If a spec reads "Quad-core 64-bit processor and 4 GB RAM", you'd think, it was PC or laptop, right? Wrong. These numbers belong to the new smartphone that Asus brought to India this month, the ZenFone 2.
Professionals who use desktop PCs for heavy image editing or video creation have long known that 64-bit processing is essential, rather than the 32-bit which is standard on consumer computers. And, more the RAM, less the buffering problem, which results in stop-go jittery video.
Lay users today, expect to view and even edit movies on their mobile phones. The ZenFone2 is at the vanguard of phones that have beefed up their processing power to do just that. This is why its key specs -- except on-board storage -- look no different from that of a good PC. It features a 4GB RAM (arguably the first with RAM of this size to reach India) with a 64-bit Intel Atom quad-core 2.3GHz processor
Weighing 170 grams with 3.9mm thickness, this phone is quite light and sleek. Nothing fancy in terms of design, but the phone’s body features a curved plastic rear with metallic finish. Unlike most smart phones, the ZenFone 2 has volume buttons in the rear panel instead of side panel, which sometimes can get a bit uncomfortable to operate. It is a dual-SIM phone with a 5.5-inch screen with full HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) IPS display. This makes sense because it exploits the 4GB RAM to provide smooth video streaming.
The 13 megapixel rear camera and 5 megapixel front camera comes with image-enhancing features from the PixelMaster 2.0 technology. The front camera has an 85-degree field of view and ZenUI Selfie Panorama mode of up to 140-degree, which is helpful while taking groupies. The selfie camera also includes options like a beautification mode for real-time image enhancement. The ASUS ZenFone 2 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop. It comes with a generous 32GB internal memory, which is expandable up to 64GB. It packs in a 3000mAh battery for long life.
Available currently through online channels, the ASUS ZenFone 2 is priced at Rs 22,999. The last couple of weeks have seen a lot of manufactures flooding the Indian market with feature-rich performance phones at much lower prices, some of them throwing in India-specific features as a bonus. Rs 22,999 in such a scenario may raise eyebrows, unless of course you believe that the mammoth 4GB RAM justifies the price. (There are lower priced variants of the Zenfone 2— Rs 14,999, Rs 18,999 and Rs 19,999 -- with less RAM or a slower CPU)
