Asus Zenfone 5/Z - The poor man's iPhone X

[dizmo]

I guess I could have also said Android lover's iPhone X, but anyway...

Asus released their new Zenfone 5 and 5Z today, and they are basically identical to the iPhone X...right down to the camera placement. Really guys? Couldn't at least put them somewhere else?

Their press conference threw out some names like the "fruit phone" when referring to Apple's device. Very distasteful, and frankly uncalled for; you copied their device, at least try and save some face.

 

That aside, the phones are mighty impressive. Specs are down below, but they basically spell out everything you'd expect from a flagship device.

 

 

The phone features a 6.2" display that is a whopping 90% body to screen ratio. Personally I like that there's a little bezel at the bottom and a cutout at the top, as it gives you somewhere to rest your thumbs.

I just hope they're smart enough to not have content play behind the top bezel. It should be cut off before it.

 

*Zenfone left, iPhone right*

 

Sound wise, it features twin 5 magnet speakers that are supposed to produce pretty full bodied sound. They're powered by dual amps.

Also on board is DTS Headphone:X for use while watching movies, listening to music, or while gaming. It can do 7.1 virtual surround.

 

No dimensions were released, but it's likely around the same size as the Zenfone 4. So, I'd imagine 153mmish by 74mmish by 9mmish. Guesses, of course.

 

With the phone they also introduced a whole slough of "AI" features. I really think they overused that term. A lot of them are more adaptive, but you know. Marketing keywords and all.
I think most of them are stupid, and honestly I'd never use them.

 

• AI Charging
  Supposedly it will double battery lifespan
• AI Photo learning
  Learns how you like your pictures to look (I assume based on editing you do in phone) and adjusts it's settings to match
• AI Scene detection
• AI Boost
  It's supposed to improve performance while gaming
• AI Ringtone
  Automatically adjusts the volume based on your surroundings. Not sure how this would even work if your phone is in your pocket?
• AI Display
  Stays on when you're looking at it (nothing new there) and adjusts the color temperature on the fly. I think this would be more annoying than anything.

 

Headphone jack: YES

 

And, of course, it has what they've dubbed ZeniMoji. Because we all need to look like fucking idiots.

 

Downsides:

 

All in all it's a pretty impressive, but if I had to nitpick I'd say the lack of USB 3.0 is disappointing to say the least.

I'd also prefer an AMOLED panel, larger battery, and AptX but you can never seem to have it all.

Where's the Zenfone 5 Zoom?

 

 

Asus Zenfone 5

• Qualcomm 636 SoC
• 4GB or 6GB of RAM
• 64GB storage, microSD expansion up to 400GB
• 6.2" 2,246x1,080  Super IPS panel
• 12MP main shooter (Sony IMX363, f1.8, 83 degree FOV)
  120 degree FOV wide angle secondary shooter
  
  8MP front facing camera, f2.0
• Dual speakers, dual amps, FM radio
• Fingerprint reader, rear mounted
• 3,300 mah battery
• Android 8.0
• 155 grams

 

Asus Zenfone 5Z

Same as above except:

• Qualcomm 845 SoC
• 64/4GB, 128/6GB, 256/8GB options

 

The 5 gets an April release, with the 5Z following in June.

The 5Z starts at 479 Euro/$499 USD. Look out OnePlus. You'll need to step up your game to hold that crown.

 

I think this phone is an impressive show of what Asus can do when it decides to enter a new category. It was only 3 years ago that they were making much worse phones.

Spoiler

In another year or two I could see them coming out with truly pack leading stuff at great prices. I just hope it's not more iPhone replicas.

 

It'll be interesting to see what they price the Zenfone 5 at. If it's like the last line, it'll be around $350. What's that, a little more than a 1/3 of the cost of an iPhone X?

[Max_Settings]

Chin bar is too thick IMO

[GDRRiley]

5z may be my next phone when I get a replacement for my iPhone 5s next year. 500$ isn't bad but hopefully by then whatever I get is under 500$

[captain_to_fire]

People can hate Apple all they want but they sure know how to set a standard that Android OEMs follow it religiously every after iPhone iteration:

• When the iPhone 5s is the first to get biometric authentication right on a smartphone with Touch ID, Android OEMs followed even though some of their initial responses are half assed (e.g. Galaxy S5's swipe pad fingerprint scanner).
• When Apple decided to get rid of the poor headphone jack in the iPhone 7/7+, OEMs like Google followed.
• Now that Apple's notch in the iPhone X is here to stay, Android OEMs got to have a notch as well. In fact, Google's next release codenamed "Android P" will have native support for the notch as well. https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/12/17003326/google-android-p-redesign-notch-support-assistant-integration-rumors

 

Edit: Instead of copying what Apple does right like timely software updates, some Android OEMs take what Apple does bad like removing the headphone jack and adding an awful asymmetrical notch that doesn't offer any practicality nor does it make things easier. 

Edited February 28, 2018 by hey_yo_

[Oshino Shinobu]

What's that smell? I think it's..... a lawsuit. 

 

By the looks of things, they didn't learn from Samsung's mistake of putting the fingerprint scanner high up on the back of the phone. Come on Asus. 

 

Well, at least it has a 3.5mm jack. 

[dizmo]

@hey_yo_ To be fair, when you get to the point where the screen covers the whole front of the phone, a notch is kind of required. It's not really an invention, it's a necessity.

[General Winter]

you think THAT'S bad, at least that thing has solid specs (the zenfone 4 is around the top on 3Dmark), THIS is a literal clone and its FAR less expensive (besides the color, i saw another one that was even closer to resembling the iphone X) , also china has a knack for making counterfeit everything https://www.banggood.com/ILA-X-5_5-inch-Front-Fingerprint-3GB-RAM-32GB-ROM-MT6737W-1_3GHz-Quad-core-4G-Smartphone-p-1248261.html?rmmds=category&cur_warehouse=HK

[dizmo]

Just now, Oshino Shinobu said:

What's that smell? I think it's..... a lawsuit. 

 

By the looks of things, they didn't learn from Samsung's mistake of putting the fingerprint scanner high up on the back of the phone. Come on Asus. 

 

Well, at least it has a 3.5mm jack. 

OnePlus didn't get sued, I don't think they will either

[jefire411]

2 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

What's that smell? I think it's..... a lawsuit. 

 

By the looks of things, they didn't learn from Samsung's mistake of putting the fingerprint scanner high up on the back of the phone. Come on Asus. 

 

Well, at least it has a 3.5mm jack. 

gotta have a giant finger to reach that thing lol

[captain_to_fire]

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

@hey_yo_ To be fair, when you get to the point where the screen covers the whole front of the phone, a notch is kind of required. It's not really an invention, it's a necessity.

Samsung doesn't have a notch and yet they were able to achieve 85% screen to body ratio and yet the display is big enough. ??‍♂️

[General Winter]

4 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

People can hate Apple all they want but they sure know how to set a standard that Android OEMs follow it religiously every after iPhone iteration:

• When the iPhone 5s is the first to get biometric authentication right on a smartphone with Touch ID, Android OEMs followed even though some of their initial responses are half assed (e.g. Galaxy S5's swipe pad fingerprint scanner).
• When Apple decided to get rid of the poor headphone jack in the iPhone 7/7+, OEMs like Google followed.
• Now that Apple's notch in the iPhone X is here to stay, Android OEMs got to have a notch as well. In fact, Google's next release codenamed "Android P" will have native support for the notch as well. https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/12/17003326/google-android-p-redesign-notch-support-assistant-integration-rumors

not everyone is google

 

not everyone removed the headset jack on android

 

not everyone imitates apple and i find the notch design ugly and annoying; good thing i can still get the latest android devices without such an ugly thing

 

 

oh, and how will apple compete in the camera department (the one thing they do well) when the Red Smartphone comes out (this company makes cameras in the ten's of thousands, and with physical lenses as oppose to shitty dual camera's for a substitute i can only imagine how apple's photo quality can compare) https://www.cnet.com/products/red-hydrogen/preview/

[captain_to_fire]

1 minute ago, General Winter said:

not everyone is google

 

not everyone removed the headset jack on android

 

not everyone imitates apple and i find the notch design ugly and annoying; good thing i can still get the latest android devices without such an ugly thing

I wasn't claiming that all Android OEMs are following Apple's footsteps.

2 minutes ago, General Winter said:

oh, and how will apple compete in the camera department (the one thing they do well) when the Red Smartphone comes out (this company makes cameras in the ten's of thousands, and with physical lenses as oppose to shitty dual camera's for a substitute i can only imagine how apple's photo quality can compare) https://www.cnet.com/products/red-hydrogen/preview/

I don't really know why you have to mention Red but with everything else, I'll believe it when I see the reviews.

[Oshino Shinobu]

4 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

People can hate Apple all they want but they sure know how to set a standard that Android OEMs follow it religiously every after iPhone iteration:

• When the iPhone 5s is the first to get biometric authentication right on a smartphone with Touch ID, Android OEMs followed even though some of their initial responses are half assed (e.g. Galaxy S5's swipe pad fingerprint scanner).
• When Apple decided to get rid of the poor headphone jack in the iPhone 7/7+, OEMs like Google followed.
• Now that Apple's notch in the iPhone X is here to stay, Android OEMs got to have a notch as well. In fact, Google's next release codenamed "Android P" will have native support for the notch as well. https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/12/17003326/google-android-p-redesign-notch-support-assistant-integration-rumors

 

Edit: Instead of copying what Apple does right like timely software updates, most Android OEMs take what Apple does bad like removing the headphone jack and adding an awful asymmetrical notch that doesn't offer any practicality nor does it make things easier. 

First phone with Biometrics was the Toshiba G500 and G900, back in 2007. 

 

Apple actually has very few firsts when it comes to implementing technologies. What they are good (or at least, have been good at in the past) is being the first to implement something well and make it stick. Apple is often a bit behind in adopting new technologies, but it's often because they're waiting for it to improve before putting it on a product (or again, they used to). 

 

They've gained a reputation of being leaders for the smartphone market, so things they do tend to get followed, even if no one is really sure why. I still can't figure out why companies are removing the headphone jack, other than just mindlessly trying to follow Apple in the hope it's the next best thing. Apple has somewhat held up to the trend of doing it well though, as the experience (in terms of setup and how well it works) with AirPods has been pretty good. Other manufacturers have just removed the headphone jack but then not offered any worthwhile solution for convenient wireless headphones, or they've tried to copy Apple and created a half-baked AirPod for Android.

 

Pretty much the only phone manufacturer that I'm okay with at this point (other than Apple, because they tend to do their own thing rather than just trying to jump on a bandwagon) is Samsung, as they're one of the few that is actually developing on their own rather than just following Apple like everyone else. They've continued to include the 3.5mm jack (and retained a high IP water resistance rating), are advancing phone cameras with things like adjustable aperture on the S9 and have listened to feedback and have moved the fingerprint scanner (though it did take them a while). 

[Oshino Shinobu]

11 minutes ago, dizmo said:

@hey_yo_ To be fair, when you get to the point where the screen covers the whole front of the phone, a notch is kind of required. It's not really an invention, it's a necessity.

But this is where phone manufacturers should try to innovate rather than copying Apple. 

 

[Crunchy Dragon]

I remember the older Zenfones where the power button was in the top middle.... such an inconvenient spot IMO.

 

Hopefully this charges via Type-C, it would worry me if new phones still used micro USB to charge....

[captain_to_fire]

Just now, Oshino Shinobu said:

First phone with Biometrics was the Toshiba G500 and G900, back in 2007. 

I wasn't claiming that the iPhone 5s to be the first phone with biometric authentication, I just said they we're the first ones to get it right.

1 minute ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

Pretty much the only phone manufacturer that I'm okay with at this point (other than Apple, because they tend to do their own thing rather than just trying to jump on a bandwagon) is Samsung, as they're one of the few that is actually developing on their own rather than just following Apple like everyone else. They've continued to include the 3.5mm jack (and retained a high IP water resistance rating), are advancing phone cameras with things like adjustable aperture on the S9 and have listened to feedback and have moved the fingerprint scanner (though it did take them a while). 

I don't really think that the headphone jack deserves to be eliminated from phones just because of the asinine "courage". In fact, I actually find the removal of USB A by USB C to be more acceptable than the removal of the headphone jack in place of a free dongle that will get lost. I'm glad that Samsung kept it as well as their fingerprint scanner which is now properly located below the camera and speaking of the camera, I'll be looking forward to the reviews of the variable aperture of the GS9/GS9+.

[Eduard the weeb]

Someone should just make a glass brick with no ports and a camera in the screen hidden thats 100% screen and also all edges curved would be impractical but funny imo lol

 

but tbh I think it looks about the same but prefer the Android and also having a 3.5 mm audio is nice and like the home button at the bottom, I may have missed this somewhere ( probably did ) but hope there is a finger print reader on the back.

[Oshino Shinobu]

3 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

I remember the older Zenfones where the power button was in the top middle.... such an inconvenient spot IMO.

 

Hopefully this charges via Type-C, it would worry me if new phones still used micro USB to charge....

It's USB C

 

 

1 minute ago, hey_yo_ said:

I wasn't claiming that the iPhone 5s to be the first phone with biometric authentication, I just said they we're the first ones to get it right.

So you did, misread that on my part, apologies. 

 

2 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I don't really think that the headphone jack deserves to be eliminated from phones just because of the asinine "courage". In fact, I actually find the removal of USB A by USB C to be more acceptable than the removal of the headphone jack in place of a free dongle that will get lost. I'm glad that Samsung kept it as well as their fingerprint scanner which is now properly located below the camera and speaking of the camera, I'll be looking forward to the reviews of the variable aperture of the GS9/GS9+.

The main issue I have with removing the 3.5mm is jack is that even if you provide bluetooth or lightning/USB C headphones, everything else still uses the 3.5mm jack, or 1/4", which can easily be adapted without a dongle. 

[General Winter]

13 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I wasn't claiming that all Android OEMs are following Apple's footsteps.

I don't really know why you have to mention Red but with everything else, I'll believe it when I see the reviews.

you make it sound like apple is special for starting trends (which they can literally make anything a trend by virtue of their fanbase)

 

i bring up the red phone cause that's literally all anyone brags about when it comes to iphone (despite it not being that special) and i'd really love to hear from the horse's mouth how apple can compete with a phone that uses a higher quality camera by a long shot and has mirco sd support, headset jack, and the most interesting besides the camera is the "holographic" display known as 4-View that not only provides a glasses-free 3D image, but also lets you look around and behind objects by displaying multiple perspectives on whatever you're watching." if its not an eye sore like the 3ds it will be very promising and it would be interesting to see it in mobile VR tech given its unique screen

[General Winter]

8 minutes ago, Eduard the weeb said:

Someone should just make a glass brick with no ports and a camera in the screen hidden thats 100% screen and also all edges curved would be impractical but funny imo lol

why not remove the front facing camera all together in favor of a 100% screen, its not like i use em anyway

[dizmo]

31 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

Samsung doesn't have a notch and yet they were able to achieve 85% screen to body ratio and yet the display is big enough. ??‍♂️

Only 85%. I was referring to companies that push farther

21 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

But this is where phone manufacturers should try to innovate rather than copying Apple. 

 

See I like the idea, but it raises a lot of issues. Mostly shit ear pieces, front facing cameras in stupid places, etc. Having the camera at the bottom just creates odd angles. Now, if you had the chin where the forehead is, you'd have somewhere to place all the sensors etc, but it'd look...odd. There was a company that made a super slim speaker that fit basically along the top rim of the phone, that's what I'd want to see.

15 minutes ago, Eduard the weeb said:

Someone should just make a glass brick with no ports and a camera in the screen hidden thats 100% screen and also all edges curved would be impractical but funny imo lol

 

but tbh I think it looks about the same but prefer the Android and also having a 3.5 mm audio is nice and like the home button at the bottom, I may have missed this somewhere ( probably did ) but hope there is a finger print reader on the back.

They've already had proof of concept for cameras under the glass.

3 minutes ago, General Winter said:

why not remove the front facing camera all together in favor of a 100% screen, its not like i use em anyway

Because you're far from the norm. Most people use their front facing cameras, some more than the rear facing.

[Eduard the weeb]

Just now, dizmo said:

They've already had proof of concept for cameras under the glass.

yeah, I saw a patent for it from Samsung or apple I think a while back ( October when I saw it I think )

[Oshino Shinobu]

2 minutes ago, dizmo said:

See I like the idea, but it raises a lot of issues. Mostly shit ear pieces, front facing cameras in stupid places, etc. Having the camera at the bottom just creates odd angles. Now, if you had the chin where the forehead is, you'd have somewhere to place all the sensors etc, but it'd look...odd. There was a company that made a super slim speaker that fit basically along the top rim of the phone, that's what I'd want to see.

True, but that's where the innovation comes in. We've seen that it's possible to have fingerprint scanners under the screen now, so it would be nice for companies to work on other sensors under the screen (which I'm sure they are), but still, try something new rather than just copying another company. The essential phone took a different approach, but still had a little notch. The one on the Zenfone looks exactly like Apple's, just a bit shorter and less rounded corners. 

 

New ideas are interesting, just following the other companies is probably what's causing phone sales to drop now. I liked how Xiaomi's Mi Mix didn't even have an earpiece, it transmitted sound to the ear by vibrating the phone. They added one basically into the frame on the Mi Mix 2 though

[potoooooooo]

Actually looks surprisingly good.

 

I'm not sure i'd ever trust Asus with my money like that, but it looks like a really solid implementation of the slims bezels world.

[Suika]

Because of the bottom bezel, I was more reminded of the Essential Phone.