As we already mentioned, ASUS decided to use a SuperIPS+ panel measuring 5.2-inch diagonally with Gorilla Glass protection. The pixel density is 401 ppi which is what you get in the case of FHD resolution. Color reproduction of this display is great and only in the case of black we'd wish for it to be darker, since there is a grey tint to it. The brightness is high enough to use the Zenfone 3 outdoors, when the sun is directly shining on the panel. Looking for the backlight sensor, which is crucial for quick brightness changes, we find it in the upper part of the frame and the response time for automatic adjustments is average compared to other products we’ve tested. Apart from that the feedback by the touch screen is perfect, which makes the Zenfone 3 feel very responsive. The graphics chip inside the SoC is an Adreno 506, which is pretty quick.
Models |
|
Benchmark |
|
Models | Chipset | CPU | RAM | GPU |
Apple iPhone 6S Plus | Apple A9 | Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister | 2 GB | PowerVR GT7600 |
Apple iPhone 7 | Apple A10 Fusion | Quad-core 2.34 GHz | 2 GB | Hexa-core |
ASUS Zenfone 2 ZE551ML | Intel Atom Z3580 | Quad-core 2.3 GHz | 4 GB | PowerVR G6430 |
ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE520KL | Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 | Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 | 4 GB | Adreno 506 |
ASUS Zenfone 3 Max ZC520TL | Mediatek MT6737M | Quad-core 1.25 GHz Cortex-A53 | 3 GB | Mali-T720MP2 |
Huawei P9 Lite | HiSilicon Kirin 650 | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 + 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) | 3 GB | Mali-T830MP2 |
Huawei P9 Plus | HiSilicon Kirin 955 | Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Cortex-A72 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) | 4 GB | Mali-T880MP4 |
LG G4 | Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808 | Hexa-core (4x1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 & 2x1.8 GHz Cortex-A57) | 3 GB | Adreno 418 |
Jiayu S3 Advanced | Mediatek MTK6752 | Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 | 3 GB | Mali-T760 |
OnePlus One | Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 | Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 | 3 GB | Adreno 330 |
Samsung Galaxy S5 | Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 | Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 | 2 GB | Adreno 330 |
Samsung Galaxy S6 | Exynos 7420 Octa | Octa-core (4x2.1 GHz Cortex-A57 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) | 3 GB | Mali-T830MP2 |
Samsung Galaxy S7 | Exynos 8890 Octa | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Mongoose & 4x1.6 GHz Cortex-A53) | 3 GB | Mali-T880MP12 |
Sony Xperia X Compact | Qualcomm MSM8956 Snapdragon 650 | Hexa-core (4x1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 & 2x1.8 GHz Cortex-A72) | 3 GB | Adreno 510 |
Wiko Fever 4G | Mediatek MT6753 | Octa-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53 | 3 GB | Mali-T720MP3 |
Wiko Highway Pure | Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 | Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 | 2 GB | Adreno 306 |
Wiko U Feel | Mediatek MT6735 | Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 | 2 GB | Mali-T720 |
Xiaomi Mi 4c | Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808 | Hexa-core (4x1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 & 2x1.8 GHz Cortex-A57) | 3 GB | Adreno 418 |
Xiaomi Mi 5 | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 | Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | 3 GB | Adreno 530 |
Overall | + | - | |
With the Zenfone 3, ASUS created a solid device that is quick and it can be found with a price of 360 Euros on Geizhals.eu. Apart from that there are a few minor flaws which are mainly linked to the design of the smartphone. We liked for instance that the color reproduction of the display is on a very good level and the cameras shutter releases quickly. Regarding battery life the Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 SoC performs very well and in combination with the big 2650 mAh battery. |
- Performance
- LTE - Fingerprint - Display - Battery - Camera - Available in three colors |
-
No backlight on buttons
|
|
Design / Bild Quality | + | - | |
ASUS decided to go for a proven classic "bar" design on the Zenfone 3 and it includes rounded corners as well as a slim profile, similar to the latest iPhone. The Zenfone 3 is mainly made in aluminum with a solid Gorilla Glass back cover. The display is protected by a slim, pre-applied film but if you want a tempered glass protection we suggest to use an aftermarket product. In combination with the very high build quality the Zenfone 3 feels great. Despite the size of the ASUS Zenfone 3 it fits perfectly in every pocket. The fingerprint reader works good but could be faster. |
- Aluminum
- LCD Protection preapplied |
- Fingerprint reader not always fast | |
Performance / Battery | + | - | |
Inside the Zenfone 3 we find a Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 octa-core SoC with Adreno 506 GPU. We tested the performance of this device and the results are usually average, while our comparison list includes mid-range and high-end smartphones. During the tests, we haven't detected any overheating/throttling issues. The 2650mAh battery on the Zenfone 3 is not removable and in our opinion battery life is excellent. Also the charging time is reasonably quick. | - Battery life | ||
Display / Camera | + | - | |
The ASUS Zenfone 3 is equipped with a 5.2-inch display panel which provides life-like colors while both contrast and brightness are really good. Only the reproduction of black could be better since it looks greyish way too often. The 16-megapixel rear camera is doing a decent job. The quality of the pictures, including macro shots, is decent even in low light conditions. Good is also the software that offers a ton of settings including manual mode for video and pictures. In addition we like also the front camera, with 8-megapixel, since it's able to shoot very nice selfies. |
- Life-like colors
- Sharp images
- Front camera good for selfie
- 2160p @ 30fps |
||
Recommendation / Price | + | - | |
The ASUS Zenfone 3 is a pretty decent device perfect for those looking for a smartphone with a nice design. Also on the connectivity side there is nothing to complain, since there is for example support for LTE and WiFi. The performance are on a good level despite the Snapdragon 625 is actually a mid-range SoC. Both cameras are quite able to convince and we especially appreciated focusing speed. The ROM is packed with a lot of settings and options allowing you can change almost everything on this device. | - Pricing | ||
Rating | |||
The Zenfone 3 from ASUS receives very good 4 out of 5 stars. | |||