ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom Review

ASUS surprised us earlier this year with the release of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom that packs a dual lens camera instead of a single camera like last year. The dual lens camera of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom works similarly to the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus. Both rear lenses are 12-megapixel but one of them is the zoom camera that lets you do 2.3x zooming. Interested? Check out our review of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom below.

A solid and comfortable build

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom didn’t follow the same route of the ASUS Zenfone 3. The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom packs an all-metal build and it packs the right curves on all sides. The smartphone might pack a 5000mAh of battery but the smartphone doesn’t feel like it has one. The smartphone isn’t thick and it isn’t really heavy.

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom has also adapted the USB Type-C for its port however, the smartphone still doesn’t support fast charging which is really a bummer since the smartphone packs a very large battery inside it and yes, it really takes some time before you can fully charge this smartphone.

At the back of the smartphone is a metal build along with the minimalistic two lines at the top and bottom of the smartphone. The fingerprint scanner is also placed at he back which has a square shape compared to the oval shape of the Zenfone 3. The look of the smartphone is really clean and by far, I think it is one of my favorite because of its thin profile despite having a big battery.

Overall, the hardware and the looks of the smartphone is something to really love. It’s not the best but it is very comfortable to use and the body is really solid, however, I still recommend on using a phone case on this one as for some people, they might find the Zenfone 3 Zoom slippery and uncomfortable to the hand.

A better display

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom might have a lot of similarities with the ASUS Zenfone 3 but the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom packs a 5.5-inch AMOLED Full HD display. Yes, it’s AMOLED that’s why the colors are great and the blacks are really black. However, I noticed that the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom display are a little bit warmer.

But overall, the display of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom is one of the best that I’ve seen on the Zenfone series. Outside, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom is very usable and the screen is very clear. But of course, I hope that that next generation of ASUS smartphones would pack a higher resolution and I hope that they could improve it even more.

A decent and cool processor

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom is still using the Snapdragon 625 processor inside along with the 4GB of RAM. Some people might find it lacking but most people would probably wouldn’t need more than that as the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom can handle most applications and games without problems. However, if you’re planning on running the heaviest games on the Play Store, some might not be able to run smoothly at the highest settings on the smartphone.

One thing that I really love with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor inside it is that the smartphone doesn’t make too much heat and the smartphone doesn’t drain its juices really fast. Speaking of juices, the 5000mAh battery of the smartphone is more than enough to last more than a day. Actually, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom was able to last a day and a half in my normal usage and at my heavy usage, it will still last up to a day of use.

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom still packs the same Zen UI which was use in other Zenfones including the ASUS Zenfone 3. However, in my use, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom was still using android 6.0 Marshmallow but don’t worry because the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom will be updated to Android 7.0 Nougat soon. The Zen UI is actually filled with bloatware as expected and I think ASUS should update it soon and lessen unnecessary apps.

A very decent camera with optical zooming

The biggest feature of this smartphone is its camera and yes, the smartphone’s camera isn’t disappointing, however, I wouldn’t say that this smartphone has the best camera in the market but for its price, the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom’s camera is definitely worth it.

Compared to last year, ASUS has opted for the same setup of the iPhone 7 Plus and with the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom, it allows 2.3x optical zoom and it can even do 12x digital zooming which performs really well. The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom also has a f/1.7 aperture which allows brighter photos even at dark.

Looking at the photos that I took using the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoo, they’re actually pretty good and they are sharp however I noticed that there are some parts that are darker than expected but most of the photos are pretty alright compared to the ASUS Zenfone 3. Check out the shots and its zooming prowess at the shots below.

Check out the zooming prowess of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom below

Verdict

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom is packed with features that most consumers need. It has a decent processing power, good camera, and a very long battery life. The smartphone also looks good too. But is this smartphone worth it? Yes, I believe so.

Yes, there’s the more powerful OnePlus 3T at its price range but with the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom, you get a balance specification.  The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom doesn’t have the best hardware in all aspects but it definitely has the decent ones. I would definitely recommend this smartphone if you can afford it. Again, it has a decent power, good camera, and a long battery life – The things that most people look for a smartphone, however, ASUS needs to update this smartphone to Android 7.0 Nougat soon.

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom is now available for P23,995.