The ASUS ZenFone range of smartphones are really making a big impact with their mix of well balanced design, great tech specs and features at very affordable pricing. The ASUS ZenFone 5 (A501CG) is the entry-level to midrange version of the smartphone and in our view is probably one of the most versatile smartphones in the Malaysian market. To find out why we think this is the ZenFone that can do everything check out our full review of the ASUS ZenFone 5 (A501CG) below.
Design - Balanced just right
Like all of the other ASUS ZenFone smartphones, the ASUS ZenFone 5 shares the same rounded backside and stylish metallic circles design on the bottom front panel as the other ZenFones. However, unlike the ASUS ZenFone 4, the ZenFone 5 is a bit thinner at around 10.33mm with the slimmer edge offering a sleeker look. The back still fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and the back cover has different textures based on it's colour.
The ASUS ZenFone 5 fits well in the palm of your hand
The white back cover feels like ceramic while the black feels rubberised and so forth. The 5-inch display isn't too long or too wide with a nice balance between viewing space and hand feel. You can still use it easily one-handed and the smartphone fits nicely in your pocket. The balance on it is just right, not too heavy at 145g nor too light with no flex at all on the screen or back. The 5-inch display offers a resolution of 1280 x 720 which handles gaming, movie watching and simple browsing with ease.
The design of the ZenFone 5 is balanced just right
Tech Specs and Features - Generous Portions
Packing in 2GB of RAM, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and an 8MP PixelMaster rear camera with F2.0 aperture, the ASUS ZenFone 5 packs many higher-end features that you usually don't find in smartphones of the same class. Other notable features includes the ASUS ZenUI with all it's accompanying apps, GloveTouch for gloved input, 1080p video recording at 30 frames per second and the extensive PixelMaster range of camera features. The 2110 mAh battery is unfortunately non-removable but popping off the cover reveals support for dual-SIM cards and up to 64GB microSD. In addition, users will also get 5GB of lifetime ASUS WebStorage to add on to the 8GB of internal storage. Check out the full tech specs list below:
- ASUS ZenFone 5 (A510CG)
- 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB storage + up to 64GB microSD
- 5-inch display (IPS, 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 3)
- 8MP rear camera (Sony BSI sensor, f/2.0, LED flash, 5-element lens) + 2MP front camera
- Supports Dual SIM, 3G, WiFi, GPS, ASUS ZenUI
- Android 4.3 (upgradeable to Android 4.4 KitKat which is already available for download)
The back cover opens up to reveal dual-SIM and the microSD slot
Thanks to the larger Sony BSI 8MP rear camera sensor, the PixelMaster camera adds on a feature you won't find in the lower-end ZenFone 4 which is Low Light mode but all the other features like Time Rewind and image stabilizer are all there. Like the other ZenFone smartphones, the ZenFone 5 packs in a 5-element lens to go with a high-end camera sensor for the best-in-class picture taking clarity.
While the processor is listed as a dual-core, the hyper-threading feature allows it to act like a quad-core processor and it is reported as such
Performance - Can handle anything
Performance-wise, the ASUS ZenFone 5 returned an AnTuTu score of 19978 which places it on par with former flagship smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. In terms of 3D benchmarks, the ZenFone 5 got a very good score of 6537 in 3DMark Ice Storm and 3636 in the Ice Storm Extreme test. The Epic Citadel test also got very good results with an average frames per second score of 59.9. This capable versatility lets it handle practically everything with ease and this even included demanding games like Asphalt 8 Airborne which even included the special effects (breaking glass screen, dust, etc.), something which you don't often see on an entry-level to midrange smartphone. We did note that the ZenFone 5 does get hot when running 3D apps or games but it won't get scorchingly so unless you binge on it.
The ASUS ZenFone 5 offers great for it's class performance with an AnTuTu score of 19978
3DMark performance shows how versatile the ASUS ZenFone 5 can be
Epic Citadel also shows just how well the ASUS ZenFone 5 can handle 3D apps and games
The ASUS ZenFone 5 offers smooth performance even with all the special effects on Asphalt 8 Airborne
As we guessed, the better 8MP camera provides faster shots with better lighting, allowing all of the PixelMaster features to work as originally planned. This included clearly lit shots in each frame of the Time Rewind feature, even in low-light conditions. The Low Light feature is particularly powerful, providing much clearer shots with not much noise compared to your standard low-light shots. Bear in mind, that some light is still required and it does not work very well in pitch black darkness.
Time Rewind shows that the 8MP camera sensor handles light better for all frames, capturing all instances well
The ASUS ZenFone 5 8MP camera works well even in the Sun...
... and you can also have the Moon as well
That being said, practically every other PixelMaster feature works well and each shot is quite detailed without much noise. Burst mode in particular is more responsive and optimizes every frame for better light and clarity. We really liked the automatic mode that is surprisingly intelligent. While it doesn't force you to use modes like HDR or Low Light, the icon does blink when it thinks that you'll need it. Most of the time it is quite accurate, but sometimes when you're looking to get a specific effect, at least it doesn't force you to use what it thinks is better.
Normal camera shot on the left, Low Light shot on the right shows how awesome the ASUS ZenFone 5 Low Light feature is
We also managed to test out the smart cover function on the ZenFone 5. Like some other covers, the one on the ZenFone is round, letting it stand out from the other square or rectangle cut-out covers. You can actually do quite a lot with the smart cover, even turning on the flashlight or asking the magic 8 ball a random question. Granted, this smart cover that we got was not the original and therefore didn't look as nice as an original version would, but the smart cover features still work nonetheless. Battery life remains the biggest issue with the ZenFone 5, especially for heavy users. While the smartphone can handle anything you ask it to do, if you're a heavy user you can expect it to run out of charge within 5 to 8 hours. On minimal usage you can expect about 1 day and a half on a single charge. Connectivity and wireless performance are very good and you can expect a strong signal in most places.
Check out the smart cover features for the ASUS ZenFone 5
Price - Another great bang for your buck
Initially priced at RM599, the price for the ASUS ZenFone 5 (A510CG) has dropped somewhat to RM519 which places it very nicely in the entry-level to midrange smartphone market. Closest competitors would include the Huawei Honor 3C, the Nokia X2, Sony Xperia M, Samsung Core 2 and Lenovo A889 none of which offer the same number of features and stand-out design as the ZenFone 5. Bear in mind though, that some third-party sellers are offering this ZenFone 5 version for lower pricing around RM475 but these could be AP sets imported from overseas. While there isn't any difference in terms of features or tech specs, the original ASUS Malaysia ZenFones get better support, including the latest Android 4.4 upgrades so make sure of what you're buying before you get it.
Conclusion - Versatile and powerful
In a nutshell, the ASUS ZenFone 5 is the best sized and most versatile smartphone in the current ASUS ZenFone range. Not too small and not too big, it is great for watching movies, playing games, browsing the Internet and everything else. The better camera sensor is particularly capable and brings out the whole range of PixelMaster features just as well as the higher-end ZenFone smartphones. It's only major issue remains the battery and that it doesn't support 4G LTE. However, most users here in Malaysia get by well enough with just 3G as 4G LTE coverage just hasn't reached very far. If you're looking for a capable, versatile and affordable smartphone then we heartily recommend the ASUS ZenFone 5 (A501CG).
The ASUS ZenFone 5 unboxed!
Our hands-on with the ASUS ZenFone 5
*TechNave.com would like to thank ASUS Malaysia for providing us with the ASUS ZenFone 5 for this review. It allowed us to do a more in-depth review and highlight more features.
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