The task of the ASUS Zenfone Max ZC550KL model, the review of which may interest potential buyers of an inexpensive smartphone with a large screen, was an attempt to move from increased functionality to autonomy.

For this reason, the smartphone received a powerful battery and average performance, and is relatively inexpensive - although it cannot be called a budget one.

In 2017, the purchase of such a device will not the best choice however, it cannot be called the worst option either.

Content:

Specifications

Model Zenfone Max ZC550KL has the following parameters:

The capacity of the rechargeable battery is 5000 mAh- more than 80% of the models available on the market. The operating time of a smartphone with such a battery is about 37 hours when talking, 900 hours in standby mode and about 8 hours in active mode. The device weighs 202 grams and is 10.5 millimeters thick.

Design features

The appearance of the phablet is not too different from most of the same large smartphones and.

Although the size of the gadget makes it not very suitable for use by women.

Conveniently lies the device only in big hand - especially if you try to write messages on it or surf the net (while watching movies or reading text is much easier).

Among the design features it is worth noting:

• the buttons are on the right side, which, in the opinion of many users, is not the best location;
• there are no buttons or controls on the left side;
• the back cover houses the lens, flash, second microphone, speaker and laser rangefinder. Under it you can find slots for SIM-cards and microSD-drive;
• front panel, almost completely covered by glass, contains camera, speaker and touch buttons For driving;
• below you can see another microphone and a USB port;
• the top of the smartphone has a headphone jack.

You should know: On sale you can find two colors - black and white smartphone, moreover, the cover of the first model is designed "under the skin", and the second is made of matte and smooth. This allows users with different tastes to choose a suitable option for themselves.

Smartphone screen

The power consumption of the 5.5-inch display is not very economical, so the increased capacity of the phone's battery comes in handy.

The picture quality is not the best for such a diagonal - many similar models work with FullHD format.

However, the graininess is almost invisible, and if you look at the screen from a distance of 30 cm, the density of 267 ppi is enough for a decent resolution, and a video shot by the same phone.

For users accustomed to high resolutions, this quality may seem insufficient.

However, the picture looks bright and warm - especially when using the special Bluelight filter mode.

The maximum brightness is sufficient for viewing images on the screen even outdoors on a sunny day.

Recognition of clicks by the sensor is quite fast, and the simultaneous number of touches reaches ten.

In winter, you can use your smartphone with gloves - there is another special mode for this.

And finally, the last advantage of the screen is the presence of 4, which provides good protection, and allows you not to be afraid to wet the surface.

Processor, memory and performance

The smartphone is far from the most powerful Snapdragon 410 chip as the central processor, the Adreno 306 video processor is responsible for the graphics.

To work with resource-intensive applications comes with 2 GB of RAM- not too much for modern games, but enough for most users. There is enough memory and processors to run Asphalt 8, even if not at the highest settings, and, of course, to play video with HD resolution.

A gamer won't need such a smartphone- with such opportunities for working with games, it is easier to overpay and choose a more powerful model. On the other hand, for a user who rarely uses game suggestions, this option is quite suitable. Moreover, the gameplay time without the need to recharge the battery for the model is at least 5-6 hours - a parameter not available for every "gaming" smartphone.

Operating system

The smartphone runs on the Android 5.0.2 operating system and the ASUS ZenUI 2.0 proprietary launcher.

Such a solution will bring certain inconveniences to the user of the model - although, if desired, the firmware can be updated to 6.0.1. This will add some functionality and remove some of the vulnerabilities.

The smartphone interface can also be called outdated- it is not as convenient to work with it as with the launchers of competing models. Many preinstalled programs are not very useful, and are usually deleted by users immediately after purchase. But the ZC550KL has several original gestures for control - for example, double "tap" to unlock.

Model Cameras

The model received two cameras from the manufacturer, which, unlike the processor and graphics, correspond to the average parameters of modern models - and, therefore, meet the requirements of many potential buyers.

Although the photos with the main and front-facing devices are not very high-quality - you can get a clear picture without noise only in good lighting.

Under any other conditions, it will not be possible to take a good photo even with the built-in flash.

As the practice of using the phone shows, it is best to take photos with the front camera (or "selfies") not only in good lighting, but also outdoors - indoors the quality will be completely unsatisfactory.

Sharp movements are blurred, regardless of which imaging module is used. But macro photography with the main camera allows you to get a completely acceptable result.

You should know: The maximum video format in which a smartphone can shoot is FullHD. However, taking into account the native HD resolution, this is enough - on most computers and even TVs with a large diagonal, such a video will look good. And in order to notice the real difference between FullHD and, for example, 4K, you need a screen of at least 40-45 inches and a distance of no more than a meter.

Sound options

The capabilities of the model for sound reproduction - both in films and when listening to audio files, are at an average level.

Therefore, a smartphone is hardly worth buying for lovers of loud and clear sound. While for watching videos, the characteristics of its speakers are sufficient.

Listening to music in the headphones supplied with the phone, you can draw about the same conclusions. Movies look fine - there is not enough headroom for music playback. But the smartphone has a good microphone, which can be noticed in a conversation with an interlocutor on mobile communications, and when recording audio.

Connection quality

The connection quality provided by the smartphone is at a decent level. In addition, the model supports 4G technology and data transfer rates up to 150 Mbps.

You can use two SIM cards, the installation of which will not interfere with memory expansion using a microSD drive.

When tested in talk mode the smartphone showed good sound quality and acceptable speaker performance. The launch of navigation applications revealed the normal speed of connection to satellites - within 30 seconds. The only noticeable disadvantage of communication functions is support for only one Wi-Fi channel(2.4 GHz), which reduces the data transfer rate by wireless network.

Gadget battery

To support the operation of all components for a long time, the gadget received a powerful rechargeable battery. In the list of its features:

• 7-8 h in the talk mode and about the same time if you use it for resource-demanding games;
• 18-22 hours of work when watching videos;
• not less than 30 hours internet surfing;
• more than a month in standby mode.

Important: The huge capacity of the battery allows you not only to use your smartphone, but also to charge other gadgets with it. To implement the charging function, ZenFone Max is connected to another smartphone, an mp3 player and even a power bank.

Device complete set

Box contains inside:

• myself smartphone with a protective film attached;
• Charger, the most common- therefore easily replaceable with a charger from most other models;
• cable that can also be used to restore battery power, and for connecting the phone to a computer for wired data transmission;
• branded headphones with a set of eartips;
• OTG cable, with which you can connect to a smartphone, for example, a USB flash drive - or a computer mouse.

Positioning

I don’t know what happened in the Kingdom of Taiwan by ASUS, but in 2018 the manufacturer does not give out smartphones, but hits for its price segments. There was recently a review of "", which is probably the best solution in terms of price / quality / design ratio in the segment up to 30 thousand rubles. On my recommendation, the device was purchased by several comrades and were satisfied. One friend initially took Zenfone 5 to his wife, but after the purchase he kept it for himself, and gave her his "flagship killer" iteration five plus. Although before that he was a fan of the brand.

Today I would like to tell you about ASUS Zenfone MAX Pro (M1). The smartphone is remarkable, firstly, because it is time for the company to go to some courses on naming, because with each new device the number of words in the title is growing.

And secondly, and this is the main thing, Max Pro (M1), in my opinion, should be considered first of all if the goal is to purchase a smartphone worth up to 20 thousand rubles.

During almost two weeks of testing, from a consumer point of view, I was satisfied, using the smartphone is very comfortable.

By the way, I didn’t pay attention to the ASUS slogan before: IN SEARCH OF INCREDIBLE - “In search of the incredible”.

In my opinion, MAX Pro (M1) is very consistent with the stated strategy, since the company positions the device for 13,990 rubles as a gaming one. They even made a chant: "Live playing!" Oxymoron, right? That's really in search of the incredible. However, playing PUBG Mobile on high graphics settings, I constantly caught myself thinking: "Damn it, they didn't lie!".

The device has an amazing 636th chipset from Qualcomm, which can cope with any games with a bang, a dual photo module of excellent quality, a screen with a large margin of brightness (450 nits) and a 5,000 mAh battery (that is, you can forget about an outlet for at least 2 days). Not bad already, right? However, ASUS went to meet Russian buyers and added NFC exclusively for our market. Finally, at least someone started to listen to the consumer. Hurry, and other manufacturers have followed an example.

And then there is the "pure" Android Oreo 8.1. This set makes Zenfone MAX Pro a very attractive solution. At the moment, at a price of 13,990 rubles, ASUS Zenfone MAX Pro (M1) puts on the blades and various iterations of the "best" smartphones, and Finnish-Chinese devices, and "Chinese achievements". Do you think otherwise? Come debate in the comments.

Contents of delivery

Standard delivery set:

If you buy on the company's official website, you will be given a headset with support for high-resolution audio formats as a gift.

Specifications

• Processor: Qualcomm SDM636 Snapdragon 636, Octa-core 1.8 GHz Kryo 260, Adreno 509 graphics
• Operating system: Android 8.1 (Oreo)
• Memory: 3/4 GB / 32/64 GB, microSD support up to 2 TB, separate slot
• Screen: 6.0 inches, IPS LCD, 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18: 9 ratio, 404 ppi, 450 nits brightness, 85% NTSC coverage, 2.5D glass
• Battery: Li-Ion 5000 mAh, fast charging
• Main camera: 2 photo modules: 13 MP (f / 2.2, 25 mm, 1.12 µm, PDAF) + 5 MP (f / 2.4, 1.12 µm), HDR, panorama, 4K video recording, [email protected], LED flash, shooting still photos while recording video
• Front camera: 8 MP (f / 2.2, 26 mm, 1.0 µm), video recording 1080p
• Sim card: 2 Nano-SIM, both SIM cards active at the same time, VoLTE
• Network and data transmission: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, CAT12 3CA 4X4 MIMO LTE (up to 600 Mb / s), VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 / 5GHz), Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE, AD2P, AptX), Bluetooth HID GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BDS, NFC
• Sensors: Fingerprint Reader (Rear), Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass
• Misc: Android Pay (NFC), FM radio, 3.5mm jack, 2 noise canceling microphones, face unlock, 5-magnet speaker and built-in power-controlled audio codec
• Color: silver and black
• Materials: 2.5D glass and aluminum
• Dimensions: 76 x 159 x 8.45 mm, 180 grams
• Price: 13 990/15 990 rubles

Appearance and screen

ASUS is great for finding an almost perfect form factor for their phones. Despite the screen size of 6.0 inches, the body here is like a device with a 5.5 screen. It is comfortable to hold the smartphone with one hand, and the finger naturally falls on the fingerprint scanner.

The device is made in an all-metal case. Surprisingly, by the way, despite the aluminum and 5000 mAh battery, the smartphone weighs 180 grams. The body is matte, there are no prints left on it.

On the left side is a slot for two Nano-SIM cards and one microSD card up to 2 TB. Manufacturers love to boast of big numbers. For the curious reference: the largest microSD available for purchase today has a size of 512 GB and a price tag of 22 thousand rubles.

On the right is the volume rocker and the power button. The power button has a concentric circle ornament. Interesting how such decisions are made? Probably, one of the designers gave a presentation and defended the importance of their vision of how the perception of the phone would change thanks to such a button. And I noticed the pattern only a week later, when I started writing a review.

Upstairs - only a microphone.

At the bottom, it is more interesting, there is a microUSB port, another microphone, a 3.5 mm headset jack, as well as a 5-magnetic speaker, which ASUS is very proud of. Let's try to find out why in the "Multimedia" section.

On the back there is a fingerprint scanner, which, as I said, is very well located. There is also a flash and a double photomodule, on which, probably, so that no doubts arise, they even wrote "DUAL CAMERA"

Front smartphone covers 2.5D safety glass... Previously, 2.5D glasses were the prerogative of flagships. It's great that now manufacturers are using such a solution in the lower price segments. The main plus of 2.5D glass is that the rounded edges make the phone much more pleasant to hold in the hand. And this adds a zest to the appearance of the device. On the front panel there is a speaker, a camera peephole and a flash, which is almost invisible.

The screen should be discussed in more detail. Deserves. The device is equipped with a 6.0-inch IPS LCD with a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels. In Zenfone 5 ASUS has already shown that it can make unreal screens, in Max Pro (M1) the company continues to amaze. First, the screen is very bright at 450 nits. Working with the device in the sun is just as comfortable as indoors.

Secondly, there is an 85% NTSC color gamut. This is much more than standard sRGB.

And thirdly, the contrast ratio is 1500: 1. Perhaps the best value among devices up to 20,000 thousand rubles.

Actually, such a juicy display became possible thanks to Qualcomm's proprietary technologies - TruPallete (for accurate color reproduction) and EcoPix (for better contrast in the sun). In addition to improving the picture, the same EcoPix is ​​more careful with the battery, since the function works in real time with each pixel separately. These are very useful chips, so a general advice: pay attention and try to choose devices with their support. As I understand it, technologies go together, that is, if TruPallette is declared, that is, EcoPix, and vice versa.

The screen has excellent viewing angles.

I am glad that Android has a "Smart Screen" function, thanks to which the screen does not go out when you look at it. It's comfortable. You can set the backlight time to a minimum value so as not to waste battery power

Performance

The smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 platform. This is one of best processors on the market today. Here the Kryo 260 CPU technology: 8 cores - 4 are sharpened for maximum performance, and another 4 for energy efficiency. Compared with previous version Snapdragon 630 40% performance gain. The graphics of the Adreno 509 also significantly increased and became faster by more than 60% compared to the 506 version. Also, the smartphone has a choice of 3 or 4 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of main memory.

In the AnTuTu test, the smartphone knocks out nice numbers. ASUS emphasizes that thanks to pure Android of the latest version and additional optimization, the device gets 3-4 thousand more points than competitors on a similar platform.

You can run synthetic tests for a long time, talk about fast RAM and various optimizations, but the smartphone's motto is "Live playing", so let the smartphone speak for itself. It's still better to see it once.

Let me introduce PUBG Mobile on high settings:

Not bad, right? Appetite comes with eating. Let's get some more. Known for eating graphic resources with a spoon and asking for more, Modern Combat 5:

Good again. And if a fighting game? Mortal Combat is the champion of the genre:

Well, and finally, something with a catchy plot and cool graphics:

And, of course, tanks:

I will not even summarize. Everything in the video. A smartphone for 13 thousand has the performance of a flagship. One can only applaud the duo Qualcomm and ASUS.

Battery life

The word "Max" in the name of the smartphone originally refers specifically to the battery life. It has a maximum size here - 5000 mAh. By the way, I wonder how ASUS managed to squeeze such a large battery into a case only 8.45 mm thick?

Usually, manufacturers who install such large batteries seek to compensate for internal flaws and old unoptimized hardware with them. However, the Snapdragon 636 chipset is made according to the current 14 nm process technology, so the smartphone produces great results. Landing a battery to zero in one day is a very difficult task.

For example, for this you need to play 7.3 hours in PUBG. In races like Asphalt 8, the continuous play time is increased to 11 hours. But I trained in Modern Combat. In my opinion, the numbers are unrealistic. 10 hours of 3D gameplay with powerful graphics and 100% brightness. This is impressive:

If you start autoplaying videos on YouTube, you get more than 19 hours. Impressive figure, right?

But the Netflix app is not as optimized as Google's YouTube on pure Android, so it's “only” 15 hours.

If you use your smartphone to the fullest and do not deny yourself anything, then you can "drop" it in a day:

The smartphone has a powerful charge, so the time from 0 to 100% is 2 hours 42 minutes. This is a good value for such a large battery.

ASUS has managed to make a smartphone with excellent battery life. The phone is good both as a main device and as a second number, for example, for trips. Powerful battery will not let you get bored on the road by train or plane, before and upon arrival you do not need to look for an outlet.

Communication capabilities

It's boring to talk about communication opportunities. Of course, the smartphone keeps the connection well, and Wi-Fi is at the level, and even Bluetooth is the latest edition - version 5.0. This means that two headsets can be connected to a smartphone at the same time. And in terms of energy efficiency, a big step forward. By the way, it's great that there is support for AptX codecs. Slowly but surely, Bluetooth audio quality is getting closer to the wire.

And since ASUS firmly holds the position that the Max Pro (M1) is a gaming smartphone, then there is a Bluetooth Human Interface Device Profile, or HID. This means that the smartphone has improved compatibility with various joysticks, gamepads, keyboards and other gadgets designed to diversify the gaming experience. If you are not playing, then you can simply rejoice that the default smartphone works better, since now many devices add a default HID profile.

However, I want to draw your attention to the fact that it is for Russia that ASUS has released a special version of the smartphone with NFC module... In phones even for 20,000 rubles, NFC is still a rarity, so Max PRO (M1) compares favorably with colleagues in the shop. ASUS has installed a quality module that can be used both for Android Pay and, for example, to top up a Troika card.

System and multimedia

I suppose you remember that ASUS has a proprietary ZenUI user interface, but the company is not afraid to experiment and decided to offer users "pure" Android 8.1. Actually, the presence of Android without additional shells means that you will receive updates directly from Google, that is, the smartphone is always the most latest version operating system and the most current security patches.

Another plus of pure Android is the ability to completely customize the system for yourself, installing only those applications that you specifically need. By the way, in Android 8.1 you can see how far the system has stepped forward. Previously, in terms of software chips, the OS was inferior to proprietary shells. Now Google has pulled up significantly and significantly modernized the system.

For example, there is a clever Screen On feature that keeps the screen active while the user is looking at it.

There is unlocking in the face. Unfortunately, I don’t know the specifics of the technology, but I didn’t manage to deceive the photograph:

The fingerprint scanner is lightning fast. By the way, the system allows you to enter the same finger twice into the system, which significantly increases the accuracy of the actuation, even when your hands are wet.

Most of all, in "pure" Android I miss the gesture control, which is so often found in proprietary shells. I was very pleasantly surprised when I found a "stash" in the settings in the form of proprietary gestures with ZenUI

In the case of ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1), be sure to talk about the sound. As I wrote, the phone is geared towards mobile gaming, but how can you play without a high-quality soundtrack?

The smartphone has a 5-magnet speaker with NXP smart audio amplifier. All this means that the phone has a powerful and rich sound. The maximum volume in decibels is 93 dB. And the Max Pro (M1) seems to be the loudest phone on the market. The closest competitor, the brand's flagship three-letter phone, is 3 dB quieter. In general, smartphones are characterized by a loudness level of 70 - 80 dB, while here 93 dB. The smartphone is truly loud. You can safely take it as portable speaker... And in terms of battery life, Max Pro (M1), perhaps, will give a head start to any column. Unfortunately, I can't attach an example of the sound to the review, so go turn the device in your hands and listen to it live.

It always makes me happy when they do not forget to install a radio in smartphones. It will help out if it does not catch the Internet well or the battery is almost discharged. There is no need to say much about the radio, the main thing is that they did not forget to add.

Camera

Usually in smartphones of the lower price segment there is one strong "selling" side, and everything else is inferior. So far, the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is going lossless. The apparatus powerful battery, loud sound, juicy screen with a large margin of brightness, top-end performance and good body materials. Agree, it would be a shame if the camera turned out to be nonsense. Probably, ASUS thought so, so a dual photo module with a combination of 13 MP (f / 2.2, 25 mm, 1.12 µm, PDAF) + 5 MP (f / 2.4, 1.12 µm) and with support for 4K recording was installed as the main camera ... The second photomodule is responsible for portrait photography with the effect of blurring the background.

An 8 MP camera with a field of view of 85 degrees is responsible for selfies - you can take pictures of the company, everyone will fit.

Google's camera app turned out to be powerful. Of course, you can download and install another if the built-in does not suit you with something. It's pretty good though. Of course, there is also an auto mode and many presets for different scenes. I think the overwhelming majority will have enough for the eyes. However, the manual mode turned out to be great: a lot of settings and options. I have not seen the original application from Google for a long time and I can say that it has made a significant step forward and will easily outperform many proprietary solutions.

Armed with my smartphone, I went for a walk around the city. However, before we start, there is a question. Have you ever noticed what mannequins are in the same chain of sports stores? It looks menacing. By the way, the portrait mode performed well, right?

The smartphone, announced back in August 2015, has just reached store shelves. It should be noted right away that this device is unlikely to interest geeks and all those who demand maximum performance from the device in everything. This is a gadget for users who primarily need good autonomy. At MWC 2016, we already had a quick run with this device, and now there is an opportunity to test it in the field.

The smartphone is delivered in a small box, in which the Zenfone Max itself was compactly equipped, a charger, a removable USB-microUSB cable, a headset with interchangeable attachments of different sizes and an OTG cable. There is no need to expect something more from the configuration, everything you need is there. Only here the accessories for the white device would also be white, but this is not at all critical.

At the first acquaintance, all attention is drawn to the weight of the smartphone, which slightly exceeds the 200-gram mark. This distinguishes devices with large batteries. The case itself is also quite thick, add weight to this and get a large device that will not fit into all pockets. At the same time, he looks very nice and you don't want to find fault with the appearance, and you don't need to.

Design and usability

Today it's hard to surprise someone with a phablet. The large display is good for all tasks assigned to a smartphone, but makes it awkward to use. That is, watching a video, for example, is cool, but holding a smartphone with one hand, and even trying to write something there, is inconvenient. The same goes for the Zenfone Max. The dimensions of the case are 156 x 77.5 x 10.55 mm, the exact weight is 202 g. For users with large palms, such a gadget is, of course, suitable, but imagine such a device in small female hands - it will be difficult for girls with it.

Two color options went on sale - black and white. Both cases are plastic, the black lid is designed "under the skin", and the white is smooth, matte. The plastic is pleasant to the touch and is not slippery at all. The bezel around the smartphone in both versions is golden. Subjectively, the black version looks better. Due to the styling, the dark version will be less noticeable of any minor scratches or other marks of use, while the smooth white lid will stand out more. Fortunately, the back is removable and can be replaced in case of such damage. Under it are both microSIM slots and one for a memory card.

Externally, Zenfone Max looks like the rest of the smartphones in this line, except for the placement of buttons on the right side of the case, and not on the back panel. You need to get used to their location, at the beginning of use I often tried to turn on the smartphone with the volume down button. The position of the keys is not very good. But this is not a problem, but just a matter of habit. On the first day with the device, the placement of the buttons is remembered.

Since the controls were on the right, the left side was left blank. On top of the case is a headphone jack. Below is a microUSB connector and a microphone hole. On the back there is a camera window, a double flash, a laser rangefinder, an additional microphone and a main speaker. The latter is located where it is often covered with a hand during games and watching videos, which accordingly affects the sound. The front panel is almost completely covered with glass. Earpiece speaker above the display, front-camera, proximity sensors, lighting and LED notification notifications. Under the display are touch-sensitive buttons (without backlighting) "Back", "Home" and a button for switching to the multitasking menu, and under the buttons is a small rough panel with a characteristic ASUS branded pattern.

There are no complaints about the assembly. The case is very good, despite the removable back cover, which could make unnecessary squeaks. Of course, sometimes there are small crunches, but very rarely and do not particularly attract attention. As for a low-cost device, the Zenfone Max's design feels very good. But before buying, I strongly recommend that you twirl the smartphone in your hands, because due to its large dimensions, not every user will be comfortable with it.

Display

Displaying a picture consumes most of the battery. The Zenfone Max focuses on autonomy. Although the screen is large here, it does not have the picture quality that older models can boast. The 5.5-inch IPS display has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, which gives a density of 267 ppi. This permission is quite justified in a device that should work for a long time without being connected to a power source.

It's still difficult to call the display bad. If the user does not deliberately look for individual pixels, then there will be no comments on this. Of course, for those accustomed to high definition, a simple HD display is difficult to please. But this is hardly the target audience inexpensive smartphones... The picture on the display is warm and quite pleasant. In the settings, you can adjust the color temperature and adjust the colors to your taste. There is also a "Bluelight filter" mode that makes the picture yellowish (like f.lux style applications). The maximum backlight level should be sufficient for a sunny day. The light sensor keeps the display in a muted state (this is how the energy saving settings work), so it will be more comfortable to control the backlight on its own. The brightness varies from 28 to 411 cd / m², the measured contrast is 1 to 1563. The minimum backlight value would be lower. When you rotate the screen, it dims noticeably, but in everyday use this does not cause discomfort.

The sensor works great and easily recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches. Additionally, there is a mode of increased sensitivity for working with gloves. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 4. There is an oleophobic coating and it quite copes with its purpose.

Sound

Zenfone Max's musical capabilities will not delight the lovers of good sound in any way. The main speaker is weak. It is not suitable for playing music. When watching a video, the sound is quite enough, but depending on the content, there may be nuances. The complete headset looks nice, but for me, for example, it turned out to be inconvenient, and the volume reserve of the signal output to the headphones is not enough. With other headphones, a similar situation with power.

Despite all this, the conversational speaker sounds good and loud enough, and the voice transmission suited my interlocutors.

Cameras

The smartphone is equipped with two cameras. The main sensor has a resolution of 13 megapixels, the front one - 5, both with an aperture of f / 2.0. The main camera is assisted by a dual flash and laser autofocus. The manufacturer speaks of a focusing speed of 0.03 seconds (in practice it is not so fast). Don't expect breathtaking shots from both cameras. In good light, they take good shots, but in any other conditions, noise and other artifacts will appear, autofocus often misses, and colors lose their natural look.

If you quickly take a smartphone out of your pocket, you won't always be able to take a good picture right away, for a normal frame it may take three or four attempts. Sharp movements will be blurred. But the camera has a fairly rich set of settings, filters and additional improvements. I was pleased with the opportunity to take an acceptable macro shot (although during frame adjustment, the picture in the "viewfinder" will look better than the finished shot). Initially, the camera takes photos at a resolution of 10 megapixels (16:10).

Video is recorded in full HD maximum. Software Image Stabilization is only available in HD resolution. The sound on the recording is gurgling. The autofocus on the video periodically misses the mark (it can be clearly seen on the example of the test video). Again, enough light is needed for an acceptable picture.

Full HD video example:

The front camera also leaves a lot of artifacts in the picture. In the selfie settings, there are effects for smoothing skin tones and more.

For a budget smartphone, the cameras are quite acceptable. As expected, they require good lighting for normal shots. Sometimes you have to spend a little extra time to get a good shot, and it is better to check the taken pictures on the spot and, if necessary, redo them. But let me remind you that we have an inexpensive device on the test and personally I did not even expect more. As for such a smartphone, the capabilities of the cameras are quite enough.

Hardware platform and software

The heart of Zenfone Max is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor with an Adreno 306 video chip, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of permanent memory (which can be increased with a memory card up to 64 GB). As you yourself understand, this is not a top-end processor and, unfortunately, not all modern games at high graphics settings are capable of it, but there are no global problems with everything else. This phone will be able to perform any task, although sometimes it will take a little extra time before launching an application or when switching from one program to another.

Works hardware running Android 5.0.2 with proprietary shell ASUS ZenUI 2.0. Subjectively, this is not the best appearance and a functional solution for the mobile OS from Google, despite the extensive set of all kinds of settings. Fortunately, nothing prevents the user from installing a suitable launcher and getting rid of unnecessary pre-installed programs.

In general, the device works quite well, if you do not pay attention to the rare delays. For those who are not fond of games, this device is just right. It is efficient enough for undemanding tasks, does not heat up at all and works for a very long time (just due to a relatively weak processor). In addition, it has two SIM slots and 4G support. Only NFC is missing from the set of popular wireless modules.

Autonomy

All that was saved was not only for the sake of the "light" price tag. The low resolution display and the relatively weak processor do not consume much power. And it worked. From the built-in (non-removable) 5000 mAh battery with my very active use, the smartphone lasted two and a half days without an outlet (more than 12 hours of the screen on). Mail, browsing the Web, watching videos on YouTube, reading the news feed, navigation, chatting in instant messengers, social networks, a few calls, performance tests, a few camera shots, and so on - I put all this on my smartphone and did not deny myself anything at all. To be honest, I even got a little tired of discharging it. For those who do not use their smartphone so intensively, you can safely count on at least 3 full days of work. With a light margin. It is very cool!

Zenfone Max does not support Quick Charge technology, so it will take almost 5 hours to fully charge the battery (the test measurement showed 4 hours 48 minutes from 0 to 100%). But from the built-in battery using the bundled (or any other) OTG cable, you can charge other devices.

ASUS, despite its classic confusing device naming system, seems to find its way in the darkness of the struggle for high positions in the smartphone market. Firstly, these are quite pleasant prices even for older models (, Zenfone 5Z). Secondly, it is a completely autonomous developing Zenfone Max family.

The first smartphone of this series, despite some positive aspects (assembly, high-quality camera), turned out to be not very convincing, but Zenfone Max Pro (M1) already looks like a powerful claim for excellent sales in the segment "up to 20 thousand rubles." It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 platform (the same as in Zenfone 5 or the main competitor -), dual camera, a fashionable six-inch display with an 18: 9 format, there is NFC and a 5000 mAh battery. But the most important thing is that this is the first Zenfone on pure Android (8.1.0 Oreo), without the proprietary Zen UI shell!

⇡ Specifications

	ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1)
Display		5.7 inches, IPS, 2160 × 1080 pixels, 424 ppi, capacitive multitouch	6.3 inches, IPS, 2280 × 1080 pixels, 400 ppi, capacitive multitouch	5.99 inches, IPS, 2160 × 1080 pixels, 403 ppi; capacitive, multitouch	6.0 inches, IPS, 1440 × 720 pixels, 268 ppi; capacitive, multitouch
Safety glass	No information	No information	Yes, the manufacturer is unknown	No information	Gorilla Glass 3
CPU		Mediatek MT6750T: eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores (4 × 1.5 GHz + 4 × 1.0 GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 626: eight cores ARM Cortex-53 (8 × 2.2 GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636: eight Kryo 260 cores (8 × 1.8 GHz)	Mediatek Helio P25: eight cores ARM Cortex-A53 (8 × 2.5 GHz)
Graphics controller	Adreno 509, 720 MHz	ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 550 MHz	Adreno 506, 650 MHz	Adreno 509, 720 MHz	Mali T880 MP2, 900 MHz
RAM	3/4 GB	3 GB	4 GB	3/4 GB	4 GB
Flash memory	32/64 GB	32 GB	64 GB	32/64 GB	64 GB
Connectors	MicroUSB, 3.5mm	MicroUSB, 3.5mm	MicroUSB, mini-jack 3.5 mm	MicroUSB, 3.5mm	MicroUSB, 3.5mm
Memory card slot	there is	there is	there is	there is	there is
SIM card	2 × nano-SIM	2 × nano-SIM	2 × nano-SIM	2 × nano-SIM / microSD (universal)	2 × nano-SIM
Cellular 2G		GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz	GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz	GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz	GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Cellular 3G	UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	DC-HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz	WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
Cellular 4G	LTE Cat. 13 (400 Mbps), ranges 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40	LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbps, 50 Mbps), ranges 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40	LTE Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbit / s), ranges 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41	LTE Cat. 12 (600/100 Mbit / s), ranges 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	LTE Cat. 4 (150/50 Mbit / s), ranges 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41
Wi-Fi	802.11 b / g / n 2.4 GHz	802.11 b / g / n 2.4 GHz	802.11a / b / g / n / ac	802.11 a / b / g / n / ac 2.4 / 5 GHz	802.11 a / b / g / n / 2.4 / 5 GHz
Bluetooth	5.0	4.0	4.2	5.0	4.2
NFC	there is	Not	Not	Not	Not
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Sensors		Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass)	Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass)	Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), IR sensor	Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass)
The fingerprint scanner	there is	there is	there is	there is	there is
Main camera	13 MP, ƒ / 2.2 + 5 MP, phase detection autofocus, LED flash	Dual camera: 16 MP, ƒ / 2.0, phase detection autofocus + 8 MP, no autofocus, LED flash	Dual module, 16 MP, ƒ / 2.0 + 5 MP, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash	12 MP, ƒ / 1.9 + 5 MP, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash	13 + 5 MP, ƒ / 2.0, autofocus, LED flash
Front-camera	8 MP, ƒ / 2.2, no autofocus, no flash	8 MP, no autofocus, no flash	24 MP, ƒ / 2.0, fixed focus	13 MP, no autofocus, with flash	Dual camera: 20MP + 8MP (wide-angle), no autofocus, no flash
Food	Removable battery: 19 Wh (5000 mAh, 3.8 V)	Removable battery: 15.69 Wh (4130 mAh, 3.8 V)	Removable battery: 12.39 Wh (3260 mAh, 3.8 V)	Removable battery: 15.28 Wh (4000 mAh, 3.8 V)	Removable battery: 15.24 Wh (4010 mAh, 3.8 V)
The size	159 x 76 x 8.45 mm	152.6 x 73 x 8.8 mm	154.8 x 75 x 7.89 mm	158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05 mm	160 x 76.9 x 8.2 mm
Weight	180 g	160 g	150 g	181 g	189 g
Water and dust resistant	Not	Not	not	Not	Not
Operating system	Android 8.1.0 Oreo	Android 7.0 Nougat, ZenUI shell	Android 8.1 Oreo, shell Funtouch OS 4.0	Android 8.0 Oreo, shell MIUI	Android 7.1.2 Nougat, custom shell
Actual price	13,990 rubles for the 32 GB version, 15,990 rubles for the 64 GB version	13 900 rubles	23 990 rubles	13 750 rubles for the 32 GB version, 15 800 rubles for the 64 GB version	14 990 rubles, 12 280 rubles

⇡ Design, ergonomics and software

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro is executed in the same austere style as Zenfone Max Plus - with an elongated and narrow display, but without a cutout, with a metal back in modest colors and with plastic inserts on the edges. The smartphone does not shine with some outstanding beauty, but practicality in this design is more than enough.

Whether in silver (as in our case) or in deepsea black, Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is very resistant to a variety of mechanical damages and does not get dirty. The front panel is covered with tempered glass with an effective oleophobic coating - it does not wear out and is also well protected from micro-scratches, which is often lacking even in flagship models.

Despite the larger display and larger battery, the Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is longer than the Max Plus, but slightly thinner. However, it is still impossible to operate it with one hand - the frames around the screen are quite noticeable, the finger simply does not reach its corners. At the same time, you can carry the Max Pro in your pocket without any difficulty.

Thanks to the plastic used in the finishing of the case, not only the high-quality operation of the antennas is ensured, but also NFC support - yes, Max Pro can be used in contactless payment terminals, Google pay available to him. This is still a rarity for budget- to mid-range smartphones - Chinese companies often simply ignore this option. In China, as in India, contactless payments are performed using QR codes, and NFC is not required in gadgets.

The camera unit fits well into a relatively thin body, it practically does not protrude above it. It is less likely to slap or scratch it with an awkward movement. Otherwise, there are no differences in the layout plan from Max Plus, and indeed from a typical Android smartphone, there are no physical keys on the right edge, a slot for operator cards and a memory card on the left, connectors are assembled from the bottom.

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1) weighs 180 grams - considering the impressive battery charge, this is a pretty good indicator.

The fingerprint scanner is located at the back, in the most suitable place for it - the finger gets there in its natural position, there is no need to intercept the phone to unlock. Accordingly, the risk of dropping it is significantly reduced.

The scanner works on the basis of a standard capacitive sensor - it works quickly enough, the percentage of false reactions is low. With it, you can both unlock the device without entering a password, and respond to incoming calls. You can also unlock your smartphone using face recognition - this option is available in all smartphones with Android 8.0 Oreo on board. To unlock, the front camera is used: you don't have to rely on correct operation in low light conditions and protection from use to access ordinary photos. But it is worth saying that this method works here much more stable than in ASUS smartphones using the proprietary ZenUI shell.

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1): Screenshot

As I noted above, ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1) does not have its own shell - only the standard one operating system Google android 8.1.0 Oreo without the slightest impurity. This is an ASUS experiment, the Taiwanese are not abandoning ZenUI, but "probing" the market, trying to find an approach to the buyer now and in this way. But the path is quite clear - before that, it consisted in a serious modification of ZenUI with the rejection of a large number of pre-installed applications - the user himself can decide what he wants to put on his smartphone.

Now this freedom is not limited by anything at all. ASUS still installed three of its applications on the Max Pro, but this is just a voice recorder, FM radio and a calculator - the company did not replace the standard things for Google. IN Android program One Max Pro still misses, the user will not receive the first day updates, but there will be no serious lag behind the same owners of Nokia or Google Pixel. You no longer need to wait for ASUS to prepare a patch for its ZenUI on its own. The operating system, of course, works very quickly, but there are no such wide possibilities for adjusting it for yourself as in ZenUI.

⇡ Display and sound

The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is equipped with a 6-inch 18: 9 display with a resolution of 2160 × 1080 pixels. The pixel density is 403 dpi. This is quite a standard by today's standards - there is no "ringing" sharpness in the picture, but it is impossible to see the pixelation either.

I have already said about the oleophobic coating above. The "sandwich" display also includes a polarizing film and a multi-touch layer that responds to ten simultaneous touches. There is a mode of operation with gloves - it must be activated from the settings menu.

Brightness display ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1), as in the case of the Max Plus, does not shine - only 401 cd / m 2. Yes, the polarizing layer and the absence of an air gap between the matrix and the glass allow you to see what is happening on the screen, the display has almost no glare, but there is no need to talk about a high level of comfort when using the smartphone in the sun. The picture is faded.

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro (M1), gamma. Yellow line - Max Pro indicators, dashed line - reference gamma

The average gamma is 2.22 with a fairly calm behavior of the curves for grayscale.

The color temperature is increased - it mainly ranges from 7,500 to 8,500 K with a peak of 10,000 K and a "bottom" of 7,000 K. Colors will traditionally be colder than what the authors of the content intend, but this can just be fixed in the smartphone settings ...

The average deviation of DeltaE on the Color Checker scale, which includes both a wide range of colors and shades of gray, was 4.48, while the norm was 3.00. For a mobile display, this is normal. In general, the Zenfone Max Pro (M1) screen can be considered configured well - if it were not for the problem with brightness, then there would be nothing to complain about at all.

ASUS separately brags about its speaker, which uses five neodymium magnets and some kind of advanced amplifier, but talking about the exorbitant sound quality when using this very speaker is not necessary to output sound to headphones. Rather, we are talking about the usual high level for ASUS. The sound in the speaker is clear, quite loud, but I would not listen to music using this smartphone - although progress regarding the Max Plus is obvious. With headphones - quite, including wireless; high definition data transfer standard aptX is supported.

Asus does not always manage to produce affordable and high-quality devices. However, Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is the rare and pleasant exception to the rule. A high-quality smartphone with an excellent screen, pure Android straight from Google and a very tenacious battery - this is all our device today. Of course, there were also narrow moments in it. About them and everything else in the Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) review.

Equipment

Inside the box we will find a standard set of accessories:

• Micro USB cable
• wired headset
• charger for 5 volts and 2 amperes (not fast charging)
• and the smartphone itself

There was no case in the box, so the protection of the device is entirely on the user. Although the smartphone is perfectly assembled, the materials are of high quality, not scratching - you can wear it without a cover.

Design and display

Here's the first thing to know for those eyeing the Zenfone Max Pro (M1). Before us is a real shovel. A miniature smartphone cannot be called a miniature smartphone.

But here is a thin case. The device is pleasant to use and it still fits perfectly in the hand.

By itself, the thickness of 8.45 mm is far from a record, but as soon as you find out that a huge battery for 5 thousand "swings" is hidden inside, the attitude changes, you must agree.

Another plus of such an impressive size is a huge, 6-inch display, elongated in height. In addition, its corners are neatly rounded in exactly the same way as in. By the way, given the clean and nimble Android 8.1.0, the user experience is slightly reminiscent of the flagship from Google. It's like you're holding a Pixel 2 XL Lite or something.

The quality of the IPS-matrix itself cannot be found fault with. Color reproduction, brightness, viewing angles - everything is at a very decent level. And the absence of an air gap makes the screen appear to be printed on glass. Due to this, it is extremely pleasant to operate the smartphone.

Yes, there are quite wide side frames, chin and forehead, but the black color saves them. The latter does not distract from what is happening on the display and soon you generally cease to notice the bezel around the screen.

The appearance of the back side is rather controversial. The metal back was placed in a plastic edging. Yes, metal is worse for transmitting the signal of the antennas under the case, but usually plastic inserts are placed at the top and bottom. And here they run along the entire perimeter.

However, the cameras confused me the most. Although the vertical module practically does not protrude above the body, it fits into the design in a very strange way. I'm sure this moment could have been played more gracefully, but the guys from Asus, apparently, did not bother. Well, or they thought it was beautiful (I hope they just didn't bother).

Here, on the back, there is a fingerprint scanner. In general, it is not difficult to reach it, but there are complaints about the speed of its work. In terms of speed, the sensor is very average and unlocks the device in 1-2 seconds. This is rather slow by modern standards.

All connectors (audio out, Micro USB and speaker) are on the bottom. As for me, this is the most convenient location. A protruding charging cable or headphone cable will never get in the way. There is nothing on the upper end except for the microphone hole. The infrared port was not delivered, well, God bless him.

Characteristics Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) ZB602KL

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor (8 cores Kryo 260, 1.8 GHz, 14 nm)
• Adreno 509 graphics
• RAM 3 (after reboot 1.6 GB free), 4 or 6 GB LPDDR4X
• data storage 32 (18.64GB available) or 64GB eMMC 5.1
• there is a Micro SD memory card (independent slot)
• 6-inch IPS 18: 9, 2160 x 1080 (402 ppi), 85% NTSC gamut, 450 nits brightness, 1500: 1 contrast ratio
• main camera 13 MP (f / 2.2, focal length 25 mm, phase detection autofocus, video recording 4K +) and 5 MP
• front camera 8 MP (f / 2.2, 26 mm, viewing angle 85 degrees, portrait mode)
• 5000 mAh battery
• Android 8.1.0 OS (no shell)
• sensors: accelerometer, light and distance sensor, fingerprint scanner, compass, gyroscope
• connectors: Micro USB (OTG works) and audio output
• dimensions: 159 x 76 x 8.45 mm
• weight 180 g
• colors: silver and dark blue (we sell only the first one)

Wireless capabilities:

• 4G, Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g / n 2.4 GHz), FM radio, Bluetooth 5.0 (!), NFC
• support for two SIM-cards (separate slots)
• navigation: GPS, Glonass, Beidou

In general, the Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) has many modifications. You can choose the ratio of memory from 32 to 64 GB, as well as RAM in the range of 3-4 GB. In addition, in wildlife (not in Russia) there is another model that received 8 gigs of RAM and a slightly pumped 16 megapixel (f / 2.0) main camera.

Asus, as always, has long names that are impossible to remember. And even if the smartphone is successful, it is simply impossible to associate it with this "Aysus-zenfon-max-pro-em-one-the-be-six hundred-two-ka-el".

Maybe in Taiwan with such names everything is ok, but in Russia and all over the world all companies try not to bother users with unnecessary information. But not Asus. Why? I do not know.

Scolded? It's time to praise, for there is something for.

Firstly, here we have two slots for Nano SIM-cards and a separate tray for Micro SD memory. As a result, the user does not feel infringed either in memory or in connection. Thank you for this unambiguously!

But that's not all.

For example, the device is equipped with a Bluetooth 5.0 module. Unlike the same Xiaomi, which also install modern processors in their devices, Asus did not underestimate programmatically bluetooth version... The fifth generation gives us better power consumption and wide data transmission. Right now this is not needed, but in the future, with the advent of supported accessories, it will definitely come in handy.

In addition, the device was equipped with an NFC module.

Therefore, we download Google Pay, link the card and drive to the store to pay for purchases in a contactless way. True, there is one caveat - NFC worked for me every other time. In one store, everything can go without problems, and after 10 minutes in the next one, Google Pay may not start at all. This happened to me when I delayed the queue at the checkout for 3 minutes and, as a result, the broken product had to be canceled, and I went to the car to get the card.

However, I tested an engineering sample, this should not be a problem in commercial devices.

Performance

In general, the future owners of Zenfone Max Pro (M1) are lucky. Due to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, the device will be relevant for at least a couple of years. The predecessor in the face of the QS 625 is still installed on new devices and feels great. Although the "stone" came out as early as 2016. In addition, the new 636 Snap is one and a half times faster than it, which has a positive effect on performance.

The system works quickly and without brakes. It is very rare and not always possible to notice random freezes when scrolling through, for example, the list of installed applications. For the rest, there are no complaints.

You can even play games with the Max Pro (M1). For example, in PUBG Mobile, you can drive without any problems even at high graphics settings. There are practically no brakes and lags, it is comfortable to play.

Cameras

And it was all going so well, huh? Unfortunately, in terms of photos, our hero is far from the best offer on the market.

The main camera of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is below average here, it shoots accordingly.

Personally, I was strained by a few moments. The first is distortion at the corners. Take a closer look at any photo and see how everything floats in the left, top or opposite corner.

The second unpleasant nuance is oversharp. Even without zooming in, it is noticeable that most of the photos have a ton of unnecessary noise. Algorithms that should remove all this mess do not work here.

And the third critical moment is the strange work of the exposition. Below are a couple of the most critical examples.

Everything is dim in the left photo, although it can be seen that the photo was taken on a sunny day. The second frame is so bright that it burns out the eyes. But there is no necessary, golden mean.

At night, everything is generally bad. It turns out to take an unblurred frame from the fifth or sixth. And even if you have iron hands, the final shot will come out with poor detail and solid soap all over the frame.

I really hope that the camera will still have time to finish. In the meantime, those who wish can experiment with installing the Camera HDR + app from Google (not always installed and not all versions).

By the way, here's a link to an archive with all examples without resizing for self-study on a computer.

Since we have two cameras here, the smartphone can blur the background. At least on paper this is so, because in reality everything looks very artificial and ugly.

I would definitely not use portrait mode on the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, although this quality will suit undemanding users.

Unfortunately, the front-facing camera also doesn't boast anything outstanding. Lots of noise all over the frame and inadequate white balance frustrate. But the blurring of the background, despite the fact that we have only one module here, made me happy.

The front camera also has its own LED flash. To use it, however, you need to be very careful.

Video recording

The device can record extended Ultra HD video. It is called 4K DCI and boasts a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels. Let me remind you that standard 4K has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and the M1 can also shoot such a video.

The picture quality is high, there is a slight friability with small artifacts, but in general it is not critical. On a smartphone, videos look generally fiery.

I didn’t like only two points. First, there is no optical stabilization, even during Full HD recording. Without it, shaking of hands is visible and you need to train so that there is no tremor that is critical for the quality of the video.

Second, there is no way to tap on the screen on the desired object during video recording and refocus on it. Only the automation itself is responsible for the focus, so it will work as it pleases.

Software

The device runs on pure Android 8.1.0 with an upcoming update to the next OS revisions. And of course, the bare system, as Google intended it, is great.

There is no third-party software other than Facebook and Instagram installed out of the box.

From the nuances. Personally, I was somewhat upset by the hefty strip under the onscreen buttons below. Yes, the display is rather big here, but the keys eat up a very decent screen area. I would like to use navigation gestures (they have not been delivered to Android yet), or to provide for the ability to somehow hide this panel.

However, after a week I got used to the nav bar. Fortunately, the 6-inch screen is enough for everything you need.

Sound

The speaker here is blown away for the external sound alone. It is very loud, so you can only miss the call at a rock concert or at a Formula 1 race.

The speaker is average in quality. As expected, there is no bass or a hint of them, so for more or less high-quality sound, it is worth lowering the volume by 70% - it will still be enough.

The sound in the headphones is very decent - at the level of all other modern devices. The main thing is to choose high-quality "ears" and in no case use the headset from the kit. If it seemed to you that it was normal, then you should know - it seemed to you.

Autonomy

Perhaps this is one of the most important advantages of a smartphone. It will not be superfluous to repeat that inside is enough thin case a 5,000 mAh battery was placed in 8.5 mm. Considering not the most gluttonous chipset on the market (the QS 636 was created using a 14 nm process technology), the autonomy is really pleasing.

Two full days with normal use is an absolute norm for our device! The battery here is simply indestructible.

My smartphone easily worked for 2.5 days, so I even reinsured with the withdrawal. At the same time, the operating time of the screen was 7 hours!

I have not seen such results for a very long time. Is that since the test last year Xiaomi Mi Max 2. However, it was a hefty phablet, and our hero is still a smartphone, albeit with a large screen.

Full charging time from the supplied power supply unit (5V and 2A) is 3 hours. A bit too much, of course, but this procedure does not need to be done often.

Outcome

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) has a ton of goodies.

The first is pure Android in the form in which it was conceived by Google with all the ensuing buns. For example, the owners of this device are entitled to a bonus - 100 GB of space on Google Drive. The second is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor - the heir to the still current QS 625 and a worthy successor to its ideas, that is, the balance of performance and power consumption. The third is a gorgeous autonomy, which translates into two days of full-fledged work on a single charge. And this is, perhaps, the minimum limit, because my device worked even longer. Fourth - NFC module for contactless payments. Available smartphones Google Pay is now sorely lacking, so our hero is the very pleasant exception.

The smartphone frustrates with exactly one thing - cameras. Both the front and rear sensors are really weak (this does not apply to video shooting). Competitors from the same price league shoot better. True, they cannot boast of NFC and comparable autonomy, but our hero can. Such are the pangs of choice. Yes, I know it's not easy.

You can buy Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) in the minimum configuration (3 + 32 GB) for 13,990 rubles. And this is the price tag for the official device, with a guarantee, support, and so on.

Can't believe it? Me too, so we conclude the review of Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) with a simple conclusion.

If the built-in camera is not important, but you need a high-quality, solid, smart device with an excellent battery and support for Google Pay, then Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is the only option.