ASUS Zenfone Max Plus Hands-on Review: A Large Battery and 2017’s Trendiest Features

ASUS was pretty late to the 18:9 game, but now that the Zenfone Max Plus has officially been launched last, was it worth the wait? Well, the ASUS Zenfone Max Plus promises a large battery and most of 2017’s trendiest features for a reasonable Php11,995 price tag. I was able to spend some time with the Zenfone Max Plus at launch. After playing around with it, here are my thoughts.

ASUS Zenfone Max Plus Specs

  • 5.7″ HD+ IPS display, 18:9 aspect ratio (1080 x 2160 resolution, 424ppi)
  • MediaTek MT6750T SoC
    • 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 octa-core processor
    • Mali 860 MP2 GPU
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • 4GB RAM
  • 32GB internal storage, expandable via microSD (up to 256GB)
  • 16mp+8mp dual rear cameras
    • PDAF
    • LED flash
    • f/2.0 aperture
  • 8mp front camera
    • wide angle
    • f/2.0 aperture
  • 4G/LTE, 3G HSPA+, 2G EDGE, and GPRS Networks
    • Dual SIM
  • WiFi b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS
  • Micro USB 2.0
    • USB OTG Support
  • 4,130mAh battery
  • Price: Php11,995

Build Quality and Design

The Zenfone Max Plus is a surprisingly slim phone despite its large battery. You might also think that it’s a large phone due to its 5.7 inch screen, but because of its 18:9 aspect ratio, it’s actually pretty easy to grip.

On the left, you’ll find the SIM and microSD tray.

On the right, you’ll find the volume rocker and power/lock button.

On top, there’s the 3.5mm headset jack.

At the bottom is the micro USB port, which is obscured in the image above by the security tether.

Flip it on its back and you’ll find the dual cameras, LED flash, and the fingerprint scanner.

Software

The ASUS Zenfone Max Plus runs on Android 7.0 Nougat with the Taiwanese brand’s ZenUI 4.0 on top. While it still looks cartoony thanks to the icons, it’s not as bad as previous iterations of the custom UI.

The menu elements are also pretty subdued.

Camera

Aside from the battery, the 16mp+8mp dual cameras are another highlight feature for the Zenfone Max Plus.

The ASUS camera app is simple but offers some neat features, including the ability to switch to a wider angle shot.

You can shoot in Instagrammable 1:1, standard 4:3 or 16:9, or even 18:9 aspect ratios!

It also offers a Pro mode, where you can fine tune the various settings to get the perfect shot.

The settings aren’t as exhaustive when using the selfie mode, but you still get the standard features including beautification.

Conclusion

The ASUS Zenfone Max Plus is a solid mid-ranger that ticks off the trendiest features from 2017, namely the 18:9 screen and dual cameras. Its slim body is unexpected considering the mammoth battery inside. However, the battery itself isn’t as remarkable as it used to be back when most mainstream smartphones only came with 2,000mAh batteries. Now, we’re seeing smartphones that don’t necessarily emphasize battery life coming with 3,000+mah. And that micro USB port means it will take a while to charge to full. Still, the Zenfone Max Plus is undeniably a bang for buck phone that will appeal to the budget conscious.

 

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