She walked in. All Zen, sleek, stylish, smooth, a shutterbug’s dream
She arrived at my place.
Said she’d stay for a week.
She looked sleek, stylish.
She was a smooth operator.
She was a shutterbug’s dream.
Her name, the Asus ZenFone 3.
Just recently, my son bought an Asus mobile phone after sitting on the fence for more than month over which phone to buy. Of course, we decided on a budget before we started looking, and pretty soon, decided that it had to be an ASUS phone. I’ve reviewed one before. Although we zeroed in on the model we wanted, we did drool over some of their higher end models.
So imagine my joy when I received the recently launched Asus ZenFone 3, a gorgeous new mobile with a brilliant camera and processor. (if you want to go technical, lots of info here)
I was to use for a week and review. Yep, she was just a one-week house guest, boo hoo! But hey, any excuse to try out a new camera!
Smooth, silky, slippery, and very sleek.
Light, so light. Nice to hold.
Powerful.
A shutterbug’s dream.
Looks-wise? Very Zen. Stylish.
My criteria for deciding on a phone would be:
- camera, because I lovvvvvve clicking pictures
- I don’t want to bother with figuring it out and would just like it to do its job
- Looks do matter. After all, I am going to carry it around, cradled in my hand most of the time, eh?
- While I am not stingy, I do like value for money.
The Asus ZenFone 3 appealed on all counts.
Let me list the features that mattered to me most. (I am saving my favorite – the camera – for last)
The Asus ZenFone 3 – a review
Design
ZenFone 3 is all shimmering glass and metal with the iconic ZenFone spun finish design–gorgeous looking. The front and rear 2.5D Contoured Corning Gorilla Glass makes it scratch free, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that neither surface was a fingerprint magnet! And it stayed smudge free! It also made the phone rather slippery.
The C type charging is good and I found that it did not heat up while charging or while playing games—or surfing the web. Also, it charged pretty fast. I liked the reversible USB, and I didn’t have to fumble to insert it the right way.
The touchscreen is a dream to use and very sensitive. The user interface is simply fabulous. I mean, sometimes just the static between my fingertip and the screen seemed to set off the action. I liked it!
Processor
Powerful, with a 64-bit, 2 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor (middle high-end), and the world’s first 14nm CPU with Fin Field Effect Transistors. This lowers power consumption by 35%, and is much more powerful than the previous generation thanks to new full 8 core @ 2.0Ghz.
Good to know, since everything I did on the phone was superfast, with zero lag and excellent user experience.
To my joy, I found that setting up the phone was a breeze, as it asked me if I wanted to import them from my current phone. Of course I chose the easy way out.
Other ZenFone 3 Features :
- 5 magnet Speaker – Audio Feature – solid sound!
- 4G LTE
- Display FHD – 5.2” (there is also a 5.5” variant, but I got the 5.2” for review)
- 3GB/32GB (the 5.5 version has 4GB/64GB)
- Type C 2.0 Charging – Reversible
- OS – Android Marshmallow
- ZenUI – always a good experience
16 MP rear and 8 MP front camera
Ah, my favorite feature. The ZenFone 3 comes with PixelMaster 3.0 camera with Z3Ncredible features like 4K Video recording, Optical Image Stabilisation—4 Axis OIS for steady photographs even when the objects are moving, which means easy to click photos from a moving vehicle. I wish I had had this when I travelled a couple of weeks ago! It has 3 Axis EIS for steady videos and 0.03 TriTech Auto Focus which enables taking photos even if the object moves far or fast. So imagine capturing your pet while it plays. The camera also has a “Super Resolution mode” that can take pictures at 64MP resolution – which is quite a DSLR-like experience.
Now, I prefer to carry my digital camera (a healthy Canon with 50x zoom) whenever I go out, and know I want to get some great photos, but it IS a little clunky to take everywhere. These days, I often make do with my 13MP/5MP mobile phone camera, which is pretty good.
But I loved using the ZenFone 3 camera. The photos are great—although, I am sure I did not do the camera full justice. I had too little time to explore the million settings in the camera. But yes, the ones I did see, were good.
I liked that there was no lag each time I clicked a photo. The phone I currently use takes great photos, and I am used to that one-second lag before it takes a shot. Which is fine, really. But the Asus ZenFone 3 spoiled me a little with the zero-lag.
So I did goof up after my first day of going camera crazy, because somehow the photos did not get saved. So off I went to the market nearby to click some more. Take a look at these pictures #ShotOnZenFone3
Apples are good for health. Here’s a variety to pick from
So are avocados. Powerhouses of nutrition.
Summer delights, coconuts.
There were a couple of instances when the ZenFone 3 apologized on behalf of the camera, which stopped working, but that was momentary and it was up and running again instantly.
This is a feature in almost all malls and exhibitions. Syrup coated fruits that pass off as digestives.
What market photo is complete without flowers?
More flowers. The ladies were too shy to stay in the photo!
Peeled onions, amla (gooseberry), baby corn, ginger, chili, peeled garlic. Talk about making life easy!
Shoes. Oh yes, had to buy a pair!
Man’s best friend, basking in the sun
Traffic. Who can escape it?
A house I covet. It has a movie theater in the basement.
From our own garden
I looked up. I love this bright yellow
And to end on a sweet note, jaggery. Very sweet.
I found that when I cropped a photo, it still looked good without going all fuzzy on me.
All these photos were about 4600 x 2600 in size and I resized them to post here.
Overall, I think the Asus ZenFone 3 is worth coveting if you are looking for a smart phone that combines beauty with powerful brains, is delightful to use and comes with a superb camera. Final whine – too bad I got to use it only for a week!
The ZenFone 3 is available on Flipkart
I got to keep the Asus ZenFone 3 for a week to use and review. All opinions are mine.
Go on. Take one.
13 comments
Ah lovely clicks, Vidya. I love the Asus phones as well. Have reviewed them in the past. Waiting for this one to arrive. Loved your review. The phone looks so sleek.
Rachna recently posted…Kent Cold Pressed Juicer — User Review
Thank you Rachna. I look forward to reading yours! Heheh. Wish I could have kept it!
Vidya Sury recently posted…She walked in. All Zen, sleek, stylish, a shutterbug’s dream
Loved your review. It’s high time to get one for me. Beautiful clicks.
Vasantha Vivek recently posted…Weekly Photo Challenge: Edge
All I can say is take me with you! And I loved the house, too. Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon! Remember to laugh often. It is great cardio.
Marilyn Lesniak recently posted…Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Your phone looks so sleek and the pictures are really great. The fruit makes my mouth water and I love gooseberries. We had a gooseberry bush when I was growing up and used to eat all the berries. I don’t know that last fruit where you say it is very sweet. Love to try it. My phone is the sleek 2007 flip phone where I can hit one button 3 times to get to the letter C:)
Birgit recently posted…Armchair Squid Film Society- My Pick
Hehehehe. You had me laughing, Birgit! My primary phone is ancient and has no apps. The touchscreen responds only when I really punch it. But I love it. It still takes great pictures. I do use another smartphone as well, which does all the fancy stuff, mostly useful when I travel and have to check email, use whatsapp and book cabs, etc.
The last photo is not a fruit. It is Jaggery, cane sugar. See this link
Vidya Sury recently posted…She walked in. All Zen, sleek, stylish, a shutterbug’s dream
Looks like a great camera phone. The colors are so vibrant and it has super picture clarity too! I think, I’ll suggest Asus Zenphone to my dad!
SHILPA GARG recently posted…The Tantric Curse
I also want my smartphone with good camera so I think this could be shortlisted for the next buy.
Dipika Desai recently posted…Oxy Life Natural Radiance 5 Crème Bleach Review
I have never heard of this phone my friend, but it sure takes some nice shots – of course your eyes lead the clicker. I am an iphonephotographer. Bring it almost everywhere. Just for the camera. Lovely share and review!
Lisa Pomerantz recently posted…Swimming Upstream
Oops, and I must add, #mg
Lisa Pomerantz recently posted…Swimming Upstream
Yes I agree a camera is a must, and these pics look great. I have the iPhone 6 plus which takes great pics #mg
Looks like a good phone especially for clicking images . Beautiful narration, liked the way you created a character out of phone….
Prasad Np recently posted…National Rail Museum Delhi
Thank you Prasad! I had fun with it!
Vidya Sury recently posted…Udaipur the Venice of the east