Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom (ZE553KL) Specs Review: Here's our Early Verdict


Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom clouded other handsets in this year's Consumer Electronics Show. To stress on how important this handset is for Q1 of 2017, we tried doing a thorough analysis on its specifications. On paper, the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom is all about camera and battery life; but we also think that the Zenfone 3 Zoom is more than just your average dual-camera smartphone.

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom Specs Review

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom Specs Review


So in order to cut the chase, we need to start with the camera. Basically, the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom has a powerful 12MP camera with the same Tri-Tech branding (PDAF, LAser Autofocus and Continuous Focus). The main rear camera is very promising with f/1.7 aperture; it's a Sony IMX 362 by the way and definitely has the same guns as the Galaxy S7 Edge.

Read: Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL Review

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom Specs Review


Dual-Camera Set-up

Meanwhile, the other shooter has f/2.8 lens aperture. It works like any other smartphone with dual-lens set-up; and easily gives telescopic and bokeh portraits with blurred background effects. It's 2.3x optical zoom is also one of its major points. These are the signs that the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom is a great mobile photography device.

The front-facing camera is a 13MP affair. It's sensor is also made by Sony, the IMX 214. Both Beautification feature and 140-degree selfie panorama mode would sure give the best selfie experience.

Read: Asus Zenfone 3 Camera Review: Featuring the Incredible Batanes

Zenfone 3 Zoom Sample Photos

Zenfone 3 Zoom Sample Photos



Battery

Asus is making a big deal out of the Zenfone 3 Zoom's battery. It's a juicy 5000 mAh which the company stressed to last for two days and 42 days on standby. Plus, Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom can also charge other devices via its USB Type-C port. It's a super camera phone and portable powerbank in one.

Design and Display

We go to the handset's design. Judging by its look in photos, the Zenfone 3 Zoom looks like an iPhone 7 on the rear panel. The fact that it's also made in aluminum signifies that it registers as striking as the latter. It's one of the thinnest "big-battery phone" around - only at 7.99 millimeters.



On the front panel, it is still full HD, but the display technology now shifts to AMOLED in contrast to the regular Zenfone 3. The Zenfone 3 Zoom's screen is now treated with a Gorilla Glass 5 giving it up to 70 percent drop resistance.

Hardware

The Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom might be a beast in terms of camera and battery, but it is still in the midrange department when it comes to the processor - the upper midtier to be specific. Just like the regular Zenfone 3, the Zoom variant also comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625. It packs an octa-core Cortex-A53 clocked at 2GHz speed, and an Adreno 506 graphics processor.

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom Specs Review

Nevertheless, it still boasts a beefy 4GB of RAM which could technically chew everything thrown at it with less effort. I am looking into a better Zoom variant in the future with Snapdragon 835 and Google DayDream support.

The choice among 128GB, 64GB and 32GB is also a breath of fresh air. Plus, you can still stack up to 256 of memory via microSD card. The HiFi audio output is also a welcome feature.

Software

The smartphone still comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. The latest version of Android, 7.0 Nougat, is now seeding with the basic Zenfone 3, and I guess it won't be long until Asus pushes the same build with the Zoom variant.

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom Specs Review

The Wrap: What We think of the Zenfone 3 Zoom, so far.

When we talk about camera and battery alone, the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom seems to be a good contender for the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, no doubt about it. The battery life is very generous to the point that it could act as a powerbank to other devices.

I am intrigued with the handset's photo quality. Currently, I am "hands down" with the camera capability of the standard Zenfone 3. And to think the ZF3 Zoom has the same internals and better camera module, it would definitely exceed my expectations. I look forward to see some real life shots, in the meantime you can check the Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom specs below.

Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom ZE553KL Specs


154.3 x 77 x 8 mm, 170 grams
5.5-inch AMOLED Display, 1080 x 1920 pixels at 401 ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Octa-core 2.0GHz Cortex-A53 CPU
Adreno 506 GPU
4GB of RAM
32GB/64GB/128GB Internal Memory up to 256GB expandable
Dual 12MP rear camera, (25mm, f/1.7 and 59mm, f/2.9) with Laser AF, Phase Detection AF, LED Flash, 4-axis OIS, 2.3x optical zoom
2160p video at 24fps, 1080p video at 30fps
13MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture lens, 1080p
4G LTE, 3G, 2G
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, Hotspot
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BD
FM Radio
USB Type C
USB OTG
3.5mm Audio Jack
Fingerprint Sensor
Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, Accelerometer Sensors
Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with ZenUI 3.0
5000mAh Li-Ion Non-Removable Battery
QuickCharge Fast Charging
Navy Black, Glacier Silver, Rose Gold
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