Asus has announced its much-hyped device, the Zenfone 2, which comes in three variants - ZenFone 2 ZE500CL, ZenFone 2 ZE550ML and ZenFone 2 ZE551ML. These three models, which varies in price, will take on several budget and mid-range devices currently available in the market.
Asus has confirmed the release date of Asus Zenfone 2 in India and it will happen on Thursday, 23 April. The device will have to compete with several devices like Moto E 4G, HTC Desire 820Q, Lenovo S90 Sisley, OnePlus One, Xiaomi Mi4, HTC Desire 820s, Nokia Lumia 830, Gionee Elife S7, HTC Desire 826, Micromax Yu Yureka, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G, Moto G 2nd Gen, Microsoft Lumia 730 and several other devices.
Will Asus Zenfone 2 survive the stiff competition?
Well, Asus official website has revealed that the ZE500CL model will be priced at TWD 4,990 (around ₹9,930 / $159) while Asus France tweeted that the entry-level device comes with a price tag of €179 (approximately $193 / ₹12,000), which means it will take on devices like Micromax Yu Yureka (₹8,999), Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G (₹9,999) and several other devices.
With features like 5.0-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS screen, Atom Z2560 processor, Android 5.0 Lollipop, 16GB internal memory expandable up to 64GB, 2GB RAM, 8MP main camera and 2MP front snapper, and 2500 mAh battery under the hood, the ZenFone 2 ZE500CL scores over devices like Micromax Yu Yureka and Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G on several counts. So, ZenFone 2 ZE500CL is expected to do well in price-conscious Indian market. [Read: Asus Zenfone 2 ZE500CL vs Micromax Yu Yureka vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G: Specification Comparison]
The Zenfone 2 ZE550ML variant is priced at TWD 5,990 (around ₹11,900 / $191) and comes with features like 5.5-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS screen, Atom Quad Core Z3560 processor, Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, 16GB internal memory expandable up to 64GB, 2GB RAM, 13MP main camera and 5MP front snapper, and 3000 mAh battery.
This model will take on devices like Moto G 2nd Gen (priced ₹12,999) and Microsoft Lumia 730 Dual Sim (priced ₹13,681) but feature comparison has revealed that Zenfone 2 ZE550ML is ahead of these devices. [Read: Asus Zenfone 2 ZE550ML vs Moto G 2nd Gen vs Microsoft Lumia 730: Specification Comparison]
The Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML comes in two variants, one with 2GB and the other with 4GB RAM with price ranging from TWD 6,990 (around ₹13,900 / $224) to TWD 9990 (around ₹19,850 / $320). The device sports a 5.5-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen with 1080 x 1920 pixels (403 ppi pixel density), powered by Intel Atom Z3580 processor, and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop. It also comes packed with 16/32/64GB internal memory expandable up to another 64GB, houses a 13 MP main camera with LED flash and 5 MP front snapper, and has a non-removable Li-Po 3000 mAh battery.
The mid-range device will have to compete with several devices like OnePlus One, Xiaomi Mi4, HTC Desire 820s, Nokia Lumia 830, Gionee Elife S7, HTC Desire 826, HTC Desire 820Q, Lenovo S90 Sisley and others in the Indian market. The competition is going to be tough but the Zenfone 2 ZE551ML has an edge over these devices as far as their specifications are concerned but it is to be seen how it really fairs when it hits the stores on Thursday. [READ: Zenfone 2 ZE551ML vs OnePlus One vs Xiaomi Mi4 vs HTC Desire 820s: Specification Comparison]
