After hosting a series of successful Zenfone Max Pro (M1) flash sale, Asus has now finally managed to get over the supply-demand gap in India.
Starting 2 August, the feature-rich Zenfone Max Pro will be made available 24 x 7 exclusively on Flipkart and consumers can buy the device at any time of their convenience. However, the open sale only for two variants— 3GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage-- costs Rs 10,999 and Rs 12,999, respectively. There is no word on when the top-end model 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage (Rs 14,999) will be made available via an open sale.
Is Zenfone Max Pro worth investing your money?
Yes! Currently, Zenfone Max Pro is the most cost-effective phone in the mid-range segment. It has the most efficient processor, pure Android OS experience, biggest battery and a good set of dual-camera hardware on the back. It also has a single-snapper on the front and decent build quality among other features.
I reviewed the two variants of the Zenfone Max Pro—4 GB RAM + 64GB and 6 GB RAM + 64 GB—and are both great. I have to say that the latter has got a better camera hardware and it lives up to the expectations. The low-end storage models are also really good for the price. Except for the bump in the camera and the RAM capacity, everything else remains the same in all these models.
Now with Asus India's announcement, people need not have to wait for flash sale any more. With the Redmi Note 5 Pro availability still scarce, Zenfone Max Pro is best alternate mid-range Android phone.
Asus Zenfone Max Pro comes with a 5.99-inch full HD + screen, pure Android Oreo, Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core processor and Android 8.1 Oreo. It also comes with 3 GB /4 GB / 6 GB RAM, 32 GB / 64 GB storage and a massive 5,000mAh battery, which is more than enough keep the phone running for two days easily under regular usage.
As far as the camera is concerned, the top-end Asus model houses advanced camera hardware: 16 MP + 5 MP dual camera on the back and a 16 MP front snapper as compared to generic models which come with 13 MP + 5 MP rear sensors and an 8 MP front shooter.
Asus Zenfone Max Pro vs competition:
The Zenfone Max Pro will be up against the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Moto G6, Honor 9N and Tecno Camon iClick among others.
For those unaware, the generic Redmi Note 5 comes with 5.99-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) FullView screen with 18:9 aspect ratio and come packed Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core, 3GB/4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB storage, Android Nougat-based MIUI 9.5 OS, hybrid SI slots, 3.5mm audio jack, single 12MP primary camera, a 5MP front snapper and a 4,000mAh battery.
On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 Pro series will flaunt a 5.99-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) FullView screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. Under-the-hood, it features Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core backed by 4GB/6GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 3.5mm audio jack, 12MP+5MP dual-camera on the back, a 20MP shooter on the front and a 4,000mAh battery.
Key specifications of Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1):
| Models | Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M1) |
| Display | 5.99-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) IPS screen with 2.5D (front) curved glass
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| OS | Android Oreo 8.1 OS |
| Processor | 64-bit class 14nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core |
| GPU | Adreno 509 |
| RAM | 3GB/4GB/6GB |
| Storage | 32GB/64GB (eMCP) + expandable up to 1TB via microSD card |
| Camera |
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| Battery | 5,000mAh with fast charging capability
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| Network | 4G-LTE (Cat. 4) |
| Add-ons | Dual-SIM slots + dedicated microSD card, fingerprint sensor, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), micro USB port, 5-magnet loudspeaker, dual microphones, 2nd gen NXP SMART amplifier, A-GPS, GLONASS, |
| Dimensions | 159.0 x 76.0 x 8.46 mm |
| Weight | 180g |
| Colors | Black/ Gray |
| Price |
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