What do you put in a flagship? The latest processor, a gigantic RAM, a camera that relieves you of lugging a DSLR around, and if you want to go full tilt, do away with the bezels, and add snazzy new technology or features.
The Zenfone AR, the latest from Asus’ stable, raises its hand to be added to the list of heavy duty smartphones that we are now used to seeing. Apart from the specs though, the Zenfone AR’s talking point is that it’s both Tango and Daydream-ready (Google’s own Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) projects). I had earlier written about what the phone was like, having experienced its main features at the launch event, last month. Here’s how it behaved, on full-fledged use.
Draped in leather
With its 5.7-inch screen size and generous bezels, the phone has a no-nonsense, sober look. Not that it makes the Zenfone AR unattractive. It’s just a different look and feel the phone carries. While most other flagships tend to go the shiny and slippery way, this one attempts something different; and succeeds. I really liked the back, in particular; the textured leather finish looking classy, while at the same time eliminating the possibility of smudges or fingerprints. It also ensures the phone doesn’t slip out of your grasp too easily and though Asus has included a transparent back cover in the box, you could well use the phone without it.
The bottom bezel houses the home button that doubles up as a fingerprint sensor, along with the navigation keys. The home button needs to be pressed if you want to return home from apps and initially, I was a little confused when it didn’t respond to my brushing a finger over it. The dual hybrid SIM slot is on the left, with the volume rockers and power button on the right. The bottom houses the USB C port, headphone jack, and loudspeaker.
Asus’ Tricam system, which enables the phone’s Tango capabilities, is on the rear, bunched together in a smooth metallic exterior assembly, along with the flash. The Tricam assembly adds to the phone’s premium looks.
Performs well
Before getting to the AR and VR capabilities on this device, let’s get the other stuff out of the way. The Zenfone AR gets a full 8 GB of RAM, along with 128 GB of internal storage, which is expandable. The Snapdragon 821 processor isn’t as new or capable as the latest 835, but then again, there are only a mere handful of smartphones currently running Qualcomm’s latest powerhouse. And the S821 does fine, aided by the massive RAM, helping it multitask quite seamlessly.
The generous screen size allows for viewing to be a pleasant experience. The display is a capable 2560 x 1440 2K Super AMOLED, WQHD protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Enable the lock screen and watch that display come alive, with some very pretty lock screen images that keep changing (a feature on Zenfones). Watching movies and TV shows on this one is a pleasure too, and this is even before strapping the Daydream headset on.
The Zenfone AR runs Android 7.0 out of the box, topped with the Zen UI, and this is where, as is normal with Asus phones, one laments the unnecessary bloatware. You may not notice it at first, but when the notification bar suddenly flashes “xx apps updated”, the data you’ve lost in downloading them dawns on you. Honestly, the company should just shave off these apps to provide for a better user experience.
For a phone with these features and specs, Asus really should have had a more capable battery. The 3,300mAh that juices the Zenfone AR is enough as long as you don’t game too much or extensively use the AR and VR apps. But then again, given that the phone is for AR and VR applications, you’d want the battery to last longer. It supports quick charge and the charger in the box powers the battery back up fast enough.
The 23 MP primary camera, with an f/2.0 aperture and Sony’s IMX318 sensor, does a good job during the day and even well-lit indoors. The modes that are included are useful too. I especially enjoyed clicking pictures with the HDR Pro mode, which optimises exposure to give you a shot with the right brightness, and the Super Resolution mode that creates a high resolution picture — all 92 Megapixels on it — for better viewing on a larger screen. However, despite the low light mode, night photography leaves you with images polluted with noise and a grainy picture. Though you can use the pro mode to get decent images, if you’re adept at tweaking the settings yourself. The front camera is a capable 8 MP that works for selfies and also has Asus Beautification Mode that can manufacture a made-up, ready-for-shoot model’s face out of your own.
Manufacture reality
The S821 processor is optimised for Tango and along with the Tricam system (primary camera for capturing the surrounding, Infrared depth sensing camera for gauging the distance, and motion sensing camera to track movement), delivers what it is supposed to. Using AR apps on this phone is a lot of fun and the hardware of the phone keeps pace. However, it is let down by the battery and you’ll notice how fast it heats up, when AR apps are running. Nonetheless, the phone came preloaded with AR games and apps, including the BMW i Visualiser, that lets you customise and explore a BMW right in front of you, virtually. Though AR apps aren’t as many as we’d like them to be, this is a space that is only growing, and the Zenfone AR will find a lot more such apps to add to it, going forward. A useful AR app is Google Measure, which measures objects just by pointing your phone at them, and the Tricam does its job.
One of the very few phones in the market that is Daydream ready, the Zenfone AR lets you experience the world of VR. It comes preloaded with Youtube VR and Google’s Street View. If you are a Netflix user, just download Netflix VR, slide in the phone to the Daydream headset, and get transported to your own home theater system. The five-magnet speaker on the phone ensures that the audio keeps pace with the VR experience and you don’t have to worry about how you’ll connect an external speaker. Asus’ claimed 1 ms of response time and the low 2 ms of image persistence ensures a smooth VR experience that syncs with your head movements.
Again, as with the AR experience, the VR too is let down by a fast-draining battery and heating issues. After a mere half-hour into a movie, the paranoia of having a very hot device right in front of my eyes caught up with me and I gave it a rest.
At ₹49,999, the price is in the flagship range. But it does give you new features to toy around with and is also quite a capable device otherwise.
Price: ₹49,999
Pros: Fast performance, looks, AR and VR ready, humungous memory
Cons: Battery could’ve been bigger, heats up, camera not at par with flagships, bloatware
(The article first appeared in The Hindu BusinessLine.)