Asus managed to sell more than 40,000 Units of Zenfone in first 4 days and that initself says Asus has successfully captured everyones attention. Same design language is followed throughout the whole Zenfone series and Zenfone 6 is no alien to this base rule- its only bigger. While we liked Zenfone 5 a lot, let’s take a look at initial impressions of Zenfone 6 phablet.
Asus Zenfone 6 Quick Specs
- Display Size: 6 Inches touch screen with 720 x 1280 resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 245 PPI
- Processor: 2 GHz Intel Atom Z2580 Dual Core BayTrail SoC with PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
- RAM: 2 GB
- Software Version: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) Upgradeable to KitKat
- Primary Camera: 13 MP AF camera with LED flash
- Secondary Camera: 2 MP
- Internal Storage: 16 GB
- External Storage: MicroSD support upto 64 GB
- Battery: 3300 mAh battery Lithium Ion
- Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, aGPS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
- Others: OTG Support – Yes, Dual SIM – Yes (Micro SIM) (Review unit is a single SIM variant)
- SAR US : 1.18W/Kg @ 1g Head
Asus Zenfone 6 Unboxing, Full Review, Features, Camera, Benchmarks, Gaming, Price and Overview [Video]
Design, Build and Display
Zenfone 6 is quite large and sturdy. The device is not very heavy and well balanced considering its form factor. The back cover is removable and houses a MicroSD card, a SIM card slot and a sealed battery. The review unit we got had only 1 SIM card slot but the one selling on Flipkart is a dual SIM variant.
The back cover fit’s in real tight with solid hinges, which is something we like. The front has beefed up bezels on all sides but the metallic trim below capacitive buttons is a nice touch from Asus in all Zenfone series smartphones.
The 6 inch display with HD resolution isn’t winning any PPI busting award at 245 pixels per inches, but we did like the touch sensitivity, colors and over all Display experience. We did observe some color fading while viewing it from wider angles.
Processor and RAM
Intel Atom Z2580 inside with 2 hyper threading enabled BayTrail cores (2 threads/core) clocked at 2.0 GHz and assisted with 2 GB RAM, smoothly handled everything we threw at it. The chipset did get heated after around 20 miniutes of high end gaming and thus extended high end gaming can be a little uncomfortable. For everything else, you don’t have to worry.
Camera and Internal Storage
The rear 13 MP shooter is a good performer, but we would rank HTC Desire 816 higher in terms of camera performance. Asus Zenfone 6 camera is good with details but does with color reproduction in some shots. We managed to shoot several good quality images in extremely low light conditions. The pixel market technology works
The camera app is rich with option and lot of fun to play with. Most features are not new and work nicely on Zenfone 6. The sefie camera also comes with an innovative feature where it can recognize different faces you make and shoot each one automatically. You can also comfortably use rear camera for taking selfies. There is a background defocus feature as well, but we can’t switch between different focus spots.
Internal storage is 16 GB out of which 12.2 GB is available for users. You can also use secondary microSD card storage upto 64 GB. You cannot install apps on SD card.
User interface and Battery
Asus Zenfone 6 has a lot going on the software front. You can check Do Later option in several places to better manage your tasks, you can drag screen down from right edge for quick settings. There is aggressive smart saving mode, reading mode, glove mode and lot more. You can also adjust the color temperature of the display
The massive 3300 mAh battery gives good battery backup for basic users. With battery saver mode on you can comfortably cross over one day of usage. And with the aggressive battery saver mode you can still make one day with moderate usage.
Asus Zenfone User Interface Tips, Tricks, Hidden Features and Options Overview [Video]
Sound, Video Playback and Connectivity
Headphones which come bundled with the device are quite good. The loud speaker isn’t great but does reasonably well. We would have loved something more powerful on this big device. The GPS locking worked very well without any issues.
Asus Zenfone 6 Photo Gallery
Conclusion and Price
If you are looking for a mid range 6 inch phablet, ASUS Zenfone 6 is something we can recommend. The device may not be killing it as far as benchmark apps are concerned but the user experience will provide you good value for your money. The Zenfone 6 can be purchased from flipkart for 17,000 INR
