At a launch for their new ASUS Fonepad 7 FE171CG tablet and other devices, ASUS Malaysia have confirmed that the upcoming ASUS ZenFone 2 and ZenFone Zoom will be coming to Malaysia sometime in Q2. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing details were offered but we should know more around March or April 2015. They have said that there will be no supply issues like the previous ASUS ZenFone range of smartphones and we hope that that will remain true when the actual relase date rolls about. They also revealed that the first-generation ASUS ZenWatch would not be coming to Malaysia but have not ruled out the likelihood of the ZenWatch 2 coming here instead. While they didn't reveal exact plans for 2015, they did reveal that their focus would be on achieving top rankings for their notebooks, desktops, Android tablets and smartphones.

ASUS Malaysia recently launched a trifecta of affordable yet feature-filled devices with the ASUS Fonepad 7 FE171CG, ASUS ZenFone C and ASUS EeeBook X205. The Fonepad 7 FE171CG doubles tech specs and features by offering a slimmer 7.9mm thin body, 8MP rear camera, 16GB storage and 2GB RAM for just RM529. While it doesn't replace the Fonepad 7 FE170CG, the ASUS ZenFone C replaces the ZenFone 4 smartphones for RM349. Notable tech specs for the ZenFone C includes a 4.5-inch display, larger 2100 mAh battery, 5MP PixelMaster camera with Low-Light function and SonicMaster audio with external amplifier. The third device is the ASUS EeeBook X205 which is a stylish and thin Windows 8.1 notebook computer with an 11.6-inch display for just RM699 for the 32GB storage version and RM799 for the 64GB storage version. Check out our hands-on photos of the three ASUS devices.

The newly announced ASUS ZenFone 2 and ZenFone Zoom smartphones are making waves around the world as ASUS have opted to make one really good ZenFone instead of a new version for each of the three previous original ZenFone smartphones. Due to the 5.5-inch display (which hits a very nice sweet spot in our opinion) the closest original ZenFone in terms of size would be the ZenFone 6, so we've used our tech comparison tool to compare all three smartphones. Key features that the new ZenFone 2 and ZenFone Zoom bring to the table are 64-bit Intel Processors, 5MP selfie-ready front cameras, 4G LTE cat 4 connectivity, dual tone LED flash and for the ZenFone 2, rear volume controls. While there are no Malaysia release dates yet, we expect the ZenFone 2 and ZenFone Zoom to reach us in the next few months or so as the original ASUS ZenFone smartphone range was launched regionally in April 2014.

Local Malaysia price details for the ASUS ZenFone 2 or ZenFone Zoom are also unknown still but based on the current US price of $199 (RM707) we expect the 2GB RAM ZenFone 2 to be priced around RM699. This would result in a drop in price for the existing ZenFone 6 and other previous ZenFone smartphones. Rumours indicate that AnTuTu benchmarks for the new ZenFone 2 could be around 39000 to 41000, which is a huge jump over the previous ZenFone 6 which scored 19661 on AnTuTu. Feel free to compare the ASUS ZenFone 2 or ZenFone Zoom with other smartphones using our tech spec comparison tool or check out the links below:

• ASUS ZenFone 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 5 vs ASUS ZenFone 6
• ASUS ZenFone 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Huawei Ascend Mate 7
• ASUS ZenFone 2 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G vs Samsung Galaxy Grand 2

ASUS Malaysia recently announced that their online portal the ASUS Store now accepts online banking through Fpx to pay for the various ASUS ZenFone smartphones available at the site. Previously the ASUS Store only accepted payment through credit card or cash-on-delivery (CoD). This means that you can now pay using Maybank2u, CIMB, Public Bank, Hong Leong, Bank Islam and RHB online banking. In related news, the ASUS Store is currently holding a New Year Flash Sale with the ASUS ZenFone 4 going for RM269 with a free bumper case. If you need help deciding feel free to check out our detailed ASUS ZenFone 4 review. ASUS Malaysia also announced that they recently sold more than 600000 ASUS ZenFone smartphones here in Malaysia so as a reward a special promotion will be available on 12 January 2015, so stay tuned for further developments.

ASUS has announced the ASUS Pegasus X002 for China retailing at around $130 (RM454) but packing in a 64-bit processor. Looking a lot like an ASUS ZenFone, the Pegasus X002 shares tech specs on par with the ASUS ZenFone 5 apart from the 64-bit processor, which in the Pegasus X002 is actually a quad-core MediaTek MT6732 processor. Other tech specs include 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, a 5-inch display with 720p pixel resolution, 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and 2500 mAh battery. It does have one feature over the standard ZenFone 5 in that it supports 4G LTE. Considering that there is already the ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE here in Malaysia we expect the ASUS Pegasus X002 to be China exclusive or at least there won't be any Malaysia release dates or pricing for the Pegasus X002 in Malaysia just yet.

ASUS had already confirmed that it would release a number of new ZenFone smartphones at the upcoming CES 2015 event to be held in Las Vegas from 5 January 2015. Now, the company has released a teaser video which shows off one of the devices that will be announced at the event. The teaser is pretty short and does not reveal much about the upcoming device which could be the ASUS ZenFone II range of smartphones. However, it does give us a glimpse of what appears to be a brushed metal backside, circular metallic button and a rear camera setup which includes dual LED flash and rear controls. ASUS is expected to announce the device at CES next year at an event which they have titled Experience 2Morrow, which isn't too far off. Expect more details like Malaysia release dates and pricing after the event. Check out the video below for yourself:

ASUS has scheduled a press event on 5 January 2015, exactly a day before CES 2015. In the event, called "Experience 2omorrow", the company is expected to release a number of new ZenFone smartphones, including a 5.5-inch model. The entire event will be streamed live on the ASUS website. Most of the ZenFone models to be released next year are said to run on Intel's chipsets, just like current generation devices. There are also rumors that some may be powered by Mediatek processors. ASUS ZenFone smartphones are well-known for their decent specifications at an affordable price tag and the newer models are expected to retail under RM1100. The ZenFone smartphones running Intel chips are said to come with 4G LTE support and will be priced around $300 (RM1050). On the other hand, the Mediatek powered ZenPhones will be cheaper, around $150 (RM525) and will be limited to local Chinese markets. ASUS aims to launch the ZenFone lineup in 20 countries instead of the present 14 by next year. The company also plans to double its total units sold - from 8 million in 2014 to 16 million in 2015. The three main ZenFone models, the ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 were launched in Malaysia early this year and we expect these new models to come around the same time next year, perhaps in March or April 2015.

Thanks to the GFX Benchmark database, we have some details about an upcoming ASUS ZenFone model. The device with the model number ASUS X002 was recently found in the database with a MediaTek processor. This marks a shift from the usual Intel processors found inside all the ZenFone models to date namely the ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6. Tech specs include a 64-bit quad-core Mediatek MT6732 processor along with Mali-T670 GPU, 2GB RAM, 8GB storage which is expandable up to 32GB and a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. An 8MP rear camera at the back seems to confirm that it is a ZenFone 5 variant but this one also comes with a 5MP front camera marking it possibly as a selfie camera (other ZenFones pack in a 2MP front camera). It also supports a single SIM card slot and 4G LTE connectivity. It is expected in CES 2015 next year with a Malaysia release a few months later, sometime around April. No Malaysia release dates or pricing yet but we expect a drop in price considering the MediaTek processor.

Wanted to buy an ASUS ZenFone smartphone but got put off by distributors and sellers offering it at non-retail pricing? Well, ASUS Malaysia now have another option with their soft launch of the ASUS Store (http://store.asus.com/my). Designed to serve all the ZenFone smartphone buyers here in Malaysia, the site offers the ASUS ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 6 at the retail pricing of RM299, RM519 and RM699 respectively. Unlike other online stores, the devices for sale here are not going to be sold in batches. Instead, you can add them to your shopping cart at any time (sort of like a pre-order) and expect to get it within the next 1 ~ 2 working days. For East Malaysians the wait is extended by a day to 1 ~ 3 working days. So far, the number of colours available to choose from are limited but new colours like Yellow and Purple are expected soon. Also, there is no mention of the other ASUS ZenFone range of devices like the ZenFone 5 LTE or ZenFone 4 A450CG but we assume these should be added soon.

The ASUS ZenFone lineup has seen tremendous popularity throughout the world and it looks like another variant of the popular ASUS ZenFone 5 is all set to hit the Malaysian market. This rumoured variant could be the ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite, the affordable version of the ZenFone 5 and is expected to be available in Malaysia pretty soon. The device with the model number A502CG was recently released spotted on the Malaysian SIRIM database.  While ASUS Malaysia has not yet made any official announcements about the pricing or availability, the device recently went on sale in Philippines for just 5595 Pesos (about RM417). If Malaysian pricing comes around this figure, the ZenFone 5 Lite would lie in between the ZenFone 4 and the ZenFone 5, giving another option to choose from in the ASUS smartphone lineup. Some of the main tech specs of the device include a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, MicroSD card expansion slot, qHD 5 inch 960 x 540 pixel resolution display and a 2,500 mAh battery. As you can see, the processor and the display have been downgraded, but what is surprising is that ASUS has included a larger 2500 mAh battery on the device.