ASUS today launched the ZenFone Max Pro M2 in India and Indonesia – the successor to the popular ZenFone Max Pro M1. The much-anticipated device goes heads on with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, Realme 2 Pro and honor 8X, and from the looks of it, ASUS wants to win. Malaysians won’t have to wait long, the phone will open for pre-orders online starting today, 11 December 2018.
ASUS is following a similar pricing structure to the previous ZenFone Max Pro M1, although it will not offer an entry level 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model. Yet.
Instead, the new line-up will feature two models: 4GB RAM + 64GB of storage and 6GB RAM + 64GB of storage. Both models are identically spec-ed aside from the difference in memory.
As far as specifications go, the leaked details including various images, have been accurate. The device is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660AIE chipset.
The ZenFone Max Pro rocks a 6.3-inch FHD+ all-screen display, boasting a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. It offers 94 percent NTSC colour gamut and high 1500:1 contrast. It’s also the world’s first smartphone to come with Gorilla Glass 6 protection.
From the sleek metal body of its predecessor, ASUS has moved the ZenFone Max Pro M2 to new “glass-look” plastic ground with a wave finish design. It’s pretty good looking and makes the phone lighter as well.
The biggest gripe about the previous ZenFone Max Pro M1 was the camera. Going head on with its biggest rival the Redmi Note 5, ASUS was at a disadvantage with comparatively weaker cameras.
Well, this time ASUS hopes to turn the tables around. The new phone packs a 12MP Sony IMX486 sensor with a fast f/1.8 aperture lens and a 5MP secondary depth lens. The sensor boasts bigger 1.25 micron pixels and superfast PDAF. It also supports 4K video recording and electronic image stabilisation (1080p @ 30fps).
Thanks to the Snapdragon 660AIE, the main camera supports AI Scene detection.
One key advantage of the ZenFone Max Pro M2 against its competitors is its triple slot tray that provides a dedicated microSD slot and dual nano-SIM slots. The microSD slot supports up to 2TB microSD cards.
Another win for ASUS is in the audio department. The single down-firing speaker is loud and the phone also has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Expect battery life to be amazing with the massive 5,000mAh cell. The only downside is that it does not feature fast-charging, and charging is via a conventional micro-USB port.
Pricing and availability
The ZenFone Max Pro will be available for pre-order starting today, 11 December until 17 December 2018. The 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model retails at MYR859, while the 6GB RAM model is priced at MYR999.
The 4GB RAM model will be available for pre-order exclusively at Lazada Malaysia, while the 6GB RAM version will be a Shopee exclusive.
