Asus

Asus Zenfone 2: Specifications & Price of World’s First 4GB RAM Smartphone

Asus shared some glorious sales numbers at CES 2015 mentioning that it shipped over 1.5 million Zenfones per month during the past quarter (Q4 2014). Alongside this mighty achievement, Asus also announced two new smartphones – the Zenfone 2 and the Zenfone Zoom to join the Zenfone series. Zenfone 2 is a nice upgrade over Asus’s previous Zenfone devices which were launched at their CES event last year. Let’s take a closer look at the specifications, price and availability of Zenfone 2.

Specifications of Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML/ZE550ML/ZE500CL)

The name might turn out to be a confusion as there was no Zenfone 1, instead there were Zenfone 4, 5 and 6. For those who are feeling that Zenfone 2 is a downgrade over the last gen devices, it is not. Same can be confirmed from the specifications listed below.

Asus has created a lot of confusion as there are multiple versions of Zenfone 2 with different specifications. Please read the detailed specifications on the packaging before purchasing. Specs listed below are not claimed to be fully accurate (Blame Asus for the confusion).
Category Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML/ZE550ML)
Zenfone 2 (ZE500CL)
Display 5.5″ 1920×1090 (Full HD, IPS, Gorilla Glass 3)
w/ 403 PPI [ZE551ML]5.5″ 720p (IPS, Gorilla Glass 3) [ ZE550ML]
5.0″ 720×1080  (IPS)
w/293 PPI
Processor (CPU) 2.3 Ghz Intel Atom Z3580 (Quad Core) [ZE551ML] 1.8 Ghz Intel Atom Z3560 (Quad Core) [ZE550ML] 1.6 Ghz Intel Atom Z2560 (Dual Core)
Graphics (GPU) PowerVR G6430 PowerVR SGX544MP2
RAM 4GB (LPDDR3) – ZE551ML
2GB (LPDDR3) – ZE550ML
2GB LPDDR2
OS Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
ZenUI
Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
ZenUI
Storage Internal: 16GB, 32GB & 64GB (3 versions)
Expendable upto 64Gb via MicroSD Card
Cloud Storage: 5GB on Asus WebStorage (Lifetime)
Internal: 16GB
Expendable upto 64Gb via MicroSD Card
Cloud Storage: 5GB on Asus WebStorage (Lifetime)
Camera Primary: 13MP Pixelmaster f/2.0 w/ AutoFocus
Front: 5MP Pixelmaster f/2.0
Pixelmaster Features: Low Light mode / Backlight (HDR) mode / Enhanced Beautification mode / Manual mode / Zero shutter lag
Primary: 8MP Pixelmaster f/2.0 w/ AutoFocus
Front: 2MP Pixelmaster f/2.0
Network Dual-SIM (Dual Active)
2G, 3G and 4G (LTE Cat. 4) support
2G, 3G and 4G (LTE Cat. 4) support
Connectivity WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm audio jack
MicroUSB (w/ OTG Support)
WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm audio jack
MicroUSB (w/ OTG Support)
Sensors Accelerometer, proximity, ambient-light, gyroscopic, digital compass and Hall-effect sensors Accelerometer, proximity, ambient-light, gyroscopic, digital compass
Colors Available Glacier Gray / Osmium Black / Glamour Red / Ceramic White / Sheer Gold Osmium Black, Glamour Red, Ceramic White
Battery 3000 mAh 2500 mAh
Dimensions 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 ~ 3.9 mm
Weight: 170gms
148.1 x 71.5 x 10.9 mm
Weight: 155gms

The overall design hasn’t changed much and the Zenfone 2 makes even more use of the similar brushed metal finish which is popularized by the last gen Zenfone devices and loved by the users. The phone’s back is curved and is as thin as 3.99 mm at the edges making it easier to hold and makes the phone look pretty slim. The navigation keys are capacitive and not on-screen if this matters to you.

zenfone 2 color variations
Asus Zenfone 2

The power button is located at the top, which might not be an easy access for such a large phone. The pack sports the 13MP Pixelmaster camera and the Dual-LED flash. The volume controls are also pushed to the back in order to keep the sides thinner.

Coming to the features, there are some key additions such as the Kids mode (Parental Controls), Zenmotion (tap to switch to single-handed use), SnapView (Secure apps, photos and files. Also keep separate personal and business stuff),

Price and Availability of Asus Zenfone 2

The Zenfone 2 is scheduled to be made available in March 2015, but it will surely take Asus till end of April or early May before all the target markets start receiving a supply of new Zenfone devices. If you’re from Taiwn, you can already start ordering some of the versions of the phone.

Update: During the official launch in Taiwan, Asus has released pricing of other models as well. Here’s a rough conversion of the same into other currencies. However do note that official prices in different regions can be slightly lower or higher than the ones listed below.

Model Price (NTD, Taiwan) Price (USD) Price (INR) Price (PHP)
2.3Ghz + 32GB + 4GB RAM ( ZE551ML) 8990 $285 ₹17999 ₱12599
1.8Ghz + 32GB + 2GB RAM ( ZE551ML) 6990 $220 ₹13999 ₱9799
1.8Ghz + 16GB + 2GB RAM ( 720p display – ZE550ML) 5990 $190 ₹11999 ₱8499
1.6 Ghz +16GB +2GB RAM (5″ 720p display – ZE500CL) 4990 $160 ₹9999 ₱6999

Do the specifications, features and price of Zenfone 2 devices excite you enough? Let us know below 🙂

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