Technology major Asus has launched Zenfone Ares with top-of-the-line camera hardware. However, the specs of the device are identical to Google Tango smartphone Zenfone AR.
On the bright side, the new Zenfone Ares can be grabbed for TWD 9,990 (approx. Rs 22,553), less than half the price of the Zenfone AR, which by the way came with a launch price of Rs 49,999 in India.
Zenfone Ares features 5.7-inch WQHD screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core with 6GB/8GB RAM, 32GB/63GB/128GB/256GB internal storage, Android Oreo, 8MP front camera and a 3300mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.
The highlight of the Asus phone is its feature-rich 23 MP rear shooter. It comes with f/2.0 aperture, 6 P Largan lens m Fix Focus, Auto Focus, 0.03 second laser auto-focus, 32 second long exposure, Close-up macro photography (5 cm), 3X optical zoom / 12X total zoom, 4-axis, 4 stops Optical Image Stabilization for steady photos, Phase Detection AF / 2nd gen Laser AF / Continuous AF
Colour correction (RGB) sensor for the best white balance and natural-looking colours, RAW file support, Blue Glass IR Filter, Zero Shutter Lag, LED flash, Dual-LED real tone flash, 4K video recording.
Furthermore, it also comes with a feature-rich 8MP camera with f/2.0 aperture 85˚ wide-viewing angle, fixed focus, Auto Focus and Dual-LED real tone flash.
It can be noted the Zenfone Ares does not come with Tango features including advanced sensors and computer-vision software developed by Google that enables unique AR (Augmented Reality) user experiences on a smartphone, such as AR gaming, AR utilities, and indoor navigation. And, the phone also supports Google's Daydream platform for high quality, mobile virtual reality and Daydream VR (Virtual Reality) apps. With such top-notch technology, Asus Zenfone AR owners will be able to enjoy the immersive 3D-shopping experience on an e-commerce website.
Having said that, the new Zenfone Ares is still a good phone for its price. As of now, it is available only in Taiwan. There is no word when it will be released in other markets.
Key specifications of Asus Zenfone Ares:
| Models | Asus Zenfone Ares |
| Display | 5.7-inch WQHD (2560x1440p) super AMOLED screen
Touch:
|
| OS | Android 7.0 with brand-new ASUS ZenUI 3.0 |
| Processor | 2.35GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (Kryo cores x 4) quad-core |
| GPU | Adreno 530 |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 32GB / 64GB / 128GB / 256GB (UFS v2.0), expandable up to 2TB |
| Camera | Main:
Front:
|
| Pixel Master 3.0 camera mode | Back Light (HDR) Mode, Low Light Mode, Manual Mode (for DSLR-like camera detail settings), Real Time Beautification Mode, Super Resolution Mode (for up to 4X resolution photos), Night Mode, Depth of Field Mode, Photo Effect Mode, Selfie Panorama, Selfie Mode, GIF Animation Mode, Panorama Selfie Mode, Miniature Mode, Time Rewind Mode, Smart Remove Mode, All Smiles Mode, Slow Motion Mode, Time Lapse Mode, Panorama Mode |
| Battery | 3300mAh (non-removable)
|
| Network | 4G-LTE |
| Add-ons | Fingerprint sensor, dual-SIM (type: nano), Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; dual-band: 5GHz & 2.4GHz 2x2 MIMO support), A-GPS, GLONASS/BDS, USB Type –C 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC (Near Field Communication)Audio:
|
| Dimensions | 158.67 x 77.7 x 4.6 ~ 8.95 mm |
| Weight | 170g |
| Colours | Leather-like finish: Charcoal Black Premium-crafted metallic diamond-cut |
| Price | TWD 9,990 (approx. Rs 22,553) |
