ZenFone Max Pro (M1) is the next generation smartphone based on Snapdragon processor 636. With excellent performance and incredibly long battery life, it will be a great choice for the most active users. With a luxurious 6 '' 18: 9 (2160 x 1080 pixels) bezel-less display, 5000 mAh battery and high-quality cameras, ZenFone Max Pro will not only keep your life moving, but brighten it up!

Octa-core 14nm processor

At the heart of ZenFone Max Pro is the state-of-the-art Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, which combines high performance with low power consumption. 1.54x faster than the Snapdragon 625, it ensures that ZenFone Max Pro can handle any task with ease.

Unprecedented autonomy

ZenFone Max Pro's sleek design hides a powerful lithium polymer battery compact size, but high capacity - 5000 mAh. Watch online videos, launch mobile games, chat, use all the functions of this mobile device throughout the whole day and even longer - without fear that at the very important point suddenly need recharging.

High quality bezel-less screen

All your photos, movies and games will look incredible on your ZenFone Max Pro smartphone with a gorgeous, high-resolution bezel-less display and superior technical features.

More screen space

With a vanishingly thin bezel, the 6-inch ZenFone Max Pro is as compact as most standard 5.5-inch smartphones. The ergonomic design of the case not only provides comfort for the user, but also provides more screen space in a smaller size!

Metal case weighing only 180 g

Designed for all-day use, ZenFone Max Pro features an all-metal design that combines elegance with durability. The ergonomics of this model are manifested in many details, for example, in the fingerprint scanner, located in an easy-to-press place on the back panel. The body of the smartphone is available in two exciting colors: black and silver.

High quality photography

ZenFone Max Pro is equipped with dual rear cameras. Instant focusing, high-resolution image sensor and high-quality lens - all this ensures excellent pictures in any conditions. Plus, this smartphone is capable of 4K / Ultra-HD video recording, so you can store precious memories in incredible high quality.

Professional result

A special shooting mode called Portrait lets you make your subject stand out by slightly blurring the background. ZenFone Max Pro uses an optional rear camera to achieve this effect. The result is gorgeous portraits and close-ups that look like they've been worked on by a professional.

Perfect selfies

Portrait enhancement mode automatically retouches selfies to make you look even more beautiful, such as hiding skin blemishes, highlighting your eyes, and achieving more natural colors, which means you can always show your best with ZenFone Max Pro!

Smartphone for entertainment

Using a five-magnet speaker, a metal-framed voice coil and an NXP smart amplifier, ZenFone smartphone Max Pro delivers clear, rich sound in any application.

Dual SIM + microSD card

ZenFone Max Pro allows you to use two SIM cards at the same time (with data transfer rates up to 400 Mbps7 on mobile networks 4G / LTE), and a microSD card (up to 2TB capacity). All of them are installed using a convenient single tray.

Convenient unlocking system

The fingerprint scanner, located in an easy-to-press place on the back panel, serves to instantly unlock your smartphone (in just 0.3 seconds), even if your fingers are wet. If, for some reason, this unlocking method is inconvenient, use the face recognition function - ZenFone Max Pro will quickly and easily recognize its owner!

Android 8.1 Oreo in its purest form!

The newest version of the operating room Android systems presented in this smartphone in its original form without any modifications, it offers a concise and responsive user interface that is easy to learn and allows you to conveniently use all the functions of the device.

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, 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 "under 20 thousand rubles." It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 platform (the same as in the Zenfone 5 or the main competitor -), a dual camera, a fashionable six-inch display with an 18: 9 format, NFC and a 5000 mAh battery. But most importantly, 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
Protective 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 Mbps), 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	No	No	No	No
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	No	No	No	No	No
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, native 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 high-quality operation of the antennas is provided, 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, use front-camera: No need to rely on low light performance and protection from use to access regular photography. 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 a standard 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, an 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. This is normal for a mobile display. 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. Quicker it comes 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; data transmission standard high resolution aptX is supported.

Until recently, the niche of smartphones with large batteries was occupied by exclusively low-cost Chinese brands such as THL or Oukitel. But as you know, demand creates supply and Asus decided to release its long-liver, who was given the name Zenfone Max.

And they did it so quietly - without unnecessary pathos and intrusive advertising that the release of the model was simply not noticed by many. And completely in vain, because in fact it turned out to be one of the best representatives of smartphones, main feature which is the duration of a single charge. The model cannot be called high-performance, those who like to play at this moment can close the review and not waste time. In a smartphone everything is exclusively sharpened for the maximum operating time from one charge: economical processor, low-resolution screen and 5000 mAh battery.


But the smartphone is interesting not only for this, as usual, Asus relied on design and materials - a recognizable Zenfone-style design, a practical back cover, heavy-duty glass Gorilla Glass 4. The smartphone also boasts a good 13 megapixel camera with a Toshiba sensor and optics from Largan with laser autofocus, and the front camera is not quite simple - a wide-angle lens (Wide-angle 85 ˚) will allow you to take a panoramic selfie, covering an angle of up to 140 degrees.
The disadvantages include the overpayment for the brand - the price is higher than that of similar smartphones from less famous competitors. But holding a smartphone in my hands, I understand why this is so. Asus is just a pleasure to use - the manufacturer's attention to detail, the sleek design, the quality of the materials from which the smart is made, its own software, etc. I have been using a smartphone for a long time and of course, small flaws and features have been revealed that are not noticeable during a cursory examination and I will definitely tell you about them. In the meantime, I propose to get acquainted with detailed specifications:

CPU: Quad-core Snapdragon 410 @ 1.2 GHz
GPU: Adreno 306
Memory: RAM - 2Gb LPDDR3, ROM - 16GB eMMC Flash (there is an expansion slot up to 64Gb)
Screen: 5.5inches, HD 1280x720, IPS. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The screen has an oleophobic coating. Supports work with gloves.
Battery: Li-Polymer 5000 mAh
Camera: Primary - 13 Mp (F2.0 Aperture, laser focusing, dual LED flash with LEDs of different shades), Front - 5Mp (F2.0 Aperture, Wide-angle 85 ˚, the ability to shoot panoramic selfies up to 140 ˚)
Sensors: Accelerator, E-Compass, Proximity, Ambient Light Sensor, Hall Sensor
Network: 2G: GSM - 850MHz / 900MHz / 1800MHz / 1900MHz, 3G: WCDMA - 850MHz (5) / 900MHz (8) / 1900MHz (2) / 2100MHz (1), 4G: FDD-LTE - (CN / IN version Only)
2100MHz (1) / 1800MHz (3) 2600MHz (38) / 1900MHz (39) / 2300MHz (40) / 2500MHz (41)
Navigation: GPS, GLONASS, AGPS & BDS
Connection interfaces: WLAN 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth V4.0 + EDR + A2DP, Micro USB (with OTG support)
Dimensions (edit): 77.5mm x 156mm x 10.55mm
Weight: 202 g

The smartphone comes in a branded box with a minimum package, only usb cable and a 1A charger. No films, glasses or headphones.
Separately, you can find various accessories on sale, now there are on the free sale: tempered glasses of different quality, a smart case in the form of a book, silicone and plastic bumpers, replaceable back covers of different colors. There are also some basic spare parts on sale, such as a display or a touch screen. Over time, batteries will also appear, since they can be easily found on Ali and other sites on other Zenfone models.




On first acquaintance, I was immediately impressed by the large screen, the images on it look very colorful and rich. With a 5.5-inch diagonal and HD resolution, I expected quite large pixels, but nothing like that is observed - the picture looks excellent, only slightly inferior to Full HD in detail, and even then only in direct comparison. The tones of the image are shifted to warm tones, there are settings in the settings for more fine adjustment. The viewing angles are high, as is the maximum brightness. Thanks to ASUS TrueVivid Full Screen Lamination technology, the contents of the screen are easy to read even in bright sunlight. The screen is protected by durable CORNING® GORILLA® GLASS 4 glass, you can verify this by going to the official website. By clicking on the See Devices with Gorilla Glass 4 menu item and selecting the lineup Asus smartphones we will see in the list and Zenfone Max. This glass is the latest version of Corning's display protective coating. It is twice as strong previous version in drop test, has 2.5 times the residual strength and 85% more durable in daily use. But no Gorilla will save you from scratches with active use, so I would recommend purchasing and using an additional protective glass. Another nice thing is the high-quality oleophobic coating: prints reluctantly linger on the surface of the screen and are very easily erased. The tactile sensations from operating the screen are the most positive, the finger slides easily over the surface. The touch screen reacts to the slightest touch and supports work with gloves, which will be relevant in the cold season. It recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches.
The touch keys under the screen without backlighting are located in a slightly unusual sequence, but this does not cause any inconvenience - I got used to it almost immediately. There is a three-color event indicator near the front camera, but it is not possible to customize it to suit your preferences using standard methods. The system is hard-coded that a missed event is green, a dead battery is red, and the charging process is orange.

The design of the smartphone is both simple and recognizable. Asus sticks to one style - streamlined shapes, rounded edges, a metal insert under the buttons with a typical Zenfone texture, a large audio speaker grill and other recognizable elements.
Nevertheless, there are also innovations in the model that are unusual for the company. The back cover is made of plastic with a leather-like texture. This is a practical solution, because thanks to such a surface the device lies confidently in the hand and does not slip, and it looks aesthetically pleasing. In addition, it is very easy to keep such a surface clean.

The smartphone is well assembled, it feels whole. The back cover sits very tightly on the latches; when squeezed, it does not play or creak. The frame of the smartphone is plastic and painted in golden-beige color, which only emphasizes overall design... The volume and lock control keys have a corporate notch in the form of circles and are placed on the right side. The headphone jack is located on the upper edge, the jack micro usb on the bottom.

Despite the rather large dimensions, it lies well in the hand and is very convenient to use. I am more impressed by smartphones with a screen diagonal of up to 5 inches, but Zenfone Max came to my liking - it does not feel like a shovel and it is quite comfortable to use it. The only drawback is the weight, which is 202 grams, and it will be uncomfortable to wear such shorts in summer. But here everyone chooses for himself: either thin and light but with a maximum charge for a day or more overall, but with a good battery.

I decided to hide additional photos that convey the subtleties of the design under the spoler, so as not to overload the review.

Additional Information

The back cover sits tightly on 17 latches and is rather difficult to remove: picking up your fingernail in a special recess, you need to walk along the perimeter of the entire case. Removing the cover by snapping off only a couple of latches will not work. By the cover you can see the battery, which, if necessary, can be replaced by disassembling the smartphone a little. In the upper part there are two full slots for sim cards micro format. There is a separate slot for memory expansion, the declared supported amount is up to 64Gb. The main camera lens is located in the upper part in the center, it protrudes a fraction of a millimeter above the body, but the glass itself is slightly deepened in the decorative ring, so it does not suffer when it comes into contact with the surface. Left dual LED flash. Different shades of LEDs provide a more natural light spectrum when shooting at night. Power is sufficient for shooting in the dark on short distances... To the right of the lens is a "laser light" for precise and fast focusing.

Let's move on to the most interesting part - the battery. The first thing that I didn’t like about the smartphone was the long charging time. With a 5000 mAh battery, it lasts about 6 hours, which makes it impossible to "recharge on the go". And the point here is not at all in the complete charging, which is limited by a current of 1A - when you connect any other charging with a high current, the picture does not change, the smartphone is not able to accept a current greater than 0.96A. Therefore, it is best to recharge it overnight.
The battery capacity has been tested with a tester and is fully consistent with the stated. I did not expect anything else from Asus, not the level to cheat with the characteristics. The battery is really impressive - the smartphone can easily withstand 3 days high load, and with more economical use, it gives out 5 - 7 days of work from a single charge. Of course, the operating time significantly depends on how you use your smartphone, but during daylight hours it is almost impossible to discharge it, no matter how hard you try. Let me give you a few examples: in the HD video playback mode on Youtube at maximum screen brightness, it was able to hold out for 15 hours and 17 minutes! In addition, at night my Internet went down and YouTube stopped playing and I resumed it only in the morning. And this is with the load on WiFi, and if you play video from the smartphone's memory, the continuous playback time is more than 20 hours at maximum brightness. When the brightness decreases from maximum to a comfortable level, the time is much longer.


When reading web pages, the operating time is up to 32.5 hours of continuous work, and the talk time (in the 3G network) is up to 37.6 hours. These indicators have not been verified by me personally, but taken from the official website, but I am convinced that the real indicators will not differ too much. In reality, it looks like this: I use my smartphone all day, when the total screen time per day is more than 4 hours, and the battery indicator shows another 70% charge. Good survivability :) This is also shown by synthetic tests, for example, Antutu tester scored 25398 points with the maximum screen brightness. For comparison, Oukitel K6000, which has an even larger battery capacity, was able to dial only 13850. More economical processor? Hardly. Best Firmware Optimization? Probably. The fact is, the Zenfone Max lasts much longer than the K6000.


The battery test in Geekbench 3. 6572 points and a total test time of 16 hours and 25 minutes turned out to be no less indicative. According to this indicator, the smartphone got into the top 3, only slightly behind Lenovo A5000 (has a smaller diagonal - 5 inches) and Leagoo Shark 1 (battery capacity 6300 mAh). But at the same time, the smartphone typed large quantity points.


And the smartphone itself can charge other devices, that is, it actually acts as a power bank!
Well, for the full picture, a screenshot of my use case. On the evening of April 18, I took it off the charge, used it quite actively, mainly calls and a lot of Web pages. I also listened to music on it and used the camera. He sat with me only on April 24 in the morning, in the end, having worked for more than 5 days.


What is the secret of such high autonomy? It's very simple, the smartphone uses an energy efficient Snapgragon 410 processor in conjunction with an HD display resolution. This allows the battery to be used up as economically as possible. But here, of course, there is a double-edged sword, in this model you should not count on high performance, especially in terms of gaming. The smartphone of course will allow you to play kazulki, helping to while away the time in the minibus - but no more. Of course, you can play more modern and powerful games, but you can't count on high quality textures. The same tanks sometimes lag a little in battles, so for the sake of games it is definitely not worth taking it.
Any other application, however, works well. Separately, I would like to note the work of the ZenUi shell, which, despite its apparent sophistication with various effects, works very smoothly. Interfaces switch without delays, turning desktops smoothly, opening phone book without noticeable delays. Volume random access memory allows you to quickly switch between open applications, the video plays smoothly, both online and offline. The pages overloaded with flash show that the processor is too heavy, because they do not “toss and turn” as smoothly as we would like. In synthetic tests, the result is comparable to the budget MT6735 processor, the result is on the same level. 25314 points in anttu. Comparing the figures with the 6735, you can see that the Snapdragon 410 wins significantly in processing power, but completely merges in graphics. Geekbench 3: 1485 in Multi-core mode and 485 in single-core mode.

Synthetic tests

Works Zenfone Max running Android 5.0.2 operating system, but with its own ZenUi shell. In terms of aesthetics and variability of settings to fit your needs, it significantly surpasses the stock shell. Although at first glance, it may seem somewhat complicated and confusing.


And this is partly true - a large number of preinstalled applications for cleaning and optimizing the system duplicate each other, Asus has installed too much of its software, which is not necessary for everyone: startup manager, antivirus, memory cleaners, battery economizer, password manager and other programs that are needed far from all. Personally, I unloaded the system by deleting and disabling those applications that I considered unnecessary for myself. But there are undoubtedly interesting applications that will be useful to absolutely everyone. For example, a sound tuning wizard. By the way excellent sound smartphone in headphones. Even with inexpensive KZ EDR1 and Xiaomi Pistons 2 headphones, the device pleasantly surprised me with powerful and high-quality sound. Fans of biting bass will be pleasantly surprised, and in general, the sound is a cut above the greater mass of modern smartphones. So the Sound Tuning Wizard allows you to customize the sound as much as possible for a specific task by turning on the music mode - the sound becomes deeper and more powerful. There are frequency gains and an equalizer, which has both preset modes and completely manual adjustment.

I also liked very much: a program for energy saving, a file manager, a program for creating videos and slideshows, and a weather widget.

In addition to thoughtful interfaces and an advanced shell, the smartphone performs well its most basic functions. It often happens that a smartphone that is not bad in terms of characteristics spoils an obscene speaker, which at once crosses out all the advantages. And often even fine tuning in the engineering menu do not bring the desired result. Asus did not fall face down in the mud, equipping the smartphone with a high-quality and loud earpiece. We even overdid it a little. By setting the volume to the maximum, you can not put your smartphone to your ear, but talk like through speakerphone... True, at maximum volume, the speaker rattles slightly, but if you turn down the volume by at least one division, the sound becomes clear. The microphone is sensitive and “on the other end of the line” you can be heard very well. There is a second microphone for noise canceling, its work is not satisfactory. Further, the Internet - chinese version limited to some frequencies in 4G networks, so if this is an important point for you, carefully study the frequencies at which the operators operate. But 3G uses the widest possible range of frequencies that are relevant both in Russia and Ukraine. Wifi works fine, the apartment has a reliable reception and download speed: 20-30 megabits through 2 walls and up to 50 megabits in a room with a router. GPS navigation did not disappoint either, until recently it was Qualcomm's trademark, but now MTK has caught up with them. Just to note the proper work of navigation, the cold start took 1 minute and 8 seconds, as you can see in the screenshot below. A minute later, 15 satellites were found, of which 11 had an active connection. Positioning accuracy 4m, on the road the connection keeps stable. A magnetic compass helps a lot in navigation, especially on foot.


Another positive feature of the model, in my opinion, is a good camera. In most of the "centenarians" that I held in my hands, the camera was a frankly weak point. While most Chinese smartphones had no problems with subject shooting and macro photography, only a few can cope with landscapes. Zenfone Max produces pretty good shots in almost any conditions (with the exception of low light, where noticeable noise appears. " good photos in the "auto" mode. In addition, the camera boasts an instant laser focusing system that works in just 0.03 seconds, which helps to obtain clear images even in adverse conditions.


Few examples of pictures taken by the device in the "auto" mode, that is, pointed and shot. Originals .

I was also amazed at the panoramic shots - no matter how you move the camera, no matter how much your hands shake - the gluing is always perfect. Even if objects are moving and trees are swaying - the photo comes out clear, without blur! (The panorama is reduced in size, because I didn't want to upload to the site, but if you click on it, you can see it in a larger version). The original panorama is also in the link with the archive, which I gave just above.

Even the selfie camera takes passable pictures, and is not installed "for show".

The camera is certainly not perfect, but it is quite capable of coming to your rescue during the absence of a digital camera. Pictures from Zenfone Max can be sent to print and the result will not upset you.
With the video, everything is also pretty good. The camera can shoot in Full HD resolution, but without stabilization. Or in HD resolution with stabilization. Personally, I like the first option more, because the detail is significantly different. A small video to assess the quality of the video (for the first couple of seconds I covered the microphone with my finger, so the sound is booming. Then I realized my mistake and removed my finger):

After using the device, I have the most positive impressions. In short - smartphone will do first of all, those who need from the device: reliability, quality, long battery life and a good camera. My hit parade of advantages and disadvantages:

Flaws:
- Long-term charging
- Budget processor, weak graphics accelerator.

Advantages:
- Honest 5000 mAh battery with the ability to recharge other devices.
- Long operating time from a single charge.
- Great screen.
- High-quality assembly and materials, protective glass corning gorilla glass 4
- Proprietary ZenUi shell and software (PixelMaster, camera, sound enhancement, etc.)
- Solid camera with laser auto focus
- Good sound in headphones

Video version of the review:

The product is provided for writing a review by the store. The review is published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.

I plan to buy +20 Add to favourites I liked the review +21 +55

The times when a budget smartphone was chosen solely for an affordable price are in the distant past, and now even this segment is overstated. Competition is the main factor pushing progress forward, so now every manufacturer is trying to offer the best possible functionality at an affordable price, otherwise the model is guaranteed to fail in the market. The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 smartphone stands out from the competition with its striking design, almost pure Android shell, as well as good performance and cameras for its price. Let's spend honest text review ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 and see what it can do new smartphone Chinese brand.

By tradition, we start the review of ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 zb602kl with packaging - the first thing you see before buying. This seems to be the most insignificant detail, but it is on it that the first impression of the device affects. Therefore, the correct presentation also affects the success. The box is designed in a minimalist style and decorated with a silver-blue removable cover. The package does not bode well for anything special:

• Charger;
• MicroUSB cable;
• Paperclip and documentation.

Alas, they did not put a cover in the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 package, which has already been spoiled by many Chinese manufacturers.

Design

If you do not look closely, then you will not find anything new in the design of the smartphone - a standard six-inch state employee with an 18: 9 screen. But once you look at the details, how the situation transforms. The display is surrounded by thin frames, which has become the norm even for mid-budget devices, and it is not surprising, because 2018 has become a trend towards framelessness. But not every brand uses rounded corners, although the solution looks very stylish and makes the design much more accurate.

At the top of the screen, a mesh is provided, under which the earpiece is hidden. On the sides of it were installed basic sensors, an ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 selfie camera and an LED event indicator, thanks to which you will not miss anything important.

The back is made of metal, but small plastic inserts were left in its upper and lower parts to improve the quality of signal reception. In the upper left corner there is a horizontal block with a dual main camera and an LED flash to it. In the center, we observe a circular area, into which a fingerprint scanner was built. Below is the corporate logo.

A review of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 smartphone introduces the fact that its left side has been allocated for a tray, into which you can simultaneously install a pair of nanoSIM and one MicroSD to expand the memory.

On the right is the display power control button and the volume rocker. The first one was endowed with branded corrugation, which not only looks beautiful, but also makes it easy to grope in the dark and not to be confused with the volume button.

Above there is only a microphone hole, which is necessary for effective noise cancellation during calls and video recording.

All the necessary connectors are located at the bottom - a microUSB port (one of the main drawbacks of the hero of our review), a 3.5 mm jack for a wired headset, an external speaker and a microphone.

The design of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 phone with 4GB of RAM turned out to be quite distinctive and very attractive. The device looks stylish and expensive.

With ergonomics, everything is as expected - the case is comfortable enough and fits well in the hand, but it is not so easy to use it with one hand. It's all to blame for the large, albeit full-format display. If usually in such a situation the one-handed control mode saves, then in pure Android it is not. So you can only reach the notification curtain with the fingers of one hand by intercepting the case. The use of metal has its advantages - the case is not only more durable, but also does not slip at all.

The build quality is, as always, on the highest level- squeaks, backlash and tendency to bending could not be detected. The keys sit firmly in place and are responsive. The fingerprint scanner accurately recognizes touches, but is much slower than the flagship level. If you used only state employees, then it will suit you perfectly, but when switching from the flagship, the difference will be very noticeable. The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 32gb review showed that, as an alternative, you can rely on face unlocking implemented through the front camera. But keep in mind that the function will work correctly only in good lighting conditions. In the dark, it becomes completely useless.

ASUS ZenFone 5 Max Pro M1 64gb review goes to its IPS screen. This is an excellent matrix with a resolution of 2160x1080 pixels and a diagonal of 6 inches, which gives 402 pixels per inch. With this level of detail, it is impossible to see individual pixels.

The display boasts maximum viewing angles. The only thing is that with a strong tilt, the colors become less bright, and the palette shifts slightly towards red tones. As befits a high-quality IPS-matrix, the color rendition looks natural, although if you wish, you can change it for yourself in the phone settings. The popular night mode has also been added to reduce eye strain. You can adjust its intensity and set it to turn on on a schedule.

An honest textual review of ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 2018 shows that the minimum brightness mark is just perfect - it will be comfortable to read in a dark room, but I would like to tighten the maximum. 450 nits in the bright sun is not enough, which is why you have to hide in the shade or cover the screen with your hand. You can rely on the auto brightness control, which works very smoothly and properly. Multi-touch supports up to 10 touches.

The advantages of the screen include the presence of a high-quality oleophobic coating and the absence of an air gap, due to which the image looks great, and fingerprints are removed with one wave of the hand.

ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 performance and specifications

ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 specifications are based on a new mid-range processor - Snapdragon 636 with 8 cores up to 1.8 GHz. It works in tandem with the Adreno 509 video chip. The RAM can be 3 or 4 GB. As for me, it's better to overpay a little, but get a top-end version that copes well with multitasking and the interface just flies.

Built-in memory 32 or 64 GB according to the eMCP 5.1 standard, which guarantees high speed of reading and data transfer. I reviewed the ACS Zenfon Max Pro M1 on a top-end modification, which, after switching on, has about 50 GB available. If you want, you can install a microSD card in the additional slot and get even more space for storing information.

ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 test in Antutu

Not to say that the sound through an external speaker is great, but it plays great for its price. Noise does not bother even at maximum volume.

In the review of ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 zb601kl, we will not dwell on the interface in detail, it is much better to evaluate it from the screenshots below, which will make it possible to understand whether you like it or not. Android 8.1 with Pixel Launcher is used as a shell, which is one of the advantages of the phone. The interface is fast and easy to use. It has wide functionality, but at the same time it is not overloaded with unnecessary applications.

Battery life ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1

For the autonomy of ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 64gb zb602kl, a built-in 5000 mAh battery is responsible - another advantage of the smartphone, because not every device can boast of such a capacious battery. Asus has always attached great importance to the battery and it is not in vain, because ZenFone Max Pro feels confident away from the outlet.

A full charge of the phone is enough for 8-9 hours of playing. For an hour of playing Tanks, only 12% of the charge took. In video playback mode, the smartphone lasted 12 hours and 37 minutes at half the brightness and volume of the external speaker.

Charging time ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 32gb became his weak side, because the microUSB port does not support the standard fast charging... Therefore, you will have to be patient and wait for the phone to fully charge for about 2.5 hours, although with a 5000 mAh battery this is still quite good.

Wireless communications

ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 can be equipped with two Nano SIM cards at once, and each of them can work in 4G networks. All domestic bands are supported, so there are no problems with connection speed and quality. Wi-Fi is supported only at 2.4 GHz, and in addition there is Bluetooth 5.0 and an NFC chip, which no one expected in a budget smartphone. This is a significant advantage over competitors who equip them only with their flagship devices.

GPS coordinates are determined instantly, so the smartphone is perfect for navigating the area. Zenfon Max Pro M1 is one of the few gadgets that supports FM radio.

ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 camera review

ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 camera test should start with familiarizing yourself with its characteristics. The main camera is represented by a dual module with a resolution of 13 and 5 megapixels. An additional sensor is needed to correctly determine the depth of field, which is necessary for high-quality shooting in portrait mode, where you need to carefully blur everything outside the central plan, and not smear everything in a row, as most state employees do.

During the day, the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 camera can get excellent shots with natural color reproduction and good detail.

The quality of shooting indoors is just as pleasantly impressive, but automatic settings not always displayed correctly. Automation is confusing when there are sources of bright color. As a result, the white balance jumps, and objects in motion may turn out to be blurry.

The quality of night photos is on an average level - the color rendition remains natural, but detail is lost and there are difficulties with focusing. A special night mode slightly corrects the situation, but it does not give much improvement.

HDR is fast and doesn't blur objects in motion. When using it, the detail of objects in front of the lens is greatly improved, but for unknown reasons, the frame turns out to be dark.

A review of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 camera shows that portrait shots are still far from perfect - the boundaries of the central plan are not always determined correctly, especially if the subject is in motion.

Macro shots boast excellent detail. The flash does not spoil the colors and makes the features of the subject stand out.

The front camera received a resolution of 8 megapixels and copes well with both the front and the background. She takes pictures with high quality and clearly reproduces colors.

The video is shot in FullHD at 30 frames per second with two-channel audio recording. The quality is quite decent, but the automation overestimates the contrast.

After reviewing the camera of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 smartphone, it seems that the manufacturer used excellent sensors, but the algorithms themselves still need to be improved. The optics proved to be excellent, but the automation is often mistaken, blurring portrait shots, darkening HDR and overestimating the contrast of the video. I did not find a panoramic shooting mode at all, which is very surprising.

Conclusion

Smartphone ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 will be one of the best options to buy for its price, if the manufacturer finalizes its software. Its shortcomings negatively affect the quality of photo and video shooting, as we talked about above. I think that over time there will be no trace of them, but otherwise this great phone with powerful iron, good chambers and user-friendly interface that does any job well. In addition, externally, he looks very attractive and distinctive.

Advantages:

• The best filling for the price;
• Pure Android with minimal intervention from the manufacturer, which only added a few useful chips;
• High quality cameras and screen;
• Premium body materials and an NFC chip, which is a rarity in the budget segment;
• Separate slot for microSD.

Flaws:

• Incomplete camera algorithms;
• MicroUSB port, and therefore no fast charging.

Your rating for a smartphone:

Asus has often experimented with new product markets such as netbooks, tablets, and of course smartphones. The company's biggest success in the smartphone market came in 2014, when he was one of the first to launch a low-cost smartphone war. The original ones, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 were pretty popular. Many people then gave a relatively unfamiliar brand a chance.

The phone is part of Asus' long-term partnership with Flipkart, in which the smartphone company will launch multiple phones exclusively on an e-commerce platform. The Zenfone Max Pro M1, the first phone in the partnership, targets the budget category.

Since then, Asus has tried a number of strategies:

• Go exclusively to the high-end with the ZenFone 3 series
• Focus on yourself with the ZenFone 4 series, and target tiny niches from time to time with products like, and

However, during this time, new products have appeared on the market. chinese brands and none of Asus's recent efforts have achieved the same level of success.

Asus's intention was very clear, he wanted to beat Xiaomi in his own game of building a phone by affordable price and excellent quality. Even though the price was lower than most other smartphones in the segment, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 was definitely made with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. In fact, when compared to specifications, the two phones are very similar to each other.

Technical Asus specifications Max pro

• 5.99-inch full-screen display
• Qualcomm octa-core processor Snapdragon 636
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• 5,000mAh battery
• 13MP and 5MP dual rear cameras, front camera 8MP

Honest Review - Highlights

Without a doubt, the highlight of the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the 5000mAh battery. True, Asus claims the Zenfone Max Pro M1 delivers over a day of battery life. In moderate light, the phone works for one or two days without requiring a charger.

Our use has included regular activities such as voice calls, enhanced instant messaging, and frequent use of applications such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps, and others.

There is also a power saving mode, which comes in handy when there is between 10% and 15% of the battery remaining. The mode optimizes app updates and background apps to maximize battery life. Actually, I had no doubts about the battery life of the phone, except when the battery was draining faster than usual when playing video games. I noticed this while playing the graphically intensive Battle Underground Battle game.

Speaking of gaming, the graphics on the 5.99-inch Full HD + display seemed pretty impressive. Also, we did not experience any lag when playing these graphics games. The phone's overall performance in terms of user interface, multitasking, and other basic activities is pretty satisfactory. Zenfone Max Pro M1 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 636 octa-core processor.

Another important Asus feature The Zenfone Max Pro M1 is Android - a great contrast to other Asus phones that run the regular ZenUI. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 runs Android 8.0 Oreo and is slated to receive the latest Android from Google. It will also be eligible for Google's 2019 iteration on Android. While I don't mind using an optimized custom ROM, I believe that a lot of people love stocks and win-win Android apps. For example, the Xiaomi Mi A1, based on the Android One One platform, is quite successful.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 also joins the growing list budget phones Android for sports use with two cameras. It consists of two sensors, namely a 13MP sensor and a 5MP sensor. The secondary sensor is designed to add depth to images and achieve a DSLR effect.

The rear camera is pretty good. It delivers satisfactory results in well-lit scenarios with consistent color reproduction for the most part. There is a bit of noise during low light, but this is the case for most phones in this category.

Cons of Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 has no flaws. While the 5000mAh battery is a USP, it also makes the phone a little bulky. It takes a little time to get used to this weight, given that most phones are quite lightweight. Unfortunately, I'm really not used to the bulky phone form factor.

Another major issue with the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the poor biometric authentication sensor. This is pretty surprising because most phones get this bit right on their phones. During our use, we experienced serious delays in unlocking the phone using the fingerprint sensor. The company recently released an update software for the phone, but the fingerprint experience hasn't improved.

It also has Face Unlock, another hot trend in the phone industry. Face Unlock works quite smoothly in good light, but falls short of odd angles and low light conditions. As expected, Face Unlock is not as advanced as you can get a premium phone, say the iPhone X. The facial recognition feature is only available for convenience anyway, but don't consider it advanced and secure as on other premium and Android phones. middle class.

We were also disappointed with the 8MP self-service camera, the UI of the camera app itself is not visually appealing. The front camera also has a depth effect that blurs the background when focusing on the subject.