Asus Zenfone Max M2 review: Decent budget Android phone

Last month, Asus launched the successor of the company's popular Zenfone Max M1 series. It comes in two variants-Zenfone Max Pro M2 and the generic Zenfone Max M2. I have already reviewed the former and now, I am ready with the latter.

Asus Zenfone Max M2 comes in two variants— 3GB RAM + 32GB and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage—for Rs 9,499 and Rs 11,999, respectively. Both the models will be exclusively available on Flipkart with lucrative exchange deals and instant cash back offers.

As the name suggests, Asus Zenfone Max M2 is a watered down version of the Zenfone Max Pro M2 (review), but considering the price and its features, it has enough ammo to give a stiff challenge to rival brands.

Let's get started...

Design, build quality and display:

Asus Zenfone Max M2 comes with a familiar design of M1 series, but only when looked from the back side and I am not complaining. It has a smooth curvaceous shell on the back and when held in hand, you can feel the high-grade quality of material used in the making the phone. Even visually, it gives out a premium vibe, which most budget phones don't, as companies in their bid to cut costs, use inferior material. But, not Asus, it has done a commendable job in this aspect. Even the paint job on the rear-side is praiseworthy. I have a black hued review model and it looks gorgeous.

Also, I appreciate Asus for going a mile further in terms of the increasing utility of the SIM tray. It has incorporated three dedicated slots for SIM 1, SIM 2 and microSD. The phone retail package also comes with shell-case, which further enhances the durability of the Zenfone Max M2. Most often times, phone makers neglect this aspect.

On the front, it sports a big and bright 6.3-inch HD+ screen. I had no issues viewing contents on the screen even with the notch on top. This aspect is very subjective, as some people hate it but others love and if you check out the iPhone X launcher on Google Play store, one will know that there are millions who love the notch and also, over time, it will grow on you. Eventually you'll forget it exists, as apps are being made to even out the top part of the display to offer obstruction-less viewing experience in terms of 16:9 and 18:9 aspect ratio.

Performance:

The Asus phone comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 octa-core backed by 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB storage with the option to expand up to 2TB via microSD card.

My review model came with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage and it worked without any issues. Zenfone Max M2 never showed signs of lag-ness while performing day-to-day activities such as making/answering calls, switching multiple apps in succession, playing normal games such as Candy Crush, Angry Birds, among others. But, have to say, the camera app did hang a quite few times during the testing, but this is not big deal, as this seems to related to software optimisation, which means it can be fixed via firmware update. 

What impressed me most is the clean interface of the Zenfone Max M2. It has just three third-party apps Facebook, Instagram and Messenger apps, some proprietary – Camera, FM radio, Calculator and Sound Recorder, while the rest of them are Google-made apps.

Navigating through the Zenfone Max M2 is simple and pull down app shortcuts offers quick access to most used actionable buttons such as cast, mobile data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more. Also, in the Settings, you can easily find all functions in shortest possible time.

I am also impressed with Face Unlock feature, as it was able to detect me most of the time, but in the low-light, it struggles a lot. This is not a deal breaker as no phones in this price range offer this feature flawless at night-time. On the bright side, this shortcoming is compensated by the fingerprint sensor, which is fast and has low False Rejection Ratio (FRR).

Camera:

Asus Zenfone Max M2 sports a primary 13MP (with F1.8 aperture, 6p lens, 1.12µm) and a 2MP depth sensor with LED flash. It also supports 4K Video recording, which is very rare for a budget phone. For me, the most important aspect is how the still images look and have to say, it did not disappoint particularly with bright natural conditions. It was able to take sharp and clear images with the right amount of colour contrast. 

The only drawback is that the camera interface needs some work, as it takes three steps to start recording a video; this might seem trivial but these small changes can make big difference in terms photography experience. Whenever there is a need to take a video in quick time, even a fraction of second can cost you perfect moments to capture, such as your child getting up and walk for the first time. Asus engineers need bring simple flip option on the camera icon.

Also, the autofocus seems to lose speed in the low-light environment and even for image processing, it takes time. While taking photos in the night, I was disappointed to see most of them were blurry in the gallery app. Later, I came to realisation to wait for a few seconds more focusing camera on the subject, before moving on to the next. So, after a few snaps, I finally got the hang of it.

These are very minor issues, which can be fixed with a software patch. In fact, Asus has released a patch with camera improvements, but could not update my review unit, as the roll-out process is staged in phases. I haven't been able to get the software yet. But, I am certain this update will enhance the photography experience.

As per the changelog, the new update (15.2016.1812.145) optimises camera performance and enables EIS (Electronics Image Stabilisation) in the front camera, which will be very beneficial during a video chat on a shaky platform such as standing a bus or a train.

As far as the front 8MP camera is concerned, it takes decent selfies and thanks to dedicated LED flash, the quality of images remained consistently good even in the low-light environment.

Battery:

Asus Zenfone Max houses a 4,000mAh battery and it runs all day under mixed usage. During the trials, it was able to keep the phone running from dawn to late night with a single charge. My daily routine starts from 5:30 am and ends at 10:30 pm, me retiring to the bed. I usually start using the phone to read news on Google Cards, browse social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook during my commute via bus from home to the office, which usually takes close to 45 minutes. Once I reach the office, I use the phone only to make/answer calls, exchange text messages on WhatsApp and only check emails during lunch. Once I am done for the day, I start my commute to home via bus and usually watch videos on YouTube mostly for new movie trailers and also comedy scenes to mitigate the work stress in the evening. I usually don't like to play games on my phone, but for testing purpose, I tried a few including Angry Birds and Temple Run. Once reaching home around 8:00 pm, I have my dinner and before I retire to bed and put the phone to charge, I listen to music for a half hour. So, during this routine for a week, the Zenfone Max M2 had more than 25% juice left. If used more conservatively, Asus phone will offer one-and-half-day battery life.

Final thoughts:

Considering the over-all aspects, Asus Zenfone Max M2 is worth the price it commands. Highlight features of the new Asus device for me is the long lasting battery, build quality and pure Android experience. Though the camera app needs some work, this can be fixed with a minor software update. In fact, Asus did release the incremental firmware, but I haven't been able to get it as the roll-out process is staged in phases and will take few more days to reach all corners of the country.

Rest assured Asus Zenfone Max M2 makes up for a compelling buy for people with tight budget. Also, to those who are looking to migrate from keypad-based feature mobile to a smartphone. This Asus phone makes your first ever touch-screen mobile experience, a pleasant one.

Pros:

• Praiseworthy build quality
• Full-day battery life
• Dedicated triple slots for SIM 1, SIM 2 and microSD card
• Pure Android experience and Pie update coming soon

Cons:

• Camera app needs some work, as it tends to hang at random times. But, this is not deal breaker, as this kind of issues are common among mid-range phones and can be easily fixed with a software patch. Most importantly, the image quality is better than most devices in the sub-Rs 12,000 price band.

Key specifications of Asus Zenfone Max M2: