⇡ Battery life. Advantages and disadvantages

A bit of taxonomy to begin with. To write the headline that you see in front of you, I had to step on my throat - there are few words that I like less than the “phablet”. But for the surgical accuracy of the description, this, unfortunately, is necessary. It is he, the gadget, stuck at a distance of 0.2 inches from becoming a tablet. But at the same time, he definitely already stopped being a smartphone. There aren’t so many like him: someone suggests calling phablets - or, a little more ironically, shades - devices with displays that are more than 5.5 inches diagonal (starting with the Plus iPhone series), but this has long been normal ordinary smartphones. However, there are phones with screens larger than six inches - I suggest that they be allocated to a subclass of phablets.

Well, ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra can be considered a bright representative of this class. He got a mid-high platform by today's standards, the power of Qualcomm Snapdragon 652, 3 or 4 GB of RAM, depending on the modification, 64/128 GB of flash memory. Its main distinguishing features, in addition to the gigantic display, are the claimed serious multimedia capabilities: True2Life + technology should optimize the image, and stereo speakers with many magnets, an NXP Smart AMP amplifier and SonicMaster 3.0 proprietary software processing system should help with sound. Also here, for the first time in the world, DTS Headphone: X surround sound technology has been applied. That is, in fact, we are really dealing with the closest relative of tablets, which were thought of as bedside gadgets for web surfing, games and watching videos. Let's see how in Zenfone 3 Ultra this hypostasis gets along with the fact that this, in fact, is also a phone.

⇡ Specifications

⇡ Appearance, ergonomics, software

In appearance, the Zenfone 3 Ultra clearly shows the continuity with respect to past “zenphones”, which was not the case with the Deluxe version or the usual Zenfone 3. The thing is in the volume control button on the rear panel: the characteristic feature of ASUS smartphones is here, while on small devices This year the place was taken by an oblong fingerprint scanner - although, admittedly, the designers were able to adhere to the form.

Ultra is also not without a scanner, but it moved to the "Home" button, which is located under the display - this is just a completely new element for Zenfone. In Ultra sizes allow such freedom. By the way, despite the fact that the device seems huge in all directions, it is actually quite thin - 6.8 mm. It was made wonderfully - from a single piece of aluminum, without plastic inserts: the manufacturer managed to ensure the normal operation of the antennas without dielectric inclusions. Looking ahead, I’ll say: yes, I really succeeded, I did not notice any problems with communication.

There are three color options: silver (Glacier Silver), gray (Titanium Gray) and pink (Metallic Pink). They all look good, in addition, the all-metal body almost does not collect fingerprints, it is not easy to slap it.

ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra, front panel: above the display - the front camera lens, earpiece, light sensor and status indicator; under the display - a mechanical key "Home" with a built-in fingerprint sensor and two touch keys - "Back" and a menu of open applications

The display is covered by Gorilla Glass 4, but this is the only part of the phone to which the word "protected" applies. Dust and moisture protection are not declared, so it is better not to drop the gadget into the bathroom, and you should not wash it, and in case of a fall, the case will most likely be rumpled. And glass can still not withstand such treatment.

In general, the Zenfone 3 Ultra is a very nice and well-executed gadget, but the usual measures to evaluate its design and ergonomics are not applicable. Any performance delights are lost because of its size, and talking about the possibility of controlling with one hand is completely ridiculous - there is none.

ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra: Top: 3.5mm Mini Jack and Microphone

ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra: bottom side: stereo speakers, microphone and USB Type-C port

You can’t get to the corners of the display, so the giants also have their own problems - for example, reaching the volume control key is very inconvenient, you have to intercept the device or press it with your second hand, while the first holds the device by the ribs. Still, it’s good that the developers did not put the fingerprint scanner in the same place - otherwise unlocking the device would turn into a real adventure every time.

The power button is also reasonably placed on the right side. There are also slots for SIM cards (one is nano, the other is micro). The one for nano-SIM is combined, as is usually the case, with a slot for a memory card.

The fingerprint scanner here is ordinary, capacitive - so that it demonstrates the standard level of recognition success for a modern smartphone. As long as the skin is not damaged and the entire surface of the print corresponds to what the device remembered, unlocking occurs instantly. You don’t even need to press a button: just put your finger on it - and after a split second you go to the main menu. But if you scratch your finger a little, the problems begin. In general, it is worth regularly rewriting fingerprints or allowing the device to remember several different fingers - you will not scratch everything.

Using a scanner in Zenfone 3 Ultra, you can unlock your device and answer incoming calls.

ASUS is one of the most important players in the notebook market. In addition to them, the company produces smartphones, but their phones have never claimed to be the best. However, the situation changed when the Taiwanese brought some interesting devices to the Computex exhibition.

Like many manufacturers, ASUS introduced the flagship smartphone, its simplified version (but unlike most without the “Lite” prefix) and a large-sized device. The latest is the ZenFone 3 Ultra, which is easily confused with the tablet. Phablet release date - 2016.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra is equipped with a Super AMOLED matrix.

Specifications

The main feature of the phone is a large 6.8-inch screen. To ensure autonomy, the developers had to install a powerful battery, which affected the weight of the device.

In addition to the size of the display, the phablet received a good hardware platform. It is weaker than the flagship Deluxe model, but when performing basic tasks in everyday work, there will be no problems. Specifications provide a high level of performance.

There are no problems with memory. The device is available in specifications 3/32 GB, 4/64 GB and 4/128 GB. If necessary, you can expand the internal storage using a memory card, but in this case, you need to abandon the SIM card.

Packaging and packaging

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra is sold in the same box as the flagship of the third generation. It has the shape of a box, on the top cover of which there is only the name of the model. Standard equipment:

• Phone.
• Headphones with 3 pairs of spare ear pads.
• Instruction
• Warranty card.
• A clip for withdrawing the SIM card slot.
• USB Types-C Sync Cable
• Power adapter.

Video

Appearance and design

Despite the fact that the hero of the review is one of the largest smartphones in the world, he did not lose his attractiveness. The dimensions of the phablet are 186.4x93.9x6.8 mm. The giant weighs 233 g. You can buy a device in dark gray, pink and silver color schemes, while the front panel is painted to match the overall color of the case. It's nice that ASUS decided to move away from its concept to always leave the front panel black.

Color palette ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.

A few words about ergonomics: it is not. It is impossible to control the smartphone with one hand, not to mention the fact that you can’t reach the top edge of the display with your thumb without grabbing the phone in your hand. The body is made of metal. The back and front panels of the device are flat, and the side frames are slightly rounded. The phablet is assembled qualitatively, as is customary with a non-separable phone. There are no creaks when squeezing.

On the front panel there are elements typical for any smartphone: a front camera peephole, sensors, an LED, a speaker speaker grill and navigation keys. Two side control buttons are touch-sensitive and have their own backlight, and between them is the hardware Home button. A fingerprint sensor is hidden in it. To unlock the smartphone, you need not just put your finger on the scanner, but press the button. All three elements are not located in the center, but closer to the lower end. What caused this decision by the manufacturer remains a mystery.

The back panel is matte and does not collect fingerprints. In its lower part is the inscription “Zenfone”, and in the upper left corner are the main camera module, a two-section flash and an autofocus laser. Also on the rear panel, the manufacturer placed a dual mechanical volume control button. She does not bulge, which is why it is difficult to find. In more compact models of ASUS smartphones, such a location of the volume rocker was a good solution, but not in ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.

The manufacturer placed two separate connectors on the right side face. The top one is designed exclusively for a Nano-format SIM card, and the bottom one can be either Micro-SIM or a Micro SD memory card. Even lower is the hardware button on / off the smartphone. The left sidewall remained free.

At the upper end there was a place for audio output and an additional microphone. The USB Type-C port, the main microphone and multimedia speaker were brought to the bottom. All elements are not located in the center, but with a slight shift towards the back panel. Why? Unclear. ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra can charge other devices in USB OTG mode.

Display

The hero of the review received an IPS display, unlike Deluxe, which is equipped with a Super AMOLED matrix. The screen resolution is 1920 × 1080 pixels, and the diagonal is 6.8 inches. Another mystery is why ASUS didn’t equip their device with Quad HD. With its size and current resolution, the pixel density is 218 dpi. Such an indicator immediately catches the eye, since everyone is used to numbers from 400 ppi. The screen is covered with a fourth-generation Gorilla Glass protective glass. There is an oleophobic coating, thanks to which the display does not get dirty quickly.

You can adjust the brightness yourself or activate the automatic tuning mode, which works quickly and adequately based on the light sensor. Thanks to Tru2Life + proprietary technology, you can optimize the sharpness and contrast of the image. It is part of the hardware and software tools that are used to improve image quality and are collectively called ASUS Visual Master 3.0.

The screen is covered with a fourth-generation Gorilla Glass protective glass.

The sensor responds to 10 simultaneous taps. In the screen settings, you can activate the "Gloved" mode. It is possible to manually adjust the contrast and color tone. The Blue Filter option is used to protect eyesight. After its activation, the colors take on yellowish hues. This filter is applied at night.

The ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra screen has natural color reproduction when choosing a standard color mode. By default, a mode called SuperColor is selected in the smartphone. Colors look oversaturated and unnatural.

Good visibility in the sun is achieved not due to the high maximum brightness, but due to the anti-glare properties of the screen. In complete darkness, a minimum brightness level is enough for comfortable work with the phone.

Software

Out of the box, the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra runs on Android 6.0. ZenUI, the proprietary ASUS shell, is responsible for the interface. It has its advantages and disadvantages. The main plus is the appearance. It's nice to look at the system. The disadvantages of the proprietary shell from version to version include the presence of a large number of pre-installed applications. But I must say thanks to the developers for the fact that almost all programs can be deleted independently.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra runs on Android 6.0.

Not without the one-handed control mode, but its benefits are not very noticeable due to the dimensions of the smartphone. Got a phablet and gesture support. By drawing a letter on a locked display, you can start an application. For example, the letter “W” opens the weather application, and “E” starts the clock.

Delete all pre-installed programs is not worth it. ZenUI has a file manager and a phone manager. The latter performs many functions. With it, you can remove programs, optimize the system, or configure the energy saving mode.

Developers left Google services. They also added a company store where you can download and install hundreds of themes.

Screenshots of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra display.

The notification shutter is made in a typical ZenUI style. Almost nothing remained of the stock Android 6.0. The panel will open if you hold your fingers on the tap from top to bottom. The date and time are displayed in the curtain, and 16 icons are located, of which the main ones can be distinguished:

• Wi-fi
• Bluetooth
• Data transfer.
• Airplane mode.
• Wi-Fi hotspot.
• Auto-rotate screen.
• Torch.

Screenshots of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra display using a theme.

Sound

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra has a high-quality sound level. The multimedia speaker has a sufficient volume margin. In a noisy environment you can watch a movie. The sound is not distorted. Even when playing music at full volume, the speaker produces a bright, clear and rich sound without wheezing. Sound quality is achieved through Sonic Master 3.0 technology.

The loudness reserve of the spoken speaker is enough to fulfill its main task. The interlocutor is audible well and clearly. The noise reduction system also performs its function.

The sound in the headphones can also be called high-quality. The smartphone comes with a branded wired headset called ZenEarS. To improve the sound, DTS Headphone X technology is used.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra speaker with Sonic Master 3.0 technology.

Performance

The heart of the phablet is not the most powerful Snapdragon 652 processor. The Adreno 510 3D accelerator is responsible for the graphics. The device is sold in specifications with 3/4 GB of RAM. This volume is sufficient not only to solve simple everyday tasks, but also to run games. There are also configurations with 32/64/128 GB of user memory "on board".

If there is not enough internal memory, you can install a memory card. In the settings, you can’t format the flash drive so that applications are installed on it. It is also impossible to transfer them to the memory card from the internal storage. This is one of the minuses of the pair of Android 6.0 and ZenUI 3.0.

The smartphone’s hardware allows it to demonstrate average results in benchmarks. So, AnTuTu awards him a little over 80 thousand points. This is 17 thousand more than the ASUS ZenFone 3, which runs on the 625th “dragon”.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor with a purity of 1.8 GHz.

In GeekBench, the result of the review hero is 1,450 points in Single-Core mode and almost 3,100 in Multi-Core mode. The ZenFone 3 scores are 830 in the Single-Core Score and 4100 in the Multi-Core Score. In the 3D MarkIce Storm Sling Shot test, the result of ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra is almost two times higher than that of the younger model - 880 points versus 470 points.

With prolonged loads, the smartphone case begins to heat up. Heating is not critical. It is localized on the right side of the device, and the temperature is 36 degrees, i.e. is within the permissible limits.

The phablet plays Full HD video files at 24 fps and AAC sound. Both regular and third-party players experience problems when playing videos with AC3 sound. You can run 4K video files on the phone with a frame rate of up to 30 fps. Video with a frequency of 50 and 60 frames per second will not be played.

When you start a video in a resolution of 1980x1080 pixels, the picture opens exactly along the borders of the display in the original resolution. The frames are not lost, the video does not slow down, and the soundtrack does not lag behind the picture.

Camera

The main camera is 23 MP, and the front camera is 8 MP.

The smartphone has two cameras. The front-end received a module with an aperture of f / 2.4 and autofocus, but without a flash. Its resolution is 8 megapixels. The camera interface has many settings designed specifically for those who like to take selfie pictures.

Photos are of medium quality. Good shots are obtained in daylight conditions. The pictures are clear and the small details do not disappear. If you wish, you can find fault and find areas in the photo where software processing is noticeable, but for most owners of ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra this does not matter.

The main camera has a 23-megapixel resolution with f / 2.0 aperture. She also received TriTech triple autofocus. You can take four pictures of 16 megapixels each and then combine them into a 64-megapixel photo.

In manual mode, you can adjust the white balance, adjust the focus and ISO yourself. Pictures can be saved in RAW format. In addition to manual, you can activate other modes, for example: HDR, HDR Pro, panoramic shooting, low light and others.

Video is recorded in a maximum resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. At the same time, the device allows you to record in Full HD format with a frame rate of 60 fps. There is also a slow-motion mode. Video is of good quality, but stabilization does not always help to improve it when recording in motion. Sound is recorded with an echo effect. This is one of the significant drawbacks of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.

As a result, the hero of the review has two high-quality cameras that cope not only with documentary shooting, but also with art. They function without failures, but in places the images lack sharpness. Although there is software processing, it does not significantly degrade the quality of photos.

Battery

ASUSZenFone 3 Ultra received a non-removable battery with a capacity of 4600 mAh. It may immediately seem that the battery is huge and the device does not discharge for several days. In fact, this is completely different. Despite the high declared battery capacity, the hero of the review is not a long-liver. On the contrary, the smartphone shows the same results as phones with less capacious batteries. There may be two reasons for this:

• Big screen.
• Not an energy efficient hardware platform.

If you remove the phablet from charging at the beginning of the day before going to work, in the evening of the same day it will again have to be connected to the network. And this is in normal use. If you watch movies on your smartphone, play and surf the Internet a lot, especially via 3G, you will have to run several times a day to the outlet.

It takes 2 hours to fully charge the smartphone.

In read mode, the phone is able to work for 16 hours. This is 4 hours longer than the battery of the younger model “lives”, but its capacity is 3000 mAh. The hero of the review is on par with smartphones such as ASUS ZenFone 3 Max and Umi Plus, which received batteries with a capacity of 4130 mAh and 4000 mAh, respectively.

In three-dimensional games mode, ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra defeats all its competitors, demonstrating battery life at the level of 7 hours. This is 2 hours more than the ZenFone 3 Max and Umi Plus can handle.

The situation in the video mode is radically changing. When watching a video in the resolution of 1280x720 on the Internet via Wi-Fi with average brightness settings, a full battery charge will last only 9 hours. Even the younger model is able to "live" 40 minutes longer. ZenFone 3 Max works in video mode for 11 hours, and the best result shows Umi Plus - 15 hours of battery life

Thus, ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra cannot boast of a high level of autonomy despite the presence of a capacious battery. From zero to 100%, the battery charges in 2 hours, because the device supports the proprietary Boost Master fast charging. For example, the cheaper ZenFone 3 Max with a less capacious battery takes 3 hours to fully charge it. Wireless charging technology is not supported.

Advantages and disadvantages

A gadget with a good platform will be relevant for many years.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra is the third generation smartphone of the ZenFone line. It is large in size and will be popular among fans of watching movies on the phone. Its main advantages:

• Big screen.
• Specifications.
• Performance.
• Camera features.
• Volumes of operative and user memory.
• USB Type-C.

As for the shortcomings, the hero of the review also has them, albeit not as many as the pluses. The main disadvantages of the phone:

• Low level of autonomy.
• Poor ergonomics.

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is a large metal phablet, comparable in size, rather, with 7-inch tablets than with smartphones.

Outwardly, the phone looks nice, but a little strange. On the front side it is almost invisible - rather thin frames, a physical key with a fingerprint scanner under the screen and two touch buttons on its sides. I am glad that they have a backlight, the same Zenfone 3 ZE520KL does not have it. However, in our opinion, the buttons are too close to each other - you need to get used to it when you hold the smartphone in your hand vertically, but you don’t have to reach far behind them with your thumb. The back of the model already looks more interesting, mainly because of the oval volume rocker - it resembles either the door of the refrigerator, or the hatch of a spaceship. In any case, the impression of the design is mixed. You can note a slightly bulging lens, in the tradition of the iPhone 6. Of the unusual details, let us single out a new USB type C, a pair of stereo speakers and antenna design - they are practically invisible, only very short inserts on the bevel between the front and rear panels. Moreover, it is surprising that the phone managed to remain without the 2.5D glass that is now fashionable.

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is a large phablet that can barely fit even in a large palm. You can only hold it with one hand, and then it will not take very long, you will have to control it with two. Dimensions of the smartphone: 186.4 × 93.9 × 7 mm, it is quite large, but at the same time thin. Zenfone 3 Ultra immediately weighs 236 grams, a lot, a little heavier than the 6.4-inch and already ancient Sony Xperia Z Ultra. The Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra has a non-separable case, very durable for a large diagonal of small thickness. Most competitors begin to “play” and bend if pressed, but not him. During use (about three weeks) the phone did not lose its presentation, although no one really cared about it.

The Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra smartphone can be bought in three colors: silver, gray and pink.

Screen - 4.3

Smartphone Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra received a fairly high-quality display, you can only complain at not the highest brightness.

The screen uses an IPS matrix with Full HD resolution (1920 × 1080 pixels). The pixel density is 324 per inch, lower than typical for expensive models, but still quite clear, at the level of iPhone 7. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 4 and a good oleophobic coating - the screen is still dirty, but also easy to wipe. Viewing angles are not so wide even for a large diagonal. The range of brightness we measured turned out to be average - from 9 to 390 nits. In the dark it is quite comfortable, but on a sunny day there are some difficulties with reading from the screen. But the contrast was high for the IPS-matrix, 1300: 1, at the level of the iPhone 7 Plus. The color gamut turned out to be extremely wide - it completely covers the standard and 90% of Adobe RGB. Color accuracy is also high, at the level of typical TVs. It is a pity that there is no operating mode with gloves on, although it is often found among various Zenfon models.

Camera

Zenfon 3 Ultra is equipped with 23 and 8 MP cameras with a whole set of chips and 4K video, but we expected a little more from the quality of the photo.

Phone cameras can give odds to many competitors in the number of different features: fast f / 2.0 aperture, TriTech triple tracking focus, optical image stabilization, 6-element lens and color correction sensor. Judging by this set and resolution, this is almost the same camera as the Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe. The dimensions of the sensor used are quite large, 1 / 2.6 ", although the Samsung Galaxy S7 is slightly larger. However, due to the huge resolution, the pixels themselves are small, 1 micron (Google Pixel XL is 1.5 times larger - 1.55 microns) And indeed, in our opinion, the craving for a large number of megapixels in smartphones does not justify itself, it only allows you to impress an inexperienced user with this characteristic.

As a result, the camera turned out to be of high quality, but, in our opinion, inferior to other top solutions. The level of detail is quite high, but even in the afternoon noise is often visible, the picture at the edges of the frame is unconvincing, long-range plans are also not very good. The focusing system is faster than normal, but slower than the LG G5. The fact is that it slows down a little if you sharply transfer the camera to different objects, as it was with Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL. The color correction sensor fulfills its name - colors, as a rule, are natural and moderately saturated. The phone has auto-HDR, dual flash and many, many more shooting modes. Of these, only the most useful can be distinguished: “Manual”, “Panorama”, “QR code”, “Low light” and “Night” (oil oil), “Depth of field”, “GIF animation” and “Slow motion” . Moreover, we note that panorama shooting is slow, the phone thinks for a very long time, the picture looks jerky when the phone rotates to the side.

The company decided to keep up with the famous competitors and taught the camera to shoot 4K video, however, with minor restrictions - with this resolution, the video stabilization function becomes unavailable, which means whether or not a shake in your video will depend entirely on your hands. Unfortunately, tracking autofocus is not here, although it could be useful, especially with an advanced focusing system. But auto-exposure works - it changes according to the lighting conditions, this is also a very useful feature when shooting video.

A large aperture front-facing camera (f / 2.0) takes photos with a resolution of 3264 × 2448 pixels and video up to Full HD. She normally copes with selfies even indoors, but keep in mind that initially it included various effects of portrait enhancement. In addition, the front camera can take a panoramic selfie and even GIFs of a loved one.

Photo from camera Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra - 4.1

Photos from the front camera Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra - 4.1

Work with text - 5.0

The Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra uses its own convenient keyboard with a wide range of features.

There is support for continuous input (Swype), marking up additional characters, switching between languages \u200b\u200bwith a separate key, and much, much more. For example, a special editing window with icons for cutting, copying, pasting and moving the cursor. You can also resize the keyboard and characters, move it around the screen and adjust the delay for a long press (from 100 to 700 ms).

Internet 3.0

Initially, the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra has Chrome and Puffin browsers.

In the first (standard for Android), you can synchronize tabs and history with the desktop version and scale the text with a double click. The Puffin browser turned out to be curious, but a little slow. It has such unusual functions as the output of the touch panel on top of the image to control the cursor and the same virtual joystick with a cross and only two buttons.

Communications - 3.8

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra received a good, but not impressive set of communications:

• dual-band and high-speed Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac
• LTE Cat. 6
• Bluetooth 4.2
• GPS with GLONASS and BeiDou
• USB Type C
• FM radio (need headphones)
• two SIM cards (Nano and Micro).

Up to the premium level, there is not enough NFC chip and infrared port. A disadvantage is a combined slot (one of them is either under SIM or under MicroSD).

Multimedia - 3.8

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra smartphone supports only the most common audio and video formats, but the sound quality in general and in the headphones turned out to be quite high.

From audio, the phone did not play music in AC-3, but coped with FLAC. The TS, RMVB, FLV, WMV clips and some clips in MOV and MPG formats were not played. But Zenfon 3 Ultra copes with 4K video. The smartphone has a standard video player without any unusual functions and its own application “Music” with an equalizer (setting the sound by frequency). In our opinion, it is even more convenient and understandable than Google Play Music.

Battery - 3.8

According to our tests, Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra works for a long time, it can last for one and a half or even two days of work.

The battery capacity of the phone is 4600 mAh, a lot, but at the same time its screen is quite large. In the video test, the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra lasted 8 hours and 40 minutes, which is an hour longer than the Huawei Nexus 6P, but less than the already old Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or Meizu Pro 6. In the audio player mode, the smartphone worked for 99 hours, much like the long-running Huawei Honor 4C Pro. If you shoot a 10-minute Full HD movie, it will take only 5% of the charge, one of the best results in our tests. In games Zenfon 3 Ultra lasts a long time, up to 5 hours. The results are high, but the phone does not mark the record holders - in daily use the device lasts for one and a half or two days. The good news is fast charge support. So, in an hour it was charged at 74%, and it took about two hours to fully charge.

Performance - 4.3

The performance of the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is only average, which, considering the price for a smartphone, can be called a drawback. For the same money, you can buy some uncompromising “Chinese” by this criterion or the eminent flagship of 2015.

Zenfone 3 Ultra received a mid-level chipset - Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 (four cores at 1.8 GHz and four at 1.4 GHz). Interestingly, it is slightly weaker than the processor used in the Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL, but it has a more powerful graphics accelerator - Adreno 510 versus Adreno 506. The amount of RAM can be 3 or 4 GB. The phone works quite smoothly in daily use, it is enough for most games, but in some scenarios it still slows down. For example, when shooting panoramas, when you have to process a lot of information (hello to the camera as much as 23 MP), sometimes when switching between applications or shooting modes, and sometimes just in unexpected places. Such problems are encountered not so often, but with constant frequency. As for the games, in them, oddly enough, everything is in order - they load quickly, work smoothly. If we talk about scores in various benchmarks, then they are slightly above average:

• in GeekBench 4 (processor test) - 3025 points, one thousand inferior to Zenfone 3 ZE520KL
• in AnTuTu (mixed test) - 78312 (slightly higher than Xiaomi Mi Max)
• in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (graphical test) - up to 17938 (overtakes the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro phablet).

We decided to check if the phone case is overheating. Half an hour in 3D games almost did not heat it, only to 36.9 degrees on the back, which does not cause discomfort.

Memory - 5.0

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is sold in three versions: 32, 64 or 128 GB of permanent memory. In our test sample, 52.4 of 64 GB were available.

In principle, such a volume is enough for a multimedia device, and if it is not enough, then you have at your disposal a slot for memory cards up to 2 TB (according to the assurances of the manufacturer, well, if you find such a card). In addition to this, you are offered 5 GB indefinitely in ASUS WebStorage and 100 GB in Google Drive for 2 years.

Features

Zenfone 3 Ultra smartphone is running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and proprietary ZenUI 3.0 interface. There is no information on upgrading to Android 7 yet, but it is likely that this will happen.

Unusual in the phone can be called gigantic sizes, rather, this is a tablet. In addition, we note a fingerprint scanner, a metal case and a company interface of the company. In it, you can highlight the image adjustment, control gestures, ample opportunities for customizing the desktop, a proprietary keyboard. Unpleasant moments in this interface - it is quite heavy and not optimized as it should for fast work, but a large number of pre-installed applications (b aboutmost of which are not removed) only repels, at least, us.

Taiwanese electronics maker Asus is keen on big smartphones, which explains why the ZenFone 3 Ultra comes with a huge 6.8-inch screen. Two years ago, I tested the Asus Fonepad 8, an 8-inch tablet phone that looked like a stupidly large smartphone. Compared to this, the ZenFone 3 Ultra is slightly smaller, and to some extent it is bearable.

I think any smartphone over 6 inches  just huge to use it as a phone. But it is likely that Asus is betting on its customers buying this hybrid device - like tablet and smartphone compatibility.

Under the same name but a different smartphone

Besides its prefix " ZenFone 3“, Ultra does not share the same design as the other two flagship smartphones ZenFone 3. The rear camera mount is square in shape rather than round and located on the left side, not in the center.

Asus also put a fingerprint scanner on the front panel, where the home button should be, and not on the back panel, since the dimensions of the smartphone are very large and clicking on it would be a problem.

What are the main features for entertainment

The large 6.8-inch display has 1080p Full-HD resolution, which for obvious reasons does not look as high-quality as it looks on small screens. But in terms of pixel density, the Ultra display comes at around 324 pixels per inch. This is still a dense screen to admire the vibrant tones of movies or TV shows.

The company keeps pace with technology, and now you can watch panned video clips on the new device. Luckily for you, Asus has included a processor inside the smartphone that allows you to play 4K TV. I saw a demonstration of this in action, and I'm impressed with how smooth the panning of the video becomes when it is turned on.

Other entertainment-oriented features in the smartphone include two super loud holes, each with five magnetic speakers, and DTS 7.1 for audio headphones  who can expand their movie watching experience.

ZenFone 3 Ultra is just too big a smartphone to fit in your pocket. The iPhone 6S Plus in my pocket looked small compared to the new product.

Other key Ultra

• qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor
• 4 GB of RAM, internal memory up to 128 GB
• 4600mAh battery
• 23-megapixel four-axis OIS main camera
• Three colors: gray, silver and pink

First impression

Despite the impressive entertainment features built into the smartphone, my first impression is that the 6.8-inch monster is just huge to use comfortably. Right now, I would love to use “smaller” smartphones from other manufacturers in the range of five inches. However, it will be interesting to compare the pros and cons of all ZenFone 3 models when the end devices go on sale.

Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra will be available in mid-June in Taiwan, Asia Pacific, the EU and China. There is not a word about the presence of Russia at the moment. The device will cost $ 479 US dollars for 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory, and prices will increase depending on the size of the storage memory.

We continue to familiarize ourselves with the devices that were presented during the ASUS Zenvolution special event. Today, the focus is another smartphone from the new line of the manufacturer - ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.
With the ZenFone 3 Ultra, the company managed to maintain the intrigue until the very announcement. After Johnny Shea introduced the classic version and the flagship of the new line - many were already ready to study the specifications of the next-generation ZenFone MAX. However, the charismatic head of ASUS in his typical manner introduced a fundamentally different model, called ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra is a large smartphone. Dimensions - 186.4 × 93.9 × 6.8 mm, weight - 233 g. Screen diagonal - 6.8 inches.

In order to have a general idea of \u200b\u200bhow much the 5.5-inch smartphone and the device with a 6.8-inch screen differ, we offer a closer look at the photo where the model holds ZenFone 3 in one hand, and the second - ZenFone 3 Ultra.

Like the top-end smartphone of the new line, ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra has a one-piece metal body. An interesting technological technique is also used here, which makes it possible to practically hide the presence of small plastic inserts necessary for the normal operation of the radio module. This time, on a decorative chamfer, two small points can be seen at the top and one at the bottom.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra has a distinctive design. This is not a “stretched" to the required dimensions 5.5–5.7-inch model. The manufacturer tried to simplify the management of a large device by offering a different arrangement of functional organs.

For the screen with a diagonal of 6.8 ”, an IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 is used. The pixel density in this case is about 324 ppi. With a strong desire to consider individual points on the screen, you can try, but for this you need to seriously strain. Should I use a higher resolution? In our opinion, Full HD is enough for such a diagonal, whereas a screen with a large number of pixels would require more efficient hardware, which would affect the price and power consumption.

The display has good viewing angles, contrast and saturation. According to the stated parameters, the color gamut is about 95% NTSC. At the same time, for the first time, ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra uses True2Life + technology.

The smartphone is equipped with an additional specialized processor, similar to that used in 4K TVs. The chip allows you to dynamically optimize the contrast and clarity of the picture.

Estimating the quality of the image on the screen from a photograph can only be done in a first approximation. The image on the right is the compact screen of the Apple iPhone 6s Plus.

The front panel is covered with a protective glass Gorilla Glass 4. The screen of a large area should be especially carefully treated, because the use of durable glass is appropriate here.

Above the screen is a peephole of the front 8-megapixel camera (f / 2.0), proximity and lighting sensor, as well as a speaker. The system indicator in the off state is almost invisible, however, the glow of the LED is clearly visible when it lights up.

Under the screen are two touch and one mechanical key, the latter is also combined with a fingerprint scanner.

Two compartments for SIM cards are placed on the right side face, one of which can also be equipped with MicroSD (up to 128 GB). Closer to the central part is the power key. It is convenient to press while holding the smartphone with one hand.

There are no elements on the left side. From this photo you can evaluate the modest thickness of the smartphone. 6.8 mm for a device with such a screen size and increased battery capacity is almost a feat.

The key for adjusting the volume is placed on the back side. It’s not so easy to control the recessed recessed body. Owners of the device with not very long fingers are more likely to have to “steer” with the second hand, especially to increase the volume level. Well, this is already the cost of large dimensions. It would be even more difficult to control this button if the manufacturer decided to move it to the left side, and even if it had to intercept the device on the right side.

At the top edge in the corner is the peephole of the main camera, the lens of which protrudes minimally above the surface of the smartphone. In this case, a module with a 23-megapixel Sony IMX318 matrix is \u200b\u200bused, which is identical to that installed in ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe. In terms of technical characteristics and additional options, there are no differences. The same f / 2.0 aperture, hybrid stabilization system (optical + software) and the advanced TriTech autofocus system. A lot of manual settings with the ability to increase shutter speed up to 32 seconds and get pictures with a resolution of up to 92 MP.

A laser emitter window is located next to the lens, as well as a flash with two diodes and a color correction sensor for better white balance.

As you can see, the logo is placed in the central part, while the bottom is marked with the name of the line. In this case, this is not an excess, but the ability to close gaping voids on a massive 6.8-inch device. Separately, we note that fingerprints are absolutely not visible on the matte finish of the back panel.

On the top edge of the smartphone is a headphone / headset jack and an additional microphone.

On the lower edge is the expected USB Type-C connector. As for the data transfer speed, in this case the universal connector meets the USB 2.0 specification, and not USB 3.0, as in the top model. However, the "large" device boasts the ability to output images via the USB Type-C connector. In this case, the port supports HDMI and DisplayPort, so if you have the appropriate adapter, you can get a picture on any device with the appropriate interface.

Another interesting feature of the ZenFone 3 Ultra is the presence of a pair of speakers, the design of which uses five magnets. The same emitters are used for other ZenFone 3 models, but two speakers are two speakers. At a minimum, you can expect a higher volume, especially considering that in addition to duplicating sources, an additional amplifier from NXP Semiconductors is used here.

Touching the sound subsystem, we note that ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra also supports DTS Headphone: X technology, which allows you to get surround sound in ordinary headphones with two emitters.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor is used for the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra. It is an 8-core chip that contains 4 cores with the Coretx-A72 architecture and 4 economical Cortex-A53. SoC has an operating frequency of 1.8 GHz, and the Adreno 510 core is responsible for the graphics. This is a modern processor, although it is still manufactured according to the standards of the 28-nanometer process technology. In its computing capabilities, the Snapdragon 652 is a prominent representative of the middle class. For a preliminary assessment, we can say that smartphones based on it are gaining about 80,000 points in the Antutu test. This is 60–70% less than the flagships on the top Snapdragon 820, but in general, the level of performance is quite sufficient for all typical smartphone tasks.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra will be equipped with 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM. And that's definitely better than choosing between devices with 2 or 3 GB. As for the drive, modifications with 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB will be available for the model in question. Also a decent start and continuation. Versions with 16 GB should sink into oblivion, especially when it comes to mid-range devices. Here you should also remember about the 23-megapixel camera, the pictures of which are large. Therefore, the opportunity to use an additional flash card does not hinder here.

A large smartphone has a large battery. The device received a lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 4600 mAh. According to the claimed characteristics, the charge should be enough for 34 hours of calls or 11.5 hours of web browsing via Wi-Fi and the same duration of video viewing. At the same time, the smartphone supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology. Up to 60% of the battery will be filled after 40 minutes after connecting to an outlet. Of the unusual options - support for power-bank mode in which the smartphone can share its charge with another device (current up to 1.5 A). In the marching mode, it is difficult to overestimate the possibility of “throwing the clam”, to revive another phone. Yes, this is hardly a necessary thing, but the function is useful.

The device will ship with the Android 6.0 operating system and the proprietary ZenUI 3.0 shell.

Now about the price. The recommended cost of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra with 4 GB of memory and a 64 GB drive is $ 479. Yes, this is definitely not a budget mass device, but taking into account the diagonal and equipment, the price looks reasonable. In addition, a more affordable option with 3 GB of RAM and a 32 GB flash will be offered.

It's nice that ASUS is not afraid to experiment and, it would seem, niche products are loudly announced and go on the run along with nominally mass devices. Who might be interested in large phablets?

A large smartphone is definitely not for everyone. If the smartphone is primarily a dialer for you, on which you can also check your mail or answer in the messenger, then the phablet is unlikely to suit you. For these purposes, you can do with a more compact and lightweight model. But, if you often watch videos, photos, play, read books or surf the Web, then all this is more convenient to do on a device with a relatively large screen. Here, the emphasis on tablets seems to be obvious. But there is a "but." Many tablet owners with a smartphone with a relatively large diagonal, over time, actively use only one device. And, as you might guess, this is not a tablet. The latter, as a rule, is sent to the shelf of the cabinet or transferred to other family members for use. You are always in touch with a smartphone, it is always at hand, it has a good camera, you do not need to synchronize anything, etc. You seem to be doing without a large screen, but every now and then recall it with trepidation and nostalgia. Perhaps this is just the case when the phablet fits perfectly on your model of using a mobile system. Yes, you will need to keep your pocket wider, but the “shoulder blade” is a miracle as good for a number of tasks, and it is likely that the arguments for will outweigh the equally obvious “against”.

We look forward to the opportunity to get to know ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra more closely, a fleeting meeting is clearly not enough for an overall assessment of the 6.8-inch device from the new line.