This article will discuss in detail two modifications of such a device as Zenfone 5. One of them, under the code A500KL, is built on the basis of the Snapdragon 400 CPU, and the second, A501CG, uses the Atom Z2580 from "Intel". It is their technical parameters and capabilities that will be considered in detail within the framework of this review material.
Positioning
Initially, both of these Zenfone 5 modifications were positioned by the manufacturer as mid-range smartphones with excellent technical characteristics. At the time of the release of these gadgets, this approach was justified. But now, a year and a half after the start of sales, these smart phones have fallen into the niche of entry-level devices. This is due to the start of sales of new gadgets with new generation central processors. Accordingly, the price of these smartphones has dropped significantly.
Package set
Very, very modest equipment for this gadget as a solution to the once average price range. into herthe following accessories and components are included except for the smartphone itself and its built-in 2110 mAh battery:
- An entry-level stereo headset with very poor sound quality. Owners who are more demanding on the quality of sound in an external speaker system are advised to immediately replace it with a better one.
- Typical interface cord for connecting to a computer and for charging the battery.
- Charger with 1.35A current output.
- Set of eartips.
- A small brochure that includes the user manual and, of course, the warranty card.
The back cover of the device is made of plastic, and it will be useful to purchase a high-quality case for Zenfone 5 in addition. This will prevent possible damage to the case in the future. For the same reason, it is strongly recommended to buy a protective film on the front panel of this machine. Although it is protected by third-generation Gorilla Eye glass, it will also be useful. Another important component that is not included in the package is an external flash drive. In principle, an undemanding user will be able to work on this gadget without it, but in order to maximize its potential, you will have to purchase this accessory additionally.
Design
There are 8 different color options for this smartphone case. The most practical of these is the Asus Zenfone 5 Black. In this design, prints and dust on the surface of the smartphone is almost invisible. In all other cases, you will have to clean the device much more often. On the front of the device is a 5-inch display, which, as mentioned earlier, is protected by third-generation Gorilla Eye glass. Below it is a control panel of three buttons. It is worth noting that they are not equipped with a backlight, and in the dark they will have to be searched for at first by touch. Above the display is the manufacturer's logo. Even higher is the peephole of the front camera, the LED event indicator and the earpiece. On the right edge of the gadget are the buttons for adjusting the volume of the device and its lock. On the bottom of the smartphone there is a wired MicroUSB port and a small hole for a spoken microphone. On the top side of the device, there is a 3.5 mm speaker port and another small microphone hole, which provides suppression of external noise during the conversation. The eyes of the main camera and its LED backlight are displayed on the back cover of the smartphone. There is also another manufacturer's logo and a loud speaker.
Processor and its capabilities
The Zenfone 5 phone can be built on various processor solutions: Snapdragon 400 from Qualcom (modification A500KL) and the Atom CPU series from Intel (all other modifications of this gadget). In the first case, this is a 4-core chipset, the computing modules of which are capable of overclocking up to 1.2 GHz in the heaviest load mode. They are also built on the basis of the architecture codenamed "Cortex A7". This is a time-tested solution thatboasts a high level of reliability. Yes, and with energy efficiency, he is also all right. But the performance leaves much to be desired. Of course, this will be quite enough for most tasks, but the most demanding toys will definitely not start on it.
But in the second case, as noted earlier, solutions based on Intel Atom act as a chip. And we are talking about three different modifications of the processor at once: Z2520, Z2560 and Z2580. Their technical specifications are identical: 2 computing modules, which, with the help of Hyper-Threading technology, turn into 4 computing threads at the software level. They are made on the basis of 32 nm technology, equipped with a cache of 1 MB. The only difference between the previously mentioned CPU models is the frequency formula. For the Z2520, the operating frequency range is 0.3-1.2 GHz, for the Z2560 it is 0.4-1.6 GHz, and for the Z2580 it is 0.533-2 GHz. As a result, it can be noted that it is the latest CPU modification that boasts the highest level of performance at a comparable level of power consumption (it is recommended that potential buyers pay attention to it: at a higher level of performance, its price does not differ significantly with a similar organization of the memory subsystem). Well, when choosing this smartphone model, it is necessary to check with the seller the model of the processor used in the gadget before buying.
Graphics adapter
Two models of graphics accelerators can be found in the devices of this series. In CPU-based gadgets"Snapdragon 400" as a video card is "Adreno 305". If a computed chip from Intel is used, then the PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics accelerator is already used. The level of their performance is comparable to today. To solve a wide range of everyday tasks, their hardware and software capabilities are quite enough. But for the most demanding toys, this is not enough.
Touch screen
Zenfone 5 features a 5-inch touchscreen display. Its resolution is 1280 x 720, and the matrix underlying it is made using the IPS technology. The developers also did not forget about the protection of the display: almost the entire front panel of the gadget is covered with 3rd generation Gorilla Eye glass with an oleophobic coating applied on top of it. On top of this, there is no air gap between the touch panel and the matrix surface. As a result, the quality of the image displayed on the display really does not cause any complaints, and the viewing angles on this device are as close as possible to 180 degrees.
Cameras
Sufficiently high-quality main camera on Asus Zenfone 5. It has an 8 MP sensor. There is also an LED backlight system, which, in low light, still allows you to get fairly high-quality pictures. In addition to this, the camera has autofocus, digital zoom and PixelMaster technologies. As a result, the quality of the photos taken on this gadget really does not cause any complaints. This unit can record video in 1920 x 1080 resolution. The image refresh rate will be 30 frames per second. More modest technical parameters for the front camera. Its sensor is based on a 2 megapixel matrix. This is clearly not enough for a high-quality selfie, but quite enough for IP telephony or video calls.
Memory
Very confusing situation with the memory subsystem in Zenfone 5. A review of the models on the market indicates the following technical parameters:
- The amount of RAM can be 1 or 2 GB.
- Built-in storage capacity comes in 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB sizes.
- All devices in this series have a slot for installing an external drive. Its maximum capacity can be 64 GB.
The most interesting in terms of purchase is the device of this series with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of integrated storage. In this case, it will be possible to do even without a memory card. But the cost will also be much higher. Therefore, as the golden mean, you can choose a smartphone with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal disk space. This is also quite enough for comfortable work with a reasonable approach.
Battery
Zenfone 5 is equipped with a built-in 2110 mAh battery. On the one hand, such a constructive solution ensures a high quality assembly of the device case. But at the same time, if the battery breaks down without a specialized center, it is quite difficult to replace this accessory. The specified capacity of the integrated battery is enough for 1 daymedium load. If you further reduce the level of use of the device, you can stretch a maximum of 2 days. Well, when playing games or playing videos, you can count on 12 hours of battery life.
A peculiar solution to problems with the autonomy of this gadget is to install an external battery. But the battery of this smartphone is charging quite quickly. The battery capacity is 2110 mAh, the output current of the charger is 1.35 A. As a result, it turns out that it will take a little more than an hour and a half to charge. This is an excellent figure for such a 5-inch smart phone.
Data sharing
Asus Zenfone 5 has the following interface set:
- Full support for GSM and 3G for devices with an Intel processor. For solutions with Snapdragon 400, LTE is also added to this list. This is quite enough to exchange information with the World Wide Web, make calls and receive various messages (both multimedia and text).
- Also, the smartphone is equipped with Wi-Fi. This is an important wireless interface that allows you to download unlimited data from the Internet.
- To connect a wireless headset or to exchange data in a small amount with similar smart phones, it is best to use bluetooth. This transmitter is also available in this smartphone model.
- The device performs navigation functions using the GPS module.
- MicroUSB is indispensable when it is necessary to synchronize the device with a PC or when charging the integrated battery.
- 3,The 5mm audio port allows you to output the sound from your smartphone to an external speaker system.
Soft
Initially, the 4th version of "Android" is preinstalled on this gadget. But the first time you connect to the World Wide Web, the Zenfone 5 firmware will automatically update to its 5th version. These updates became available for download in April 2015. Otherwise, the set of system software on this smartphone is standard. There are typical clients for social networks (Facebook, Twitter). Also, the programmers did not forget about the utilities from the search giant (Chrome, Jimil +, mail client). And finally, it should also be noted that there are integrated mini-applications (“Calendar”, “Contacts”, “Calculator”). The new owner will have to install everything else on their new device.
Price
Depending on the technical parameters, the cost of Zenfone 5 changes significantly. The price for the most affordable modifications starts at $160. For that money, you get 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of integrated disk space, and a 4-module CPU from Qualcom. But a more progressive modification of this device with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage with a 2-core CPU from Intel costs $235. Well, for the most advanced version of the gadget, you will have to pay even more - about $ 320.
Reviews
Essentially, there are only three significant drawbacks of the Zenfone 5. Reviews highlight such disadvantages:
- Battery capacity is small. It's a questionsolved by purchasing an additional external battery.
- Large body sizes that are even larger than some 5.2-inch models. Alas, this minus will have to get used to.
- Low maximum screen brightness of 263cd/m2. This value will be clearly not enough for comfortable work on a bright sunny day.
But users noticed much more advantages of this smartphone:
- Productive processor.
- Updated and fresh software platform.
- Flexible choice of device depending on the memory subsystem.
- Impeccable build quality of the gadget.
Results
Be that as it may, Zenfone 5 really boasts good technical parameters. At the same time, the cost of the basic version of the gadget is only $160. All in all, this is a great buy for those looking for an affordable smart phone with good everyday features.
