The task of the model ASUS Zenfone Max ZC550KL, the review of which may interest potential buyers inexpensive smartphone with a large screen, there 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, buying such a device will not be the best choice, but 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.

The device fits comfortably only in a 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:

• buttons are with 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 - a black and a white smartphone, and 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

As central processing unit the smartphone is far from the most powerful Snapdragon 410 chip to date, the Adreno 306 video processor is responsible for the graphics.

To work with resource-intensive applications comes with 2 GB random access memory - not too much for modern games, but enough for most users. There is enough memory and processors to run Asphalt 8, even if not on the most high settings, and of course for HD video playback.

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 is running operating system Android 5.0.2 and proprietary launcher ASUS ZenUI 2.0.

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, do good photo will not work even with the built-in flash.

As the practice of using the phone shows, the photos on front camera(or "selfie") is best done 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 smartphone showed good quality sound 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 the communication functions is support for only one Wi-Fi channel (2.4 GHz), which reduces the data transfer rate over wireless network.

Gadget battery

To support the operation of all components for a long time, the gadget received a powerful 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.

We are talking about the Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL, which became available in January 2016. But users did not have time to evaluate the new product, as in May the company presented a new one. Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016)... To some, such a step will seem rather strange, but apparently, the manufacturer decided that he got excited about releasing the device on a simple 410 snapdragon and in a hurry released a version on a more advanced 615 chip.

The exterior of the updated model

For those already familiar with the previous model, the exterior will seem familiar. But even in this case, smartphones cannot be distinguished, because the body has not undergone any changes. The front panel is recognizable as always: this is facilitated by the characteristic rounding of the corners, as well as the lower trim, shining with metallic. The diagonal remains the same: 5.5 inches. The resolution of 720x1280 pixels remained the same. By the way, the display is covered with a protective gorilla of the current fourth generation. The light golden plastic bezel still catches the eye. As for the back, it is textured under the skin, although it is made of soft-touch plastic. Taking into account the mid-segment positioning, the device showed itself from the positive side in terms of appearance, moreover, now, in addition to the black and white versions, orange and blue are available. But his strong point is different.

Technical capabilities

As already mentioned, the device received an updated processor that meets all the performance requirements of the mid-segment range. And here is the battery in Asus Zenfon Max ZC550KL (2016), As in previous model, able to please lovers of long-playing solutions. Yes, the device is not in vain received a weighty 10.6 mm body, because it houses a battery with a record 5000 mAh to date. For example, a competitor Lenovo Vibe The K4 Note is lighter, but it also has a 3300mAh battery. As for long-term solutions, we can only recall Philips, but their devices have already become outdated. There are 2 gigabytes of RAM left, but there is a version with three gigabytes. The permanent memory in the smartphone is 32 gigabytes, there is an expansion slot. Of course, the strong point of even mid-segment asus is the camera: there is a 13-megapixel sensor, dual-tone flash and proprietary laser autofocus, so this long-playing smartphone will also interest photography enthusiasts.

Information about the brand, model and alternative names of a specific device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, offered colors, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	77.5 mm (millimeters) 7.75 cm (centimeters) 0.25 ft (feet) 3.05 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	156 mm (millimeters) 15.6 cm (centimeters) 0.51 ft (feet) 6.14 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements.	10.55 mm (millimeters) 1.06 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.42 in (inches)
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	202 g (grams) 0.45 lbs (pounds) 7.13 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with a rectangular parallelepiped shape.	127.55 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 7.75 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black Orange Blue
Materials for the manufacture of the case Materials used for the manufacture of the device body.	Plastic

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analog mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and refers to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP on the basis of GSM / EDGE and UMTS / HSPA with the aim of increasing the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks... The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 850 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38)

Mobile technology and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data rates.

Operating system

An operating system is the system software that controls and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) integrates all the major hardware components of a mobile device into a single chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software required for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. The value in nanometers is half the distance between the elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	4x 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, 4x 1.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A53
Processor size The width (bits) of the processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors offer better performance than 32-bit processors, which are more efficient than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction set architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets / controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8
Level 0 cache (L0) Some processors have L0 (level 0) cache memory, which can be accessed faster than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such memory is not only higher performance, but also lower power consumption.	4KB + 4KB (kilobytes)
Level 1 cache (L1) The cache memory is used by the processor to reduce the time it takes to access more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and is much faster than both system memory and other levels of cache. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 KB + 16 KB (kilobytes)
L2 cache L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but instead has a larger capacity to allow caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for them in L3 cache memory (if available) or in RAM memory.	2048 KB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions... There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to execute in parallel.	8
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1500 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics processing unit (GPU) A graphics processing unit (GPU) handles computation for a variety of 2D / 3D graphics applications. V mobile devices ah, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, and more.	Qualcomm Adreno 405
Clock frequency GPU Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	550 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. The data that is saved in the RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	2 GB (gigabytes) 3 GB (gigabytes)
Memory type (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means more high speeds data transmission.	Single channel
RAM frequency The frequency of the RAM determines its speed of operation, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	800 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) fixed memory.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage space for data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type / technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal On mobile devices, screen size is expressed in terms of the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	5.5 in (inches) 139.7 mm (millimeters) 13.97 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.7 in (inches) 68.49 mm (millimeters) 6.85 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.79 in (inches) 121.76 mm (millimeters) 12.18 cm (centimeters)
Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels horizontally and vertically on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper image detail.	720 x 1280 pixels
Pixel density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	267 ppi (pixels per inch) 104 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen footprint The approximate percentage of the display area on the front of the device.	69.2% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	Capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistant
	Corning Gorilla Glass 4 OGS (One Glass Solution) 450 cd / m² Viewing angle - 178 °

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical metrics into signals that can be recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for photo and video shooting.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photocell used in the camera of the device.	Toshiba T4K37
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as the optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device.	CMOS BSI (backside illumination)
Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer more high quality images despite the lower resolution.	4.69 x 3.52 mm (millimeters) 0.23 in (inches)
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels per unit area to be used, thus increasing the resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high ISO sensitivity levels.	1.145 μm (micrometers) 0.001145 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the size of the device's photo sensor. The number shown is the ratio of the diagonals of the full frame sensor (43.3 mm) to the photo sensor specific device.	7.38
Diaphragm	f / 2
Focal length	4.6 mm (millimeters) 33.94 mm (millimeters) * (35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile cameras are LED and Xenon flashes. LED-flashes give softer light and, unlike brighter xenon ones, are also used for video filming.	Dual LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras on mobile devices is their resolution, which shows the number of pixels horizontally and vertically in an image.	4096 x 3072 pixels 12.58 MP (megapixels)
Video Resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video capture and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30 frames / sec (frames per second)
Specifications Information about other software and hardware features associated with the main camera that improve its functionality.	Autofocus Burst shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographic tags Panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Scene selection mode
	Laser autofocus 5-element lens Blue filter glass Angle of view - 75 °

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are used mainly for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means a larger aperture opening.	f / 2
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. Equivalent focal lengths are also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera.	3.2 mm (millimeters)
Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the secondary camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the primary camera.	2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels)
Video Resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording additional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate / frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the secondary camera when shooting video at maximum resolution.	30 frames / sec (frames per second)
	Angle of view - 85 °

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technology supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Locating

Information about the navigation and positioning technologies supported by the device.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a technology that enables wireless communication for transferring data over short distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless transfer of data between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio connector. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats / codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge required for their function.

Capacity Battery capacity indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliampere-hours.	5000 mAh (milliampere-hours)
Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-polymer
Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	38 h (hours) 2280 min (minutes) 1.6 days
Standby time 2G The 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery is fully discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	914 h (hours) 54840 min (minutes) 38.1 days
Talk time 3G Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	37 hours 36 minutes 37.6 h (hours) 2256 minutes (minutes) 1.6 days
3G standby time Standby time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	920 h (hours) 55200 min (minutes) 38.3 days
Adapter output power Strength information electric current(measured in amperes) and electrical voltage(measured in volts) supplied by the charger (output power). Higher power output provides faster battery charging.	5.2 V (volts) / 1 A (amps)
Specifications Information about some additional characteristics of the device battery.	Non-removable

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body when using a mobile device.

SAR level for head (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed if the mobile device is held close to the ear in the speaking position. In Europe, the maximum SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard established by the CENELEC committee in accordance with IEC standards, following the ICNIRP guidelines of 1998.

0.454 W / kg (Watts per kilogram)

Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed if the mobile device is held at hip level. The highest SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard was established by the CENELEC committee in accordance with ICNIRP guidelines from 1998 and IEC standards.

0.274 W / kg (Watts per kilogram)

The huge popularity of large screen diagonals and an unprecedented increase in the performance of hardware platforms have drawn attention more than ever to the already very relevant topic of low autonomy of modern mobile devices. Ask any user what his favorite "pocket pet" really lacks, and the vast majority of respondents will immediately recall the "weak battery" or sincerely complain about the too frequent appearance of an unloved low battery percentage notification.

Therefore, we were doubly happy about the opportunity to test the new long-playing smartphone. ASUSZenFoneMax, the list of advantages of which includes not only a powerful lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh, but also enough useful function recharge other portable gadgets. In addition, the device boasts a stylish appearance, a large 5.5-inch IPS-screen and a 13-megapixel camera with laser autofocus, which makes it a serious competitor in the mobile market.

Specification

Manufacturer and model	ASUSZenFoneMax (ZC550KL)
Type, form factor	Smartphone, candy bar
Communication standards		850/900/1800/1900 MHz
		850/900/1900/2100 MHz
		800/850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz
Data transfer	GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSPA + (up to 42.2 Mbps), LTE cat.4 (up to 150 Mbps)
SIM card type
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) (4 x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.2 GHz)
Graphics adapter	Qualcomm Adreno 306 (400 MHz)
	5.5 ", IPS, 1280 x 720 (267 ppi), touch (10 touches), protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4
RAM
Persistent memory
Card reader	microSD (up to 64 GB)
Interfaces	1 x micro-USB 2.0 1 x 3.5mm audio mini-jack
Multimedia	Acoustics
	Microphone
	The main		13 MP (f / 2.0, laser autofocus, dual-section LED flash, 1080p video recording)
	Frontal		5 MP (f / 2.0, autofocus, wide-angle optics, 1080p video recording)
Networking capabilities	802.11b / g / n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS, Beidou
	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, digital compass, Hall sensor
Battery	Lithium polymer, non-removable: 5000 mAh
Charger	Input: 100 ~ 240 VAC ex. at 50/60 Hz Output: DC 5V e.g. 2 A
	The ability to charge mobile devices
	156 x 77.5 x 10.55 mm
	White black
Operating system	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop + ASUS ZenUI 2.2.2
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and packaging

There are no complaints about such an important parameter as speed. Despite the abundance of various functions and an impressive number of pre-installed applications, everything works quickly and smoothly, without the slightest hint of jerks or hiccups.

Performance and communication capabilities

ASUS ZenFone Max is built around a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core microprocessor (model MSM 8916), which is based on the 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 microarchitecture in accordance with a 28nm process technology. It is paired with the built-in graphics adapter Qualcomm Adreno 306 with an operating frequency of 400 MHz, which has support for the most popular technologies and APIs. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, and the permanent memory is 16 GB (about 7 GB is available to the user). In addition, the latter can be expanded with microSD memory cards up to 64 GB.

Despite the relatively low results of synthetic tests, the reviewed smartphone easily copes with any daily tasks (office and multimedia applications, surfing the net, watching videos), and can also compete on an equal footing with most modern game projects at medium, and in some cases at high graphics settings (due to the relatively low screen resolution). At the same time, the case practically does not heat up (the generated heat is well concealed by its thickness and dense plastic), which allows using the device's resources for a long time without any tactile discomfort.

By default, the smartphone recognizes a number of the most popular audio and video formats, including MP4 and MKV.

ASUS ZenFone Max is equipped with a dual SIM card radio module Micro-SIM format... It allows you to carry out phone calls according to 2G GSM standard in Dual mode SIM Dual Stand By and transfer data in 3G WCDMA and 4G LTE mobile networks at speeds up to 150 Mbps. There are no complaints about the quality of communication. Conversational speaker and microphone clearly and legibly convey the voice of the interlocutor and subscriber. The built-in vibrating alert has a medium-strength, but quite pleasant in terms of tone response.

In addition to supporting high-speed mobile networks, the smartphone is equipped with two standard wireless modules: Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n (2.4 GHz) with Wi-Fi Direct function.

The search for Wi-Fi points and the subsequent connection to them is very fast, and the established connection has good stability.

The built-in geolocation module has support for three navigation systems at once - GPS, GLONASS and Beidou. It boasts high accuracy (up to 5 m) and a fairly good operating speed - the cold start takes only a few seconds.

Autonomous work

ASUS ZenFone Max has a record-breaking 5000 mAh lithium-polymer battery, which in moderate use when performing everyday tasks will be enough for almost 4 days of uninterrupted operation. In addition, with its help, the user can recharge other portable gadgets (an OTG cable is required) using a smartphone as a mobile power bank. Despite the removable back cover, the built-in battery cannot be replaced by yourself, which is perhaps its only drawback.

As expected, during test measurements the device was able to demonstrate excellent results- More than 22 hours when watching HD video (MPEG-4 / AVC, M4V container, 4 Mbps stream) and as much as 8 hours and 20 minutes in game simulation (Asphalt 8: Airborne).

According to the PCMark benchmark, the battery life was 16 hours 6 minutes, and according to the Geekbench 3 test - 13 hours 50 minutes, while the GFXBench benchmark gave exactly 1000 minutes. In all cases, except for the gaming one, the display brightness was fixed at 50%, and the Wi-Fi and GPS wireless modules worked as usual.

To completely restore the original condition of the battery using the complete charger(5B, 2A), you need to spend about 3 hours.

Outcomes

Smartphone ASUSZenFoneMax (ZC550 KL) belongs to the category of devices that, with an equal sum of values, have a certain zest that can attract the attention of even the most skeptical user. It is she who makes you get up from the couch, come to the store and make the desired purchase.

In our case, such an "irritant" was an impressive 5000 mAh lithium-polymer battery, which not only provides a record autonomy, but also allows you to charge other portable gadgets, making the monitored device a kind of analogue of a modern power bank.

However, the ASUS ZenFone Max does not cease to be a full-fledged smartphone. It can offer its owner an attractive design, high build quality, a solid 5.5-inch IPS-display and an energy-efficient hardware platform that can solve any everyday tasks and run most modern gaming projects at medium and even high graphics settings. As for those who like to shoot everything and everywhere (13-megapixel camera with laser autofocus and two-section flash), and then discuss it for a long time in a warm friendly conversation (support for two SIM-cards in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode), then they will not remain either. at a loss. And finally, it is worth remembering that there is still an up-to-date operating room. Android systems Lollipop with the ability to upgrade to Android Marshmallow and proprietary shell ZenUI 2.2.2, which provide broad functionality for all occasions of "digital" life.

Of the small and generally quite controversial points, one can single out only the periodic occurrence of an error in determining the exposure and the inability to independently replace the battery in the presence of a removable back cover.

And the rest of the smartphone ASUS ZenFone Max is good choice for those users who are not chasing the momentary trends of fashion, but want to have a reliable mobile assistant at their disposal and stay in touch for a long time.

Advantages:

• attractive design;
• high build quality;
• solid 5.5-inch IPS-screen with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and a good oleophobic coating;
• 13-megapixel main camera module with two-section LED flash and laser autofocus;
• an energy efficient hardware platform that allows you to solve any everyday tasks and run most modern game projects at medium / high graphics settings;

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