No more introductions! Ladies and Gentlemen, let me present to you the Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML Unboxing and First Impressions post!
Just a quick note: I received the ZE551ML model, which means it has 32GB internal storage and 4GB of RAM (SWEET!!!). I mentioned a lot of times that Asus will be releasing 3 versions here in the Philippines which you can see in this post.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Display: 5.5-inches Full HD 1920×1080 IPS screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3
OS: Android 5.0 Lollipop with Zenfone UI
Processor: Intel Atom Quad Core Z3560 (1.8GHz/2.3GHz), PowerVR G6430, with OpenGL 3.0 support
RAM: 4GB LPDDR3 RAM
Storage: 32GB/64GB eMMC Flash expandable to 64GB via MicroSD with 5GB free lifetime ASUS WebStorage
Camera/s: 13MP Pixelmaster Camera with Dual-LED Real Tone Flash, 5MP front
Wireless Connectivity: 4G/LTE, WLAN 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth V4.0+EDR +A2DP, GPS, GLONASS & AGPS
Battery: 3000 mAh Li-Polymer (non-removable)
Colors: Red/Silver
THE UNBOXING:
The packaging comes with the Asus Zenfone 2, USB Cable, USB Charger, in-ear earphones and spare earbuds.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: HARDWARE
I’ve mentioned before that the Asus Zenfone 2 was somewhat inspired by the design of the LG G3 smartphone. The Zenfone doesn’t have the volume rocker on its sides, instead they placed them at the back which supposedly makes it easy for users to adjust the volume with their pointing fingers.
You can easily tell the differences between the Zenfone 5 and the Zenfone 2. Screen size is obviously larger at 5.5 inches with Full HD resolution compared to the Zenfone 5’s 5-inch display. It is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and you can tap your finger twice on it to wake it up from hibernation.
The back cover is now curved with a brush-metal finish, adding some class to the Zenfone 2. I love curved backs and this made me instantly in love just by holding the Zenfone 2. Also noticeable at the back of the phone are the volume controls and Dual-LED Real Tone Flash.
The bottom areas of the the two Zenfones.
The power button is now found on top of the Zenfone 2.
Which side looks sexy?
I liked the changes Asus has made with the Zenfone 2’s design as well as the screen resolution which is also a big upgrade. Full HD Display on a 5.5-inch IPS screen is heaven for people like me who loves to watch videos all the time. The hardware inside is for smartphone enthusiasts and geeks would die to have on their phones – 4GB of RAM!!! Watch out for my full review as I will do everything humanly possible to push the limits of the Zenfone 2.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: SOFTWARE
I like to set up my phone right away out of the box, but if you’re a Zenfone user before you know it will take you a while before you can start using the phone.
As expected, all the Asus apps combined with Google’s apps require an update upon setting up the Play Store. How many apps do you need to update? The answer is found on the pic below:
41 freakin’ updates!!! By experience, it is best NOT to press the Update All button. It is possible to do these updates at another time, but if you want to get this over with, I suggest you update the apps one at a time and use an LTE SIM Card (use Smart LTE, heh!) for fast downloads.
Owning a Zenfone 2 has its perks, and one of them is from Google Drive. Users will get 100GB of cloud storage for FREE for two (2) years and shall you decide to continue to subscribe after that period, all you need to do is pay $1.99 a month. That’s cheaper than your tall cup of coffee from Starbucks!
There was a software update that greeted me while setting up the smartphone so be sure to download it immediately.
The Asus Zenfone 2 got a score of 40,981 on the Antutu Benchmark app which is already considered very good. Definitely not a Samsung Galaxy S6 standard which is the current Benchmark king, but I’ve read that the experience is much better on the Zenfone 2 especially with gaming.
Navigating the Zenfone 2 is very, very smooth that can make me swipe from one window to another with gusto! You can check how slick the Zenfone UI is by viewing my Asus Zenfone 2 Unboxing video below:
That’s all for now. I plan to post my usual review PLUS a camera review pitting the Zenfone 2’s Pixelmaster camera with the other high-end smartphones I have on my review table. If you have any questions about the Asus Zenfone 2, you can send me a message through my FB page or by tweeting me on Twitter. I will also discuss the Zenfone 2 at The CP Republic very soon.
