Hands-on with the ASUS Zenfone 3 Zoom camphone
While CES 2017 was happening a continent away, ASUS Malaysia managed to score samples of their upcoming camphone, the Zenfone 3 Zoom. The device we had was mostly finished though the firmware was still being finalised and a more thorough review of a retail sample will be needed to ascertain its full capabilities.
The successor to the prior Zenfone Zoom, the Zenfone 3 Zoom adopts a more conventional dual-camera setup. The older Zenfone Zoom was notable for the fact that it was one of the few camphones that incorporated an unorthodox but effective 3x optical zoom array.
Both of the Zenfone 3 Zoom cameras are 12-MP but have slightly different performance envelopes. One 12-MP camera has a bright F/1.7 aperture lens for low light use while the other camera has 2.3x optical zoom. Combined, both cameras are able to offer snaps with a delightful depth of field effect that keeps subjects sharply in focus while the background is blurred. The whole affair also comes with optical and electronic image stabilisation for judder free shots.
Another interesting addition to the phone is that it features the first implementation of Asus’ new SuperPixel Engine that intelligently controls ISO levels and noise-reduction when taking shots. The phone also integrates Phase Detection Dual Autofocus tech for faster autofocus acquisition to the tune of 0.03 seconds. The front 13-MP camera has an F/2.0 aperture as well as the same SuperPixel Engine tech as the rear camera for better snaps.
In terms of hardware, the Zenfone 3 Zoom has a 5.5-inch 1080P AMOLED display, runs on an efficient Snapdragon 625 2.0GHz processor built on a 14nm FinFET process paired with 4GB RAM and, depending on market, either 32GB, 64GB or 128GB of storage expandable via a microSD card.
What makes the Zenfone 3 Zoom stand out is that it manages to pack a massive 5,000mAh battery with fast charging that’s also capable of reverse charging other devices.
All this is crammed into a machined aluminium casing that’s 7.99mm thin weighing 170g. Like the Zenfone 3, the fingerprint reader is mounted on the rear. Global release dates are slated for February but there’s no word on pricing or a local Malaysia release but this camphone looks very promising indeed. We’ll keep you posted.
The Zenfone 3 Zoom alongside a Zenfone 3