[rwp-review id=”0″]
ASUS has recently released a trio of phones (Zenfone 4, 5, and 6) with the Zenfone 5 aiming to deliver solid hardware and size with a reasonable price – at AED 749, it really is a bargain given its size, screen clarity, and overall performance.
Design & Hardware
The first thing you’d notice about the phone is that it’s unusually large for a 5″ phone. The bezels are quite pronounced; above the screen is a giant ASUS logo that accentuates the size, even though the upper bezel is only slightly bigger than that on the iPhone 6. Below the screen are capacitative home, back, and multitask buttons along with a textured finish that adds to the bulk. The buttons don’t light up, but it’s not terribly difficult to fiddle with in the dark.
Still, the phone is comfortable to hold thanks to its curved back and light weight for its size. The edges of the phone are a bit sharp, but I managed to find a way to grab the phone without feeling them. Single-handed use is reasonable (as long as you’re used to big phones) but I found myself using both hands more often. The back cover can be removed and replaced with a myriad of colourful options.
Display & UI
The Zenfone 5 has 5-inch IPS display with 720p resolution with 294ppi. While most phones boast Full HD or QuadHD display, it looks quite crisp on the Zenfone 5 and for the price it’s a high quality screen. It’s sharp, the text is crisp and the viewing angles are superb. Contrast and colours are solid and you are given a built in tool to tweak colour temperature and saturations – something high-end phones don’t offer.
The only gripe I have with the screen is that outdoor visibility with a strong sun is very, very difficult.
The user interface takes advantage of the screen and I admit that I really loved the UI. Big, round and flat icons and pastel colours really drew me in. While it may seem “kiddish” (and some of my friends didn’t like it) I personally found it elegant and neat. UI is a personal preference in the end, but I found it much better than Samsung’s TouchWiz.
The best thing though is that the UI is fuild; there is no lagging whatsoever swiping screens and menus and performing functions. Performance takes a hit app-by-app basis (this is a midrange phone after all) but as far as the interface is concerned it’s pretty slick and fluid.
Camera
The Zenfone 5 has a very good 8MP, given the phone price and mid-range audience.
The camera has plenty of shooting modes to assist you with different situations, although like most phones you’re most likely stick to auto and HDR modes when necessary. Some advanced modes – like focus blur – are gimmicks and hardly work at all unless you shoot at specific angles. Another fun mode is beauty enhancements that will have you end up with a porcelain face and alien eyes. It’s more of a gimmicky fun mode than one you’d actually use.
Focusing is generally OK although often it struggles – and it’s a little slow. Capturing and processing the image is also slower than what I am used to; it’s not terrible by any means but expect more planned shooting than taking your phone out quickly to capture a moment.
Photo quality is really good for what the phone is, and I was pleasantly surprised with the macro performance (it’s usually the first type of photos I take with any phone I test). It’s a very good all-around camera.
Overall Impressions
The Zenfone 5 has many things going for it: a good camera, good build, solid screen and a competitive price and size certainly boosts it up the consideration list when purchasing an android phone on a budget. While there is plenty of room for improvement, you really can’t ask for more for its price.
