This time we will talk about the most unusual smartphone from the new ASUS ZenFone line. Not every day we get phablets with a diagonal of 6.8 inches. What does such a “shovel" do for? Looking ahead, let's say that she is capable of much.
Specifications
- Screen: 6.8 ’’, IPS, 324 ppi, 1920 x 1080;
- Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow (ZenUI 3.0);
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 652, Cortex-A72, 4 x 1.8 GHz, Cortex-A53 4 x 1.4 GHz;
- GPU: Adreno 510, 550 MHz;
- RAM: 3 GB (4GB);
- Built-in memory: 64 GB (128 GB) support for microSD memory cards up to 128 GB;
- Cameras: 23 MP (ƒ / 2.0, hybrid autofocus, dual LED flash, optical stabilization, 4K video), 8 MP;
- Battery: 4600 mAh, non-removable;
- Dimensions: 186.4 × 93.9 × 6.8 mm;
- Weight: 233 g;
- SIM slots: 2, nano-SIM, micro-SIM, hybrid slot;
- Communication: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, HSDPA 800/850/900/1900/2100 MHz, LTE band 1/3/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/38/39 / 40/41, Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS, BeiDou;
- Sensors: illumination, proximity, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer;
- Available colors: Glacier Silver, Titanium Gray, Metallic Pink;
- Cost at the time of testing: from 43 000 rub.
Equipment
At first glance, the packaging of the novelty resembles the box in which the Asus ZenFone 3 is sold. The same black-and-blue cardboard and the name of the model crowded out from above. The same list of contents: a smartphone, stickers with bar codes, a user manual, a “clip” for removing SIM cards, a charger (5.9V 2A) USB Type-C cable and a wired headset with a set of additional ear pads (3 pairs) - so do not notice the differences.
Another thing when unpacking Zenfone 3 Ultra. The valve of the box is held by magnets, the smartphone is enclosed in an envelope made of thick plastic, the tray with accessories extends, it is worth pulling the tab on the side of the box. The headset is completely stored in a separate case. It is by no means as simple as it usually is. ASUS did not save on accessories and put ZenEar S headphones with metal cases and a good anatomical shape on a silicone pad.
Appearance
The dimensions of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra are striking. 186.4 × 93.9 × 6.8 mm - in size, the phablet resembles a notebook or diary and takes the same place in the life of the owner - in the inner pocket of a jacket or jacket. Despite the thin body, which even gives the device a kind of grace, there is nothing to think about using this smartphone with one hand. Even a special function that reduces the scale of the interface and moves it to the edge of the screen will not help you. You have to reach for the volume keys on the rear panel.
The monolithic metal case is executed just fine. In the color Titanium Gray, the all-in-one looks excellent while not being covered by fingerprints. Antennas are placed in small white inserts, visible on the edges of the front panel. If ASUS did not fuss and did not patent this constructive solution, we will soon see many of these smartphones.
In the lower part there is a protruding mechanical key with a built-in fingerprint sensor, on the sides of it there are touch buttons with a backlight. Near the earpiece you can see the sensors, the front camera and the notification LED. At the bottom of the device is a USB Type-C port and a microphone framed by two speakers. A second microphone and a 3.5 mm jack are located on the top panel. And finally, pay attention to the camera. It protrudes slightly from the body and is equipped with a two-tone flash and laser autofocus.
Display
The display protects the glass of Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It does not have a fashionable bend, but there is no edge around the perimeter - the glass smoothly passes into a metal frame, so that you don’t notice the border by touch. The front panel is covered with a good grease repellent layer. A touch layer is placed in the sandwich of the screen, which recognizes a 10-finger input and a polarizing filter that cuts off glare.
Iron
ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra received an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor with Adreno 510 graphics core, 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent memory in the configuration that came to the review. Of these, 50 GB are free. By the totality of the characteristics, the smartphone is closely matched to the flagships of this season, taking a solid position in performance in the middle of the higher segment.
Of course, there is no question of any lags in the interface or applications. There is no throttling. On Zenfone 3 Ultra "digests" any mobile games. Most of them work at maximum settings. We tried Modern Combat 5, Dead Trigger 2, Mortal Combat X, World of Tanks - they all worked perfectly, even when recording the gameplay in parallel using the built-in software.
Alas, it was not possible to get the exact FPS and temperature during the game. Used for this application send Zenfone 3 Ultra to reboot.
Software
Based on Android 6.0, ASUS created their own version of the operating system. She is nicely decorated in a single style, equipped with a new set of animation. We especially liked the parallax effect on the desktop - depending on the position of the device, tracked using the accelerometer, the wallpaper is slightly shifted.
About the functionality of ZenUI 3.0 we described in detail in the review. Here we note that some menus are overloaded and in general, are not arranged intuitively. It seems that company programmers are being cheated by a sense of proportion. So, during the initial setup of the device, the user is asked to install many programs from partners, but even if you refuse all without exception, you will be greeted with an unnecessary software (more than a dozen shortcuts) system. Not all can be removed from this “wealth” by regular means. From time to time, applications are reminded of their existence by intrusive notifications. From the side of ASUS it is somehow not solid.
Worse still, the system in its current form is unstable. Sudden reboots occurred not only when trying to remove information about FPS in games, but several times just while charging the device.
Communication
Only the supported LTE ranges in the characteristics of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra, there are 14 pieces. With this set of frequencies, you will not be left without high-speed Internet in any developed country in the world.
Two openings for SIM-card trays are made in the case at once. The first one designed for nano format is combined with a slot for Micro SD, the second one is for a micro SIM card. There is only one radio module, despite the small area allocated for the antennas - signal reception is always stable. The same goes for dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac and Bluetooth 4.2, and even an FM radio. NFC support, alas, no.
The call management menu, in addition to the phone book, dialer with light and dark design options, contains an item responsible for recording calls from the line.
A cold start when you first start navigation is fast only if you are connected to the Internet. For the first time, the smartphone updates the satellite base using A-GPS. In the future, this is not necessary, and navigation is turned on in a matter of seconds. The number of connections is high, the smartphone finds contact with all three global positioning systems: GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou.
USB Type-C in Zenfone 3 Ultra runs on USB 2.0, supports USB OTG and acts as a Display Port.
Sound
In this case, it is worth talking about sound separately. ASUS paid a lot of attention to this aspect, which resulted in the installation of loud stereo speakers with a resonant camera and an NXP Smart Amp amplifier. They play cleanly and are most suitable for multimedia entertainment: movies and games.In addition, there were some software improvements. So, presets adjust the nuances of sound for specific branded headphones, the equalizer is built into the firmware, as well as DTS Headphone: X technology emitting a seven-channel sound. This makes the Zenfone 3 Ultra a good choice for music lovers.
Battery
Zenfone 3 Ultra supports Quick Charge 3.0. With it, a non-removable 4600 mAh battery is filled at 80% per hour. Up to 100%, it charges in two hours.
Performance modes in ZenUI 3.0 is a placebo. Moreover, it seems that the energy-saving mode even harms autonomy. In the productive and normal modes, in our test, the smartphone demonstrated an operating time without recharging equal to 8 hours and 20 minutes, and in energy-saving, strangely enough, 7 hours and 54 minutes.
Editorial battery test results:
LG X-Power
Pocophone F1
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Samsung A7 (2017)
Xiaomi Mi6
Huawei P10
Meizu M3s mini
Xiaomi Mi 5s
Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro
Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is a huge smartphone with rich bundle and not very rich technical characteristics. To understand for whom smartphones with a screen of 6.8 inches are made, you need to dig deep, right up to Taiwan itself.
If we have such a smartphone designed for a rare "breed" of people, then in Taipei, this is where the Asus campus is located, this is generally the norm.
I was on the Asus campus itself, talked with the chief designer, and just lived for a while in Taipei, watching the local population. So, there the smartphone has long turned from a means of communication into a device for consuming content. Taiwanese are an amazing nation, 80% of the population is wearing glasses, and this is not an exaggeration, but statistics. People read a lot and live on the screens of their devices. Perhaps it is because of this that they have such vision problems.
Two years ago, a smartphone with a 5.5-inch screen in Taipei's public transport was the norm. People watch movies and TV shows on the road, read books. I would not be surprised if the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is a local bestseller, since there are a lot of Asus smartphones in the hands of the local population.
In this review, I will not describe the technical characteristics, but only convey my feelings about using the device.
What is it like to use a 6.8-inch screen?
In terms of content consumption, that's cool. Instagram, social networks, browser pages - everything is at a glance, you look at some familiar things in a new way.
In terms of convenience of daily use, it is hell. Previously, the phrase “use a smartphone with one hand” was the industry standard for journalists. With the Asus Zenphone 3 Ultra, you feel the need for a third hand.
This smartphone once again proved to me that FullHD resolution is a universal standard, even on such a huge screen everything looks “smart”.
Watching YouTube on this monster is just an opening, the only negative, on such a large screen you can see video errors in low quality with slow mobile Internet.
But for games, this smartphone is hardly a convenient solution. A very bulky device, in addition, its worm got into the technical specifications, but more on that later.
Now about design
All attention was drawn to the screen, but the design of the device has its own “jokes”. The back of the smartphone with a new design, volume control buttons catchy will highlight the smartphone in our boring gray everyday life. The smartphone looks very large, but its thickness, or rather, thinness, give the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra a certain charm.
A special charm is caused by the elegant movement of the hand when you take this device out of the "wide" legs. Unless, of course, you manage to fit such a shovel in your pocket. I managed. And believe me, if the iPhone’s won’t surprise anyone, then with such a thing you will definitely collect all the views of those around you, especially women. Whoever says it, but size still matters.
Asus even tried with the box, it looks solidly, "in a rich way." Beautifully packaged headphones in the Zen-style are in the kit, and good bundled headphones are a rarity these days.
The front of the smartphone does not look “very”, the irrational arrangement of the Home key is striking, but until you turn on the screen of the smartphone, after that it is generally “purple” on this button, the screen draws all the attention.
If you decide to buy yourself such a “unit”, then worry in advance about where, how and in what you will wear it.
POWER
I wrote about the "worm" in the technical specifications. The fact is that the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is a flagship smartphone with a non-flagship processor. A device with a diagonal of 6.8 inches would not hurt Snapdragon 820, but Asus decided to save money and put Snapdragon 652.
For its value it is a solid processor. It can’t be called slow, but when you peer closely at a screen of this size, then believe me, every lag or sagging fps are striking.
Otherwise, everything is fine: there is enough 4 GB of RAM, and there are plenty of internal 64 GB of memory, and you can also insert a microSD.
The interface runs fast, routine user tasks and actions are performed without delay, and games ... games must be played on the PlayStation.
The Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra camera is stuffed with a bunch of fashionable terms and technologies: 4-axis stabilization, phase autofocus, a 6-element lens from Largan Precision, a Sony IMX318 sensor. Many beautiful words to splurge.
I will say this. Two years ago, I was surprised by the quality of the images from the Asus Zenphone 5. The smartphone was inexpensive, and the photo was very decent. Asus quietly and quietly optimizes the camera’s processes and doesn’t tell anyone about it. And you know, it’s right: if you tell someone that you have “the coolest camera on the market”, adherents of the photo will fly and peck. And so everything seems to be modest, and it shoots well.
Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is a huge viewfinder with a decent camera that distinguishes this smartphone from the "Chinese". The company invests in image processing algorithms and a decent result is obtained. Yes, the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra camera does not catch stars from the sky, but in general everything is decent. Photos taken on this smartphone will say it all for themselves.
The sound of the Asus Zenfone 3 is a little talked about, but I was quite struck by the volume of the external speakers. I will say otherwise, this is the loudest smartphone of all that I have heard. No HTC or any other audiophile smartphone can compare with the volume of the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra. In a large room at maximum volume it is even uncomfortable to listen to him, you have to do it quietly. The volume is so overwhelming that you can’t figure out exactly where the sound comes from the smartphone.
This device has to be compared not with smartphones, but with laptops, and decent. It plays louder than my Macbook Pro 13, and anyone who used a Macbook knows what Apple sounds like. But louder, it doesn’t mean better, physically the size of the membrane of the speaker will not allow the smartphone to play deeper and cleaner, but in comparison with other smartphones, this is a direct leap forward. In a noisy train it will be very convenient to watch TV shows and films with a friendly and loud company, on the one hand, the screen itself begs for it, on the other hand, the sound does not disappoint.
The operating time of this “miracle” is at the level of most long-playing phablets. A 4600 mAh battery is enough for continuous operation. With very active use, the smartphone lives for 8 hours. In a mixed rhythm of use, it will last for a day and a half. There is a quick charge here, but it is fast only at the initial stage: in 45 minutes the smartphone charges up to 60%, and the full cycle takes 2.5 hours.
Conclusion
Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra is an experiment smartphone and, first of all, not for Asus, but for the consumer. Units will want such a device as their main means of communication, someone will look at it as a good alternative to a tablet with a phone function. The second scenario is more likely. By the way, Asus is not the first company to create giant smartphones, Sony and Xiaomi have also distinguished themselves with this. Apparently, the traditions of the Asian market leave their imprints on our reality.
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 there is a 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 source duplication, 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” and 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.
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 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
| ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra | ASUS Zenfone 3 | Lenovo Phab Plus | Xiaomi Mi Max | Sony Xperia XA Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.2 / 5.5 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, capacitive multi-touch | 6.8 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 324 ppi, capacitive multitouch | 6.44 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 342 ppi, capacitive multitouch | 6 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 367 ppi, capacitive multitouch | |
| Protective glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | no information | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | yes, manufacturer unknown |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 (four cores ARM Cortex-A72, frequency 1.8 GHz + four cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 1.4 GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (eight cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 2.02 GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (four cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 1.11 GHz + four cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 1.46 GHz) |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 | Mediatek MT6755 Helio P10 (four cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 1.2 GHz + four cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 2 GHz) |
| Graphics controller | Adreno 510, 550 MHz | Adreno 506, 650 MHz | Adreno 405, 550 MHz | Adreno 510, 550 MHz | ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 700 MHz |
| RAM | 3/4 GB | 3/4 GB | 2 GB | 3/4 GB | 3 GB |
| Flash memory | 64/128 GB | 32/64 GB | 32 GB | 32/64/128 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory card support | there is | there is | there is | there is | there is |
| Connectors | USB Type-C, 3.5 mm minijack | microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm | microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm | microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm | microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm |
| SIM cards | nano-SIM + micro-SIM | two micro-SIM | nano-SIM + micro-SIM | nano-SIM + micro-SIM | one nano-SIM / two nano-SIM |
| 2G Cellular | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | |
| 3G Cellular | HSDPA 800/850/900/1900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz |
| 4G Cellular | LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300 Mbps): ranges 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 7 (300 Mbps, 150 Mbps): ranges 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 4 (up to 150 Mbps): ranges 1, 3, 7, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300 Mbps): ranges 1, 3, 7, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 4 (up to 150 Mbps): ranges 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 |
| Wifi | 802.11a / b / g / n / ac | 802.11a / b / g / n / ac | 802.11a / b / g / n / ac | 802.11a / b / g / n / ac | 802.11a / b / g / n |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| Nfc | not | there is | not | not? | there is |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Sensors | Light, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Light, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Light, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Light, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | |
| The fingerprint scanner | there is | there is | not | there is | not |
| Main camera | 23 MP, ƒ / 2.0, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, optical stabilization, 4K video recording | 16 MP, ƒ / 2.0, contrast / laser autofocus, LED flash, optical stabilization, Full HD video recording | 13 MP, ƒ / 2.0, contrast autofocus, LED flash, recording Full HD-video | 16 MP, ƒ / 2.0, phase detection autofocus, LED flash, 4K video recording | 21.2 MP, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, Full HD video recording |
| Front-camera | 8 megapixel, fixed focus | 8 megapixel, fixed focus | 5 megapixel, fixed focus | 5 megapixel, fixed focus | 16 megapixel autofocus |
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery at 17.5 Wh (4600 mAh, 3.8 V) | 11.4 Watt-hour non-removable battery (3000 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery on 13.3 Wh (3500 mAh, 3.8 V) |
Non-removable battery at 18.4 Wh (4850 mAh, 3.8 V) | 10.2 Watt-hour non-removable battery (2700 mAh, 3.8 V) |
| The size | 186.4 × 93.9 × 6.8 mm | 153 × 77 × 10.9 mm | 186 × 96 × 7.6 mm | 173.1 × 88.3 × 7.5 mm | 164 × 79 × 8.4 mm |
| Weight | 233 grams | 155 grams | 229 grams | 203 grams | 202 grams |
| Housing protection | not | not | not | not | not |
| operating system | Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Zen UI Shell | Android 5.0 Marshmallow, Lenovo shell | Android 6.0 Marshmallow, MIUI Shell | Android 6.0 Marshmallow, shell of Sony Xperia | |
| Current price | 44 990 rubles (for the 64-gigabyte version) | 23 990/27 990 rubles | 18 990 rubles | from 11 990 to 14 990 rubles (depending on the amount of memory) | 27 990/28 990 rubles |
⇡ Appearance, ergonomics, software
The appearance of the Zenfone 3 Ultra clearly shows 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.
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Fingerprint Settings |
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Using a scanner in Zenfone 3 Ultra, you can unlock your device and answer incoming calls.
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Specifications
- Case materials: metal and glass
- Operating System: Google Android 6.0
- Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE, LTE, two SIM cards
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon Octa-Core 652 1.8 GHz
- RAM: 4 GB
- Memory for data storage: 64 GB + microSD up to 2 TB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b / g / n / ac), Bluetooth 4.2, Type-C connector (DisplayPort support) for charge / sync, 3.5 mm for a headset
- Screen: capacitive, IPS 6.8 "" with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels
- Camera: 23/8 MP (optical stabilization), phase detection autofocus, laser focusing, white balance sensor
- Navigation: GPS / GLONASS
- Battery: 4600 mAh, quick charge Quick Charge 3.0
- Dimensions: 186x93x6.8 mm
- Weight: 233 grams
Contents of delivery
The device comes in a large black plastic package. If you open it, then you can find the gadget itself from above, and the accessories are located in the drawer: Quick Charge network adapter, type C USB cable, various waste paper with a clip, separately packed in a transparent plastic case with a headset with ear pads of different sizes. Everything looks pretty premium.
Introduction
In the middle of last year, Asus demonstrated several devices of the new ZenFone 3 line at Computex, including the ZenFone 3 Ultra. This is a compact tablet, or a huge phablet with a screen diagonal of 6.8 inches. The device was equipped with not the most productive solution from Qulacomm, however, there were no questions about the speed of the test, we installed a large amount of memory, two speakers with NXP Smart Amp amplifiers, used the best camera modules with optical stabilization, used DTS virtual 7.1 surround sound and many interesting things that are best described in more detail in this review.
If we are talking about positioning, then it is quite simple: Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra for those who need a smartphone with a large screen size.
At the moment, the device is available at a price of 40 000 rubles.
Design, dimensions, controls
The best thing about design is succinctly stated on the company's official website: “The design of the ZenFone 3 Ultra smartphone is made in accordance with the corporate identity of ASUS, reflecting the Zen philosophy in a modern sense.” This means that all three gadgets presented last year have common features. The phablet is rectangular in shape, with slightly smoothed corners, slightly sloping side faces, flat front and back sides. Personally, I really like this look - no frills with the newfangled curvature of the different sidewalls a la Samsung Edge Series. The design is strict, but among the colors of the case there are not only gold and dark gray, but also pink - they pleased the lovely ladies.
The body of the gadget was created all-metal and seamless, that is, it has neither plastic inserts nor antenna wiring on the back, like many smartphones Meizu, HTC and other companies.
“Using metal as the basis of the smartphone’s case, manufacturers are forced to compromise: the use of compact internal antennas was possible only in combination with special plastic inserts necessary for the passage of the radio signal. But ASUS engineers were able to cope with this problem: the new ZenFone 3 Ultra has a stylish, all-metal body without dielectric inserts on the back cover. ”
The dimensions of the device are as follows - 186x93x6.8 mm: significantly larger than any phablet, but smaller than a 7-inch tablet. Pay attention to the thickness of 6.8 mm, because the diagonal of the screen is also 6.8, only in a different dimension. With one hand, no matter what they say, it is comfortably impossible to “use” the device, even despite the optimization of the software. Nevertheless, I didn’t have any particular problems using ZenFone 3 Ultra, I just need to understand that you have a tablet in front of you, and accordingly, you need to adapt to the size of the phablet.
A thin chamfer runs along the perimeter. Over time, she began to be covered with small scratches and micro-chips. The lateral sides are opaque, but relatively slippery, the back surface is also opaque, but more rough. Returning again to the issue of ease of use, I will say that if you are not at rush hour in the subway, then there should be no problems.
The assembly at Ultra is excellent - it does not creak, it does not crunch. By the way, the screen is protected by fourth-generation Corning Gorilla Glass. The site says that the device has a very thin screen frame - 2.4 mm. This is not entirely true. This distance is from the matrix to the beginning of the frame of the case, but the most relevant distance (from the matrix to the edge of the case) is about 4 mm.
In general, Asus leaves a good impression: a nice, strict design, good ergonomics, a slim body, and excellent materials. Only protection from dust and moisture is not enough, but I think it is a matter of time, that is, some ZenFone 4 will already be implemented according to the IP68 protection standard. I am sure that in the near future, all gadgets in one way or another will not be afraid of water.
On top of the front of the Ultra are the speaker (loud, with a margin in volume, bass, it sounds clear), sensors, a selfie camera, an indicator of missed events. In Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra noticed one feature: when talking while lying down (the phablet is upside down), the interlocutor hears me much worse, much like when I lost the signal. This was especially pronounced on the old Apple iPhone 5.
Below the display is a mechanical button with a combined fingerprint sensor. With it, you can answer an incoming call simply by leaning your finger on the sensor. To the left of the button is “Back”, to the right - “Menu”.
At the bottom there are two stereo speakers, a microphone and a USB-C connector. On the right side of the case is a metal power button with a raised surface. A little higher is a slot for a memory card or a sim card of nano format, even higher is a slide for nanoSIM. There are no elements on the left.
On the reverse side there is a camera with a thin metal frame (protrudes slightly above the case), laser focusing, LED double backlight and a special color correction sensor when analyzing data received from the camera (in other words, “hard” white balance correction).
The largest “file” is a flat and slightly recessed large volume control button in the case. Such an inconvenient control I have not yet met. No, of course, there were and are different LG devices, but in Asus Ultra the button is terrible: it’s almost impossible to find, it’s difficult to press because of its tight and hard stroke, as well as minimal feedback.
Asus and Meizu M3 Max (6 inches)
Display
The Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra uses a screen with a diagonal of 6.8 inches. The physical size of the display is 84x150 mm, the frame at the top is 17 mm, the bottom is 19, the right and left are about 4 mm. There is anti-reflective coating.
The display resolution is Ultra - FullHD, that is, 1080x1920 pixels, the density is 323 pixels per inch. The matrix is \u200b\u200bmade using IPS technology without air gap. Technology ASUS VisualMaster 3.0 is used, which is a set of hardware and software tools to improve image quality. In addition, there is such a thing as Tru2Life +:
“Based on the latest image processing algorithms used in the most advanced models of 4K TVs, ASUS Tru2Life + technology optimizes the contrast and sharpness of the picture to achieve the most realism.
Tru2Life + technology automatically optimizes image sharpness to improve the clarity of fine detail. In particular, it makes the text displayed on the device screen more readable.
The above technology also includes MEMC motion estimation and compensation algorithms, with the help of which additional frames are inserted into the videos, increasing the playback speed up to 60 frames per second. This technique allows you to make video playback more smooth and detailed. "
Thanks to the blue light filtering function, the radiation intensity of the screen is minimized in the corresponding range, which helps to reduce eye fatigue without affecting the accuracy of the transmission of other color shades.
Despite not the highest density of dots, the picture on Ultra does not look blurry. The image really looks great: the brightness is high, the colors are nice and accurate, the viewing angles are maximum, the colors are not distorted under the slopes. The Asus Ultra matrix resembles the Meizu MX6 matrix, one of the best IPS-matrixes, if not the best, is also used there. After nuclear Amoled and simple IPS, the Asus screen makes a cool impression!
Viewing angles
Battery
The Asus device has a non-removable 4600 mAh battery. If I had not tested the device, I would most likely have said that for a 6.8-inch screen this capacity is not enough. However, the operating time of Ultra pleased me. On average, the screen glow time was about 4 - 4.5 hours. I think a similar result is good.
The talk time of the gadget is enough for 10 hours, in the video playback mode at medium brightness, the battery runs out after 12 hours, surfing is about the same.
In general, in my operating conditions, the phablet worked for at least one day.
The device supports fast charging (Quick Charge 3.0), so in 45 minutes you can charge the battery up to 60% from scratch. Interestingly, the Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra can also act as an external power source, with a charge current of 1.5 A.
Communication opportunities
This device has two slots for sim cards of nano format. The scheme is typical: either two SIM cards, or one, but with a microSD memory card. 4G LTE CAT 6 is applied. Frequencies:
- FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28)
- WCDMA (Bands 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 19)
- GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wireless Wi-Fi has ac standard, Bluetooth version 4.2. Naturally, there is GPS and GLONASS.
Memory
The device is equipped with 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM LPDDR3, we had a version of 4 GB. About 2.5 GB is available on average. The built-in can be 64 GB or 128 GB. In addition, microSD cards up to 2 TB are supported. The memory read and write speed (64 GB version) is average, you can be sure from the screenshot below. At work, this has almost no effect, at least I can’t say anything negative.
Cameras
The main camera has a 22.5 MP Sony IMX 318 module (sensor size 1 / 2.6 inches, f2.0 aperture, optics consists of six lenses, 1.0 micron pixel size), and the front camera has 8 MP (f2.0 aperture); There is a double LED flash with a different color of glow - cold and warm.
The sensor of the main camera is equipped with three-axis electronic image stabilization for video, supports phase detection autofocus (hybrid). In addition, the Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra has optical stabilization. For accurate focusing over short distances, a laser focus is used. To adjust the color on the back there is a special sensor.
In real life, all these bells and whistles do not really work. That is, the focus is fast, but if you compare it with the focus on the Samsung Galaxy S7, then the latter is just lightning fast and even more accurate. The special color sensor functions so-so, that is, the white balance sometimes “floats”.
Unfortunately, I did not have the Galaxy S7, so I will give an example and comparison with the Meizu MX6 (right) and Huawei P9 Plus (in the center).
It seemed to me that Asus had the best result. In the daytime, the picture has more details, in room lighting the detail is slightly reduced, at night it is very good. However, in real life, not in ideal test conditions (a motionless hand, wiping the lens, and so on), the camera shoots average, especially in room lighting: the image becomes blurry, a violet tint appears from somewhere in the corners, almost all movements are blurry.
In the camera’s settings, it’s easy to turn on the HDR mode, and it can work continuously or in automatic mode. You should not use it in motion - a double picture appears.
The camera has a lot of modes: HDR Pro, super resolution (92 MP), “children” (slightly more saturated colors and faster shooting), low light, night, depth of field (not working well), selfies, animation, panorama, miniature, rewind, slow motion video, intelligent delete objects, smile and so on.
The “low light” mode is very cool: you can get a completely normal shot even in complete darkness! “Super resolution” improves the picture a little, it becomes a little sharper, but often you cannot use this function - it saves the frame for a long time (up to 5-10 seconds).
There are full manual settings: focus, shutter speed from 32 seconds to 1/50,000 seconds, ISO (50 - 3200), exposure and white balance. Not unless RAW.
The quality of the videos is not bad, but nothing like that. There is stabilization (it works adequately), there is 4K shooting (with “stub” and without it, with HDR and without it), support for 60 FPS FullHD. Focus speed during movie recording is low. I didn’t like the sound, because the software cuts the noise too much.
Sample Photos
Performance and OS
The Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra model uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 chipset (28 nm process technology, 8 cores, Andreno 510 graphics). This chip is not a top solution, but its performance is enough for all the tasks set for the device: Asus does not slow down, it works smartly, all games are launched, and most of them go to the maximum settings. In general, Ultra is so fast that even the test Samsung S7 and Huawei P9 Plus begin to "smoke aside."
The case of the device does not heat up when the processor is loaded. In the popular Antutu test, the ZenFone 3 Ultra phablet scores about 80,000 points - the result is slightly above average. Again, tests are tests, and actual use is another matter.
The system is Google Android version 6.0, the proprietary shell is ZenUI 3.0.
New user interface features:
The Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra uses two stereo speakers, consisting of five magnets and a special sound chamber design. In addition, an NXP Smart Amp amplifier is used.
The speaker volume is very high, the sound is clear, deep, bass notes are heard. The stereo is not quite extended, because the speakers are a short distance from each other. In any case, it is unlikely that anyone will be indifferent to hearing the sound of Ultra.
Audio Technology SonicMaster 3.0, used in ZenFone 3 Ultra, is a set of hardware and software that provide high quality sound. Among other things, it provides noise minimization and improved speech reproduction for voice calls over the LTE network (VoLTE). The ZenFone 3 Ultra is capable of playing music files of audiophile quality in 24-bit / 192 kHz format. The gadget also uses DTS Headphone: X technology to create virtual spatial sound in 7.1 format.
In the kit you will find a decent headset ASUS ZenEar S. It uses a three-layer diaphragm and dual resonant cameras. Headphone volume is high, quality is good. Smartphones have an equalizer and separate points for selecting low and high frequencies.
Surprisingly, the ZenFone 3 Ultra has a radio.
Conclusion
Frankly, I really liked the device, I tested it with great pleasure and used Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra a bit as the main gadget. The device is definitely not for everyone because of the impressive dimensions, but it can easily replace the tablet.
From the point of view of technical parameters, perhaps this is not the most sophisticated device, however, it works without complaints, and its speed is enough for any tasks. Again, the display does not have QHD resolution, but due to the use of high-quality IPS-matrix using various technologies, the picture on the Asus Ultra is really cool. Almost all applications work in tablet mode, which means that more information will fit on the display. Unlike many phablets, here the programs look adequate, and it’s convenient to use them.
Separately, it is worth highlighting a smart interface: everything starts instantly.
The camera is not the best, but squeezed the maximum out of it: here you have 23 MP, optical stabilization, fast hybrid focusing, a color metering sensor, and 4K HDR video ... A large number of filters and settings, including full manual parameters.
I have already talked about the speakers, so I will not repeat myself.
Operating time did not disappoint - a day without special problems, plus - fast charging.
The appearance is pleasant, relatively strict, the case is thin and made of quality materials. In general, there’s nothing to complain about, except for the volume control button: flat, tight, and it’s almost impossible to find.
The cost of Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra - from 40 000 rubles (PCT). For such a sophisticated device, this is normal money.
