Asus’s mystery box finally opened with a live event to announce new variant of its already successful phone Zenfone Max.
The new phone (ZC550KL) has a lot of improvements over its predecessor as it packs all-new powerful octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor clocked at 1.5 Ghz with 32GB in-built storage. The earlier version of Zenfone Max ran on a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 and had 16 GB in-built memory.
The phone comes in two variants when it comes to memory. The 2GB version of the phone will cost you Rs 9,999 while the 3GB version will set you back by Rs 12,999. Both the versions of the phones are available on Flipkart for pre-order. Asus will still sell the old Zenfone Max but for a reduced price of Rs 8,999.
A 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS TFT display sits on the front and supports expandable storage via microSD card (up to 64GB). Available in three different colours – black, orange and blue, the phone comes with 5000 mAh battery – the selling point for Zenfone Max, and an OTG cable through which you can charge other phones via Max making the phone a power bank.
The new ZenFone Max variants run Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box and weighs 202 grams. The dual-SIM device sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash and Laser Auto-Focus feature. It also comes with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
The handset, similar to original ZenFone Max smartphone in India, supports Indian LTE bands. It packs accelerometer, compass, proximity, and ambient light sensors. Other connectivity options include 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, GPS, Glonass, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
Commenting on the launch, Asus, region head – South Asia and country manager Peter Chang said, “Zenfone Max has been one of our star products. The product features including its long battery life, ability to be a portable charger for other devices, stunning good looks and an affordable price resonated well with our audiences and helped us deliver our promise of making luxury affordable. The enhanced version of the Zenfone Max with a brand new processor, increased memory and more personalization options helps us stay true to our ethos and offer an extremely cost-effective high-end luxury product.”