Asus Zenfone Max M2, Pro M2 hands-on: First impression

Taiwanese consumer electronics major, Asus unveiled the Zenfone Max M2 series, the successor of the company's popular Zenfone Max M1 and Pro M1 in India on December 11.

Both the devices come with decent upgrades over the predecessor in terms of design and also the internal hardware, while the price has been kept almost same, making them value-for-money phones in the highly competitive mid-range and budget segments in the country.

Prior to the launch, Asus offered both the Zenfone Max M2 and the Pro M2 units to International Business Times India Edition for review. I have spent quite some time with both the devices and here's my take on them.

Design, build quality and display:

The top-end Max M2 Pro sports a premium shell on the back with a good mix of metal and glass. It wonderfully encapsulates the frame and blends into gorgeous 2.5D display on the front. It is one of the best visually appealing phone in the mid-range segment.

On the front, it sports 6.26-inch full HD+ screen with Gorilla Glass 6 series, which no other rival branded phone can boast in its class. Even the top-end range too, there are hardly two or three phones with the latest Corning-made shield.

On the other hand, the Max M2 comes with same 6.26-inch screen size but with HD+ resolution. It is also sleek and weighs less compared to M2 Pro, but when held in hand, you can feel the sturdiness.

Processor, RAM and storage:

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core backed by 3GB/4GB/6GB RAM and 32GB/64GB storage (expandable up to 2TB via micro SD).

The Zenfone Max M2 comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 octa-core, 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB storage (expandable up to 2TB via micro SD).

Having spent a brief time with both the devices, I didn't notice any discernible issue in terms of lag-ness during launching an app or switching between multiple apps or while using the camera for that matter. Both worked fine. I need more time to fully run the phones through their paces.

Camera:

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 sports a feature-rich dual-camera module, one primary 12MP with Sony IMX486 sensor, F1.8 aperture, 6p lens, 1.25µm lens and a dedicated 5MP depth sensor. It also boasts Electronic Image Stabilisation and 4K Video recording and LED flash.

I am particularly impressed with the Zenfone Max Pro M2's primary camera and plan to test in various other light environments [until then check our sample shots below].

On the front, it features a 13MP with F2.0 aperture, 1.12µm sensor and a LED flash, which will help get good quality images even in dark light condition.

On the other hand, Max M2 too flaunts dual-camera on the back, but they are watered down to cut costs. Nevertheless, it takes decent pictures under natural light conditions. It comes with a 13MP (with F1.8 aperture) and a 2MP depth sensor with LED flash and 4K Video recording capability. It also features 8MP front-facing snapper with F2.0 aperture and a LED flash.

Battery:

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 houses a massive 5,000mAh battery and having used the predecessor, I believe, the new model will also offer at least one and half days of battery.

On the other hand, the generic Max M2 comes with a 4,000mAh cell, which is more than sufficient to offer a whole day's battery life under mixed usage.

Initial impression:

Going by the price and the specifications, Asus has delivered a masterstroke with the two new phones—Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 & Max M2—and are well poised to disrupt the market in their respective mid-range and budget categories in India. Be sure to come back next week for the full review.

The company has confirmed that the Zenfone Max Pro M2 and the Max M2 will go on sale exclusively on Flipkart on December 18 and December 20, respectively.

Key specifications of Asus Zenfone Max M2 and Pro M2: