Asus banners affordable performance in ZenFone line

MANILA, Philippines - We start at the end – with thunderous applause from media practitioners, bloggers, and guests gathered for the unveiling of a new line of smartphones from Asus. The Taiwan-based international computer hardware and electronics company had just launched its performance-packed trio of ZenFones 4, 5, and 6 – the features explained in detail by Asus Philippines System Business Group Country Manager George Su. But the piece de resistance came with the announcement of the local pricing.

The top-dog ZenFone 6 will retail for P11,995, ZenFone 5 for P6,495 and ZenFone 4 for a very affordable P3,995.

These are clearly surprising figures given that, for starters, all the smartphones are similarly motivated by a robust 1.6-GHz Intel Atom Z2560 with Hyper Thread Technology. This is the foundation upon which Asus engineers build a myriad of features – features that, said Su, provide for “Customer Happiness 2.0.”

The ZenFone, he continued, is designed to be “an everyday companion to give you entertainment and productivity at the same time.”

In a release, Asus additionally reported that “all ZenFone models come with Asus ZenUI, the all-new mobile user interface with over 1,000 enhancements” to enable more “fun and seamless use.”

Su, meanwhile, highlighted the camera technology in the new smartphones, saying it is the “best low-light technology for photo and video.” The Low-light Mode (available on ZenFones 5 and 6) increases light sensitivity in the phone’s camera by up to 400 percent, coupled with 200 percent contrast enhancement. The camera also merges adjacent pixels, “resulting in clear and bright low-light shots without the need for a flash,” reported Asus. “(The) Electronic Image Stabilizer improves low-light performance even further – resulting in sharper, non-blurry photos.”

Asus also throws in a sundry of niceties, such as PixelMaster, which serves up 18 special camera modes and nine built-in special effects filters. The proprietary Asus technology even has a so-called Selfie Mode and Depth of Field Mode to “improve camera performance and make it easier for users to capture great photos and videos.” The Selfie Mode, for instance, instantly beautifies the subject with digital enhancements. And while other cameras rely on lower-quality front-facing lens for self-portraits, the ZenFone lets the user access the high-resolution, backwards-facing lens to take an individual or group selfie. “The camera detects when the selected number of people is in the frame and begins a countdown before taking three photos. Afterwards, the user can select the best-looking photo to save and share online,” explained Asus.

The Depth of Field Mode, on the other hand, gives greater control to users. For instance, sharp subjects can now be set against blurred backgrounds – a shallow depth of field that is usually only available through high-end cameras. Also available on ZenFones 5 and 6 is the Time Rewind function, which automatically takes multiple photos before and after the shutter button is pressed. This enables the user to “go back in time” and select an ideal photo (or all) from multiple images – a useful trick, no doubt when taking a photo in a fast-moving or fluid situation (or with difficult subjects).

ZenFone 6 is rounded out by the SonicMaster feature – which optimizes the audio output of the smartphone by making it, according to Su, “louder, with more bass, less distortion.”

All ZenFone models come equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which, declared Asus literature, is four times stronger than soda-lime glass. An anti-fingerprint coating makes the surface resistant to watermarks, oil, and dust as well, while enabling the user to operate the phone even while wearing gloves (ZenFones 5 and 6). The touch panel, concluded Su, is “the world’s fastest and most responsive at 60 milliseconds.”

For his part, Intel Philippine country manager Calum Chisholm added that the partnership of Intel and Asus on the ZenFones yields a trio of values: “best performance, fast media performance (sound, graphic, and web browsing), and long battery life.”

The 8GB ZenFone 4 has a four-inch display and can be personalized with swappable back covers available in Charcoal Black, Pearl White, Cherry Red, Sky Blue and Solar Yellow colors.

The 8GB ZenFone 5 carries a five-inch HD IPS+ display, and a slim profile tapers to 5.5 millimeters at its thinnest edge. ZenFone 5 is comes in Charcoal Black, Pearl White, Cherry Red, Champagne Gold and Twilight Purple colors.

The 16GB Zenfone 6 boasts a six-inch HD IPS+ display, and a 13-megapixel camera. Users can choose from Charcoal Black, Pearl White, Cherry Red and Champagne Gold colors.

For more information, visit www.asus.com/ph.