channel) Built-in storage 64 Gb - eMMC 5.1 Memory expansion Yes Memory card types microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC Maximum capacity 128 Gb Dedicated slot No data

Screen

Resolution 1080 x 1920 (FullHD) Aspect ratio 9:16 Matrix type IPS Diagonal 5.5″ Area ~83.4 cm2 Fill percentage ~70.6% (of the total front surface area) Pixel density ~401 ppi Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Connection

Communication standards GSM, UMTS, LTE 2G GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 4G LTE FDD-LTE 850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz LTE support Yes Categories LTE Category -7 DL / Category-13 UL LTE Speed ​​Up to 300 Mbps in download mode, up to 150 Mbps in upload mode LTE device categories indicate the maximum speed at which it can send and receive data on 4G LTE networks in carrier aggregation account. Number of SIM cards 2 Type of SIM cards Micro SIM, Nano SIM Modem Snapdragon X9 LTE

Cameras

Main camera

Type Dual Resolution 16.0 Mp + Mp Autofocus Yes Aperture No data Flash LED

Front-camera

Resolution 8.0 MP Aperture No data

Interfaces

WiFi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n, 2.4 GHz, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi access point mode is a technology for building wireless local networks based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Supported by all modern smartphones and many mobile phones. Bluetooth v4.2 Bluetooth is a universal wireless interface for exchanging data between various types of devices at close range. Can be used for file transfer, audio streaming, network connection, printing and other purposes. The newer the version, the greater the speed and number of supported profiles. Navigation GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS For at least 10 years, smartphones have supported the geolocation function using data from satellite navigation systems. At the moment, these are the American-developed GPS, the Russian GLONASS, the Chinese BeiDou and the European GALILEO. As a rule, smartphones support the first two and optionally the rest. NFC No The built-in NFC module of a smartphone is mainly used for contactless payment in applications like Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Can also be used to read data from contactless cards, transfer files, etc. Read more here. Infrared port No Some smartphones have a built-in IR port. In the past, it was used to synchronize data both between two mobile phones and between a phone and a PC. However, now, due to its low speed, the infrared port is used mainly to control external devices in remote control mode. FM radio Yes Built-in radio receiver that allows you to listen to radio stations operating in the FM range. In most cases, it only works when headphones are connected, since the wire is used as a communication antenna. However, there are devices with a built-in antenna. 3.5 mm audio No Standard audio jack for connecting wired headsets and headphones. Starting in 2020, some smartphone manufacturers, following Apple, began to abandon it. In this case, to connect regular headphones, you need a special adapter for Lightning/USB Type-C. USB USB Type-C, On-The-Go The type of USB connector installed in the smartphone and the capabilities it supports.

Sensors and biometrics

Sensors Accelerometer, Light sensor, Electronic compass, Geomagnetic Sensor, Gravity sensor, Gyroscope, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor Fingerprint scanner Yes Scanner location On the back of the case Scanner reaction time No data Face scanner (Face ID) No Iris scanner (IRIS) No

Power supply

Battery capacity 3000 mAh Battery type Li-pol Removable battery No Fast charging Yes Wireless charging No

Software

Operating system Android 6.0 Marshmallow Shell No Over-the-air (OTA) update Yes Sending messages SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM Internet browser HTML5, CSS, JavaScript Audio formats AAC, AMR, MP3, OGG, WAV Video formats 3GP , AVI, FLV, RMVB, WMV Graphic formats BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG Voice assistant Google Assistant

Physical parameters

Dimensions 152.6 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm Weight 155 g Package dimensions 180.0 x 120.0 x 60.0 mm Package weight 550 g Protection class No Colors Golden, Lake Blue, White

Performance

Geekbench 873 / 4245 (Single core / Multi core) Performance assessment of Asus ZenFone 3 according to the popular GeekBench benchmark.
Average data are shown. AnTuTu No data PassMark No data Important note : unfortunately, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of all data presented on this page, but we are constantly working in this direction. If you notice an error in the device settings, we will be very grateful if you report it in the comments.

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Display

The subject of the ASUS ZenFone 3 review is equipped with a 5.2-inch IPS display with a resolution of 424 ppi. The screen occupies 75.6% of the front panel area. The width of the side frames is 2.1 mm. The maximum brightness declared by the manufacturer on the official website is 600 cd/m2, which makes it easy to distinguish what is happening on the screen.

The viewing angles are very wide (178 degrees), colors are not distorted when tilted, and the brightness drops slightly. Automatic brightness level adjustment does a good job, but sometimes it does not “assess the situation” adequately. This mainly happens indoors - there is a tendency for the display to darken, which is not very convenient; you have to move everything manually.

There is an oleophobic coating. Multitouch - up to 10 touches simultaneously.

You can edit the color balance in the Splendid - 4 modes allow you to adjust color saturation, temperature and brightness as you wish.

Iron

The connecting link of all components inside the ASUS ZenFone 3 case was the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, presented to the general public in February 2020. Produced using a 14 nm process technology, it has 8 Cortex - A53 cores of 2.02 GHz each.

The included Qualcomm Adreno 506 chip is responsible for the graphics; the maximum frequency is 650 MHz. Benchmark results are average and satisfactory.

In everyday practice, the picture quality is at a decent level, the smoothness of frame transitions is excellent, if you don’t rely on expectations of texture quality as on the latest generation consoles, then everything is just fine.

The RAM capacity of the reviewed ASUS ZenFone 3 is 3.5 GB, according to the “Memory” section in the settings. Obviously, even the ZenUI interface “eats” quite a lot of RAM, but the average load still does not exceed 76%. The clock frequency is 933 MHz, all applications open quickly.

We received a smartphone for review with 64 GB of internal memory. Considering that the system takes up 11.34 GB of space, essentially the 32 GB version automatically turns into (just over) 16 GB. So, we have 52.66 GB available - there is room to expand. If desired, you can expand the memory by installing a microSD memory card up to 2 TB in the corresponding slot.

ASUS ZenFone 3 is equipped with a fingerprint scanner on the rear panel. It has a rectangular, slightly rounded shape and a chrome-plated outline. The mechanism is classic - first you are asked to select a protection method - a password, PIN code or pattern, then touch your finger several times to capture all areas of the fingerprint. You can add up to 5 “fingers” to the device memory. The sensor detects fingerprints quickly, you can unlock the device from the screen off or configure it to launch the camera, answer a call, or capture a photo while the camera is running. An attempt to remove the lock is accompanied by a short-term vibration, regardless of the final result, as a result of which the locked phone constantly buzzes in the hand, since the very sensitive sensor reacts to any touch not only on the fingertips, but also on the inner and outer sides of the hands and other areas of the skin. In the worst case, frequent unwanted contacts with the fingerprint scanner for the smartphone and its owner lead to the device being locked, which can only be removed by using a previously selected alternative security method.

Review of the ASUS Zenfone 3 (ZE520KL) Android smartphone: experiencing Zen

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Specifications
• Packaging and equipment
• Appearance and design
• Display
• Hardware platform and performance
• Software and firmware
• Multimedia
• Wireless Interfaces and Communications
• File system
• Battery life
• Camera
• Comparison with competitors
• Conclusion
• Additional photo examples

Introduction

Regular readers of the laboratory know very well that we have a warm attitude not only towards PC components from ASUS, but also towards smartphones from this manufacturer.
But, as is our custom, this does not affect the assessment and sobriety of judgment. The ASUS Zenfone 2 Deluxe SE and the exotic ASUS Zenfone Zoom have already been in our tenacious paws. It must be said that the upper price segment was noticeably different from the solutions of competitors.

The same flagship of the past, ASUS Zenfone 2, had an outlandish Intel chip, and the company was faithful to this tradition to the end, until Intel itself abandoned the game in this segment. So in the near future we are unlikely to see Intel single-chip systems in ASUS smartphones. It’s a pity, because these were good SoCs with “honest” performance. However, it’s worth seeing what awaits us today.

ASUS Zenfone 3 is now a line of gadgets, not a model. It includes smartphones such as Zenfone 3 Max, Zenfone 3 Laser, Zenfone Pegasus 3 and so on. We are reviewing a “regular” Zenfone 3, without any attachments. And this is a mid-level solution, while the flagship ASUS Zenfone 2 Deluxe SE should replace the ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe “tablet phone”. However, it’s not quite ordinary – the manufacturer itself positions the new product as a “camera phone”.

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Specifications ASUS Zenfone 3

This is truly a mid-level solution based on a Qualcomm chip. We haven't tested it yet in our lab, so it will be interesting how it copes with the competing MediaTek Helio X10 chip. There is more than enough RAM, but it’s too early to talk about the battery capacity, since it is not entirely clear how power-hungry this system-on-a-chip is.

The only thing is that the price seems a little high, but considering that this is a new product, this was quite predictable.

Packaging and equipment ASUS Zenfone 3

ASUS Zenfone 3 comes in a medium-sized cardboard box. The material is pleasant and well processed.

On the reverse side there is a lot of technical information: indication of the chip model, amount of RAM and flash memory.

The equipment is as follows:

• Charger;
• USB Type-C cable;
• Documentation;
• Stereo headset.

It's nice to see that at least someone hasn't given up on the included stereo headset. Moreover, it sounds better than the Chinese “noname” and includes a set of additional seals.

The charger is large, but due to its vertical layout it is convenient to use.

The output current is 2 A at 5 V. Fast charging technology does not seem to be supported.

Software

The life of the owner of ASUS ZenFone 3 will be brightened up by the functional and pleasantly designed ASUS ZenUI 3.0 interface, based on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow mobile operating system.

All that remains from the original version is the structure. Buttons, lists, icons - everything has been changed. Support is provided regularly; system updates that fix errors and improve performance come every week. This is mainly a fix for minor bugs, so there are no noticeable changes.

The number of innovations is colossal, some are quite expected, as they are often found in smartphones in this price category, and some came as a pleasant surprise.

As before, visual elements can be customized according to any user desires. The shell offers many options for wallpaper, icon sets and themes (for some you will have to pay 129 or 195 rubles). You can create your own themes using the available sets and colors. You can also edit the layout of home screen pages and their scrolling effect, font size and type, icon size, alignment, label color, etc. There's a kind of 3D desktop experience where, when you tilt the device, the background image moves slightly on the back layer, and the icons are static on the near layer, thereby creating the feeling that you can look under the icons.

The ZenUI keyboard supports Swipe-mode text input. During normal typing and displaying correction options, lags were sometimes observed - it is not entirely clear why.

The phone's vocabulary is extremely poor. Every fifth word you type automatically turns the text into a piece of nonsense, unless you add it to the dictionary. (In the settings, you can uncheck the “Censorship” checkbox, then swear words will not be hidden). Automatic correction works extremely poorly.

Specifications and software

• Display: 5.2-inch IPS with Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution.
• Dimensions: 152.6 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm, 155 g.
• Processor: Snapdragon 625.
• Video accelerator: Adreno 506.
• RAM: 3/4 GB.
• ROM: 32/64 GB.
• Main camera: 16 MP (4K) with a Sony sensor (IMX 298) and support for optical image stabilization, dual flash, as well as laser and phase detection autofocus.
• Front camera: 8 MP with 85-degree coverage.
• Battery: 2850 mAh (Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0).
• Interfaces: LTE Cat. 6, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, A2DP.
• Other: USB 2.0 Type-C; microSD slot combined with a SIM card slot, fingerprint scanner.

The smartphone's performance is sufficient for almost any task. Even demanding games like WoT Blitz run without much strain. I ran the game even at maximum graphics settings and in general you can play, although the fps dropped to 25. The processor is Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625, working with GPU Adreno 506 graphics. RAM can be 3 or 4 GB depending on the version: with 32 or 64 GB ROM.

Battery capacity - 2650 mAh. This is not a lot, but given the good energy efficiency of the platform, there is enough charge for a day of battery life, with moderate operation. Games and GPS should not be taken into account, as they will quickly disable any smartphone. I got about five hours of screen time.

With the software, everything is quite familiar, as for ASUS smartphones. ZenUI shell is installed on top of Android 6.0.1. Its design is similar to what we saw earlier. The redundancy is a bit confusing - there are a lot of pre-installed services and proprietary software out of the box. Of course, this is Android, everything can be twisted and turned as you please, but I would be more pleased to see a clean device with a minimum of proprietary software.

It's probably best to say that the ZenFone 3 is good value for money. Of course, it would be cool if our basic version cost as much as they announced at the exhibition in June - $250 for the version with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of user memory. But the recommended cost in Ukraine is 10,000 UAH for this modification, or 385 dollars. I won't say it's a lot, but it's definitely not the only good smartphone for the money. However, the ZenFone 3 has some very strong points, such as the camera. How many other smartphones in this price range can offer full manual mode, optical stabilization and 4K shooting? Well, the design here is good.

I'm glad that ASUS ZenFone 3 cannot be called at least somewhat a compromise smartphone. If ZenFone 2 was large, rather thick and did not have the best controls, then everything here was made for people from the very beginning. You can also add good service in the region to the smartphone’s pluses, which is important. However, do not forget about the cost. For example, if you don't need a camera that much, you can find a more powerful smartphone for less money. In general, as always, I look forward to your feedback in the comments!

Features of ZenUI 3.0

In addition to the standard launcher, there are “situational” modes for displaying the contents of the main screen and menu.

"Children" mode . From the name, it's easy to guess that it was created for parents who want to control their children when they want to play, and protect themselves from unwanted launching, installing or uninstalling applications, or unexpected calls from their child in another country. The principle of operation is simple: after entering a four-digit PIN code and selecting a security question to restore it in case you forgot it, you are asked to select from a list of applications that the child can safely launch. If desired, you can configure blocking of incoming calls for everyone, or allow certain groups, or only when entering a secret code. It is possible to set the game time, after which the device will be locked and a window will appear asking you to extend the session or exit to normal mode.

Easy mode is aimed at people who do not want to spend a lot of time understanding the device settings and use only the basic functions and programs they need. When this mode is enabled, all widgets, wallpapers, and visual effects disappear, the main screen grid becomes 3x3, and the icons and font become huge. All applications are listed in alphabetical order, and 75% of the functions disappear from the settings.

ASUS Cover mode is based on interaction with an official case with a round “smart window”, which displays the time and notifications without opening the “book”. There are several clock themes available for the user to choose from, which, without application, can be assessed how they will fit with a case of a particular color, and the elements that will be displayed in the “circle”: clock, weather, calendar, flashlight, music, settings. From unwanted unlocking, there are options for when to go into sleep mode, as well as adding a swipe gesture.

ZenMotion settings section improves the user experience by enabling unusual commands when touching the screen. By turning on touch gestures, you can turn the screen on and off by double-tapping, or open any applications by “drawing” letters on the screen when it’s off. Move gestures work with the sensors built into the device. So, you can mute the sound during a call by turning the device face down, or start a conversation by holding the smartphone to your ear without touching the screen with your finger. One-handed control mode reduces the working area on the display.

Using the fingerprint scanner on the rear panel is sometimes extremely inconvenient. The solution to these problems lies in the Smart Lock , present in all smartphones running Android 6.0 and higher, and which allows access to the device, bypassing the protective barrier by direct contact with it, in places included in the safe list, when connected to a smart watch, dock -station or bluetooth system in the car and recognizing the owner’s voice.

In the list of settings there is also an item “ ASUS Individual Settings ”, in which you can configure commands for the recent applications button, enable the “With Gloves” mode , which increases the sensitivity of the sensor, and indeed, the phone begins to respond to the glove as if it were your fingers. You can also configure the quick settings elements (the curtain slides from above) and the parameters of the Game Genie , with which a small dispatcher icon appears in games, by clicking on which you can optimize RAM to speed up the running application, record a video of what is happening on the screen with personal comments on the front camera and “stream” in real time on Youtube or Twitch, search for videos on the topic of the game and share videos and photos with friends.

There are quite a lot of applications pre-installed by ASUS in ZenFone 3. In addition to Google applications, there is a tool ASUS Mobile Manager , which is responsible for optimizing memory, battery consumption, data security and confidentiality, user permissions, etc.

When connecting the phone to the PC, a prompt appeared on the device screen to install the ASUS Share Link and ASUS Remote Link . The first is for exchanging files via Wi-Fi (very convenient), the second is for remote control of the computer. These messages can be ignored, and data transfer is carried out perfectly via MTP.

For users who want to realize their creative potential - PhotoCollage and MiniMovie for editing photos and videos and combining them into slideshow videos. The program's arsenal includes many effects, transitions and tools.

For those who like to plan their day and want not to forget anything - the “ Quick Memo ” application, which combines handwritten and printed texts, and “ Do it later ” - a standard planner.

The laser ruler uses a camera and a laser focusing sensor. High accuracy. Measures up to 150 cm. Errors may occur when focusing on white objects.

ASUS has added applications for its social networks - ZenCircle - similar to Pinterest, and ZenTalk - a forum where registered ASUS accounts exchange experiences, ask questions and together solve problems that arise (with ASUS devices). There are no Russian-language publications there. None.

ZenFone Test application includes answers to frequently asked questions, an online chat button with a technical support representative and other ways to contact ASUS, many hardware tests, and also, for those who know English and have absolutely nothing better to do, you can read all 110 message board notifications dated Dec 4, 2014.

The main feature of ZenUI 3.0 apps is the “Reward Us” button.

encouraging you to evaluate the program on the Play Store. Apparently, ASUS Corporation decided to repeat the experience of Volvo, which in the 60s of the 20th century “gave” all other automobile companies a seat belt license, making its proprietary applications (even the camera) available to everyone. There is only one question - is anyone other than the owners of ASUS smartphones really ready to install them?

Connection

A combined SIM card and microSD slot requires the installation of one microSIM and one nanoSIM card, or microSIM and MicroSD. The installation panel itself is made of aluminum, its appearance and location are slightly different from most smartphones on the market. To install it, you need to turn the phone over.

The signal strength and quality are excellent. The speaker is loud. In the list of Wi-Fi networks available for connection, ASUS ZenFone 3 shows only the three strongest ones, but connecting to known networks does not take more than 5 seconds.

Navigation works as it should. The test application showed the operation of 16 satellites out of 24.

Sound

The main 5-magnetic speaker is very loud. The maximum recorded noise level is 80 dB. Outdoor mode slightly increases the volume of the ringtone.

The audio output is provided by the SonicMaster 3.0 system, allowing for high quality 192KHz/24-bit. The sound is regulated by the “ Sound Settings Wizard ” program, which, in addition to the intelligent mode, has presets for movies, games, music, vocals, as well as the aforementioned “Outdoor” mode. You can manually change the volume, bass and treble levels, and adjust the five-band equalizer.

The smartphone comes with ASUS ZenEar in-ear headphones, which, in addition to their excellent design, have excellent characteristics. Together with SonicMaster, listening to music turns into pure pleasure.

Main technical characteristics

Currently, two modifications of Asus Zenfon 3 gadgets are offered, differing in the size of the case, screen and some other nuances.

The picture on the left shows the Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL smartphone, and on the left is its larger counterpart coded ZE552KL. The basic characteristics of Asus Zenfone 3 of both modifications are given in table form:

Asus Zenfone 3

Battery

ASUS ZenFone 3 is equipped with a non-removable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2650 mAh. Equipped with a 2A charger, the reviewed device charges from zero to 50% in 35 minutes, and a full charge takes 2 hours. The battery test from Treshbox v2.0 was able to discharge the smartphone in 7 hours and 15 minutes.

In everyday practice, the charge lasts for a day, if you do not let go of the smartphone at all. There are 5 power saving modes: performance, normal, power saving, super power saving and custom, which includes the “brightness” and “network” sections.

Camera

The cameras in ASUS ZenFone are some of the most advanced on the market. The rear camera is a combination of a 16-megapixel Sony IMX298 Exmor RS sensor with f/2.0 aperture and 1.12 µm pixel size, a 6-element Largan lens with a sapphire protective glass. as well as flash and laser focusing and color correction sensors (RGB sensor). Focusing takes from 0.03 s, achieved thanks to TriTech , which combines the work of laser, phase and tracking focusing systems. Built-in 4-axis optical stabilization reduces wobble and vibration in 8 directions, reducing the likelihood of blur even in low light and allowing you to shoot with a 32-second shutter speed.

Photography modes are provided by PixelMaster 3.0 :

• Auto—automatically sets optimal camera settings depending on lighting conditions;
• Manually - displays a huge number of buttons, levels and triggers on the screen;
• HDR Pro - expands dynamic range and enhances detail when shooting with high contrast or bright background lighting;
• Portrait enhancement - enlarges the eyes, narrows the face, changes skin tone, applies blush and foundation;
• Super resolution - takes 5 16 MP photos, combining them into one 64 MP frame;
• Children - automatically films people as soon as they stop moving, in this mode you can play 5 animal sounds - probably to attract attention;
• Low Light - Increases shooting light sensitivity by up to 400% by combining every four pixels on the image sensor into one;
• QR code - QR and barcode scanner;
• Night - increases the shutter speed for shooting in the dark;
• Depth of field - focuses on a close object, blurring the background;
• Effect - 11 artistic filters;
• Selfie – takes 3 photos using the rear camera when a certain number of faces are detected;
• GIF Animation - Takes 50 frames and combines them into an animation. You can adjust the speed and sequence (in the opposite direction) of playback, orientation;
• Panorama - works in four directions, captures about 270 degrees in a circle
• Miniature - focuses on single objects, causing them to look like smaller models;
• Rewind - allows you to select a moment in the interval from 3 s before the photo and 1 s after.
• Smart Removal - Removes unwanted objects from the background. Ideal for photographing landmarks that are surrounded by constantly moving crowds;
• Smile! — takes 5 group photos from which you can “assemble” the perfect photo with the perfect facial expressions;

Examples of photos with the main camera:

The main camera shoots video in 4K 30 fps, 1080p up to 60 fps, 720p, 640x480. 3-axis electronic image stabilization compensates for the smallest movements in 6 directions, although it does not work when shooting in 4K and 1080p 60 fps.

Additional shooting modes: Slow motion (720p), slow motion - time lapse, shoots in segments from 1 to 5 s. (4K).

The front camera has a resolution of 8 megapixels.

Available modes:

• Portrait enhancement;
• Selfie Panorama – Takes a main shot + 2 on each side, creating a widescreen image with expanded viewing angles;
• Auto;
• Night;
• HDR Pro;
• Effect;
• Poor lighting;
• GIF animation.

Video records in Full HD 30 frames/s. Also shoots in slow motion and slow motion modes.

Results and conclusions

ASUS ZenFone 3 is “made for photography,” as the advertising slogan says. You are convinced of this immediately when you first get acquainted with the device - the decently sized camera module, an incredible number of shooting modes and, naturally, the quality of the images make you admire and give you a feeling of complete creative freedom. Everything in it is “tailored” for photography: a large screen with excellent maximum brightness levels and color rendition, good hardware, the main purpose of which is to cope with photo and video shooting in a “large” format.

From the outside, ASUS ZenFone 3 is a stylish smartphone made of glass and metal. Inside is a system with a huge number of useful ZenUI 3.0 functions.

Pros:

• Stylish design
• Powerful camera
• ZenUI 3.0 interface
• Excellent display quality
• Loud speakers
• Good hardware
• The fingerprint scanner is fast

Minuses:

• Protruding rear camera
• Slippery glass surfaces
• Keyboard stutters when typing

Final score: 7 out of 10.

⇡#Technical characteristics