In the great ASUS phone directory, we can find some very interesting ones like the Zenfone Max Pro or the Zenfone 5. However, they recently unveiled its newest and most innovative smartphone, the Asus Zenfone 6. This terminal aims at the high range and comes with a new design that adds a unique feature, a rotating camera module.This means that there is no front camera (and, therefore, there is no notch on the screen) since the main module can simply be rotated to point towards the front.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Package Contents
The package where this terminal comes has a pretty striking design. It has a dark bluish color, on the front is printed in the center the model of the phone which in turn is surrounded by its silhouette. On the sides, the name is written and in the back, as usual, there is some information. In addition, the package has dimensions of 18.00 x 10.00 x 6.00 cm and a weight of 450 grams. Inside it we will find the following:
- 1 x Asus Zenfone 6.
- 1 x Charger.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Design
As we mentioned at the beginning, the design of the rotating camera prevents the screen from having a notch in the upper part and, therefore, gives an impressive 92% screen-to-body ratio.The bevels around the upper area and the sides are quite thin, although certainly, the “chin” of the lower part is noticeable, so some users may be annoyed.
In the lower part, we have the input to connect the headphones. In addition, the company has added a multi-function button called “Smart Key” that serves to quickly start the Google assistant or initiate other processes.
The body of the Asus Zenfone 6 is covered by an aluminum alloy that gives it some resistance. It has dimensions of 16.50 x 7.58 x 0.76 cm and a weight of 190 grams, something quite standard nowadays. At the moment it is only available in a single color, black. Finally, on the back, you will find a fingerprint sensor to unlock the phone.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Screen
The Asus Zenfone 6 features an LCD IPS screen of 6.4 inches and resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. This panel is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 6 glass to give it more resistance against scratches. Although this screen does not offer the impressive colors and contrasts as an OLED panel would, it is true that the company promised that it will achieve up to 600 nits of maximum brightness. Also, it is not HDR10 certified, but it has been adjusted to the DCI – P3 specification, so it should provide a good balance between realism and saturation.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Hardware and Software
The processor that powers the Asus Zenfone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, this powerful 7-nanometerprocessor has 8 cores. The cores are divided as follows: 1 x Kryo 485 Gold that works at a frequency of 2.84 GHz, 3 of the same type at 2.42 GHz and 4 x Kryo 485 Silver of 1.8 GHz. Accompanying this processor we have an Adreno 640 GPU with a frequency of 710 MHz.
Finally, we have two variants in memory. Both have a RAM of 6 GB. The first has a storage of 64 GB , while the second variant has a storage of 128 GB . If necessary, we can expand the storage with SD memories.
Regarding the software, the Asus Zenfone 6 runs ZenUi 6, which is based on Android 9 (Pie). However, Asus has had a not very good track record with respect to the software of their phones, as we have been disappointed repeatedly. But with this new version of the software, it seems that it is closer to a traditional Android experience. Small changes are visible, especially in the launcher and the unlock screen.
In addition, we have a facial unlock with the camera, but you must turn on the phone’s screen and then press the action to rotate the camera. This method is long and tedious, so it is better to use the fingerprint sensor which is faster. On the other hand, you can run Android Q beta and with total security, you will receive an update towards Android R in 2020.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Camera
The Asus Zenfone 6 features a rotating camera module which implements a 48MP Sony IMX586 Quad-Bayer sensor that produces 12 MP image output with a wide dynamic range and low noise level. In addition, it is combined with another 13 MP wide-angle lens with a 125-degree field of view, but (probably due to space limitations) there is no telephoto lens.
As we said, there is no front camera, but the rear is able to rotate to position itself on the top of the phone and function as the front camera. This means that we will get the same image quality of the rear camera when making selfies or recording videos, which can be a great advantage for some users. To activate this rotation is done through the application of the camera.
The scene detection function of the AI ??introduced in the ZenFone 5 Z returns in the ZenFone 6, and since it produced some pretty impressive shots last year, we are excited to see this new model acquire the same function and with some improvements. In fact, the sample shots look pretty good.
Asus says that the housing of the camera module is made with Liquidmetal technology that is 4 times stronger than stainless steel, but lighter. It is also able to close automatically if it detects a fall. Finally, the camera can record videos at 4K at 60 fps with electronic image stabilization and, like the more recent high-end devices, it also has a night mode based on several frames to offer a better image quality under conditions of very little light.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Battery
In case the camera of the Asus Zenfone 6 seems to you little, the company has decided to endow the telephone with an enormous battery of 5000 mAh. The company says it is capable of offering up to two days of battery and 21 hours of web browsing . In addition, it supports fast loading version 4.0, so you do not have to wait a long time to load the terminal.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Conclusion
Well, in this quick analysis we can say that the Asus Zenfone 6 brings a unique and innovative design due to the rotating camera, it only remains to wait if this causes a sufficient impact in the market for other brands to take “inspiration” in their models coming. The hardware is quite good and provides good performance. The software has changed a bit and offers a better experience with respect to its previous versions.
Maybe a future we will make a more comprehensive and more extensive analysis, but for now, we can consider the Asus Zenfone 6 as an excellent option to acquire in 2019.
Asus Zenfone 6 Analysis: Where to buy it?
We can find the Asus Zenfone 6 in the Gearbest store for a price of $ 559.99 (504.00 € ) for the 64 GB version of storage or $ 619.99 (558.00 € ) for the 128 GB version.