The Zenfone 3 family has been officially announced, and ASUS has provided all of the details of these new Android smartphones from Computex 2016.
The Zenfone 3 family is comprised of three phones; the Zenfone 3, Zenfone 3 Deluxe, and the massive Zenfone 3 Ultra. The first of these is the standard Zenfone 3, which replaces the Zenfone 2 not only in number, but architecture. While the previous version was powered by an Intel SoC, this new Zenfone contains a conventional ARM-based SoC; the Snapdragon 625.
A 5.5-inch device with a FHD (1920×1080) IPS display protected by Gorilla Glass 4, the 7.69 mm thick Zenfone 3 also boasts a 16MP “PixelMaster” camera with OIS and “ultra-fast 0.03s instant focus” for clear photos. Other features include a sizable 4GB of RAM, a “5-magnet” speaker design and 24-bit/192kHz high-resolution audio support, and a 3000 mAh battery. The phone uses USB Type-C connectivity, and arrives with Android 6.0 with ZenUI 3.0.
Moving to the Zenfone 3 Deluxe, this higher-end model offers a slightly larger 5.7” FHD AMOLED display (rather than IPS), and adds Quick Charge 3.0 for the 3000 mAh, and USB 3.0 speed to the Type-C connector. The SoC powering the Deluxe is the biggest upgrade over the standard Zenfone 3, with the powerful Snapdragon 820 replacing the base model’s Snapdragon 625.
If you enjoy a more tablet-like experience, the 6.8-inch (!) Zenfone 3 Ultra might be for you!
While still FHD at this tablet-like size, the rear camera on the Ultra is a big upgrade, with a 23MP PixelMaster Camera (via the Sony IMX318 sensor). The battery is also a big upgrade over the smaller phones, as the larger chassis allows a 4600 mAh capacity. The big question (pun intended) becomes, will people want to use a 6.8-inch smartphone? To which the answer must be, no, we will hold out for the 7+ inch phones! (Or not.)
As to pricing, the Zenfone 3 is nearly as aggressive as the previous version, with an MSRP of $249. The Deluxe version is priced much more like premium handset at $499, and the Ultra is just behind it at $479. Availablity has not been announced.
I personally own and use the
I personally own and use the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser (which is the ARM SoC version) and I love it.
ZenUI, not so much, but nothing that a custom ROM couldn’t fix.
Thinking about picking up the ZenFone Deluxe now at $499 that’s a pretty good deal in comparison to the other phones that use a Snapdragon 820.
Are there any adapters for
Are there any adapters for USB -B – USB C or do I have to redo my whole charging system…I would hate to do that…
Will some one please invent an in-dash wireless charging port for my vehicle fleet. Any third party would do.
I say this because one of my employees got into a minor bumper thump-er trying to thumb the power connector to his mobile while driving.
I know he shouldn’t have been driving, but a wireless in-dash or on floor charger would be nice for many reasons.
Just get a new cable or
Just get a new cable or adapter for a few bucks.
The fact that even the Base
The fact that even the Base model comes with a 24 bit 192khz DAC is brilliant
The small one is still too
The small one is still too large godammit!
I must be the only person
I must be the only person advocating for the 7″ phone.
First, I love my 7″ tablet – I carry one everywhere I go. It’s the perfect size for reading, watching videos (for one person) and does everything my phone can do…except make phone calls. So I essentially carry two “phones” as a result: one that’s perfect for consumption; the other is perfect for consumption provided I want to squint to read, or hunch over the 4.8″ screen to see a tiny 1080 rendering of whatever video I’m watching. Oh, and it makes phone calls.
Of course, the obvious joke is to hold the 7″ tablet next to my head yelling, “Hello!” and you’re correct – that does look stupid. Alternatively, I could use a Jawbone…but then again, I would probably have to kick my own ass.
But the other day, I watched a teenager using headphones to listen while holding the phone like a walkie-talkie – about 9″ in front of his face – to talk to the other end. In fact, I’ve seen numerous people do this, though they’re usually rude (IMO) because they place the other person on speaker with the sound blaring so I can hear the entire conversation.
I see that as a viable option. It would eliminate one device that I have to lug around, give me the best of both worlds, and probably longer battery life.
Call me crazy.