ASUS Zenfone 3S Max: Super Android experience, good for heavy usage

By Sourabh Kulesh

New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) For a market that is flooded with mid-segment devices and crying for some innovation with better specifications, Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer ASUS has brought in Zenfone 3S Max that not only has a huge battery but also sports the very fresh Android Nougat 7.0 (with ZenUI 3.0) for the Indian users.

With its 5,000 mAh battery, the device stays awake as long as you surf, watch movies or play games and lets you experience faster and better Android Nougat 7.0 operating system from Google which is only available in very few devices at a moment.

Zenfone 3S Max (to be launched and a price tag is yet to come), which has 3GB RAM and 32GB storage expandable up to 2TB, is an upgrade to the earlier device Zenfone 3 Max.

Here is what works for it.

Zenfone 3S Max has same design elements as other Zenfone devices -- 2.5D contured Glass in a new full-metal, aluminum alloy-body that houses its high-definition 5.2-inch HD IPS display, giving a sturdy feel.

The 175-gram, 8.85mm thick device is equipped with Octa-core 64-bit processor, paired with Mali T860 graphics processing unit for lag-free gaming, surfing and content consumption.

The 13MP primary camera has fast-focusing abilities and produced good details, capturing natural colours and skin tones in pictures.

"PixelMaster" is an iconic brand of entire camera systems in the ZenFone series. The PixelMaster 3.0 app provides various modes, including super-resolution mode to nurture photography experience.

Here comes the real catch: With ZenFone 3S Max's "Super Resolution Mode", users can shoot high-resolution 52MP photo by using ASUS' special image-processing techniques.

Although the camera's manual mode does not make up for a DSLR but it is a good experience for a rookie learner to work with the device.

The fingerprint sensor is positioned in the front and you can register up to five separate fingerprints.

Another USP is its high-capacity 5,000mAh battery that lasted approximately two days on mixed usage, including surfing on social media apps and light gaming on a single charge. The smartphone also doubles up as a charger to power up other gadgets.

Zenfone 3S Max has a built-in app that comes with a "Super Boost" option. Once enabled, the device prevents the memory from being used again by an app that starts running in the background on its own.

The smartphone also offers "Intelligent Power Modes", including performance, normal, power-saving, super-saving and customised-power modes that enabled us regulate the usage according to the requirements.

In the audio department, Zenfone 3S max features a loud mono five-magnet loudspeaker. With the in-built AudioWizard app, you can customise audio according to listening preferences.

What does not work?

The device is slippery owing to sharp finish. The 8MP front shooter is fairly good.

Unlike other devices, you will have to press the home button and then unlock the device with your fingerprint.

Conclusion: ASUS Zenfone 3S Max has an edge over its rivals such as Xiaomi Mi Max, Lenovo P2, Gionee Marathon M5 Plus and Galaxy A9 Pro in terms of latest Android OS and memory expansion. Go for it if you are a heavy smartphone user on the go.

(Sourabh Kulesh can be contacted at sourabh.k@ians.in)