Although ASUS has been making smartphones for much longer, these have always passed by the Netherlands. No longer, as ASUS enters the market here simultaneously with multiple smartphones from their ZenFone line. We got to work with the ZenFone 3.
The smartphone market seems fairly saturated, but there is always room for a good smartphone. ASUS must have thought so too, as they are entering the Dutch market with several very affordable devices without compromising on the necessary specifications. These include the ZenFone Go, the ZenFone 3 Max, and the device we tested, the ZenFone 3. Later this year, the ZenFone AR and ZenFone 3 Zoom will also be added. The devices are affordable premium smartphones. This means that the devices have a nice price point while not compromising on the design and appearance of the ZenFone 3.
Housing
ASUS has chosen a glass housing with a metal frame equipped with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass. Besides being pleasant to hold, it also gives the device a premium appearance. That may sound unimportant, but since a smartphone is a frequently used device, it's nice that the appearance of the device has also been considered. Moreover, the device feels nice and sturdy and has a good weight, which makes it feel just right.
Specifications
The ZenFone 3 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 64-bit Quad-core CPU with a speed of 2.0 GHz and an Adreno 506 GPU. In terms of internal memory, you have 4GB at your disposal and 64GB of storage. Although the CPU is not very special, the internal memory combined with the 64GB of storage is really a draw and makes this smartphone anything but budget. The OS is the latest version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Right out of the box, the device asks if you want to update to 7.0 Nougat, so you are working with the latest Android version.
ASUS ZenFone 3
Display and camera
The display is a 5.5-inch 10-point capacitive screen with a TFT panel and an FHD resolution of 1920x1080. A good resolution, especially for a smartphone. Let's be honest, a 4K display on your smartphone is one of the silliest carrots that specification hunters are presented with. It offers practically no added value for a screen that is too small to search for details in content. That doesn't mean that selfie lovers and video enthusiasts have little to gain from the device, as with an 8MP camera on the front and a 16MP camera on the back, they can also make great use of the ZenFone 3. Moreover, the device can record in 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160, which will certainly attract some potential users. An important aspect is a good viewing angle, and that is really well taken care of in the ZenFone 3. While many other smartphones in this segment often compromise on a good composition of displays that guarantee a sharp viewing angle, ASUS has decided not to skimp here either. This results in a sharp viewing angle that guarantees proper sharpness from any angle you use the device.
Connectivity
In terms of wifi, you have to make do with 802.11 b/g/n/ac connections. Furthermore, the ZenFone supports 3G and 4G, which is of course nice. Even more important, however, and what we can comfortably (and unfortunately) call a unique feature, is the dual SIM support. This makes the device suitable for purchase by business users who also use the ZenFone 3 personally.
Lots and lots of software
ASUS has equipped the device out of the box with a lot of software. This is something that many users will undoubtedly find off-putting. With the ZenFone, you get MiniMovie, Do It Later, and a management app from ASUS similar to Samsung's. The web storage that ASUS provides is handy and works just like Dropbox. Moreover, the app also supports file sharing within teams, which further emphasizes that the device is also suitable for business use.
Something for everyone
At first glance, it's logical to wonder who ASUS intended this smartphone for. However, that need not be the case, as the ZenFone 3 offers something for every user. The feature set is rich, and for the price, you certainly won't be disappointed. As far as we are concerned, ASUS shows that it has more than earned its place in the smartphone market.
ASUS ZenFone 3
Regardless of whether you think the smartphone market is saturated or not, you cannot overlook the ASUS ZenFone 3 as a serious participant in this market. In terms of specifications, there has been a compromise on the CPU, but on the other hand, you get more internal memory and storage than we are used to in this segment. We are also very pleased with the design and the screen. Of course, we cannot overlook the very pleasant price, which makes it a nice smartphone for everyone (including business users!) who wants to look good with an affordable smartphone.
ASUS ZenFone 3
